Venus Sophia Tea Room & Vegetarian Eatery

Lovely place and lovely people! Made us feel right at home and very relaxed. The décor is very quaint and charming, with extremely comfortable seating. Our waitress was very sweet and explained process of ‘Signature Tea’ (basically High Tea). We opted for the Creamy Earl Grey Tea, which was excellent. The food was fresh and exquisite, with more than enough to fill you up. The quiche was to die for! We did not get to indulge in their ‘regular’ menu, but from the looks of our neighbours dishes, you can’t go wrong. It is also always a plus to support local business, especially people as nice as this! Overall, it was a very enjoyable and unique experience, we will be back!

I agree with the reviews staying that this is an oasis in Chinatown. It was a pleasant experience to walk in, but I did not leave feeling the same.
Tl;Dr, doesn’t compare at all with the Fairmont Empress.
Not on service, experience or offerings.
There’s no desire to delight or any wow factor here to experience.
I wouldn’t come back.
Its comfortable and adorable, but not great.
Come for tea, not to be fed.
The space had an eclectic collection of chinaware, seats and other hipster appealing items like a trio of bicycles high up on display.
The price of service here is 40% cheaper, but you also get 40% less.
The sandwiches were drowned in their mayonnaise and creams, and sat in uninspiring flats of what I can only assume is 12 grain bread… Without the 12 grain crust.
Fairmont offers each sandwich with a bread that pairs well with what is inside. The egg with a fitting buttery soft croissant, the cucumber with a softest white bread you’ve ever had and a touch of mint, the ham with a cranberry bread, the tandoori chicken in a rye loaf that stands up the the spices that Queen Victoria brought over from India, and the smoked salmon in between a roll of spongy white that kept it’s shape.
However, Venus Sophia has the better sensibility than the Fairmont to provide us with a small plate to put our tea bags onto, less our teas oversteep into someone as bitter as me after this experience. **But the Fairmont’s service was spot on and they kept the tea full and hot for that not to be a worry.
Where it fell to it’s lowest was with a misunderstanding… And at this price, you wouldn’t expect you have to deal with this issue.
We asked for another round of sandwiches, and to my girlfriend’s suspicion (they started to punch something into their ordering system shortly after we ordered) were charged nearly $ 8 plus taxes for another four square inches of sandwiches.
The onus was on us because we only asked after consuming the extra plate. I don’t mind paying extra, but just tell me about it clearly. Don’t assume, ask.
At the Fairmont, you can do better to enjoy an afternoon 1 – 2 hours chatting with your loved ones or friends over sandwiches (bottom-​less) that will delight and satisfy, along with attentive and careful service. You also walk away with a box of their empress tea, suggestions on what to do in the area, and the feeling of being taken care of.
Or you can go for a quick $ 30 full at Venus Sophia if you’re stuck in Chinatown. But the surroundings, furniture, and people at the Fairmont will make the difference of the experience. Like most of the reviews here, if you care for none of that and just want the most number of sweets, a cute place for tea or a cheap equivalent, this is it. Its comfortable, but not great.

I am just so sad to leave this review. This is not the Venus Sophia tea lounge I remember. My husband and I try to visit Victoria once a year and the first thing the pops out of my mouth every visit is «we HAVE to go to Venus Sophia». It has always been my MUST VISIT spot in Victoria and last year our trip fell on holidays when the lounge was closed so I was so excited to return after 2 years. One thing I always remember is the friendliness of the owners who have always been there to offer a smile, greet customers and even have a little chat. Today they were both there but no smiles or hellos, we were greeted by the single server while the owners remained behind the counter or in the back. They seemed so serious the entire time it really made the atmosphere a little awkward. It just went downhill from there. The menu was in the process of being changed and they were out of my first and second choices for lunch. They were also out of the tea that I selected. I settled on the spinach and cheese quiche with salad and soup. My husband had the mango brie quesadilla with soup. We ordered a pb&j with fruit salad for our son. The quiche wasn’t bad, not like any quiche I’ve had though. There wasn’t a lot of egg in it and it was more of a spinach pie. My husband was disappointed by the unripe mangos in his quesadilla. The soup (chickpea and beet leaf) we both semi enjoyed. Good, but not great. The killer was when we ordered our scones. I remember these round, flakey, buttery scones from 2 years back. Just amazing. Well they must have changed their recipe because what I got was a crunchy, dense and intensely sweet scone that tasted almost more like a shortbread cookie. It was supposed to be cranberry vanilla but all we tasted was sugar. My husband was originally going to order the carrot cake but after seeing the presentation in the front display (which could use a little attention and creativity) he quickly changed his mind. We left the lounge so underwhelmed. I was not expecting a cheap meal/​experience but for what we got the bill didn’t fit.

Delectable sweets, cozy and dainty décor, yummy vegetarian food… what more could you ask for? All the tea flavors are to die for so you can’t really go wrong with what you order to drink.

The high tea here totally competes with Empress (different ambiance for sure) with the sweet pastries beating the Empress. Living room style high tea with friendly staff and freshly made savory items; and they were able to accommodate our party with non-​cheese eaters. The macarons were sold out by 4pm — will try next time.

Venus Sophia feels as if Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters had a vegetarian tea party in China Town. Unconventional and charming place adorned with mismatched tea cups, adorable white and pink dainty décor, tiny spoons, and pinned vintage bicycles on the walls. Even my dad and boyfriend enjoyed the experience, which was quite an accomplishment!
We made reservations for a Saturday afternoon tea after hearing this place was the best and off the beaten path. Around 3, I called early to ask if they would be willing to accommodate us earlier than the said reservation. We were already in the neighborhood and the hostess had no problem with that!
The afternoon tea ($ 28 each) came with all sorts of delicious finger sandwiches such as truffle portobello, cucumber cream cheese, red grapes, and cabbage and cheese pinwheels. The sweets were a collection of fresh vanilla chai scones served with devonshire cream and thick strawberry jam, four types of cakes and macarons made with rose tea. I died over a tiny mouthwatering quiche that tastes like cheese and bacon but is in fact seasoned with a smoky lapsang souchong (black tea) to give it a robust and savory kick. We were so impressed that almost all the spices used in the baking were ground teas the chef uses to prepare a most unusual and unique flavor for the entrees. I smell a certified tea sommelier…
Another HUGE plus was service. Any staff showing genuine patience and care toward my dear, inquisitive, interruptive and sometimes naïve parents deserves my upmost respect. I was blown-​away by the attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly server we had, and I will definitely recommend Venus Sophia to any high tea first-​timers on Victoria.
Lovely service and cuisine means pinkies go way up.

Great great place! Very cozy, attentive service, tasty sandwiches, sweets and teas. I found it much better than the Empress (overated) for half the price. I could go there and read/​relax all day.

We recently enjoyed a very elegant afternoon tea at Venus Sophia Tearoom in the «Chinatown» district of Victoria. We enjoyed delightful and cleverly fashioned food along with wonderful attention and service from the owner.
We recommend this place to our friends visiting Victoria and will return as soon as we can. Reservations are required for afternoon tea, but you can drop in any time they are open for coffee, tea or a treat. It’s a short but interesting walk from the tourist-​centric downtown and pleasantly free from the tackiness that so often comes with those areas that cater to tourists.

We got the heads up from a guy at the tourist info area near the harbor. We were visiting from Hawaii and figured we’d try afternoon tea… I already had a reservation at the Empress but cancelled it. It was too pricey and we were trying to save as we were spending money left and right on our vacation. The tea selection at the Venus was amazing and delicious and free to try different choices for as long as you were there. The sandwiches were ehhh, just ok. The price was reasonable. In all honesty, the Kailua Tea Room on Oahu is a lot better. I expected that a tea room in Victoria would out beat a tea room in Hawaii. Go figure! Regardless, I’m still glad we cancelled the Empress for tea. The Venus Sophia was very eclectic. I did a lot of touring for a tea room so if given the option to do it over, I would go to the Gastby Mansion. We would have gone there had there not been a catered party on that day we were there. We walked into the Gatsby and and saw the food and the ambience and location and the price and it was amazing for anyone visiting the Victoria area for a short stay and seeking afternoon tea.

It was just the sweetest little place. If you’re a fan of afternoon tea with a twist, I highly recommend checking this place out. I live afternoon tea but often there are few, if any, vegetarian options for the sandwiches. I can’t recall what the options were — I was there two months ago — but they were good. The service was wonderful.

I really like this place, the food is truly excellent. When I go the service is always excellent and the food is also very good. I really like the tofu chicken, that’s by far the best item, and the soups are seriously amazing, you can’t go wrong with them. Tapas are also a great item if they still have them.
I can’t comment on the high tea because I’m vegan (most of the desserts aren’t), but the teas and coffees themselves are really good and they have different types of non-​dairy milks so that’s a big plus.
The spot itself is absolutely gorgeous, by far the nicest veggie restaurant in Victoria. I really like the bike on the wall, so cute.
The only major comment that I have is that I wish they had more vegan options, especially a breakfast item and maybe some dessert.

Went for the afternoon tea and had troubles getting any service. The service we got left much to be desired. The food had a couple of decent items (scones and macaron) but the majority were very plain and uninspired. The tea had a pretty wide selection, but after trying several I was not particularly impressed. The service was the biggest turnoff of the experience and as such I cannot recommend dining here to anyone.

To answer a question asked below on whether this place is worth a return for afternoon tea, I give a firm NO.
Please do yourself a favour and avoid this place.
We visited here with my friend from Japan, who came to Canada for the very first time and we wanted nothing but the best experience for her. We carefully researched and decided to come here. We couldn’t have been more wrong.
From the beginning, the girl ignored us (the place wasn’t very busy). When we asked her where we could sit (we had a reservation), she rolled her eyes and said, «I don’t know, maybe there?»
Then she kept getting our orders wrong. The tea and food were not up to standards. Honestly, having had numerous high tea in Europe and Vancouver, I have to say the pastries here taste like things you could get from convenient stores. Not impressed at all. Did I also mention the tea cups and knives were not thoroughly clean? My friend was pretty disappointed as of now so we decided to leave.
Now here’s the best part: they charge you 15% tip automatically. I was pretty unsatisfied so I said I wouldn’t pay any of that. The manger appeared to be sorry at first, but only for a few seconds, then she decided to defend herself by saying we gave the wrong assessment, that their service was great, that if we didn’t like it we should have stopped eating and left, and (my favourite one) because we ate all the food so it must mean that it was good.
And she added, «I heard your complaint and I don’t see any big issue.»
Oh well. Having worked in customer service, I don’t think this is not something anyone would want hear. If she wanted to feel so proud of all the crappy food and service, then go ahead. The success of this mindset will surely reveal itself in time.
PS: in response to the owner’s comments below: Firstly, the server came to check our food ONE time by asking, «Are you okay?» To which we said, «Ugh…» She then immediately walked away. And no, our complaints were not general: we pointed out several things, but the owner did not think «there was any big issue,» in her own phrasing precisely. We didn’t understand why she seemed genuinely apologetic at first but soon got very upset and defensive. What can we say? This was an extremely disappointing experience and we truly hope no one will ever have to go through it again.
PS2: After this bad experience, we decided to stop by another afternoon place at the Abkhazi Garden. Same price, much better food selections, atmosphere (you get to sit in a garden!) and most importantly, service. I’d recommend it over this place without any hesitation.

Went for the $ 25/​person high tea and made a reservation, but they were glad to seat us immediately when we got there earlier. Noticed the adorable atmosphere walking in, and we were given a ton of choices of tea in the menu. The food was pretty decent (rose macarons!) and we were attended very well with our tea being refilled. I think we stayed for two hours, chatted, and tried out at least 8 different kinds of tea. My friends and I had a great time. Will definitely go back when I visit Victoria again!

A vegetarian tea room in the middle of Chinatown is intriguing, but not the best vegetarian restaurant in Victoria…
For lunch with the ladies I chose the Tofu «Chicken» on focaccia ($ 12.95) with a side of soup ($ 3.50). The sandwich was creative and fresh, but the yeast-​cornmeal baked tofu had no flavour. The tomato, lettuce and avocado was the highlight with fresh pepper. The sweet potato soup was thick and tasty with a few layers of spice. A couple of tablespoons of side salad was fresh, no dressing.
Noted that coffee refills are not free, and no hot water refill was forthcoming for those who had tea.
Atmosphere was funky decoration and bright, with choice of tables or sofa seating. Cafeteria style ordering, with delivery to the table.
Maybe the afternoon tea service is worth a return?

Salads (spinach, tempeh, lemon, chickpea) with focaccia. Oh my god! It’s gorgeous! The best vegetarian dish I ever have!

Oh my god! Where has this place been hiding? I went with my mom and aunt (aunt if a vegan) and we were blown away. The décor was adorable, warm, and inviting. I felt like Alice in Wonderland! We ordered the Peachy Roiboos which was sweet and delicate and we got the vegan tapas to share. The three spreads were mind blowing! So tasty! My aunt got the Veggie Kabob sandwich, my mom got the chickpea salad, and I had the spinach and cheese quiche. ALL OF IT WAS AMAZING! The ladies were wonderful and it was very sweet seeing the chef with his baby walking around visiting with people. I wanted to buy everything in that darn store! I chose to buy some Monks Blend tea which is light and smokey. We are already planning our next trip. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone!

I was in Victoria as a stop on a Pacific Coastal repositioning cruise. It had been pouring rain on and off and we were soaked and hungry. It was me (the vegetarian), my sister and our parents. We were just kind aimlessly wandering around in Chinatown debating what to do about food when I glanced across the street and saw this place. The sign that said «vegetarian» is what caught my eye.
After a little bit of convincing, we settled on this place for lunch. I don’t remember what anyone else had but I had a quiche that was soooooooo good. Oh wait, my sister and mom also had quiche which they liked and ate most of but said was «different.» Well whatever was «different» about it, I apparently loved. I inhaled the whole thing.
I think all my Dad had was tea. I don’t think he was hungry enough to eat yet as he eats a big breakfast and I skip breakfast altogether. It’s so bad, I know. So he was sitting there drinking his little pot of tea. Since I was absolutely freezing (and wet) he offered to share some of his tea with me. He went up to the counter to ask for another tea cup but apparently they don’t do that. I’m not really sure how the tea thing works but I think you pay per person or something. I guess I could have used his cup but I’m a total germaphobe. So that was a little odd but I guess that’s how their tea system works. I regret not ordering any tea of my own because it smelled so good.
This place was awesome. As a vegetarian, it can be so hard to find somewhere (with options!) to eat, especially when you’re sightseeing on foot so it felt like a desert oasis.

I went to this fantastically cute tea room with three girlfriends on a Saturday afternoon in October. Set in the heart of Chinatown, it’s a perfect lunch destination after a good walk to get your as appetite up.
Buy the $ 25 afternoon tea. Make a reservation. Advise of any allergies when making your reso. Ask for the manager to talk about allergies if you feel the wait staff aren’t getting it. I advised them of my nut allergy as I was ordering and they were able to put together a custom tray of goodies.
You pay up at the counter after your tea and a gratuity is automatically included. I had no problem with that given people often forget to tip when they pay at the counter rather than at a table.
My only feedback would be I would prefer a higher ratio of savoury items to dessert items. Their finger sandwiches were so good & I would gladly have taken 6 each, instead of 4 each.

Likes: ambiance, tea, vegetarian, Afternoon tea experience
Dislikes: ish-​pricey for some
Background:
This was one of the places I came across in Chinatown, and have promised to myself that I’d return to it. And I did on my birthday!
I went for the afternoon tea at around 2 pm on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant was not busy at all — about 3 more tables were occupied.
My experience:
I can verify what the other reviewers say… this place is so adorable! I would almost say that it’s hipster. It’s independent, local, and serves vegetarian and organic food.
I had the afternoon tea for $ 25. They serve the tea (there was a collection — so hard to choose!) in porcelain tea cups. Also, the treats were delicious — chocolate cookies, scones, tarts, sandwiches. It was just the right amount of food with the tea.
Verdict:
This is perfect for an afternoon with girlfriends or a close female family member! It’s the perfect place for catching up.
I certainly recommend this tea place — cheaper than the Empress, and the service was very attentive.