A globally renowned brand has officially upgraded its Toronto presence, sparking lineups of crowds eager to get a first taste of its exclusive menu and grand opening giveaways.
On Feb. 16, heytea opened its first Canadian tea lab at the Toronto Eaton Centre.
Founded in 2012 in a small alley in China, heytea has revolutionized traditional bubble tea by committing to natural ingredients.
“In a shop less than 30 square metres, we devoted ourselves to creating products we genuinely love and sharing them with the world — sparking the new style tea movement with our original cheese tea,” according to the brand.
Now, heytea operates around 4,000 stores across more than 330 cities worldwide, including in Toronto.
Although it already has locations on Yonge Street and in Scarborough, the new lab outpost marks a major milestone in its North American expansion as it follows the debut of its Times Square lab in New York City in early 2025. But now its Canada’s turn.
“As the brand’s most avant-garde retail concept, heytea lab serves as a creative hub for tea innovation, flavour exploration, and esthetic presentation,” according to heytea.
“Displays of raw tea leaves, botanical ingredients, and extraction equipment offer transparency into craftsmanship and invite guests to engage with the story behind every drink.”
Here’s what to expect.
heytea lab Toronto grand opening weekend
To celebrate the grand opening in Toronto, the “tea lab” series has been introduced to Canada for the first time. It features eight globally exclusive, limited-edition beverages anchored in heytea’s newly developed Rock Oolong tea base.
The brand has also partnered with renowned Toronto chef Susur Lee to present a refined fusion of haute cuisine and tea culture.
The partnership’s cocreated drinks include the Rock Oolong Caviar and Rock Oolong Caviar Ice Cream to reinterpret contemporary Chinese tea through contrast and balance.
And this week, those who drop by can check out some in-store experiences.
Until Feb. 22, those who make a purchase at the lab will receive a heytea fridge magnet. And until Feb. 26, the first 100 customers each day will receive a canvas tote bag.
From Feb. 27 to March 5, the first 100 customers at the lab can participate in a lucky draw with a 100 per cent chance to win.
Prizes include a tumbler, incense sticks, and a heytea Toronto tote bag.
“Through heytea lab, the brand continues to position tea as a cultural medium, building meaningful connections within Toronto’s diverse community,” according to heytea.
Outside of Toronto, heytea entered the Canadian market with its first Vancouver store in 2023. Now, it operates six locations nationwide, along with a Toronto distribution centre that launched in Dec. 2025.
At the Eaton Centre, located at 220 Yonge St., heytea lab is located on level one near Garage. Happy sipping!