Fancy a tea? One sugar? A dash of milk?
Indulge in an afternoon of tasty hors d’oeuvres and of course a hot tea at one of these great tearooms. We’ve handpicked some of the finest locations to sip and graze the day away, pinkies up!
Hopetoun Tea Rooms, Melbourne, Victoria
This classic tea room located in the Block Arcade, is positioned in the centre of Melbourne CBD. Initially set up for the Victorian Ladies Work Association, the tea rooms are named after its founder, Lady Hopetoun. Established in 1891, The Hopetoun Tea Rooms continue the proud tradition of quality, combining old world charm with the heritage of fine food.
Enjoy individually baked quiche Lorraine, roast beef and ribbons of smoked salmon sandwiches alongside a rather large collection of teas. Gluten free options are also available. With a bustling line at the door every day, it’s best to reserve your tea drinking experience in advance.
Vaucluse House Tea Rooms, Sydney, New South Wales
Nestled amongst lush gardens and expansive lawns, the Vaucluse Hotel Tea Rooms have a reputation for excellent quality food and superior customer service. The tea rooms embrace the history, style and grace of the art deco building, a setting which exudes a tranquil environment to enjoy a decadent high tea.
High tea hors d’oeuvres include pecan toffee crunch cheesecake, pesto and parmesan swirls, sage pastrami scones and lemon ricotta cake. All treats are made to order with ingredients that are handpicked from the kitchen garden on the Vaucluse House Estate. For this reason, bookings are essential.
Image: Vaucluse House Tea Rooms
Tea and Niceties, Mt Tamborine, Queensland
The vintage inspired tea rooms and enchanting gardens are set amongst the rainforest on picturesque Tamborine Mountain. A truly unique and memorable experience, you will find yourself slipping into a gentler, more romantic time.
Offering all the grace and elegance of a bygone era, Tea and Niceties offers pots of tea, plunger coffee, delectable profiteroles and a delicious range of hot and cold savouries. Less than an hours’ drive from both the Gold Coast and Brisbane, the charming atmosphere is not short of freshly baked scones, served with mixed berry jam and dollop cream, delicious!
Rochelle Adonis Cakes and Confections, Perth, Western Australia
Established as a treasured Western Australian icon, Rochelle Adonis Cakes and Confections is well known for its incredible presentation and mouth-watering delicacies.
Featuring exquisite savoury and gorgeous sweet canapés, Rochelle Adonis’ High Tea favourite is, (of course!) cucumber sandwiches! A unique and intimate atmosphere, the afternoon is relished at a huge marble table whilst chefs busily prepare for each high tea. The Salon presents decadent goodies, complemented by single origin French press coffee and heavenly loose-leaf tea.
Image: Rochelle Adonis Cakes and Confections
Ginza Miyako, Adelaide, South Australia
The fusion of French and Japanese cuisine creates a truly unique high tea experience – the only high tea of its type in the city. Traditional and modern Japanese cooking is combined with French influence to provide an extremely creative experiment of delicious flavours. The afternoon will host savoury bento boxes with goodies like beef tataki, chicken karaage, Kingfish sashimi and tempura prawns. The boats of sweets (all made on site!) feature an array of treats such as red bean mochi, sesame brulee, plum wine pana cotta and yuzu cake.
In order to fully immerse yourself in the traditional Japanese dining experience, you’ll be required to take off your shoes before entering the dining area to sit on the below ground tables. An abundance of food means it’s more like lunch than high tea, so ensure you go on an empty stomach!
Image: Ginza Miyako
The Hydro Majestic, Katoomba, New South Wales
Teatime in the Blue Mountains is served in the Wintergarden, which means majestic panoramic views overlooking the Megalong Valley.
A warm ambience featuring plush furnishings and a flickering fireplace provides the ultimate tea drinking experience. A three-tiered silver stand hosts petite pastries and a selection of finger sandwiches. Gluten free and vegetarian options are available, but ensure you specify in advance. Upgrade your afternoon and include a glass of sparking wine or French champagne.
The Flying Trunk, Adelaide, South Australia
This enchanting cocktail bar transforms into a decadent high tea experience on the third Sunday of every month. With beautiful tea sets and a glass of Prosecco to kick off proceedings, spend the afternoon grazing on delectable canapés and sandwiches. A tray of sweets follows featuring mini tiramisus, scones, salted caramel macarons and mini tarts including a decadent banoffee pie.
Spots are limited so be sure to pencil it in your calendar and book in advance!
The Langham, Melbourne, Victoria
The Langham is known for its history of decadent high teas and with a number on offer, its signature is the Afternoon Tea with Wedgewood. It was Queen Charlotte of England in the mid 18th century who began the trend of drinking tea from Wedgewood china so its true to form that The Langham respects tradition.
The afternoon consists of petit fours, sweets and scones served with rose petal and strawberry preserve. Whilst the scones are kept warm inside a cloth napkin, enjoy delicious finger sandwiches that are a lot more filling than they look!
If you’re interested in the fine art of brewing tea, be sure to check out the tea making station with two different urns providing the optimum temperatures for both the traditional black teas and the herbal teas.
Stephanie Vigilante 
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