The Green Isle｜青屿治茶 — Restaurant in Toronto

Pros: Well made tea Good portion size

Cons: Naming of some items is confusing

If you're one of the few brave souls who take part in the weekly rat race that is the line up for Crown Prince for dim sum, then you might have spotted this little hidden gem in the same plaza. World Tea House is a nice little place to grab a tea. You'll have to ask a ton of questions whenever you want to try something new though.

When I first walked into World Tea House, I saw 3 little tables and thought that was the total amount of seating. On my way out though, I noticed that there's a whole larger back room to the place with extra tables. There were also some art displays in the back. I've been told that the place was opened up by a former OCAD graduate so you might see some different pieces of art here and there when you come in.

One look at the menu here and you might be scratching your head. They have given some of their items quirky names. Both the English and Chinese names bear the same quirk. The only problem is that there's no description at all on what's actually in the drink. You are literally taking a shot in the dark unless you specifically ask what's in each drink. There should be a short description of ingredients at the very least for at each drink if you choose to go this route with your naming.

On to the tea. I believe they only have one size here but it's a very good portion at a reasonable price. My milk tea was pretty good. My wife said it's a little stronger tea wise than other milk teas in the city. My wife has the Li Bai Imperial Green Tea. It was more fruity than she expected because there was no mention in the name because of the quirky name issue. Judging solely on taste though, it was pretty good as well.

The decor of this place makes it feel very homey. I feel like you can just spend a whole afternoon here and not really know it. The space in the back can double as a study hall. It can get a little loud in the front with the TV and appliances like blenders being turn on. The back area is definitely the better choice if you want a quieter experience. All in all, a nice little hidden gem if you're a fan of tea.

I'm hoping they add a little more description in their menu in the future. Beyond that, World Tea House is a solid little place to...

Disappointing experience – won’t be returning. I’ve visited Green Isle many times before, but the service this time was disappointing. My friend and I each ordered a milk tea with less ice. After taking the drinks to my car—just a 2-minute walk—I noticed mine had no ice at all, while my friend’s still had a few centimeters of ice on top.

I went back to let the staff know they likely forgot to add ice to mine. Right from the start, they refused to admit any mistake and insisted the ice had just melted—which didn’t make sense, since the drink wasn’t even cold; in fact, it was slightly warm. I know what a less-ice milk tea should look and feel like, and this clearly wasn’t it.

When I asked them to add ice, they said they don’t usually reopen sealed drinks and instead offered me a separate cup of ice to add it myself. I explained that the lid was tightly sealed, and I’d need to tear it open, which isn’t ideal—especially since I had to drive. I requested they pour the drink into a new bottle with proper ice, but their attitude only got worse, and they still wouldn’t admit to any mistake.

In the end, I insisted they reseal the cup properly because I needed to drive, and only then did they finally do it. Really disappointing, especially from a place I...

The decor is great, the wait not so much (I greatly appreciate the staff for letting me know it'll be 10 min wait, which is fine at least I was let know... But when there's no line up I still can't justify the wait even when the tea is freshly brewed). In terms of the taste... I have picky taste buds, but if my husbad, who isn't picky at all, doesn't like something I'm sure that says something. The Monet Fruit Tea was huge and that's about the only pro I have to say about it... I'm sorry, it tastes like fragrance and less sugar still taste quite sugary (I'm sure this is a very subjective thing, so I won't say more about this). We also bought a milk tea with added tapioca, I can't remember the name of the tea... the milk tea taste okay... Now, the tapioca is a big NO! It was musy and all clumped together, didnt taste fresh at all. The tapioca was so bad my husband refuses to finish it (he usually eats whatever I don't want); it's been a few days and it's still sitting in our fridge waiting for garbage day.

The one star was for the amazing decor.

Might give this place another try if I'm nearby, just to see if the experience was a one off. But, if I live nearby and want bubble tea or fruit tea, not...