Afternoon tea service usually brings to mind posh dining rooms and delicate china in a very sort of elegant atmosphere, but a new Toronto experience is taking that teatime charm to the streets, complete with panoramic city views, live violin music, and, oh, a glass-roof double-decker bus!
The aptly named High Sociétéa launches later this month in Toronto, making it Canada’s first luxury afternoon tea experience hosted on a customized sky-deck bus with sweeping 360-degree views under a fully transparent roof. The 90-minute experience combines sightseeing with a traditional afternoon tea service, complete with artisan teas curated by Toronto tea sommeliers with more than 35 years of experience, alongside plated savoury bites and desserts, all served in an elegant, Instagram-ready setting.
The experience was founded by Veruschka Mungroo, who says the idea grew from cherished afternoon tea rituals shared with her mother while growing up in South Africa. The inspiration took on even deeper meaning after her mother was diagnosed with dementia two years ago.
“Yet even now, there is one thing she still remembers—our mother-daughter afternoon tea time,” Mungroo shares on the company website. “It taught me that memories made with love are timeless and can live beyond time, beyond illness, beyond anything.”
There are two ticket options available: the Signature Package ($145 per person) and the Classic Package ($125 per person). Both include sky-deck seating, private tables and a souvenir tea tumbler, while the Signature Package also adds an enhanced curated menu, priority boarding and a seasonal mocktail or non-alcoholic rosé.
The menus include classic afternoon tea fare with elevated touches. The Traditional Menu features smoked salmon with herbed cream cheese on pillowy white bread, cucumber and dill cream cheese tea sandwiches, and an egg-and-herb medley with cucumber and dill (vegan and gluten-free versions are also available).
Reservations for High Sociétéa are now open, with the first Toronto experiences expected to begin this June! Seats are limited, and with weekend bookings expected to fill quickly, high tea lovers may want to reserve soon.
