Shangri-La Hotel elevates afternoon tea with Seedlip-inspired offerings

Seedlip Botanical Afternoon Tea offers unique low-alcohol and non-alcohol options for non-drinkers

Photo by Rick O’Brien.
Photo by Rick O’Brien.

Afternoon tea sessions are about to get a whole lot more delightful this spring at the Shangri-La Hotel in downtown Toronto, as they launch The Seedlip Botanical afternoon tea in partnership with Seedlip--the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits company--on March 2.

“The afternoon tea experience at Shangri-La is the best in Toronto, so we are incredibly excited to partner with the hotel to create a bespoke Seedlip high tea experience,” said Sarah Parniak, marketing manager of Seedlip Canada. “Our three unique expressions truly solve the ever-growing dilemma of ‘what to drink when you’re not drinking’ and we can’t wait for tea enthusiasts to try our specialty non-alcoholic cocktails.”

Seedlip’s signature spirits each boast a distinct flavour profile. Garden 108 is herbal and vegetal, while Grove 42 is packed full of citrus, and Spice 94, true to its name, is a bouquet of aromatic spices. So, guests may find it difficult to choose between Seedlip’s no or low-alcohol cocktails included with afternoon tea, such as the Garden 108 and elderflower tonic; Pamplemousse punch, which mixes Spice 94 with fresh pink grapefruit juice, fresh lemon juice and a touch of raspberry syrup; or the Into the Grove, which is also available as a low-alcohol option when topped with sparkling wine in lieu of soda.

The Shangri-La’s culinary team is well-versed in an already noteworthy afternoon tea offering. Through this partnership, they’ve upped the ante by creating a mouth-watering Seedlip-inspired menu with an impressive selection of savoury and sweet baked goods pastries, ranging from smoked salmon and thyme aioli on focaccia bread to an apple tart with juniper compote, ginger pastry cream and pumpernickel genoise. Of course, no respectable afternoon tea would be complete without scones and English clotted cream, and The Shangri-La does not disappoint; they’ve playfully toyed with the obligatory offering by soaking their raisin scones in Seedlip Spice 94.

Priced at $75 per person, The Seedlip Botanical Afternoon Tea will be available daily in the Lobby Lounge from 12:00-4:30 p.m., March 2, 2020 through to April 30, 2020. 

Reservations can be made via email or on OpenTable.