In the last 3-4 times I've visited Kitten and the Bear, I've been consistently amazed by the whimsy and quaintness of the service offering. I'd like to think of KatB as hipster afternoon tea. I adore that this place is local - the jams and scones are made on-site.
The teensy Parkdale location features 2 tables seating a total of 5 people. This is not a typical cafe or coffee shop. Kitten and the Bear is a confiturier, meaning they create jams for sale. The few seats they have are so that a few people may be able to sample jams as a set. They offer a tea sampler set approximately $10; a pot of tea, two scones and 3 small samples of jams. This option is meant to be shared in pairs since the scones are quite large (they offer 2 cups). They also offer clotted cream and pour over coffee.
The beautiful iconography of the store sent me to a very romantic place in my mind - Marie Antoinette meets Alice in Wonderland. It's just the kind of venue you'd lose yourself in - a perfect blend of capitalism and romance. KatB offers Sloane tea, which although pricey when purchased individually, are so exceptional in quality that the experience sets the bar quite high.
The jams are so divine that I've purchased both, the Banana and Ceylon Cinnamon and Meyer Lemon and Lavender. I'd be back in a heartbeat!
Everyone take me here. Please and thank you.