Heard about all the hype, came to check it out. I ordered a hojicha soft serve which was good,…read morehowever, the hojicha flavor wasn't as strong as I had anticipated despite the color. 4 stars because it's pretty humid inside & the shop is too small to hang out in & comfortably accommodate customers despite the size and variation of their menu, which is a bit of a bummer. I'd be open to returning to give their matcha a try since that's what they're mainly known for.

Tsujiri (Tsujiri Tea Store/Tsujiri Chaho/辻利茶舗) is a Japanese tea spot and bakery of well, Tsujiri…read morethe Kyoto/Uji tea company on Toronto's Dundas and Elizabeth. The company has been in business since 1860 making matcha, hojicha/houjicha and other green teas, and you happen to have this tea and dessert spot here and in multiple cities. (I usually don't get Tsujiri's teas as I have my usuals in Yamamoto and Itou En, but because I see the bad Ohtani/Ootani way too often on the latter's displays as in the one on the Bums obviously, Shouhei [with the good one being Ikue-san who for us non-Japanese residents mostly know her as the voice actress of "Pokemon's" Pikachu], I may have to start getting Tsujiri's more often and Itou En's less often for matcha and houjicha. [I intentionally add the "-san" honorific to the good Ohtani and drop it to the bad Ohtani.] Yes Toronto and Canada, I too wanted the bad Ohtani to go to the Jays, not the Bums, and if you have always wondered why the Dodgers are called that, when the Trolley Dodgers [people dodged incoming trolleys to get to work] and the Giants were still in New York City's Brooklyn and Manhattan respectively until 1958, "New York World-Telegram" cartoonist Willard Mullin back in the day called them that as they didn't win their first and only east coast title until 1955, though the fortunes are the total opposite since they moved out west to Los Angeles and San Francisco.) Just like what I did with my Jirou review, I'll in a bit point out what items I see here that are not in my local cafes and vice versa. This will be a good reference section for me should I have the power to return to the city, and it will also give both you Canadians that haven't visited any of their multiple locations yet and international visitors an idea of what to expect. While I sit at multiple spots in my temporary home inserting the usual "Yes guys, the ladies are cute!" statement, I better mention this important note. Do keep in mind that the place, with a simple tea house look, is narrow. There aren't many places to sit at. There are just 2, 3 tables? Right around there. Let me get the item comparison part out of the way. Items I recall seeing here that are not in my local Japanese/Japanese ties cafes/dessert spots (the latter type involves a place I reviewed in Satura, a mainly European cafe at one of my suburbs with Japanese ties, including a partnership with a cafe/bakery in Tokyo)? There are items such as yuzu kakigoori (Japanese shaved ice), shiratama dango, dango parfait, and soft serve ice creams of matcha and houjicha. Items I recall seeing in my usual spots that are not in Tsujiri? Besides the cute decorations (multiple Sanrio characters coming to my mind instantly), the local Japanese bakeries/cafes have items such as kouign amann, "Anpanman" pan, Japanese strawberry short cake, ube matcha latte, and Japanese sodas. The fun part section? Seeing that my K-foodie sis, her friend and I are in a tea shop, a (too) legit (to quit) Japanese tea shop, of course I had to get tea in some form, as I picked the cold houjicha latte. We also had the matcha houjicha soft serve, a daifuku and an order of dango. As expected, the foods and drink are so good. Even my sister's friend said that the place is a perfect 5/5, and my sis likes the place despite not being as fond of Asian cafes or Asian desserts/pastries that aren't Filipino as I am. (She does like European ones like kouign amann though.) The flaws section? Normally, I penalize a cafe a star if it doesn't carry a caffeine free drink as I seriously think about the kids and how I often don't need the insane amount of caffeine, but because Tsujiri is a Japanese green tea company, I can't deduct a point for not having a mugicha. Besides, outside of mugicha, houjicha is a good alternative for kids that are old enough anyway. So, with that said/typed, the only flaw I can think of is the limited parking, but of course, this is Downtown Toronto now. Tsujiri is that good of a tea spot. Though there isn't an ideal parking situation, the place is that good of a spot because of the good tea and food. It may never be my top Japanese cafe (I've known Clover for around 20 years or so), but it is that good never the less. If you're looking for a good cafe/dessert spot in Toronto or in multiple cities in Canada, go to a Tsujiri spot! +/Tsujiri is terrific at being hospitable and flashing dashing foods and drinks, and having multiple locations in the country shows how good the spots have been. -/There's limited parking, but of course, this is Downtown Toronto/whatever Canadian city you're from after all.

Lovely drinks, wonderful people, and a sweet hole-in-the-wall atmosphere while being right in the…read moremiddle of Spadina! I've been here a few times now and had some unique and tasty tea drinks. And multiple times I've asked the baristas for advice both for their cafe and loose leaf tea menus, and have gotten great recommendations. Pros: - menu with lots of unique/traditional flavors to try - small tables inside and outside (even while they're undergoing renovations) - central location - good wifi Cons: - not set up for large parties - can get a bit crowded when busy

This is a tiny spot with minimal seating and the back area is currently under construction. They…read morehave outdoor seating area but not comfortable and inviting enough for you to enjoy your lattes. I have high hopes that the matcha here will be good since I always see this spot packed with people but was really disappointed when I tried their popular Strawberry Matcha Latte. It's incredibly frustrating to pay a premium price for a matcha latte only to end up with a dull, muted matcha flavour and overly milky drink. This is also one of those places that doesn't let you customize ice level so you're left with an over diluted drink that you can barely taste the matcha flavour. Their cakes aren't any better specifically the matcha roll cake. Tasted blah and has an underwhelming matcha filling. Yes the cake is soft but at the same time tasted gummy and has a dense texture which gives off a floury flavour. Unfriendly, unwelcoming and rude staff who leaves your takeout order on the counter without handing it over directly to you. Definitely will not return back to this place.

Extra star for the croissant light fixture that I wanted to steal off their ceiling…read more A lovely cafe that is new to the area offering great pastries and cakes with a variety of creative matcha drinks. I was tempted by the matcha flight, but settled on a hot matcha latte instead. The extra large croissants are comically HUGE and enough to split between three people easily. They are also very generous with the fillings, so ours had plenty of ube cream for every bite. Would definitely recommend!

Cute cafe across the street from the art gallery (AGO). Highly recommend stopping by for a drink or…read morea sweet treat! Lots of drink and pastry/dessert options. Bright, spacious and clean. Friendly staff too! My iced coconut matcha was fantastic. I suggest not stirring it so that you get more of the coconut flavour first. I tried the cinnamon pastry at home (it had heating instructions). Very good!! Would definitely drop in again to try a different drink and/or pastry. Be sure to check out the fruit shaped desserts! The ones that look like real fruit and have mousse/sponge/compote inside. I missed getting a photo.

This place caters perfectly for those who need a space to work late into the night. It is a cafe…read morethat opens around the same time other cafes are typically closing. I visited this place a couple of weeks ago, three nights straight, to get a project done. Most of the other patrons were also there to do work or were hanging out quietly. It is lovely to have a place open late, which does not require you to default to buying alcohol to be around. The cafe drinks are nicely crafted and of good quality. Don't forget to start a stamp card if you see yourself visiting frequently.

Lair Night was one of the only cafes that was open late at night, so I decided that this was a good…read moreplace to stick around. There is a seating area (that's suited more for studying than for social gatherings), and the cafe manager/ owner is extremely chill. He recommended that the matcha tsunami would be good and is very popular-- he was right. I'm not a huge fan of cold slush drinks, but the matcha tsunami was so good, not too sugary or icy, just the right amount of slush. Good ambiance, and good drinks!

This was me and my friends' first time at Dessert Fox and we will definitely go back to try more…read morestuff on the menu! I ordered the iced dalgona latte and was so shocked when it came large pieces of dalgona - it was a nice touch! I also ordered the matcha strawberry croffle and it was so good. The strawberries were sweet enough to balance the matcha, and the croffle was so soft. The service was also very quick! Definitely a nice space to study or read, or just hang out with friends.

Didn't get to try the croffles today so the review is based off the drinks. They were quite pricey…read moreand didn't have enough ice, but still good! The overall vibe is cute and a good place to chill/catch up

Tried matcha for the second time, and I can confidently say this place won't let you down…read more I ordered the iced banana matcha and it was delicious. The matcha wasn't overpowering, and the banana added the perfect amount of sweetness without taking over the drink. If you stop by around 5 PM, expect a lineup--but honestly, that's usually a sign of how good this place is. Definitely worth the wait!

After the longest time, I finally tried Barburu!…read more This place lives up to its hype. I asked the staff member which matcha she would recommend, and she recommend me try the Mango one. The matcha was so frothy and creamy! The Mango also added to its sweetness. This place is definitely in my top 3 matcha spots! You can find Barburu located in the foodcourt of Yuan Ming Supermarket! Tons of tables to sit at and there are other restaurants around it to check out as well.

This store utilizes a self-serve point of sale. When you enter the store you will see tablets or…read moreself-serve kiosks where customers can independently browse the menus and make digital payments (cashless) either paying by card or mobile wallet. You enter your name and staff will call you when your order is ready. The biggest downside for this mode of payment is that some people still rely on paying cash and there's concern about consumer privacy. And if you like personalized human interaction like I do, this is a big turn-off especially if it's your first time in the store and need staff support. On top of that, they're asking for tip even though there is no direct service involved. I love cheesecake flavoured cold foam so I tried their Iced Cheesecake Matcha Latte. Iced matcha latte over eleven dollars is pure daylight robbery imo. You pay an additional one dollar if you want to substitute it for an oat milk. For the premium price you paid you would expect the matcha drink will have that earthy, green tea flavour but not in this case. And since you don't have options for ice choices, the drink tasted watered down since they put lots of ice. Wouldn't go out of my way to return back to this overhyped and overpriced matcha place.

This is the second Matcha Matcha location I've been to and this is now my favourite. This location…read morehas so much seating which is wonderful. Today I tried the black caramel matcha was so good. I also tied the matcha biscuit. It was pretty solid as well. I am so happy that this locations is across the street from the AGO which is perfect for me. The service was quick but not much interaction since you order on an iPad. But I like that.

Friendly staff Not too sweet. Good pastry flakey layers not…read moresoggy. I've bought their bread from another location before. It's good. I prefer IKI but this is solid shokupan Will go back and try other items

It was okay. Tried three items:…read more Matcha Lava Tart - The staff said this had the strongest matcha flavour among their matcha items. But there was no "lava" at all... just a layer of cream sitting on a thick tart base. You do get some matcha flavour, but definitely not that rich and flowing matcha sauce I saw in those online reels. Matcha Mont Blanc - Too sweet. The green noodle-shaped topping is actually made from a kind of bean paste - not much matcha taste, but had a strong bean flavour instead. And again, it was too sweet to my liking. Taro Tart - This one was good. Taro-flavoured cream on top, with taro paste underneath, then a layer of custard with mochi at the bottom. Had a rich taro flavour. Still a bit sweet, but not as overwhelming as the Mont Blanc. Overall it was not bad, although TBH I haven't really found great matcha desserts in Toronto so far.