When King George VI and Queen Elizabeth opened the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver on May 29, 1939, they likely didn’t foresee the Chateauesque building to still stand strong after eight decades.

The city’s iconic landmark is celebrating its 80^th birthday this month, and will be ringing in its significant milestone in delicious fashion.

Its in-house restaurant, Notch8, is serving a special 80^th anniversary afternoon tea ($59 per person, plus taxes and gratuity) through September 1, 2019. The dining establishment is known for its uniquely themed afternoon tea menus, which have drawn inspiration from board games, enchanted forests, and even a chocolate laboratory.

But the hotel is going back to the classic and well-loved offerings for its anniversary tea service, which is served inside a dining room decorated with historic items from its archives.

Guests will start with English scones and golden sultana scones paired with clotted cream, strawberry preserves, and orange marmalade. Tea and alcoholic libations are on the menu, which range from Lot 35 earl grey black tea to the Crown Jewel: the hotel’s signature anniversary cocktail made with gin, Dubonnet, Lillet, lemon juice, and topped with lemon meringue foam.

Savoury bites include finger sandwiches like smoked salmon with preserved lemon, shrimp and lobster with caviar, and a coronation chicken salad with mango chutney (created in 1953 for Queen Elizabth II’s ascension).

Finish off with sweet items such as treacle tart, Linzer torte, Battenberg cake, crème-brûlée macaron, raspberry trifle, and earl grey éclair.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting full after a few bites into dessert, because these mini-sized goodies can actually fill up bellies very quickly, especially when there’s an unlimited amount of tea to go with the meal. Pro-tip: ask for a to-go box to bring home the leftover sweets for a late-night snack.  

Served daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., reservations are recommended and can be made online. A children’s tea ($29.50 for kids 12 and under) is also available.