A true hidden gem in Montreal’s Chinatown, this delightful little Asian tea shop is a delight for the senses.
Rows upon rows of glass jars and bottles adorn the walls and shelves, showing a wide variety of specialty imported looseleaf teas. The owner (Mr. Howard Low) is very friendly and helpful and offers a wealth of knowledge about the health aspects of tea, as well as Chinese herbology. He has been in the tea business for over 40 years and offers a huge selection of teas unmatched in the entire city (upwards of 300)!
Definitely a tea shop worth exploring! I’ve brought several friends who have truly enjoyed the experience and plan on returning on their own…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 2013
I returned to visit Specialithés, as I was in Chinatown for an impromptu dinner with friends. While waiting for our dinner reservation; we made a quick excursion to this delightful shop so that I could stock up on my favourite teas, as well as pick up something to go along with our dinner.
I have a particular penchant for the amazing “Premium Jasmine Dragon Pearl Tea” as well as the “Cherry Rose Green Tea” – their scent is absolutely heavenly! I highly recommend giving them each a try.
We brought some “Cherry Rose Blooming Tea Balls” with us to our dinner at a nearby restaurant and asked for just a pot of hot water so that we could enjoy it during and after dinner. My dinner companions were delighted and are now converts who will soon be making a trip of their own to Specialithés!
BONUS: I know some Steepster members are very visual (like myself) and like getting a peek at the inside of various establishments. With that in mind, I asked Mr. Low (the owner) if I could take several photos to share with you. You’ll find them posted above; I hope they prove helpful to you in your decision to drop by and check out this marvellous little shop!
I’ve been here several times and the staff are always friendly and helpful.
When I recently brought my friend and mentioned that he was a “David’s Tea Virgin”; the staff member played along with me and announced it to the others, so that we could “break him in” on the secret that is David’s Tea!
I’ve now brought him back again and he is definitely hooked!
