Archi Element located along College near Dufferin is a beautifully designed space for curated ceramics, fine teas, and craft experiences. There is nothing like this space in the city and my first visit certainly won't be my last one. The store also adopts the wabi-sabi philosophy, where beauty is found in the imperfections - simplicity, asymmetry and the unique character of objects that show age and wear are embraced. Walking through the doors of Archi Element, you are met with displays of beautiful handcrafted ceramics, from intense holders to cups. The interior has elements of the outside throughout (like cement and wood). In the middle of the store there is a tea counter and at the back there is a small room for tea ceremonies. There are only a few seats to enjoy your beverages if you decide to order one. Walking through the store it was beautiful to see handcrafted ceramics, each so delicate and fragile. Definitely a great chance to treat your self or gift it to someone else. I also opted to grab a drink. Staff were friendly and explained the offered drinks to me. Each drink is carefully created to bring out the best flavours of the teas, keeping in mind what ingredients are in season. As a recommendation by the staff/owner, I ordered a Lychee Blossom (lychee meets jasmine green tea, soft floral notes in full blossom) - $8.99. My drink was made at a reasonable time and I enjoyed it at the counter. The lychee blossom was delicious - the flavours of the jasmine green tea complemented the natural sweetness of the lychee perfectly. It was a perfect refreshing drink that wasn't too sweet for a hot summer day. Overall, such a unique new store for ceramics and teas! A definite must visit if you are around the College and Dufferin area. read more

See all

A tea shop that sells beautifully crafted ceramics. Their drinks are Asian inspired and well rounded imo. The only reason this spot is not a 5 star is that they do not have washroom access, even though they have seating indoors + a tea workshop that happens. The space is small with 4 countertop seating, and only 2 tables meant for 2 seats here. At the back is a private tea workshop/ tasting that was happening when I was there. We got: Green Beard 5/5 - A matcha with soy milk, crowned with soy-flavoured cheese foam and suting of roast kinako powder. The foam was amazing and even more delicious when mixed! Lemon tea 4/5 - This was refreshing and sour. But personal preference, I like hand smashed lemon teas a tad more and this was missing a little umff to it. We got two other drinks that were also good. Definitely a vibey spot that has creative takes on their drinks. Definitely worth checking out! read more

See all

4.5/5 I actually really enjoyed the matcha here! It's a kinako-based matcha and the cream top that they make is really good. My partner got the croissant coffee which was less noteable... the croissant on top was stale and the coffee just tasted like a normal good coffee (not one that's worth $12). We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was sooo packed, we couldn't find any seating so we ended up needing to take the drinks to go which sucked. read more

Archi Element - Art Galleries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Archi Element is a really unique and cozy tea shop that has so much character. They have a small but powerful menu of house special tea drinks. They also offer a traditional tea tasting experience where you can learn about quality Chinese tea enjoyed with paired snacks. DRINKS (4/5) We ordered a Lychee Bloom and Green Beard to sample both a lighter and heavier bodied beverage. The Lychee Bloom is high quality jasmine tea topped with a peeled lychee, some lychee juice, and garnished with a floral buds. Super refreshing and perfect for the summer! I'm a huge fan of jasmine tea but sadly the lychee top notes felt stronger than the floral jasmine and the aftertaste is left with a bit of astringency that comes with tea. I would order this again, but do note that the lychee, fruity notes are quite strong. The Green Beard is essentially a matcha latte served with soy milk and topped with a soy cream top and dusted with soy powder/injeolmi. When mixed together, it is absolutely velvety and decadent. The soy milk is the Asian/Chinese variety which is typically creamier and thicker bodied and pairs well with the matcha without overpowering it. I could do without the injeolmi topping but I understand others might enjoy it. AMBIENCE (3.5/5) The interior has a unique rustic Asian inspired decor with a plethora of handcrafted bowls, cups, and pottery from local artists that are all available for sale. The backroom has traditional floor seating but is reserved for patrons that pay for the traditional tea tasting experience. I've also heard they have a store cat but unfortunately didn't see it when we visited. IMO I wish there was less pottery on display to include more seating because right now there is two bar seats with two other random chairs that can be placed at the bar for use also - so very limited seating. SERVICE (4.5/5) The staff were helpful with explaining the tea tasting experience and describing the menu. The barista was very delicate and calculated with handcrafting the beverages which made it seem quite masterful. LOCATION (3/5) Located by College and Dufferin, it isn't the most central or accessible area. Taking streetcar or bikeshare is definitely the recommended method! OVERALL (4/5) Overall, the drinks are well and delicately crafted showcasing the fresh ingredients well. I'm a bit disappointed I wasn't WOWed by any particular drink, but I'm eager to come back and try their other house specials and the tea tasting experience. read more

See all

Very cool concept speciality tea place, there's limited seating but I enjoyed looking at their ceramics and the drinks were refreshing and very unique, just a little expensive for the size read more

Archi Element - Art Galleries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all