The Tea Emporium

Upon entering The Tea Emporium, you’ll notice a huge wall with hundreds of teas in identical black and green canisters. The upscale specialty teashop inside the Maple Leaf Gardens Loblaws definitely fits well with its luxurious surroundings. But the sheer scale of choice, according to owner Shabnam Weber, overwhelms some clients. More often, though, she finds people are simply curious. “And once you have curiosity, exposing people to new things becomes so much easier,” she says. “The great opportunity is that we live in a city that is so global, so multicultural, so thirsty to learn about new things. Toronto has a heightened awareness and a great desire to learn.”

The Tea Emporium staff helps customers find their way by offering a few varieties that bear similar notes to teas they already like. Many people think of Earl Grey as a floral scented tea, but are surprised to learn bergamot is actually a citrus fruit. Customers can go on to choose a creamy Earl Grey, a Lady Grey with notes of lemon and orange, or maybe try a tea flavoured with grapefruit peel. “We start with your flavour palate and go from there,” Shabnam explains.