Plentea — Restaurant in Montreal

Possibly my best Toronto tea find... ever.

I came here because of the overwhelming Yelp praise and also I'm an avid loose leaf drinker. I simply was not prepared for how great this could be. Last time I was blown away was at M Squared using the honey soaked Chai tea from Australia. Plentea blew that out of the water. If you love teas of any type, you owe yourself to try the teas here.

Unlike other places which boils water and drop in a tea bag, this place hand curates and blends the leaves and spices together right in front of you. That's like asking a barista to choose beans in front of you, cut up a vanilla bean, scoop the seeds, and create a fresh simple syrup if you asked for a vanilla latte. I won't go as far as milking a cow cause I'm sure the Toronto by laws prevent that.

So we came in on a Sunday morning to be greeted by a warm and friendly gentlemen who was very interested in offering the best he can after learning we just walked in for the first time. The menu is artistically presented on the two story wall where you can see many options. Some are as simple as a green matcha and other goes as rich and developed as a black tea mixed and blended with citrus notes and spices.

The cafe is super open and clean with 2 stories of seating to enjoy your cup. Main floor is just a few bar style seating with the upstairs with large work space tables to collaborate over great tea.

I tried two which still sticks in my memory a day later... Black Velvet black tea latte and Thai Dragon black tea latte. The depth and strength of the tea reminds me of the same ones I experienced in HK where your taste a wonderful robust tea flavour and not just how water with some occasional bitter tea leaves. Another great thing is that there is a wonderful balance between the tea and the milk for the latte. The milk is just there to help create a wonderful smooth taste and not water down the flavour. I also appreciate how the gentlemen was thoughtful to recommend soy for the Black Velvet and almond for the Thai Dragon.

Black Velvet Latte - Described on the wall as simply chocolate chai latte.. I would describe it an eye opening experience on what true flavourful and rich tea can truly taste like. This was a bold and smooth black tea that was sweetened with the hot chocolate. It gave the drink a rich creamy feel that was very surprising. The spices were incredibly complimentary to the chocolate and were not overpowering. If anything, it gave you the feel of perfect Christmas drink of real hot chocolate in one hand and fresh from the oven spiced cookie. 5++/5

Thai Dragon latte - Another drink that blew us away. Tropical because the first taste note is a young coconut flavour that gives away a light sweet tea note. It almost feels like there is another tropical fruit hiding in there because the sweetness is not a sugar overload but rather a sweetened fruit taste. The almond milk added to the whole flavour by adding just the right amount of nuttiness to compliment the coconut. Another winner 5++/5

I wish this place was in more than one location! I would visit every day if I could. For now, I'll be happy to trek another extra 20 minutes from wherever I am in Toronto...

As a coffee drinker I was skeptical of whether Plentea would be something I enjoyed but it has become my favourite place to get a morning drink. The selection is like nothing else and every tea blend is to order from the wide variety of spices they carry. I highly recommend the Thai Dragon though I don't know if you can go wrong. With the summer season approaching, the new frappes are well worth checking out. Also be sure to ask about the secret menu. The prices are comparable to any other latte you'd find in the area but the flavour and quality is on a league of its own. The snacks are tasty as well, especially the beet chocolate chip cookie. Food and drinks aside, there is a nice bar to sit at looking out onto Queen if you want to enjoy your drink with a friend or just people watch. Upstairs there is a work space with large desks which has has become a second office. The music isn't obnoxious or loud and I find working from here to be incredibly productive. Lastly, and probably one of the biggest reasons I love this place, is the staff. Everyone is knowledgable but past that they are some of the friendliest and welcoming people you will meet. They aren't shy to strike up conversation and get to know you. Tariq is one of the best humans you'll have a chance to get to know. The store is very local focused and very proud of the Parkdale area. Honeslty, I can't recommend Plentea...

This is one of the most unique places I've entered in Queen West. These guys have brought real tea to Toronto. I had a conversation with the owner of Plentea and he said he was totally against the teabag when he first arrived in this country. He decided to bring over the method used in his country, UAE. Behind the counter is a wall of ingredients used for the variety of drink options posted on the wall in a stylish setting. These ingredients are carefully chosen and mixed together. The hot mixture of water and milk/soy/coconut milk/etc. is poured onto the ingredients through a strainer and the delicious drink goes straight into your cup. Not only are the teas yummy, but you're not confined to hot tea; all teas can be made iced as well! If you're headed there, which I strongly recommend you do, ask the person at the counter what they recommend. The first time I did that I ended up getting a Thai Dragon which is ultimately my favourite. You will not...