My New Favourite Ritual: Sunday High Tea at Toronto's Reid's Distillery
Being in city that's always on, you learn to really appreciate your own little moments of calm
For me, it’s always been tea—a few cups a day is just my thing, a way to kind of reset between everything else. So, when you find a place that gets that, a place that takes a quiet ritual and makes it feel special, you remember it.
Reid's Distillery has been on my list for a while now. They were sweet enough to invite me for a Distillery gin tour and a cocktail making class about a year ago, but my schedule has been pretty busy. It's funny how things work out, though. Right in the middle of all the energy from TIFF, a quiet Sunday afternoon appeared, and it just felt like the right time to finally visit.
I went for their Sunday Gin High Tea with my friend Courtney, and honestly, it was such a lovely experience. After waiting all that time, I can tell you it’s a truly chic and different way to spend an afternoon in Toronto. If you’re looking to do something with a little more style than just another brunch, you should definitely check this place out.
The Destination: A Top Gin Distillery in Toronto
First off, the space at 32 Logan Avenue has a truly special atmosphere. It’s a stunning, industrial-chic cathedral of gin in Leslieville, making it one of the top Toronto attractions for those who appreciate great design. Think soaring ceilings, beautiful light, and massive copper stills that are basically works of art. But the story behind it is what really gets you. It’s a family-run affair, born from a passion for the UK's "gindustry." They even named their two stills after their grandparents, Matt and Maureen, a detail that adds so much warmth.
The Main Event: The Sunday Gin High Tea
Now, let’s get to the main event, a perfect answer for anyone searching for things to do in Toronto on a Sunday. The Sunday Gin High Tea ($60 per person) is a must. They bring out the iconic three-tiered stand, and it’s loaded with the good stuff—perfect finger sandwiches, dreamy little pastries, and scones that are practically begging for a scandalous amount of clotted cream.
They also have plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
The Sunday Gin High Tea Experience
Their Sunday Gin High Tea, priced at $60 per person, is a masterclass in modern indulgence. This is a perfect for a treat yourself moment, or a Toronto date idea, mother and daughter outing, girls day or even group day out. The experience comes with a teapot with tea of your choice, along with beautiful three-tiered stand arrives, holding:
Savory Bites & Finger Sandwiches: The perfect, delicate start. As someone leans more towards savory- the sandwiches were my favourite!
Warm Scones with Clotted Cream & Jam: The heart of any high tea, done to perfection.
Exquisite Patisserie: A top tier of beautiful sweets that taste as divine as they look.
What makes this experience truly memorable is the spirited twist
You can elevate your afternoon with charming add-ons like the Cocktail Teapot ($28) to share, or for a true celebration, a sparkling French 75 Tower ($55). We also sipped on cocktails made with their Reid's Signature Gin—which was deservingly voted Best Classic Gin in Canada by the 2023 World Gin Awards.
More Than Tea
Beyond this beautiful ritual, Reid's invites you to explore further with their distillery tours and hands-on cocktail classes in Toronto. It's an opportunity to connect with the craft and the story on a deeper level.
My Sunday at Reid’s was the perfect reset—a beautiful blend of a timeless tradition. If you’re looking to create your own beautiful memory in Toronto on a Sunday, your search ends here.
With Love and Style,
Betty Lam