The timeless tradition of afternoon tea has sparked a new trend at the Ritz-Carlton with the recent launch of its breakfast tea. Just like their afternoon tea experience, the Ritz has given it a breakfast twist with a worldly list of teas and morning gourmand delights. So if you can’t catch a mid-day tea break, you are in for an indulgent treat to start your day.
Breakfast tea is served daily from 9:00am to 11:30am in the opulent Palm Court. The sculptured moldings on the soft cream walls, the shiny brass accents, and the picturesque tropical dome ceiling evoke British pomp. There’s an overall grand feeling the moment our heels step onto the marble grounds. We were seated beside a covetable and fully-stocked bar serving mimosas among other delicious libations, and sat in cozy baroque chairs decorated with gold embellished pillows.
With the elegant surroundings, we couldn’t help sticking out our pinkies while sipping tea from fine china teacups. The loosed tea was divine to say the least, and impressively enough it is bagged at the hotel. The various choices of tea are sure to satisfy every palate with flavours inspired from Japanese, Indian, and Chinese cultures.
What crowned the breakfast tea experience was the savoury and sweet spread made in-house. We opted for the complete breakfast tea service including a chilled mimosa (after all, we need our Vitamin C in the morning). The food was presented on a three-tiered silver stand to be eaten in the particular order it was displayed (from top to bottom).
We began with a side bowl of fresh fruit and a warm brioche and flakey croissant that we lathered with jam. The biggest challenge that morning was choosing between the strawberry, raspberry, orange, and peach jams, so instead we experimented the different flavours with every bite.
We then moved onto the second dish of savoury bites including a seasonal vegetable flan, an open face smoked salmon and tarragon mayonnaise sandwich served on pumpernickel bread, and a quail egg benedict with Gaspor farm ham.
They say a meal is only as good as its last dish, and this proved to be true as breakfast was completed with decadent sweets prepared by the pastry chef. We bit into a buttery palmier cookie with raspberry filling and savoured every spoon of the light crème fraiche, berry, and granola parfait. The pastry chef’s creations change daily, which makes us even more eager for our next visit!
Whether you are a tea connoisseur or a novice looking for a social and epicure pastime, the Ritz-Carlton is the answer. Be sure to reserve in advance to secure a seating at the iconic Palm Court.
Photos by Jenn Ruvo. Follow her on Instagram @jennruvo.
1228 Rue Sherbrooke O, Montréal, QC
(514) 842-4212