Fairmont Le Château Frontenac: afternoon tea at Place Dufferin

At the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, afternoon tea arrives on a tiered stand at Place Dufferin, the restaurant on Dufferin Terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence. A pianist plays live, and the teas come from LOT 35.

Updated 28 October 20264 min readHow we write the guide

The Château Frontenac’s holiday tea stand: sandwiches on the lower tier, red Santa-hat petits gâteaux, chocolate cups and cream-swirl tartlets with a gold flake.

The choice, in short

Why choose Fairmont Le Château Frontenac

Tea is served in porcelain made specially for the Château’s 125th anniversary.

The Royal tea

When to look elsewhere

Tea is served Tuesday to Saturday only; on a Sunday or a Monday, Bar 1608 in the same hotel pours drinks with a view of the St. Lawrence.

The teas

Glasses, cups and breakfast

By the glass there is Victoria Prosecco at C$17, La Fleur Sauvage Grüner Veltliner at C$19, L’Oratoire rosé from Provence at C$19 and Megalomaniac late-harvest Riesling from Ontario at C$25.²

The first shipment of tea to reach Canada came with the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1716, and took more than a year to arrive.²

In the morning, the same Place Dufferin serves the Château’s breakfast.³

If it is a birthday

A slice of cake
Mention it when you book and a slice of cake arrives on your birthday; the offer cannot be combined with any other.⁶

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac

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The Royal tea, with the house Champagne

What it adds

3 paired glasses, including a Premier Cru Brut, Château Frontenac Edition: C$68 more
Alexandre Méa-Devavry Champagne, Château Frontenac Edition, by the glass: C$39
A bottle of the same Champagne: C$210

Where it is

Address	1 rue des Carrières, Québec.¹

Rooms at the Château

Rooms and stays

The teas on the menu

Tea	Type and origin	Supplement
Creamy Earl Grey	Black, from Sri Lanka, India and Kenya	None
Kyushu Japan Sencha	Green, from Japan	None
Ontario Ice Wine	White, from China, with Riesling and berry notes	None
Market Fresh	Organic, from Canada, China, Egypt and Turkey: watermelon and cucumber	None
Madame Butterfly Jasmine	Green with jasmine, from China	C$19
Risheehat Darjeeling, first flush	Darjeeling, from India	C$16

Before you book

Is the Château Frontenac tea a high tea?

No, it is an afternoon tea: it began as a private gathering for ladies climbing the ranks of society and became a formal occasion once Queen Victoria took it up. High tea came out of the Industrial Revolution, for workers home from a long day of physical labour, with hot, hearty dishes, and is the meal now called supper or dinner.²

What do you eat with afternoon tea?

Sandwiches and amuse-bouches; the scones come warm with jam and house-made Devon cream, and the sweets are a tasting of pastry chef Joël Lahon’s creations.²

Can you walk into Château Frontenac for tea without booking?

Booking tea ahead is recommended, on OpenTable or on +1 418 692 3861.¹

How is the holiday tea different?

The holiday tea runs from 17 to 23 December 2026, with sittings at 1.30pm, 2pm and 2.30pm: 5 courses, a glass of Champagne on arrival for adults and a gift box of Signature teas for adults; children have a festive drink, and those up to 5 eat free. It costs C$155.25 with service included and tax extra, paid in full when you book, with no refunds after 11.59pm on 15 December; the Friends of the Château and Québec resident discounts do not apply.⁷

Does Château Frontenac have parking?

Through the Friends of the Château programme, with proof of Québec residency and subject to availability, yes: up to 3 hours free with any meal or drink in the hotel’s restaurants and bars, banquets excluded.⁸

The tea’s page

Tea Time

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Where we read it