For the eighth year in a row, Vancouver residents have voted the Secret Garden “Best Teahouse in Vancouver” in the Georgia Straight Golden Plate awards.
Thank you so much to all of our customers who have voted for us. We’ll continue to provide you with the best tea experience in the city!
We asked readers to share their favourite teatime memories. Here are a few of the many heartfelt stories you shared on Instagram!
“My favorite memory is having High Tea with my mom when we first moved to Vancouver. It was something for just her and I to experience together and made us feel so fancy! It created the best bonding time and we still love to indulge whenever she visits xoxo”
— @follyoco
“My favourite teatime memory is taking my giant of a brother and brother-in-law, with my sister, to Secret Garden, and teaching them teatime is not just for girls who like lace! They thoroughly enjoyed the treats and I thoroughly enjoyed saying “I told you so” 😏
— @jw6393
“So many great memories, but the recent one was one of the best! Had the opportunity to share with my best friend that I am expecting! 😊”
— @yana_saf
Do you have a tea story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
Every few months we feature new artwork at the Garden. This month we’re showcasing works by local artist Elisabeth Sommerville, who specializes in stone lithography.
Elisabeth’s gorgeous lithographs reflect the natural beauty of Vancouver. Visit the Secret Garden this spring to see more of her work, or find out more on her website elisabethsommerville.com.
Spring is just around the corner. It’s refreshing to have some sunshine and see delicate crocuses and snowdrops peeking out of gardens!
If you’re in a floral mood this month, try our Avalon Blend Black Tea. It’s luscious blend of vanilla, rose petals and citrusy bergamot that pairs perfectly with our March High Tea.
For every sale of Avalon Blend, we donate a portion of proceeds to the Avalon Recovery Society, where women in recovery can find strength and hope in a supportive environment.
Anne, a Secret Garden customer, shares a favourite tea memory with her daughter!
“This fall I took my daughter to the Secret Garden teahouse for the first time. It was our special mom & daughter time. We dressed up, put on matching water tattoos and made our way to your new location.
“We enjoyed the decor, the pretty tea cups, mouth-watering desserts and of course the conversation. She’s been asking me when we can go for tea again ever since!”
Do you have a tea story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
The Secret Garden is hosting an event as part of a local speaker series on The How-To’s of Being Happy: what is it, how we live it, how to maintain it, and how to pass it on!
When: 7:15pm Wednesday, February 21
Where: The Secret Garden Tea Company
Price: Pay by donation at the door (proceeds go to the Kindness Patrol)
Speakers Dr. Lisa Ferrari and Dr. Carla Fry are Clinical Psychologists, the co-authors of the book Gratitude and Kindness, and co-directors of the Vancouver Psychology Centre.
Join us in a discussion on what exactly brings about happiness and how we can find more of it in our daily lives. The two Dr F’s, as they are affectionately known, will be sharing their expert advice and tips using happiness-boosting and Positive Psychology principles to help us all to maximize happiness and resilience!
How to RSVP:
Email: [email protected]
Everyone knows about Valentine’s Day, but have you heard of Galentine’s Day? It’s an unofficial holiday on February 13th, when women spend the day with their best girlfriends.
We love this idea! The Secret Garden is all about creating a place for loved ones to gather. This week, we’re sharing a few ways you can celebrate Galentine’s Day this year with your besties.
High Tea is the perfect way to enjoy a day out with the girls. And it just so happens that we have a brand new February High Tea Menu for you:
Secret Garden Egg Pinwheels
Cheddar Onion Roast Beef on Housemade Buttermilk Biscuits
Shrimp Reuben Mini Croissants
Petit Fruit Scone with Raspberry Jam and Devonshire Cream
Tea Cake Slices
Tangy Mini Lemon Tart
Flourless Chocolate Walnut-Date Cake with Orange Ganache
Traditional Quebec Sugar Pie with Créme Chantilly
High Tea is also a special way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Seatings are 3x daily at 12 noon, 2:15pm, and 4:30pm. Call (604) 261-3070 or fill out our Online Reservation Form to reserve your table.
If you visit for brunch or High Tea, make your day extra sparkly by adding some sparkling wine! Our full drink menu includes a sparkling rosé, classic red and white wine, and fruity mimosas.
If your best friends don’t live nearby, you can still share tea with them. We ship our fresh, delicious teas all around the world.
Send them their favourite tea, and make a date to connect by Skype or FaceTime to have a “virtual tea date” on Galentine’s Day!
Susan, a Secret Garden customer, shares a favourite tea memory with her two granddaughters!
“Last January our twin ten year old granddaughters came from the Yukon to spend a week with us. We mapped out the week, with High Tea at the Secret Garden, a high point in the week!
“After viewing the whale articulation at the Beaty Museum, we raced home to ‘dress’ for high tea. The girls were so excited!!! One said, ‘I wonder if we will do everything right!’ When we arrived one of the girls asked the server to tell us how to do High Tea, the proper way. The server delighted in the girl’s’ enthusiasm for proper etiquette.
“We had such a grand time together; every conversation since has always included moments from the experience! I love bringing people for High Tea and elegant lunches.”
Do you have a tea story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
To start off the new year, we’re holding a High Tea for 2 Giveaway! To enter the drawing, all you need to do is:
We’ll enter all participants into a drawing on 2/1/18, and announce the winner via Instagram. We look forward to hearing about your favourite teatime memories!
A long-time Secret Garden customer recently shared some of her favourite teatime memories:
Judith has been a Secret Garden customer since the very beginning. Soon after the Secret Garden opened, her family developed a multi-generational tradition of meeting for lunch at the Garden every Saturday. As Judith’s mother became older and less mobile, this Saturday gathering with children and grandchildren became a very special highlight in her week.
Judith’s family also took their new-found love of High Tea abroad. While traveling in London they visited many well-known spots for tea, including Fortnum and Mason, The Dorchester, and Brown’s Hotel. While each tea was delightful, in the end they decided they actually preferred Secret Garden’s High Tea over the more traditional British High Teas!
“The Secret Garden continues to play an important role in our family life,” Judith explained. “We always attend special occasions including Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day. Everyone in the family has their favourite pastry!”