The team behind Régine and Janine—two of the best brunch spots in Montreal—decided their next move should involve more chandeliers, more velvet, and significantly more tea. Paparmane is what happens when you take English afternoon tea and run it through a Rococo filter: candy-pink walls, vintage china stacked to the ceiling, and tiered stands that arrive with proper ceremony. Sommelier Élyse Perreault (Lady T) curated 18 teas that anchor the experience, but the food holds its own—truffled devilled eggs, grilled cheese with walnuts and 1608, cucumber sandwiches that veer into miso-salmon territory. It's theatrical without tipping into parody, and the vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are actually considered rather than afterthoughts. Book ahead; this isn't the kind of place that keeps tables open.

The Ritz-Carlton opened in 1912, and its afternoon tea service has been setting the standard in Montreal ever since. These days, it's Maison Boulud running the show in the Palm Court—the same room with the same refined ritual, just under chef Daniel Boulud's watch. Service runs daily at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., and the format hasn't changed because it doesn't need to: a selection of black, white, green, and herbal teas, house-made canapés, elegant pastries, and scones that have been perfected over decades. If you're marking something special, the thé royal adds a flute of champagne. It's the kind of place that reminds you why afternoon tea became a thing in the first place—elegant, unhurried, and worth the splurge.

Patrice Demers and Marie-Josée Beaudoin's Pointe-Saint-Charles restaurant caused a stir when it opened, and their Friday and Saturday afternoon tea service is a big reason why. This isn't your traditional tiered-stand affair—Demers approaches it like a tasting menu, three courses of desserts paired with three teas from Camellia Sinensis. Recent offerings have included things like grilled sesame mousse over honeyberry ice cream with a sourdough crisp, which should give you a sense of where his head's at. Reservations open a couple of months out and disappear fast. Book early, show up ready for something different, and trust that a three-hour dessert-focused tea service makes more sense than it sounds on paper.

Fairmont's Queen Elizabeth Hotel isn't where you'd expect to find one of the more thoughtful afternoon tea services in the city, but Rosélys has quietly earned its spot. The Art Deco room was designed by Sid Lee, and it works—high ceilings, plush banquettes, enough confidence in its own bones that it doesn't need to shout about luxury. Tea service runs Thursday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the kitchen takes some liberties with the format: cauliflower financiers with cheese and pepper jam, lobster roe and basil mimosa eggs, matcha and salmon macarons alongside the expected scones and Devonshire cream. If you're celebrating, the "royal tea" option adds champagne. It's polished without being stuffy, and the pacing reflects what afternoon tea should feel like—never rushed.

This Rosemont café has been quietly doing proper afternoon tea since 2015, and it's the kind of place that gets better the longer you stay. The team sources tea from Fortnum & Mason and Sloane, and the service leans traditional: three-tiered stands loaded with house-made madeleines, lemon curd, mini lox bagels, cucumber sandwiches, and scones that arrive warm. The room encourages lingering—mismatched chairs, long communal tables, local art rotating on the walls. It's equally suited to getting work done over a pot of Earl Grey or settling in for the full afternoon tea experience. The "Her Majesty the Queen" formula runs $45 for two and includes enough food that you won't need dinner. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends.