Kitten and the Bear

Bakery · Beaconsfield

2

Closed

Kitten and the Bear by Google
Kitten and the Bear by Google
Kitten and the Bear by Google
Kitten and the Bear by Google
Kitten and the Bear by Google
Kitten and the Bear by Google
Kitten and the Bear by Google

Highlights

Discover the charming Kitten and the Bear, where artisanal jams, heavenly scones, and delightful teas come together for an unforgettable high tea experience.

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1414 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1Y5, Canada Get directions

Closed (Opens Tue at 10:00 AM)

$$

"This quaint jam shop features small-batch preserves made with seasonal, local ingredients. Find new takes on classic flavors, like Ontario Concord Grape & Violet, Zebra Lemon Marmalade, Ontario Peach and Basil & Lime. In the sunny front room, you can have a mini “High Tea” experience and sample jams with scones and clotted cream, or order from the counter to take your tea to go!" - Format

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Jun 11, 2024

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"Kitten and the Bear, Parkdale by Format. This quaint jam shop features small-batch preserves made with seasonal, local ingredients. Find new takes on classic flavors, like Ontario Concord Grape & Violet, Zebra Lemon Marmalade, Ontario Peach and Basil & Lime. In the sunny front room, you can have a mini “High Tea” experience and sample jams with scones and clotted cream, or order from the counter to take your tea to go!"

Toronto
·

Mar 16, 2022

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Michelle Lee

Google
The scones are very big and delicious. I liked the buttermilk one. We found the drinks to be not good, the coffee and the tea latte were very very bitter. It’s a nice quiet shop with lots of tea items.

Jordan

Google
These are the best scones in Toronto 100%. If you’re lucky, you’ll get one when it’s warm. My favorite is the blueberry lavender scone, so flavorful! You can’t go wrong with both sweet and savory scones. They also have seasonal special scones and jams! Trust me when I say best scones on earth I just wish there was seating and a public washroom

Nathalie M

Google
Our friend brought us 4 scones from this place and they were delicious ! Nice consistency and great taste ! She also brought a kiwi soursop jam. We would have never thought of that fruit combo and we love soursop so we really enjoyed it with the scones ! No artificial flavors. Only the good simple ingredients in the jam. It makes us want to try more ! Also, we really enjoyed the leftover scones the next day after putting them 15 seconds in the microwave. Delicious !

ue

Google
I went in to get some scones and I was delighted by how charming the store was! The staff were very kind and friendly too. The scones were crunchy, flaky, and perfect paired with raspberry jam and cream.

Emily

Google
It’s the best scone I’ve ever had! It was so buttery, flaky, and light. I personally liked the plain scone with clotted cream and cherry jam! I also tried their strawberry scone but I personally found it a bit too sweet with jam. I would say that they’re more of a take-out store as they only have a bench for seating.

Annie Hinan

Google
Adorable spot for all of your afternoon tea related needs! Huge assortment of jam flavours and teas too of course. Love the scone mix and the frozen prepared ones that you simply have to put in the oven. The latte was definitely on the sweet side but otherwise the place has been simply perfect to shop from.

Blanca Bugler

Google
The OG butter and truffle goat scones so yummy! Kiwi and soursop jam v delicious! TYSM great service so warm ambiance

April Hatle

Google
I have so many glowing things to say about Kitten & The Bear that I’m not sure I could even fit them all into one Google Review. I made a custom order with them for a large afternoon tea event my friends and I were having during our trip to Toronto, and the staff at Kitten & The Bear were so incredibly accommodating and lovely to work with! When I walked inside the charming little shop front to pick up the order, I was immediately hit with the most mouthwatering smell of freshly baked, buttery scones. It made me incredibly excited to bring home our goods to try them, and not a single one disappointed! The afternoon tea sandwiches were all unique and flavourful, and the house made jams were tart and bursting with fruity goodness. The petticoat shortbread cake and each of its flavours were equally tasty, and so were the buttercream tea cakes. The SCONES, though… oh my god. The scones were TO DIE FOR. I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve never had better scones in my entire life, and I’ve literally dreamt about having them again since. They had a perfect slight crunch on the outside, while still being moist and buttery and soft on the inside. We had the buttermilk scones, lemon & hibiscus scones, and cheddar & herb scones, and I could not begin to pick a favourite because they were all amazing. We had a few of the buttermilk ones left over as well, and even several days later, they held up very well and still tasted great. All in all, I know that Kitten & The Bear has become a MUST-STOP place for me on all of my subsequent visits to Toronto. Thank you so much!!

Michelle Lee

Google
The scones are very big and delicious. I liked the buttermilk one. We found the drinks to be not good, the coffee and the tea latte were very very bitter. It’s a nice quiet shop with lots of tea items.

Jordan

Google
These are the best scones in Toronto 100%. If you’re lucky, you’ll get one when it’s warm. My favorite is the blueberry lavender scone, so flavorful! You can’t go wrong with both sweet and savory scones. They also have seasonal special scones and jams! Trust me when I say best scones on earth I just wish there was seating and a public washroom

Nathalie M

Google
Our friend brought us 4 scones from this place and they were delicious ! Nice consistency and great taste ! She also brought a kiwi soursop jam. We would have never thought of that fruit combo and we love soursop so we really enjoyed it with the scones ! No artificial flavors. Only the good simple ingredients in the jam. It makes us want to try more ! Also, we really enjoyed the leftover scones the next day after putting them 15 seconds in the microwave. Delicious !

ue

Google
I went in to get some scones and I was delighted by how charming the store was! The staff were very kind and friendly too. The scones were crunchy, flaky, and perfect paired with raspberry jam and cream.

Emily

Google
It’s the best scone I’ve ever had! It was so buttery, flaky, and light. I personally liked the plain scone with clotted cream and cherry jam! I also tried their strawberry scone but I personally found it a bit too sweet with jam. I would say that they’re more of a take-out store as they only have a bench for seating.

Annie Hinan

Google
Adorable spot for all of your afternoon tea related needs! Huge assortment of jam flavours and teas too of course. Love the scone mix and the frozen prepared ones that you simply have to put in the oven. The latte was definitely on the sweet side but otherwise the place has been simply perfect to shop from.

Blanca Bugler

Google
The OG butter and truffle goat scones so yummy! Kiwi and soursop jam v delicious! TYSM great service so warm ambiance

April Hatle

Google
I have so many glowing things to say about Kitten & The Bear that I’m not sure I could even fit them all into one Google Review. I made a custom order with them for a large afternoon tea event my friends and I were having during our trip to Toronto, and the staff at Kitten & The Bear were so incredibly accommodating and lovely to work with! When I walked inside the charming little shop front to pick up the order, I was immediately hit with the most mouthwatering smell of freshly baked, buttery scones. It made me incredibly excited to bring home our goods to try them, and not a single one disappointed! The afternoon tea sandwiches were all unique and flavourful, and the house made jams were tart and bursting with fruity goodness. The petticoat shortbread cake and each of its flavours were equally tasty, and so were the buttercream tea cakes. The SCONES, though… oh my god. The scones were TO DIE FOR. I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve never had better scones in my entire life, and I’ve literally dreamt about having them again since. They had a perfect slight crunch on the outside, while still being moist and buttery and soft on the inside. We had the buttermilk scones, lemon & hibiscus scones, and cheddar & herb scones, and I could not begin to pick a favourite because they were all amazing. We had a few of the buttermilk ones left over as well, and even several days later, they held up very well and still tasted great. All in all, I know that Kitten & The Bear has become a MUST-STOP place for me on all of my subsequent visits to Toronto. Thank you so much!!

Gabrielle L.

Yelp
Came here to try their Tea Set, and I was not dissapointed. Their selection of in house jams are delicious, with a unique combination and variation of fruit preserves. The scones were simply light, buttert, and well... scon-y. The tea set was definitely more pricy ($24) with 4 different jams, clotted/devon cream, a scone (per person), and tea or coffee. (everything but the scones were refillable) however its certainly a must try!

Lambert P.

Yelp
Kitten and the Bear is located on the north side of Dundas just east of Gladstone. My wife was telling me that this place used to be on Queen in Parkdale but I wouldn't have known since I'm not really a tea person. Well I am a tea person in that I drink tea every day but not at 4pm tea with sandwiches or biscuits type of person. That's totally her thing, going out for tea in tea rooms so she likes that sort of thing. We just popped in to look at things, not sure what she was looking for but she bought something. She bought me a canned crafted tea as well. I've never seen the cans that this store had. I ended up getting a sparkling Oolong - Blueberry - Lemon made by Hanging Belay. I've never heard of it but hey, something new and different. I opened it and drank it walking down the street on a cool winter morning. Nice tasting refreshing tea drink it was! This place also sells some pastries like some attractive scones and has Sloane in the tins (I'm a fan) and even sells tea cup sets. There's a few tables in the well lit corner but they were all taken with people enjoying their tea and conversation. This is a classy shop and looks like a nice place to sit and have a nice cup of tea if there's room.

Gary H.

Yelp
Scones are very disappointing really just the consistency of glorified fluffy Tim Hortons tea biscuits no buttery creamy taste no slightly salty aftertaste or anything else that makes it a scone. Jams are made in house but taste like very sweet syrup with bizarre flavour such as wild berry with chia or strawberry raspberry with cream no matter how many ingredients still tastes like sweet syrup. Photographs associated with this place bear no semblance of accuracy ie no plates no coffee no tables no chairs no cake stands no teacups. I think they must be living on past glory as of now there is no way these are among the best scones in Toronto

Sherry S.

Yelp
It's cute. Like seriously cute inside. Jams are made by them, so that's a plus. Everything looked great, tea was good, and the scone was quite delicious. Not dry. Service was so warm and welcoming.

Lisa P.

Yelp
Went to this place with high hopes. The pictures shown are SO misleading! Must have been taken years ago.... Not a table or chair in sight, only 1 wooden bench against the wall, not conducive for afternoon tea consumption! And although there is a picture saying they serve coffee, we were told no coffee is served, only tea & hot chocolate..... We were told there is no strawberry jam, only their signature strawberry raspberry & cream. We said ok. We asked for them to spread the stuff on our scones & were rewarded with a confused look. Our order was handed to us in a paper bag....... never mind the pretty dishes in the pictures!!! Once in our car, we were still hopeful that it would be tasty. Alas, it was mediocre at best. The jam concoction was a sweet slurry, no sight of clotted cream. And the scone itself?? Tasted just like a tea biscuit. Scones are supposed to taste buttery with a hint of saltiness. This was a total fracas, sorry but it was a waste of time, calories and money.

Karmen N.

Yelp
Little store with quaint teas and jams. Just two tables for seating. We sampled their bourbon vanilla, strawberry and cream and earl grey tea jam. Although the sample spoon had just a droplet of jam, I was done after my second teaspoon; it was overwhelmingly sweet! It's not like a jelly jam that you get at the grocery store. Instead it was concentrated sugar that was like of gooey. It was like eating thick syrup. I didn't like any of the jams. I tried their scone, and it was risen well and nice and crunchy on the outside (I taste the sweetness enhanced by the salt). However, the middle was dense and almost wet. When I ate it, it felt like I had dense vanilla cake in my mouth. I didn't like the scone. I was expecting a crumblier and fluffier texture.

Charles H.

Yelp
Kitten and the Bear is a super cute and quaint spot for having tea and scones. I went on a Sunday afternoon for the jam and tea. The service was great and our host was knowledgeable and introduced the in-house made jams and the different types of tea. You'll get a few different jams to try. I personally really liked the cherry one. The tea was prompted refilled and was served on fine china. There are only three tables so seating is limited, as the space is also used as a facility in the back, so you'll need to book a reservation ahead of time. It felt cozy as a result.

Agnes W.

Yelp
From the moment you walk in, the aroma greets you with warm and inviting welcome. I had no choice but to buy a scone! Luckily, I was not alone, otherwise I think I would have bought one of everything. They have an afternoon tea menu if you are interested, but they also have scones you can purchase on the spot. We just their fruit scone of the day, apple. It was delicious. Each scone comes paired with a jam of choice. We had wild blueberries. Yum. If I was in the area again, I'd definitely pick one up to go!

Pam S.

Yelp
I live in So. California so I have never had the delight of darkening their doorsteps. My interaction with Kitten and the Bear has been via the internet. I reached out to Sophie about an order I wanted to place for their Jams and Sloane Teas Strawberry & Huckleberry Red Velvet Apricot Cara Cara Orange & Honeyed Whisky Marmalade Blood Orange & Passionfruit Marmalade Earl Grey Classic Heavenly Cream OMG! deliciousness and the teas were absolutely strong and flavorful. If you have an opportunity to visit their location I highly recommend it. I wanted to try their home-made scones and was so tempted to make a trip just for the purpose of checking out their cafe. They have a wonderful presence over on pinterest and I have followed them ever since. Respectfully Reviewed

Imran N.

Yelp
TO DIE FOR. Honestly, they just know what they're doing when it comes to scones and jams. While quite 'west', it's a destination and worth the travel in my opinion. The space itself is tiny - so this is really best as a spot for a pickup for a brunch addition, or to purchase gifts from their little trading store.... or of course you can just pop in to satisfy a craving ;)

Cindy C.

Yelp
Kitten and the Bear is one of my favourite spots in the whole city and there are many reasons why. Let's start with their amazing jam. I started making my own jams a few years ago and once I started, I hardly ever bought jam since it was always better homemade. However Kitten and the Bear jams are honestly next level and the very best jams I have ever had! All their jams are made in small batches and cooked in beautiful traditional French copper jam pots. The texture of the jam is exactly to my liking - not too thin and not too thick. If you look at the ingredients on their jars, you will see there are no fillers and that it is all natural. The flavour combos not only creative but they are luxurious and delicious. One of my favourites is their Strawberry, Raspberry & Cream jam which is fairly classic but they do it so, so well. I also love their Banana, Bourbon & Vanilla Bean even though I am not usually a huge fan of bananas. The best thing to do at Kitten and the Bear is to stay for a jam tasting which allows you to sample several of their signature and seasonal jams. Even though the tasting might sound light since it doesn't come with savoury items like a typical afternoon tea set, I would recommend coming hungry since their buttermilk scones are not only to die for but also quite large. Nothing beats their scones with a thick smear of clotted cream and their decadent jam. Another fun part of the experience is choosing the tea. Although I almost always choose the Heavenly Cream, I appreciate the selection of Sloane teas that are offered. When you walk into their shop, you feel transported by their adorable tea cups and beautiful shelves full of lovely things. There is whimsy to their space that makes you want to take your time and appreciate your day. I love bringing friends to Kitten and the Bear to catch up on a sleepy afternoon. The staff is always cheery and I never felt rushed even when Kitten and the Bear was in their tiny space in Parkdale. Kitten and the Bear's new space has much more seating and they now offer reservations on weekends. However, you can always buy a jar of their jam and a pack of their frozen mini scones for the most amazing brunch in bed.

Sammy T.

Yelp
Scones are hard to get wrong but when they're done well, it's insanely yummy. This place is where they meet insanely yummy standards. The scones aren't too buttery and the jams are all homemade. I did take out and they kindly made sure I got a warm scone. If you're interested in a nice catch up session with a friend, this place does lovely tea sets. There aren't too many seats though (like maybe 2 small tables).

Sandi K.

Yelp
Barnone the best scones I've ever tasted. I picked up 6 buttermilk ones to bring back to NYC and everyone whom I've given one to agreed. Moist, tender interior and crunchy sweet exterior just the way it should be. Can't wait for my next visit.

Laura R.

Yelp
I've been meaning to try this place for a while, so we finally managed to go! It's a very cute place - teeny tiny, with one table accommodating a party of 3 and the other a table of 2. It's $17.50 for a scone and tea, coupled with their homemade jam. It's a little pricey for what it is, but you are paying for the experience. The only thing was that the waitress wasn't too friendly, but by the end, she perked up a bit and started smiling. She might have been having a bad day. Other than that hiccup, we had a pleasant experience.

Chusa N.

Yelp
Stepping into the store, I was hit with the smell of freshly baked scones. The exterior was nice and crisp, with a sugary top. The interior of the scone was fluffy and flakey, somehow light but rich and buttery at the same time. The jams were all very flavourful with strawberries and cream being the favourite. I bought a set for takeaway as well. Everything came in a super cute carrier box. The scones weren't as fluffy after reheating, but they were still delicious. Not dry at all!

Phoebe Z.

Yelp
Although this place is a bit small but I love it here! It super cute and cozy, everyone is so super nice and friendly. This place has the best scones I've ever had and the jams were great too. Because it's quite small, you might have to wait a little especially on the weekends. We had to wait a little so we left our number and just walked around the area. However, because I came here before I had to leave to the airport so I had my suitcase with me so the girl let me leave my suitcase there, which was super nice of her.

Soleil S.

Yelp
What an interesting store... this itsy bitsy cafe specializes in a tea service that showcases their in house made jams. Their buttery scones are like a siren's song of butter that draws you into the store... or at least that's what it did to me. I did not try their jams or scones today but I ended up purchasing their Sloane tea made especially for this cute place. The environment here is almost a step back into Victorian time with it's floral china ware, gauzy curtains, filigree and lace detailing, and chandeliers. It's all quite cute and feminine ... charming really. The cafe maybe holds 6 people across 2 tables at most and for $18 you can savour tea or coffee with their in house jams and butter scones. It does seem quite steep but the jar of jam is $12 and the Sloane tin is $19. It is pricey but from the Sloane tea I bought, you're buying some of Toronto's best offerings. The service here was pleasant and warm... we were greeted and waved good bye with pleasant thoughts. The one drawback I learned... they don't take credit cards. Only debit and cash here. As for the Sloane Kitten and Bear tea, it was divine. I made it at home as per the instructions and my kitchen smelled of vanilla and black currents. It was a wonderful tea. Sloane has never failed to deliver a great cup. I may not come back for it's actual tea service but I would keen to come back for more Sloane tea and perhaps take with me one of those buttery smelling scones!

Jessie W.

Yelp
Toronto's best hidden gem for tea and scones. The buttermilk scone was one of the best I've ever had, flaky and buttery, not too dense like other Yelp reviews have said. Jam was great too, their seasonal strawberry chocolate jam was my personal favourite. But really all are great. Excellent selection of Sloane teas as well. Really wanted to give this place 5 stars because I think it's just lovely, but the attitude of the server with the red hair was such a turn off. Noticed that other Yelp posters said the same thing, that the experience was hit or miss depending on the mood of the server. When we went we were very excited and tried to make conversation and be friendly, but she seemed abrupt, snappish and a bit annoyed in general. Giving it 3 stars because when you're charging customers about $30 with tax and tip for a scone and tea, professionalism and good service are an absolutely must.

Angie N.

Yelp
One of my favorite place in Toronto. Their cream tea service is the best in Toronto for the price. Jams are so rich and special, you won't find this kind in other place. Their scone is simple but perfect with having their jams. I need to talk about their clotted cream too. So many high tea places just serve butter and whip cream..but not clotted cream. They don't mind you to refill extra cream for you when your cream bowl is empty. I always wish I live close to this place so I can go often. The only problem of this place is washroom. This lovely store doesn't have their own washroom, so you need exit and enter other store to use their washroom and it feels so weird to do

Lisa E.

Yelp
This place is really pretty and really clean, and the washroom is also super cute and clean and for that reason alone it gets 5 stars. I went here on a weekend and since it's small, it was nice to not sit in a crowded place full of haggard-looking hungover twenty-somethings. If I want to look at a haggard-looking hungover twenty-something I'll just go to King Street instead. Our server was super nice and attentive and should receive a raise based on my review alone. I hope that she receives a raise the moment this review is published, via some sort of magic. I am pretty obsessed with scones, and the scones they serve here are not only excellent, but massive - I would like to roll around in a pile of these scones and just roll around while biting them tbh. They are so good. We got to try four of their jams, but after trying the strawberry/raspberry one I blacked out and forgot what the other ones tasted like. The strawberry/raspberry one is so good I can't explain it (might have to write a poem about it later). I think it's a LITTLE expensive, it's not a full high tea like you might go somewhere else to get, it's more of a sampling while stuffing that giant scone in your face. The clotted cream was also very good. Did I mention how good the scone was? Not sure if I did yet. Anyway, I'm going to go back there some time and get some more of those scones.

Elvis A.

Yelp
If I were to rate this spot for scones alone I would say its pretty high up as this is the better version of the scones I have had. The jam offerings are also very good with you can tell they are made fresh taste and texture. Now for the bad if you are planning to eat and enjoy here I would say forget about it as unless you get lucky there are only two tables and one fits two while the other will be hard pressed to fit 4. The person handling the cash is almost curt so not sure it goes with the inviting ambiance they are going for here. The teas are from the Sloane . I had the perfectly pear version and it was quite good. The scone itself is pricey but substantial. The trio of jams except the seville orange version were top notch. Worth a try if you are in the area and manage to find a spot.

Jasper K.

Yelp
They're known for their mouth watering towering biscuits and homemade jam. The little shop could only sit five people, but it was so charming and I intend to go back every time I visit the city. Aaron loved it so much he has a new found appreciation for "High Tea" and said he wants to have.it/go more often. I'm a huge tea drinker and love green tea so I opted for their jasmine mist while Aaron went through three different drinks/flavors, all iced and came with a cute umbrella as if we were on a beach vacation.

Jane S.

Yelp
Gonna start off by saying this place is CUTE. It truly is. Their decor, their vibe, even down to the outfit the girl who served us was wearing was absolutely adorable! I came here for an afternoon tea with my friend who was visiting from out of town. Their afternoon tea service was $18 each for tea, a scone and 4 pots of jam and clotted cream. I love their jams but I found the scone on the drier side. I wish they would give a few smaller scones instead of one large one. The tea we had was specific to the Kitten and the Bear, it was a fragrant black tea with vanilla and it was lovely. If you want a cute place for a more intimate setting and some great photos, this is the spot!

Evelyn A.

Yelp
This place lights up my Parkdale heart. I've long noted the Yelp love and the adorable signage, but it took me forever to pop in. I'm so glad I finally did! The seating area only has two little tables, but it's charming and perfect, so get over it. I had their tea service with the fluffiest scones and four jam choices and heaps of clotted cream and soaked up the sun by the window. This place makes me as happy as a kitten in a sunbeam and as joyful as a bear with its paw in a honey pot. If you love cute things and tea, Kitten and the Bear is for you.

Gwen N.

Yelp
The SCONES. My goodness, if you get nothing else, get the scones! They are buttery, flakey, sweet, and will melt your heart while also appeasing your taste buds. They are made in-house and you can get them for take-out. I even saw a cute little family come in and just order a scone with some jam. The café is quite literally a hole in the wall so seating is very limited and they will only seat you if you get the jam tasting menu (approx. $18/per person) that includes 4 house-made jams to share, a small dish of clotted cream (I wish there was more, I could eat that stuff all day) and 2 large scones. There is one table for 2 and one table by the window that seats 3. It was stuffy when we were there as I don't think they have air conditioning, so if you do sit by the window on a hot day, be prepared to bake. If both tables are taken they will take down your name/number and send you a text when the table is available. They don't have a seating time limit but I was told that generally it's about a 45 minute wait, and I found that to be accurate. Their tea selection is quite extensive. My friend and I both opted for the Kitten & Bear tea mix since it's unique to the store. I got it cold and she got it hot. Both ways were delicious. My cold tea came with a gold straw and a little umbrella! It was adorable! They don't have any other food items except for the scones (that I know of). Service was excellent and we were checked up on frequently. When we were done, we were asked which jam we liked the most, a good way to get a pulse on your customers! Just ask them directly! Parking can be found on the street or at a green p lot nearby.

Terry L.

Yelp
Made a reservation for 12pm on a Sunday for the tea service and was seated promptly. There are only 3 tables on the side, so reservations are definitely recommended. Our server was great, she answered any questions we had and checked on us multiple times without hovering. The scone was amazingly buttery and flakey. Our flight of preserves included the strawberry/raspberry and cream, plum and rose, apricot and sea thornbuck (I think) and blueberry. All of them were great, but the apricot one was fantastic. We got the Cream of Earl Grey and Kitten blend, which were great. Our second tea was the Marie Antoinette which tasted amazingly fruity. I pre-ordered the Tea Time Box to bring home and I could choose the teas and preserves I wanted after trying them out.

Ellen C.

Yelp
Much anticipation to come here! I thought it was only dine in and didn't think I would have time to wait in line, but then I read another yelper said you could do take out and I was like, "I'm there"! I got a scone with strawberry, raspberry, and cream jam, and added the clotted cream for $1.50. The staff asked if I wanted the clotted cream in a container or on my scone. She said that if I just wanted to eat it like a sandwich then it's easier if she put the clotted cream on it for me. I opted for that option as I was driving back to work. However, next time I would get it in the container because I didn't have a lot of filling in mines and would have liked to add more on. She filled a lot of the jam and cream at the start of the scone, but it wasn't spread out as much as I would have liked. The end of the scone didn't have jam or clotted cream. The scone itself was buttery and flavorful. I bet it would have tasted delicious if it was heated, but I didn't have that luxury at the time. The jam itself was filled with strawberries and raspberry. I love it when jam has the fruit pieces inside and I could taste it. It had just the right amount of sweetness (but it is on the sweeter side for those of you that don't do a lot of sugar). I love sugar so this was perfect. This was my first time tasting clotted cream and I didn't really notice a big difference with regular heavy cream. This is another reason I would opt for a container next time so I could taste it better. It did add a nice texture to the jam, but I didn't think it was worth $1.50 as I didn't get it completely spread over my scone. I will definitely come back to get some jams for the holidays. The scone probably would have been better warm so next time, I would want to do the dining experience. I wouldn't say this is the best scone I've ever had as in my opinion, Mildred Kitchen Temple has my scone heart. However, they caught my jam heart cause they definitely have one of the best jams in Toronto.

Christine G.

Yelp
I can't say enough good things about Kitten and Bear. This dream team of 2 has some of THE BEST JAM (ahem I mean ARTISANAL PRESERVES, royalty deserves a royal name) Mo and I have ever had. Originally I went in with the expectation of getting a cool instagram pic, a bit of good tea, and some lite munching. Little did I know our minds would be blown by the quality of jam artisan preserve, biscuit, tea, and service that we would get. We went from a cool experience to a place and jam artisan preserves I will covet. This was seriously great and worth the wait we had since they only have 2 tables. **Also would like to note I was so wowed by all this I didn't even get a pic to instagram. Too. Mind. Blown.**

Dave M.

Yelp
Staff were very nice and helpful. Which was appreciated. Ordered tea set for one and tea box for extra scones. The cucumber sandwich was nice. There was a piece of cake included in the tea set that was very good. However the rest of the food overall was just ok. Given the value for money I probably wouldn't go back.

Ada L.

Yelp
I went to Kitten and the Bear one afternoon to pick up some scones. Probably got there around 2pm and they were sold out so I had to come back 45 minutes later if I wanted a fresh batch. Im glad I waited because the scones were hot and fresh - perfect with some homemade jam and butter. The store itself is quite small with about 2-3 tables; they also have jams and teas available for purchase. Would love to go back for tea with some girlfriends but it's quite out of the way for me. However, if I'm in the Parkdale area I would not hesitate to stop by again! Edited - I recently went to pick up gift items at this cute store and the packaging is so cute and pretty! I also got some jams for family and friends and they loved the flavours.

Steph L.

Yelp
We're jammin' I wanna jam it with you... We're jammin', And I hope you like jammin' too. Kitten and Bear is a lovely specialty jam shop! Lots of delicious jam - no kittens or bears. The tasting for two ($28) includes a pot of tea and fresh baked giant scones served with 3 jams and clotted cream. I had the award winning Darjeeling tea. It was aromatic and a good choice. As for jams, I was surprised by the banana bourbon jam and marmalade. I purchase two jams to take home. This place is very small and the seating is limited to two tables. However, many customers were stopping by to pick up scones and jams to go.

Lisa K.

Yelp
I discovered Kitten and the Bear through The Bakery Shoppe... you see, I had one of the Bakery Shoppe's famous house made Pop Tarts and my favourite part of it was the strawberry jam filling! Turns out the filling was jam from Kitten and the Bear. The Bakery Shoppe does sell some of their flavours at their store, but I was looking for the same jam that was in that pop tart. So I made a trip to Kitten and the Bear and while they don't sell plain strawberry, (It's only made for the Bake Shoppe! Why???!!! ) I picked up a jar of Strawberry Huckleberry, which was incredible. It was an intensely flavoured strawberry jam with just a hint of tartness from the wild foraged(!) Huckleberries. Thick enough to have intense flavour but runny enough to glide effortlessly across my pain de mie toast from Mon K Patisserie (my favourite bread for toast!) I would have bought 6 jars but they only had 1 left! Noooooo! But they told me to keep an eye on their Twitter feed and watch for new batches that arrive with Ontario Strawberry season. While picking up the jam, the scent of fresh baked scones filled the shop, and I had to wait 5 minutes for them to be ready but it was soooooo worth the wait. The buttermilk scones at Kitten and the Bear are light, fluffy, tender and very tasty. Almost leaning towards a southern style biscuit, which I prefer to the very dense and bread/cookie like scones that I find in many bakeries that leave me disappointed. I also bought a bottle of the Raspberry jam which while tasty, had a lot of seeds... I think that is because Ontario raspberries tend to have a lot of seeds, not sure why, but it was really fresh tasting, but the Strawberry is still my favourite. With my scone I ordered clotted cream and jam, and chose Strawberry, Raspberry and Cream. The clotted cream was the texture of cream cheese but tasted like pure cream, it was perfect. As for the Strawberry, Raspberry & Cream jam, whatever is used to give the "cream" flavour had a weird sweet flavour that I did not like, but others must like it since it is one of their signature flavours. They had many other fancy flavour combinations but I am old school, and love strawberry jam, and Kitten and the Bear makes a version that tastes the way jam tasted when I was a kid... gawd I sound old saying that! I will be back soon!

nuevo d.

Yelp
Well this is biased. I must preference this with the fact I never tried their scones yet. And I Williams I will update the review. It seems they are good? I went here because I'm Just drawn to cute places like this and I love!!! High tea or even afternoon tea. I'm practically tried all the high tea places in toronto. Went here and realized I needed a reservation which I guess is standard. And at the time I dropped by the scone and tea were about 15$. One scone. One pot of tea. One scone. And since I'm super picky about scones and I felt that this was over the top I hesitated. However what made me decide on not even trying it was the abrupt, annoyed, suspicious and unfriendly manner in which my questions about the process were answered. You know, it's just an honest feeling you get from someone. It was very unwelcoming. My gf that I brought to try the place and I thought that we didn't even want to give them business since they were very unwelcoming. Now reading the reviews I think this still happens unfortunately. It seems pretty hot or miss depending on the mood of the lady serving. Hopefully they are much nicer than before since they first started and have taken the criticism as constructive. If I happen to drop by and they are in a good mood I may get a scone to go, just to make a full review of the place either way.

Dawn M.

Yelp
I had such a nice experience here! I was craving scones with jam after having afternoon tea at the Fairmont when I was in Montreal for work. Unfortunately, the same thing in Toronto would cost twice as much, and since I only want scones anyway, I set out to look for alternative options and came across this place. First of all, it's a beautiful space - quaint and antiquey! The ladies working there were also very welcoming. I was lucky enough to score seating (there are only two tables there - one for two and one for three). I got the Darjeeling estate tea, a massive scone, and three jams to taste (strawberry-basil-lime, four berries, and nectarine). The scone was deliciously buttery, crispy and fluffy. I wish it were warmed up but it was good nonetheless. The jams were great. The tea was nice and full-bodied. I woke up with a cold and came back the next day! Two big thumbs up!!!

Alison M.

Yelp
I found Kitten & the Bear via an instagram spiral one evening before we were going to Toronto and convinced my husband we HAD to stop here. Really, it didn't take much convincing when looking at their tea service. Come at me, scones. When we first drove to Parkdale, it seemed a little sketchy IMO. Like, where is this quaint tea shop we were expecting? But we parked our rental car on a side street and walked the few blocks to this cute little cafe nestled in with some funky shops. Everyone's reviews are very accurate when they say little. Two tables. That's it. We were lucky to get the table for two (not the beautiful window table), and sat down to figure out tea service. If you decide to sit to order, you are required to do the full tea service. This totally makes sense to me as they have such limited space - you can't expect to order a single scone and monopolize their table forever. Since we had the table and thought this might be our once chance to dine here (spoiler alert: I have since returned for take away scones), it wasn't hard to opt-in for the full service. It was awesome to get a chance to talk to the owners about their passion for jam and how the entire concept of Kitten and the Bear evolved. The owners also gave us great recommendations for other places to visit during our weekend trip (seriously nice people). The tea served is the local Sloane Teas, which I'd never experienced before, and totally fell in love with them. While my husband and I tried both the Earl Gray Classic and the Heavenly Cream, I'm going to save you the trouble. If you're black tea drinker and have never had Sloane's Heavenly Cream, please just do me a favor and ignore all of the other menu choices. This tea will make you feel like Queen Elizabeth. With the tea service, you also are given a choice of jams to pair with your scones. Every flavor is delicious so it really just depends on your personal preference and what's on rotation for the day. I would bathe in that clotted cream if given the option. Definitely don't skimp on it, and if you're ordering take away scones don't be cheap. It's worth the extra $1.50. Overall, we had a lovely experience during tea service. My mouth is watering right now thinking about the food, and the eclectic vintage dishes/napkins really add a special touch. I purchased some tea tins for myself and as gifts, as well as a jar of jam. When I had a six hour layover in Toronto later in the year, I immediately took an uber to the airport to this tea shop and have no regrets as to that decision. The Heavenly Cream tea was just as delicious served iced and to-go on a warm afternoon. My take-out scone was the perfect treat to eat while walking down Queen Street. You can bet I'll be back during any additional time I ever have in Toronto.

Priya P.

Yelp
Love love love their jams! There isn't one that I have tried that I didn't like. I even got them as part of a Xmas package for my family. My favorite was the blush Apple jelly, it was sweet but subtle at the same time. I wish I had gotten another bottle while it was in stock but now I'm hoping they bring it back at some point. I've tried plum/Earl grey, strawberry chocolate. I am currently working on my bottle of banana bourbon (2nd fave to eat with cream cheese and scones). I've used the nectarine thyme and the blackberry violet as part of cheese boards with brie, it also tasted good with a smoked Gouda and prosciutto. The scones are also really good. They aren't very sweet which makes them perfect for the jams. I usually buy 6 and heat them in the toaster oven throughout the week which makes it soft and flakey again. I haven't tried the frozen ones but they have a package of 6 scones and a bottle of jam which is always my excuse to try a new flavor. The package is a bit pricey but it works on average with other places considering it includes a jam. Each scone is big enough to share if I really wanted to... But I never want to. The staff is always very friendly and often I've called and asked to preorder scones on the same day, once even an hour notice on a busy Saturday afternoon...and they were so accommodating! I'd like to do their tea service but I must admit, there is something special about enjoying a katb scone and jam on a sunny morning in bed =)

Katie O.

Yelp
We stopped by on our fourth visit the KATB and the first in their new location. Coming from across Lake Ontario we don't get here too often but we have been coming for years and we love it. The tea is amazing and the scones are *to die for.* The other pastries are also amazing. They have such a lovely curated selection. We are huge fans. The new lines of tea that they're carrying look wonderful, too. We always gets 2 boxes of tea and we are trying the Blood Orange and the signature KATB blend this time. We also got the sour cherry jam and one of the savory jams, too. Can't wait to try them on our own biscuits! We will be back!!!

Grace F.

Yelp
Their scones are to die for; flaky on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside. IMO they're very well made, the plain buttermilk is great with compote or Devonshire cream. Great for breakfast or brunch!

Sami E.

Yelp
"Holy Hell" those were the first words to come out of my mouth after trying the magnificent scones at Kitten and the Bear, frankly I'm surprised I was able to speak at all. Kitten and the Bear is a small shop off Queen West in the Parkdale area. This Husband and wife team are doing scones, homemade jams, and good tea/coffee all culminating in a modern take on afternoon tea. We came in here one afternoon while in the area to give them a shot. We opted for 2 scones, 3 jam samples, clotted cream and a pot of tea ($10 for scones and jam, $6 for the tea). The scones were absolutely to die for! Made with buttermilk, these babies are dense, moist, and a little crispy on the outside, with the perfect amount of sweetness. These are not really traditional scones but more of a mutant scone/biscuit hybrid. Not only were they delicious, they were also massive, making it a joy to peel back the layers and use them for jam sampling. As if the scones were not obscene enough, the jam was equally ridiculous. We sampled the blood orange, lime and jasmine, and Meyer lemon and lavender. All the jams contained real pieces of fruit and complimented the scones perfectly. My favourite of the three was the lemon and lavender. You can also buy jars of their jam to take with you; flavours are constantly changing depending on what is in season. The owners really seem to focus on sourcing their ingredients locally. The place itself is really tiny, with only two tables so you should be prepared to take your baked goodness to go. We were lucky enough to get a seat and dare I say we received the royal treatment. Our tea was served in fine china that the owners hunt for themselves and sitting in the beautiful shop was so relaxing. The husband and wife that run the shop were very welcoming and provided amazing service; you can really tell they are passionate about what they are doing. I for one cannot wait to go back! *FYI fellas this place is kind of girly and would be a GREAT place to take a date or a significant other.

Sj C.

Yelp
As others have said I didn't realize how small this place was there is only 2 tables one for 2 people and the window seat that can fit 3 or 4zHonesty went here for the gram. All the bloggers have been taking the cutest insta photos here so I thought to try it out and do brunch here with a friend. We got the tea service which is 17.95 pp the tea selection is quite nice and are all Sloane teas. The jam was delectable but I thought we would get more selection of pastries than just 1 scone each. The service was really good tho and it was a nice quote place to chat with your friends. I wish there was more menu variety tho and also it's pretty far out on queen west from all other shops so it was quite a trek from downtown.

Sabrina H.

Yelp
Very cute little shop Got the chance to sit down and do the sampler of watermelon, Apple lime and berry jam which was great :) And the scones are really good too They also have a great lots of different teas All in one its a super sweet place :)

Jess W.

Yelp
Toronto's best hidden gem for tea and scones. The buttermilk scone was one of the best I've ever had, flaky and buttery, not too dense like other Yelp reviews have said. Clotted cream was divine!!!! Jam was great too, their seasonal strawberry chocolate jam was my personal favourite Excellent selection of Sloane teas as well. Place is small but cozy, only two tables in the entire place but we were lucky that we didn't have to wait. Delicate vintage teacups and silver spoons, it felt hipster-esque but the tea and scones are the real deal. Will definitely come back!

Khai T.

Yelp
Jam and tea service? Why yes, I think I would like that very much! The jam and tea service comes with amazing buttermilk scones served with 4 types of jams and a clotted cream that I thought was butter! Oh, and yes, tea or coffee. "Jam and tea or coffee service" is too much of a mouthful though. I got tea (peach and cream). The scones were fluffy and tasted so good with the jams. I wasn't thinking and got some jams but didn't get any of the frozen scones, argh...and then I kept thinking all week about why didn't I get some scones!! Don't make that mistake, ok? The shop itself is cute. There aren't very many tables (2), but it looks like a lot of people come in to buy things to go. The table next to the window is great. We didn't get that table because someone else was already there. But our table was just as lovely. It was a very nice, calm and relaxing way to spend an afternoon. Looking forward to coming back.

Mida C.

Yelp
A side of the scones and jams with my Sloane tea please. Oh, and don't forget the clotted cream! This place is a hidden gem in Toronto. I almost want to keep this a secret for fear that I'll never get to sit in for tea. (The place only has 2 tables. Cozy, but still loved it!) This was the closest "Londoner" experience in terms of afternoon tea, but "made in Canada." Everything, from their jams, scones, down to their clotted cream were made in house. *claps* Which reminds me, I'm out of jam! Need to stop in soon to get some.

M A.

Yelp
I really would love to give this place 5 stars but I found the staff a little aggressive. They seemed like they either had a bad day or weren't in a very welcoming mood (kinda like get you want and get out vibes). Regardless cute concept, always a fan of scones and jam. I really like this store and their Instagram is fantastic.

Stevan B.

Yelp
The jams are vibrantly tasteful. Very good. But the customer service is unwelcoming. They treat you with a level of skepticism. Very strange. They're located In the heart of Parkdale, probably alot of strange customer experiences has them jaded...

Renee Tammy T.

Yelp
I came here with my bestie last week. It was her birthday and this year we decide to do a special afternoon tea celebration, which is scone party. Instead of sandwitches or cakes and tarts, we chose to have scone afternoon tea here in Kitten and the Bear after reading all the good reviews it has. We are not disappointed. Their scones are utimately the best in town. Especially their homemade jams just crabs our heart instantly. I could not resisted but bought another scone for take out. It is that good in a way I want to have another bite on the other day. Girls and boys or whoever loves scone, you all need to pay a visit to Kitten and the Bear if you are in town. You won't regret it!

Kat K.

Yelp
For product alone - I would say Kitten and the Bear gets 5 stars straight off the bat. Small batch jams, local ingredients with seasons offerings, plus amazing scones are all reasons why one should make a trip out to Kitten & the Bear. So the store is pretty upfront about the fact that they are an artisanal jam store first and a place to grab and enjoy a cream tea a very distant second. But they do have a "tasting" room; which is itty bitty tiny to practically nonexistent - we're talking about 5 seats MAX. Breakdown as follows 1 table of 2 and 1 cozy table of 3. So a classic cream tea for one is $14 and you get one scone and 1 choice of their current jams on sale and clotted cream with a cup of tea. Their cream tea for two is for $28 and comes with 3 choices of jam plus clotted cream and 1 pot of sloane tea. However, if you are willing to wait and are lucky enough to grab a table;this is where things can get a bit sticky. The husband and wife team are good at what they do which making jam. Their in-house scones are easily one of the best I have eaten. But their service is not the greatest. Their store is very cozy - so if there is a wait on front of you - be prepared to wait outside; since they will ask you to leave the store so as not to pressure the customers that are enjoying their cream tea. Plus, they will tell you that they will stick their head out the door to let you know that your table is ready - so don't wander too far away from the store. So while this wait outside might be a pleasant wait in milder weather, I can see where this will most likely be pretty uncomfortable on really hot and sticky days, plus on frigid and miserable days. Also,once you have finished your cream tea - don't linger to chat cozy with your companion either - since they will ask you to settle up and pay if there are people waiting behind you. Add to that - there isn't any formal reservations taken either - so first come, first serve basis; plus no bathroom on site. Plus their scones depending on demand; they can run out - so you call them and ask; but they may not be willing to hold on to the scones for you. So overall 4 - mostly because of things I had detailed above. They take Cash or Debit only.

renje g.

Yelp
- You haven't had a scone until you came here - All the jellies and the butter creams are delicious - The ten dollar three scone special is great for two people - The owners are great, colloquial, and they know the neighborhood - Coffee is grand