Essence Of Unionville

I wanted to try their afternoon tea long time ago and finally did it. The quality is average. The bread is not fresh and dry. The bagel is too hard to bite. Nothing special for the sweets. It is a fusion and not a typical British style. I expected loose leaf tea but it is only a tea bag. The tea pot is same as in Chinese restaurant!! I supposed to give 2 stars only. The extra star is for the environment and the staffs. Will I come back? Just for coffee is fine but definitely not for afternoon tea.

The lunch menu and the afternoon tea is good. But the hotel lobby is currently under renovation. The drilling noise was very disturbing during our meal. Basically it's difficult to have a conversation. I don't understand why they have to do this during lunch hour or busy hour when customers are enjoying their food.

Not sure what happened, we had come for their buffet Sunday brunches in the past and it was great. However today's Valentines set menu was a complete miss. The oyster (only 1 is served) was rancid. Scallop carpaccio was tasteless, seemed like it had been plated since the morning and placed in the fridge until service. Gnocchi was bland/mushy/reheated. Dessert seemed like lunch leftovers. The entree (tenderloin) was okay and was the only dish I could finish. The bread was good. Service was okay but didn't really seem to care to ask why most of the dishes were left untouched. Felt embarrassed to bring my valentines here.

Can I tell you how excited we were to return to Essence of Unionville! After a long pandemic closure, their Sunday brunch buffets resumed earlier this year. It’s still one of our favorite uptown brunch spots. The staff and management team, including our regular server, Barbara, warmly welcomed us back! The seating and décor changed a bit, but our favorite booth was still available. The buffet included: Herb Crusted Pork Loin with Pineapple Glaze, Artic Char, Roast Turkey, Prime Rib, Omelet Station, Smashed Potatoes with French Herbs, Rigatoni Pasta with Baby Spinach, Grilled Vegetables in Tomato Sauce, Vegetable Fried Rice, Maple Glazed Seasonal Vegetables, Eggs Benedict, Canadian Bacon & Sausages, Soup of the Day (Potato Leek), Sushi & California Rolls, Smoked Salmon, Peel & Eat Shrimps, Marinated Mussels, Crab Clusters, Mixed Green Salad, Penne Pasta Salad, Baby Kale & Red Cabbage Slaw, Quinoa Salad, Mexican Street Corn Salad, Cheese Platter, Assorted Fresh Fruit and Assorted Deli Meats. Croissants, Danishes, Scones, Kiwi Mousse, Chocolate Mousse, Assorted Tartlets, Carrot Cake, Green Tea Cake, Apple Crumble, New York Cheesecake, Crème Caramel, Chocolate Cake, Mango, Raspberry & Vanilla Sauce (delicious with their cheesecake) What a list right? I might have missed some items! The buffet was just as delicious as we remembered. The first thing I ate was a scone! My husband keeps telling me to stop eating all the carbs, but the scones are my favorite! Just like before, we were never rushed, and Barbara was lovely as always. We would get up, come back, and our juices were magically refilled. Tea and coffee is included in the price, and parking is complimentary (register your license plate with the hostess). Reservations are highly recommended! Current price: $49/per person

A good option for afternoon tea uptown, with lots of seating. The kids' afternoon tea menu is a nice touch and well-received! We really appreciated how family friendly it was. The quality of the adult afternoon tea was mixed; the scones were yummy, but the desserts and sandwiches were only okay (some were a little dry). Our server was very attentive and polite. Overall, a good experience!