Montreal

Montreal is the francophone tea capital of North America and home to one of the most editorially serious tea operations on the continent. Camellia Sinensis — founded in 1998 by Hugo Americi, Kevin Gascoyne, Jasmin Desharnais, and François Marchand (all four founders remain involved) — operates multiple Montreal tea houses, a Quebec City location, direct producer relationships across Asia, and a tea sommelier certification program. The educational dimension distinguishes the operation globally: the founders have authored foundational French-language tea reference books (notably "Thé: Histoire, terroirs, saveurs"), and their published work has established them among the most knowledgeable specialty tea writers anywhere.

The Montreal tea houses operate with the depth of European premium tea destinations rather than typical North American specialty tea retail. The bilingual French/English catalog reaches both Quebec's francophone market and the broader Canadian and American specialty tea community. For French-speaking specialty tea drinkers in North America, Montreal is the destination; for English-speakers, the Camellia Sinensis flagship's combination of editorial depth and direct-source catalog rewards travel from anywhere on the continent. The sommelier program is among the most rigorous available outside specialty tea's Asian academic centers.

Tea houses & specialty experiences

• Camellia Sinensis Plateau (4-flagship locations) — Hugo Americi + co-founders' main operation
• Camellia Sinensis Quartier Latin — second Montreal location
• Camellia Sinensis Outremont — third location
• Maître de thé (boutique) — additional francophone tea retail

Retail destinations

• Camellia Sinensis Plateau
• Camellia Sinensis sommelier classroom (training program location)

Neighborhoods