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high tea

Sydney’s Best High Teas: The Radisson Blu Hotel

November 23, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 6 Comments

In the heart of Sydney’s CBD lies the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney, housed inside a gorgeous 1850s Beaux Arts property. It’s old world elegance at its finest, including the Lady Fairfax lounge area where we were seated for our high tea.

The room is lovely and spacious, with large windows allowing plenty of light to stream in. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet afternoon with family and friends.

We enjoyed sampling both the Traditional and Festive High Teas at the Radisson Blu, both served on a classic silver-tiered stand. The Traditional High Tea is available year-round, but the Festive High Tea is a limited edition, and only available until January 3.

Traditional High Tea

Savoury Items
Cucumber and dill cream cheese sandwich
Feta, ricotta and spinach roll
Smoked salmon toast
Chicken curry puff
Barbecue pork filo pastries
(Because I’m vegetarian, I was given an extra cheese sandwich, tomato and avocado sandwich and a mixed vegetable sandwich as a substitute for the meat pastries.)

The sandwiches and savouries were among the best we’ve had of any high tea in Sydney. They were just delicious, with fluffy bread, delicious fillings, and pastries that were mouthwateringly good. Often high teas are all about the sweet, but I find I really need the savouries to be a strong component too, or I get sugar overload.

Sweet Treats
Double chocolate cake
Citrus tart
Spiced cake
Salted caramel swans
Decadent chocolate mousse (with mint)

Vanilla scones with cream and preserve

The scones were served hot, fresh and fluffy with vanilla bean cream, which was a really refreshing change. Each of the sweets was a perfect bite-sized portion, with the salted caramel swans as the stand out item on the platter. Not only did they look amazing, they tasted exceptional, too.

Festive High Tea
Celebrate the Christmas season with a Festive High Tea from 1 December until 3 January.

Savoury Items
Roast turkey sandwich
Ham and cheese sandwich
Chicken curry puff
Pork, apple and thyme roll

Sweet Treats
Chocolate mint mousse
Fruit Mince Pie
Christmas cookie
Spiced cake
Christmas chocolate slice
Rum balls

Vanilla scones with cream and preserve

The sweet treats served with the Festive High Tea had the cutest hand-made sugar decorations attached, such as a santa or snowman. You can see my daughter’s delight as she spots them when they arrive.

We found the mint in the mousse a refreshing change, quite a bright, strong flavour, that was a good contrast to the sweetness of the other items on the platter. Often the sweets are all so sugary that you can feel quite ill after eating them, so having this mint mousse, and also savoury fruit mince pie on the Festive Tea and the salted caramel swans on the Traditional Tea, were very welcome components to balance out the sweetness.

Both high teas are served with a choice of handcrafted teas from La Maison Du Thé. There is wide range of teas to choose from, from a standard English Breakfast to some exotic varieties of black and white tea with fruity and flower flavours added in.

Prices:
$49 per person with tea or coffee
$59 per person with a glass of sparkling wine
$69 per person with a glass of Champagne

The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel also serves a Kids in the City High Tea which we will be trying on our next visit. It’s described as including ham and cheese sandwiches, dotty blue fairy bread, sparkling lemon meringue, laminations, mini sausage rolls, mini beef pies, seasonal jelly shots, a specially mixed ‘Out of the Blu’ mocktail, marshmallowy hot chocolate and freshly squeezed fruit juice for $25/per child.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney
27 O’Connell St, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8214 0000
Online
Reservations required: communications@radisson.com or 02 8214 0400.
Get Directions

Produced in partnership with the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney. All opinions are our own.

Sheraton On The Park High Tea: Sydney’s Best High Teas

September 4, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Sydney’s Sheraton On The Park has given their Gallery dining area a major refurbishment, and with it, their high tea offerings too.

Recently reopened to the public, the new Gallery dining area is modern and cool, with a silver backdrop representative of the adjacent Hyde Park. When ordering a classic High Tea stand at the Sheraton On The Park, you’ll notice an elegant twist on their traditional stands of old.

The indulgent High Tea is now served on a silver three-tiered stand that is elegantly designed to reflect a tree. It’s a thoroughly modern stand and quite a unique offering in the world of high teas.

The tree High Tea stand is served daily at Sheraton On The Park from 12pm. Included in the classic High Tea is a selection of savouries, scones and sweet treats, plus a choice of Vittoria espresso coffees, fragrant Dilmah teas or hot chocolate made with Lindt chocolate, milk, dark or white.

Sheraton On The Park have partnered closely with Dilmah to deliver a selection of quality teas. I chose the recommended Uda Watte from the Watte range – Sheraton On The Park are the first high tea establishment in Australia to offer this particular tea range to the public.

The Watte tea range is grown at different elevations in Ceylon’s central highlands. Strong, robust teas are supplied from the mid country, rich, rounded tea from the high country, with delicate, subtle tea found at the highest elevations.

My Uda Watte tea was classified as “high grown”, at 5000 feet above sea level, and described as “Rich and lively, with intense aroma and well-rounded flavour”.

The tea stand is served with the savoury and sweet treats first, the scones following after these are finished.

Quiche
Warm serrano ham, caramelized onion and ricotta dip (vegetarian substitute dried tomato)

Sandwiches
Red pepper hummus with pita – grilled zucchini, chickpeas & feta
Duck & currant pate brioche – cranberry, mache & orange (vegetables used instead of pate on vegetarian substitute)
Hot smocked salmon dark rye – avocado, fennel & chives (pumpkin used instead of salmon on vegetarian substitute)
Schinkenspeck schiacciata – bush tomato, fig & goat’s curd (zucchini used as substitute for vegetarian option).

Sheraton on the Park high tea via christineknight.me — Vegetarian savoury options.

The savoury food was delicious. Fresh, fluffy bread, a warm quiche and delicious ingredients. My favourite was the pumpkin sandwich, while my dining companion loved her quiche.

Sweet Treats
Green tea cake
Decadent passion fruit truffle
Pampa jelly tart
Hazelnut cream eclairs
Raspberry macaron
Carrot cheese cake

The sweet treats were the perfect size for sampling. I really enjoy the colour and variety of the treats, with a variety of ingredients highlighted, from creamy hazelnut to refreshing berry. Each treat was decadently good, with my favourites being the pampa jelly tart (I loved the bright fruit jelly in the centre) and the passion fruit truffle, with its layers of cream and jelly. Just delicious.

Scones
Fruit and plain
Strawberry jam and devonshire cream

The scones are served last, warm and fresh. They come with a variety of toppings – butter, jam and cream in plentiful amounts, but I find the scones to be a bit on the hard and dry side, more like biscuits than the big and fluffy scones I prefer.

The Sheraton on The Park is one of Sydney’s iconic high tea venues for a very good reason. Their consistently high quality of food and service make an afternoon in the Gallery a memorable affair.

The Gallery High Tea is served daily from 12pm and includes one coffee, tea or hot chocolate, $49 per person. The Sparkling Tea Stand includes one glass of sparkling house wine and is $59 per person.

Sheraton On The Park High Tea
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$
Get Directions

Thank you to Sheraton On The Park for hosting us.

Peppers Convent High Tea, Hunter Valley: The Perfect Girls’ Weekend Away

May 25, 2016 / Australia, Hunter Valley, NSW, Travel / 4 Comments

The Hunter Valley is known for its decadent food experience and sumptuous wines – but perhaps not as renowned for its delicate high teas. It was a surprise to me to learn about the delightful high tea offered by the Peppers Convent in Pokolbin.

Peppers Convent is a gorgeous Victorian-style manor house surrounded by vineyards. Devonshire Tea and High Tea are served Wednesday to Sunday:

Traditional High Tea: $42 per person
London High Tea: $56 per person (includes a glass of Peacock Hill Sparkling)
Paris High Tea: $64 per person (includes a glass of Champagne Taittinger Brut Reserve)

I enjoyed the high tea with my book club. I’m not sure if a book was discussed, but the delicious food and wine certainly was. I really enjoyed that this tea offered a good variety of sandwiches and the “sweets” weren’t overly sweet. The price was also very reasonable.

Tea Sandwiches
Cucumber and Watercress
Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Salmon Roe
Curried Egg Salad and Spinach

(As sole vegetarian I was also given an extra plate of vegan sandwiches at no extra charge.)

Sweets
Petite Meringue
Chocolate Mousse
Coconut Sago and Macerated Fresh Berries
Almond Cake

Scones
Lemonade Scone
Lightly Sweetened and Clotted Cream
House Made Jam

The ambiance at Peppers invokes the feeling of a bygone time filled with elegance and luxury. There is no need to rush, to eat quickly, to attend to other matters. There is just the beautiful light pouring through glass windowpanes, a stroll through the manicured gardens and a delightful afternoon filled with cake and conversation.

High tea at Peppers was the perfect girls’ outing. It’s a fantastic stand-alone activity, or you could do what we did, and have a weekend away with the high tea as the kick off point. After our delicious high tea we visited a few wineries, our tummies fortified with delicious cake and sandwiches. Me with a few of my book club gal pals below:

Peppers Convent
88 Halls Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320
Get Directions
Credit Card details are required to secure a booking. Cancellations within 24 hours of the reservation or in the event of a no-show, a $20 per person fee will apply.

The Cortile InterContinental: Sydney’s Best High Teas

May 5, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

No longer missing from my adventures in high tea, is the very elegant high tea at The Cortile, InterContinental, Sydney.

This is definitely the most beautiful building of all the high teas so far. The InterContinental Hotel was built inside the restored Sydney Treasury Building of 1851. The outside facade of the building is just gorgeous, with sandstone blocks and even some lions to welcome you, and inside the atrium that is where The Cortile is situated,is a gorgeous blend of old meets new. Soaring ceilings, brick archways, with modern fittings and elegant lighting. Just beautiful.

The InterContinental is in a superb position too – just a few blocks from the Sydney Opera House and across the road from Sydney’s Botanic Gardens, it’s a wonderful spot to stay for a few days, or just to experience a high tea like we did.

High Tea at the InterContinental is a truly elegant affair. It consists of a plate of sandwiches, followed by a three tier stand filled with pasties, scones and sweets.

The Three Tier High Tea Stand is served Monday to Friday from 11am–5pm and costs $55 per person (including a glass of sparkling wine).

As a vegetarian I was given a seperate plate of sandwiches and pastries which i thought was very considerate of the staff to arrange.

Sandwiches
• Club sandwich, roasted chicken with crispy bacon & tomato
• Tasmanian smoked salmon, cucumber, horseradish & lemon on laugen bread
• Paprika prawns, chili, lemongrass, green shallots, thai basil, red quinoa

Vegetarian sandwiches included mixed vegetables, a tomato, cheese and basil salad.

The sandwiches were light and fresh. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the salad.

Hot Savoury Treats
• Tuscan chicken & roasted vegetable roll
• Caramelised onion & goat’s cheese quiche
• Beef and Guinness pie

Vegetarian savoury treats included the same quiche plus a pumpkin piece and Moroccan sausage roll.

Nice bite-sized treats. The pumpkin in particular was great – a slightly spicy mix with creamy pumpkin.

Tea Treats
• Lemon & herbal infusion tea cup
• Jasmine Gold tea crème brulée
• Punnet of passionfruit, Matcha Horai green tea & chestnut
• Hazelnut biscuit, crunchy praline & milk chocolate chantilly
• Lemon, lime & bitter macaron

My fave was the perfect creme brulee and the lemon and herbal infusion cup, with its light, fresh creaminess.

Hot Sweet Treats
• Buttermilk vanilla scones, vanilla whipped cream, cherry jam

Delicious, warm, fresh scones.

To Finish
• Green Tea Affogato; the classic Italian dessert with a twist.

The finale to this meal is a shot of Matcha poured over vanilla bean ice-cream. Our lovely waitress mixed the matcha in front of us and poured it, hot, over a large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The fresh ice cream was the perfect way to finish the high tea – refreshing and light.

If you dine at the InterContinental on weekends, you can try the Weekend High Tea Buffet. It’s served Saturday & Sunday from 1pm–2:30pm and 3pm–4:30pm. It costs $60 per person includes a glass of sparkling wine.

The Cortile, InterContinental Sydney
117 Macquarie St, Sydney
Phone: 02 9240 1396
Reservations reocmmended restaurant.reservations@interconsydney.com
Get Directions

Mad Hatter’s High Tea at the Fairy and Frog Creperie

March 23, 2016 / Concord, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 18 Comments

“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice, and also us, when we heard of a magical new cafe in Concord where, rumour had it, fairytales had been brought to life.

The Fairy And The Frog Creperie was opened in 2015 by couple Catherine and Guillaume (the “frog”), serving sweet and savoury crepes, old fashioned milkshakes and high tea, in an environment reminiscent of a Disney movie. Think “Alice in Wonderland” meets “Snow White” and you’ll get the gist.

While the cafe does not specifically cater to children, it’s become a very popular venue for parents to take their kids thanks to the whimsical world they’ve created in the tiny little space.

As a nod to kids who can’t get enough of the cafe, there is a private dining area for up to four children that can be reserved, and a delightful room out the back that can be hired for an extra special birthday party.

While the cafe usually serves authentic French crepes, I attended their first special event – a “Mad Hatter” themed tea party.

The special event was a bit on the pricey side for a high tea- adults were $60 and kids $45 – but I did think it was excellent value as not only was the food top notch (possibly my fave cupcakes ever), but there was also a roving Alice in Wonderland who chatted with the kids and then told them stories in the party room, gorgeous face painting and games.

I was super impressed by the food at the cafe. All of the high tea items were just delicious. As we sat down we were presented with scones and jam, the most gorgeous cupcakes (which were just incredible), home made iced coconut, a powerful fruit punch and tea.

After a while, out came delicious finger sandwiches, such as egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, salmon etc, and then even more pastries.

Fruit tarts, banana tarts, chocolate eclairs, petit fours, oh my! It was an extravaganza of epic proportions and we were so full that we had to ask for containers to take the food home in to finish later.

After we ate, the kids were whisked into the back for story time, face painting, and some games. It was a time of blissful peace for the adults to eat and enjoy chatting.

I can’t recommend this gorgeous cafe highly enough. Yes the pricing is a bit steep, but the quality is excellent, and so much effort as gone into the details not just in the cafe but also the events, parties, menu, decor, that this really is a special venue worthy of a bit of a spurge for a special treat.

The cafe is starting to run monthly high tea events for families, so keep your eyes peeled on their Facebook page for updates.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No. There is no bathroom in the cafe – please note that you will have use the bathroom in the cafe two doors down.
Kids’ menu: No.

Fairy And The Frog Creperie
52 Mortlake St,
Concord
Phone: 1300 992 456
Prices: $$$
Hours: Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 8am-5pm (closed Mondays)
Get Directions

Where to Find the Best High Tea in Sydney

March 9, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 12 Comments

High tea in Sydney is an elegant affair. Choose from 20 tested high teas, each with its own twist on the traditional British tradition. From high tea with a view in Sydney, to modern high tea, vegan high tea and the best value high tea in Sydney, there is a delicious tea to suit everyone. After careful testing, I present to you a selection of the best high teas in Sydney.

The Best High Tea In Sydney

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay High Tea

Indulge in a luxe high tea at the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay. Choose from the Signature High Tea, Oriental High Tea or Kids’ High Tea. High tea at the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay is an elegant affair. Located upstairs in the Stillery, high tea is served daily between 11am and 4pm.

The Signature High Tea comes with the perfect mix of savoury and sweet, with fresh sandwiches and pastries, warm scones and delicious sweets. The jam is sublime. The Kids’ High Tea features a chocolate pot and strawberries to dip in it.

Get more info on high tea at the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay here.

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, 33 Cross Street, Double Bay

Burnt Orange

The perfect spot for afternoon tea on the Northern Beaches area of Sydney. Enjoy delicious square sandwiches, fluffy scones with plenty of jam and cream, with delectable sweet treats such as the salted caramel and chocolate tart at this Mosman, North Shore, cafe. The balcony wrapping around Burnt Orange offers stunning harbour views, so request a prime spot when making your booking. Sit back and enjoy the view at one of the best spots for afternoon tea in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at Burnt Orange.

Burnt Orange, 1109 Middle Head Rd, Mosman

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Indulge in a delicious high tea at the Four Seasons Sydney. Enjoy the perfect afternoon tea, offered at Mode Kitchen & Bar on the ground floor of the hotel.

The Four Seasons high tea includes a three tiered platter with the perfect bite-sized savoury and sweet delicacies, plus your choice of tea or coffee. Scones are served separately on cute little glass stands with covers.

Get more info on high tea at the Four Seasons.

Mode Kitchen & Bar, Ground Floor, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
199 George Street, Sydney

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney

You’ll find fluffy fresh scones with vanilla bean cream, delicious sandwiches and savoury pastries, plus delectable sweets at the Radisson Blu high tea. The tea is topped with a pair of salted caramel swans that you’ll be torn between eating and taking home as a souvenir. The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel also offers gluten-free, kids and vegan high tea.

Get more info on high tea, chocolate high tea and vegan high tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney, 27 O’Connell St, Sydney

Gatehouse Tea Rooms, Parramatta

Enjoy high tea in the historic Gatehouse, located in beautiful Parramatta Park. Choose from a traditional high tea, savoury high tea or kids high tea. Gluten-free high tea, dairy-free high tea and vegan high tea are available.

Parramatta Park is rich in colonial history. In 2007 the park and Gatehouse building were granted World Heritage Listing by UNESCO.

Built in 1887, the Gatehouse is one of the oldest high tea venues in Australia, and my favourite spot for high tea in Parramatta.

Get more info on the Gatehouse Tea Rooms here.

Gatehouse Tea Rooms, Macquarie St Gatehouse, Parramatta Park, Parramatta

The Cortile, InterContinental Sydney

A classic high tea served with a modern twist. High tea at the InterContinental is served inside the restored 1851 Treasury building, making it the most visually stunning building of all high tea locations. The sweets are tea-themed, such as the Jasmine Gold tea crème brulée.

Get more info on high tea at the InterContinental Sydney.

InterContinental Sydney, 117 Macquarie St, Sydney

Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

Choose from a classic tea stand or the buffet high tea. Their high tea stands are often themed, such as the Fashion High Tea, or Christmas. The buffet is excellent quality and value at $49pp, and includes an ice cream station, fresh creme brulee, sandwiches, savouries, scones, crepes and platter after platter of sweet treats.

Get more info on high tea and the buffet high tea at Sheraton on the Park.

Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, 161 Elizabeth St, Sydney

Gunners’ Barracks

A classic high tea with the best view in Sydney. Ask for a seat on the balcony and watch out for kookaburras who like to swoop down and steal sandwiches. The scones are served fresh and warm, and the staff are outstanding. It’s hard to top this high tea, which is why you’ll need to book well in advance. The Gunners’ Barracks is known as one of the best high teas in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at the Gunners’ Barracks.

Gunners’ Barracks, Suakin Dr, Mosman

Westin Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea

Fall down the rabbit hole into a whimsical high tea land where all of the dishes are inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Enjoy delicacies such as the The Mad Hatter’s Hat (rich dark chocolate mud cake encased in chocolate icing) and The White Rabbit’s Pocket Watch (purple macaroon with a blueberry cream filling). Without a doubt, this is the most whimsical Sydney high tea!

Westin, Lobby Level, 1 Martin Place Sydney

The Langham Sydney

Dining at the newly renovated Langham is an elegant affair. I enjoyed their Afternoon Tea with Wedgwood for Mother’s day last year, where a sophisticated high tea is served in Wedgwood china specifically designed for The Langham hotel. The environment is opulent and serene, the high tea full of tarts, tasty sandwiches and savouries. Do yourself a favour and book into the excellent Langham spa downstairs for a treatment after your tea is finished. The Langham often does really cute themed kids’ high teas in the school holidays, such as this Barbie one.

Get more info on high tea at The Langham Sydney.

The Langham Hotel, 89-113 Kent Street, Sydney

The Tea Room QVB

Set in the historic Queen Victoria Building, afternoon tea at the QVB is a popular outing. The Tea Room is owned by the same company as the Gunners Barracks, which ensures that both teas are of a high standard. Be sure to arrive hungry as the extremely efficient staff offer extra sandwiches once yours have run out. The Tea Room was my first and one of my all-time favourite high teas in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at the Tea Room QVB.

The Tea Room QVB, 3, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George St, Sydney

The Tea Cosy

A family owned and operated cafe tucked into the historic Rocks district of Sydney, The Tea Cosy boasts “Scones and tea like Nana used to make”. Choose from a wide variety of teas and scones, which will likely be the best you’ve ever tasted. Scones are served warm and fresh with house-made jams (that are available for purchase).

While the Tea Cosy no longer has their high tea option, it’s worth visiting for a tasting platter that includes delicious finger sandwiches such as egg and cucumber and cream cheese, plus a variety of scones and jam. The tea pot cosies are so cute you’ll be tempted to buy one of them, too. The Tea Cosy is our number one spot to return for a Sydney afternoon tea. In fact, I would go so far as to say the incredible quality of the scones and sandwiches at the Tea Cosy make it the best afternoon tea in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at The Tea Cosy.

The Tea Cosy, 7 Atherden St, The Rocks NSW

Parliament House of New South Wales

The most exclusive high tea in Sydney, served only on the last Friday of each month, this is also the only high tea in Sydney that you’ll have to pass through a metal detector to gain admission. Dine in the Strangers’ Dining Room that is usually off-limits to the public, overlooking Hyde Park. The bocconcini tartlet with chive coulis was a fave, as were the sandwiches – with a second plate being delivered after the first was finished.

Get more info on high tea at Parliament House.

Parliament House of New South Wales, Parliament of New South Wales, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth High Tea with Christina Re

The Wentworth hotel has partnered with High Tea and Lifestyle designer Cristina Re to create beautiful high teas presented on the designer’s vintage-inspired Signature High Tea collection, adorned in 24 carat gold finishes.

The high teas are often themed in collaboration with Sydney’s art and culture scene – for example, when we dined on previous occasions, we enjoyed their limited edition Sleeping Beauty and Archibald high teas, which were in conjunction with the Australian Ballet and AGNSW. The Wentworth has the best value kids’ high teas around – at $40 they might sound a bit steep, but they are virtually identical to the adult ones so two or three kids could easily share one. The Sofitel Wentworth is home to some of the prettiest high tea in Sydney.

Get more info on one of the themed high teas at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney

Shangri-La Sydney

Try the Traditional or Chocolate High Tea at the Shangri-La Sydney, created by their amazing Executive Pastry Chef, Anna Polyviou. As you’d expect from an innovative pastry chef, the pastries on this high tea stand are the most innovative and delicious you will find anywhere, including her famous carrot cake.

Get more info on high tea at the Shangri-La Sydney.

Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, 176 Cumberland St, Sydney

Coco Chocolate

Hard core chocolate lovers will enjoy this sweet-heavy high tea at Coco Chocolate’s studio and school location in Mosman. Sit outdoors and enjoy an informal high tea with a stunning view of the Sydney harbour. As befits a chocolate high tea, treats include a shot of hot chocolate, chocolate pistachio shortbread, florentines, scones with jam & cream, melting moments, flourless orange cakes, chocolate cakes, and, the star of the high tea, a selection of house-made chocolate. Bookings are essential as each tea is made to order.

Get more info on high tea at Coco Chocolate.

Coco Chocolate, Sydney Chocolate School and Coco Chocolate Studio, Past Burnt Orange and HMAS Penguin at Chowder Bay Rd turnoff, Building 21, 1110 Middle Head Road, Mosman

Vaucluse House Tea Rooms

Take a trip back in time and dine at historic Vaucluse House. The sandstone mansion was built in the 1830s and is set in 10 hectares of picture perfect gardens stretching down to the harbour. The high tea features a delicious array of savoury tarts and sandwiches, fresh scones, and sweets that include a sugar-covered donut and delicate fairy-floss. After your tea, wander through the building or meet the farm animals out the back. There is plenty of space to roam in solitude and enjoy the serenity. Bookings essential.

Get more info on high tea at Vaucluse House Tea Rooms.

Vaucluse House Tea Rooms, Wentworth Rd, Vaucluse

Park Hyatt Sydney

Located on the waterfront and delivering a perfect view of Sydney Harbour, high tea at the Park Hyatt is the popular location for a groups such as a bridal showers. The high tea features finger sandwiches and quiche, warm scones with jam and cream, and mini cakes, tartlets and macarons. For larger groups, a private room is available.

Get more info on high tea at the Park Hyatt Sydney.

Park Hyatt Sydney, 7 Hickson Road The Rocks Sydney

High Tea at The Calyx, Royal Botanic Gardens

The only high tea in Sydney set among the flowers! Enjoy a delicate high tea set against largest indoor green wall and surrounded by vibrant flowers. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1:30-3:30pm, high tea lovers can indulge in finger sandwiches with smoked salmon and roast turkey, gourmet sausage rolls, fetta tartlets and sundried tomato arancini, plus sweet treats including French macaroons, mini cupcakes, chocolate brownies and warm scones with jam and cream. A glass of sparkling wine and a selection of T2 teas are included in the price. There’s also an option to upgrade to unlimited champagne. Cheers to that!

Read more about high tea at the Calyx here.

High Tea at The Calyx, The Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney

Thanks to my high tea taster Havewheelchairwilltravel.net for the pic.

Boronia House

Dine inside a Victorian mansion built in 1885 at Boronia House, situated on Sydney’s North Shore. The Classic High Tea Experience includes a selection of light breads, sophisticated savoury bites, house-made scones with double cream and jam, desserts and cakes, served with a choice of a T2 tea or coffee.

Kids aged 3-12 can enjoy the Little Ladies High Tea, which includes ham and cheese finger sandwich, scone with cream and jam, fairy bread, Remi’s homemade chocolate chip cookie, chocolate fondue with fresh fruit, homemade sweet treat of the day, mini pancake stack with maple syrup and a choice of T2 tea, hot chocolate, iced chocolate, fruit juice, pink lemonade or soft drink.

Boronia House, 624 Military Rd, Mosman

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay Hotel

Enjoy traditional high tea in the understated elegance of the Sir Stamford Circular Quay Hotel, located a few steps from the Sydney Opera House and a short walk to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney.

The Sir Stamford high tea is unique in that several variations are offered. Choose from a traditional high tea, deluxe Devonshire tea, children’s high tea or “guilt-free” high tea, served with fresh Vegetable juice & Dilmah Tea Selection. All items on the guilt-free high tea have low saturated fat (no butter, cream) and are low sugar. Gluten-free can also be catered for.

We really enjoyed looking at the curios around the dining room, such as a hand-made model ship. This is a hotel that embraces its history, and a visit is like a trip back in time.

Read more about high tea at Sir Stamford here.

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay Hotel, 93 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Are there any high teas I’ve missed? Have I included your favourite afternoon tea in Sydney? I’d love to know where to try next!

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High Tea At Parliament House: Sydney’s Most Exclusive High Tea

February 27, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

On the last Friday of every month, at precisely 3:15pm, excited lovers of cake and tea are admitted into the rarely seen Strangers’ Dining Room at Australia’s first and oldest Parliament House to enjoy their High Tea in the House experience.

It’s a somewhat secret experience at the moment, as so few people are aware of this high tea. When combined with the limited seating option available, this high tea becomes Sydney’s most reclusive, and exclusive, afternoon tea experience.

To get to the Strangers’ Dining Room, overlooking the beautiful Domain park, requires walking through a metal detector and passing by some heavily armed guards. It’s a bit of a surreal way to enter a high tea room, that’s for sure.

With the only dining option for 3:15pm, a small crowd gathered in anticipation of the dining event about to take place.

After checking in with our names, we chose our table – by the window with the best natural light.

The china drew our attention immediately – it’s a special Wedgwood china pattern designed for Parliament House. I was hoping to be able to purchase a tea cup to take home, but sadly they are not available for sale.

There are three options available:
Traditional High Tea served with tea and coffee – $42 per person
Hope Estate Pinot Chardonnay NV Sparkling High Tea – $44 per person
Lerida Estate Lake George Brut Rose Sparkling High Tea – $52 per person

The High Tea in the House was created by Executive Chef David Learmonth and his team of expert chefs. While not every component was made in-house, every ingredient on the menu was sourced from NSW.

Scone tier
Lemonade scones with strawberry gel and cream

Savoury tier
Bocconcini tartlet with chive coulis
Smoked salmon and dill cream cheese crepe roulade
Cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches

Sweet tier
Milk chocolate aero squares
Flamed lemon meringue pie
Macarons
Mini cupcakes
Opera cake

I was somewhat perplexed when the tea stand arrived with the one type of sandwich, the salmon scroll and the bocconcini tarts after I had told them I was vegetarian, as usually I am given an alternative to meat. After confirming that this was the regular platter and there was no vegetarian option I was grateful that there happened to be two vege savouries for me to eat. After we devoured the savoury plate, another was brought over, which I loved. The hot weather had put me off eating too much sickly sweet stuff and I was craving savouries. I do appreciate when extra sandwiches are offered at all high teas, actually, as well as additional tea.

Speaking of tea, I chose an English Breakfast loose leaf tea which came in a beautiful silver pot. The handle was burning hot strangely, and the post only held enough water for two very small cups, but it was a really lovely tea.

The scones were excellent, even though they were not super fresh. I really love when scones arrive fresh out of the oven!

The dessert tier defeated me on this day. I enjoyed the lemon merengue tart, the opera cake and the tiny vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting, but I couldn’t eat any more!

On the whole, I enjoyed the high tea, in particular the savoury tier and scones. The desserts were good, but not very creative. I did think that this high tea was excellently priced. At $42pp it’s cheaper than the majority of high teas in Sydney, and in a location you’re likely to never be privileged to step foot in again.

NSW Parliament House
6 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9230 2248
Bookings are recommended and can be made by contacting NSW Parliamentary Catering on 02 9230 2248 or by email to dps.catering@parliament.nsw.gov.au
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Sheraton on the Park High Tea Buffet: Sydney’s Best High Teas

February 7, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 6 Comments

I’m a regular at the Sheraton for their amazing high tea offerings, but this was the first time that I’ve tried their High Tea Buffet. For the same price as the beautiful tiers that come around, on weekends you can choose the buffet if you so desire.

I’ve been curious about the buffet, but what encouraged me to book it for my dad’s birthday this week was how easy it made dining with people who have various food requirements. My dad can’t eat a variety of ingredients, which can make regular high teas hard. The buffet, however, meant he could pick and choose from a huge variety of food and find plenty of things to eat, with zero hassle.

The buffet had an absolutely mind blowing amount of choice. I was determined to try one of everything (ha!) and failed miserably, which has only increased my desire to return so I can sample more of the dishes I missed out on.

The foyer of the dining area was set up into stations – sandwiches, sweets, quiche and macarons (an interesting pairing!), scones, hot cross buns and crepes, DIY ice cream and cheese, nuts, crackers and creme brulee.

The creme brulee was so fresh that we watched the chef make it at the station and then place it onto the serving platters.

Sandwiches: As a vegetarian, I was only able to eat two of the sandwiches, which was a slight let down for me over the high tea stand, where I would usually get a vegetarian quiche plus three other vegetarian savory options.

I did enjoy the sandwiches though – an egg and cream cheese on fluffy white bread and a wrap with pumpkin and blue cheese.

Quiche: The only quiche available was salmon sadly, so I didn’t try it. I hope next time I go there is a vegetarian quiche on offer.

Sweets: It was impossible to know where to begin. There were so many sweets it hurt to look at them. I really loved the variety offered – everything from chocolate cake pops covered in pistachios to mango and raspberry pudding with white chocolate bubbles, tiny strawberry cheesecakes and deconstructed pavlova. I tried about 9 I think (yikes!), and went home thinking about all the others I didn’t get to. Next time!

Scones: These were fantastic – super fresh and warm, with giant bowls of jam and cream. I had a blueberry scone and found it fluffy and light. Perfect cream, thick fruity jam. So good.

Ice cream: This was cheese’s favourite. Choose from chocolate or vanilla, then add a selection of toppings like chocolate curls, nuts, shortbread pastry crust and chocolate balls.

Tea selection: As part of the basic buffet you are offered a choice of tea or coffee. I chose English Breakfast, which came in a pot that gave me about three full cups of tea. The lovely hostess came around later to offer is a hot water refill, which I appreciated.

I don’t usually order Cheese her own dishes when we have high tea as she just doesn’t eat them, and I was concerned with this being a buffet that it would be an awkward situation. I had nothing to worry about however, as no one minded that she pecked at a few things here and there.

The service at the Sheraton on the Park is fantastic. As soon as we finished with a plate it was whisked away, often without me even noticing, by friendly, smiling staff.

I can’t recommend the Sheraton on the Park High Tea Buffet enough for your next high tea. You’ll probably be like me and want to go back to try everything you missed the first time!

The Buffet High Tea is $49pp and includes one coffee or tea per person. Additional cost for sparkling wine. Bookings recommended.

Sheraton On The Park High Tea Buffet
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$

Sheraton On The Park Christmas Edition High Tea

December 11, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

A high tea at the Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, is always a special event. On this occasion, we were sampling the new Christmas Edition High Tea, which promised to get us feeling festive (and full!) in time for the holiday season. Christmas is only 2 weeks away, so I’ve been embracing the holiday spirit this week, starting with an amazing high tea.

The Christmas High Tea comes with scones, sweets and savouries, and your choice of tea, hot chocolate (made with Lindt chocolate) or coffee. I chose the English breakfast, which arrived in a cute glass pot, and made at least three cups of tea.

Scones
Freshly baked chestnut scone and plain scone with strawberry jam, pure double cream and butter
Fois gras – apricot brioche

Savoury
Avocado, mozzarella, tomato open turkish sandwich
Vegetable wrap (vegetarian alternative)
Sandwich with cranberry, tomato, cheese (vegetarian alternative)
Fruit and cheese tart (vegetarian alternative)

Sweet treats
Gingerbread mille feuille with cranberry cream
Pistachio macarons
Orange tart with campari jelly
Black forest trifle
Lemon berry yule log
Warm cinnamon, orange chocolate drink
Almond stolen (on the scone tier)
English fruit cake (on the scone tier)

I really enjoyed the scones at this high tea. Sydney scones are often small and biscuit-like, but the Sheraton ones are bigger and fluffier than most. The jam was tart and not too liquidy (hey, I’m a mess jam-spreader!) and the cream was nice and thick.

The savouries were especially made for this vegetarian, which I always appreciate. I enjoyed the avocado and mozzarella on turkish toast best (which is on the regular menu too), with the delightful hidden pesto giving it a pop of flavour. The vegetable wrap had creamy sweet potato inside, with fresh greens, and the little sandwich has really fresh fluffy bread – again with a surprising spread of cranberry inside that made the flavours that bit extra vibrant.

There were a lot more sweets on this platter than on most high teas. I managed to fit one of everything in somehow (yes I’m still feeling full the day after), with my favourites being the very chocolaty trifle and lemon berry yule log. The trifle had three tiers of components plus grated chocolate on top, all of which, when scooped up together, made for a perfect chocolatey mouthful. The lemon berry yule log had one of my fave combinations of lemon and berries, wrapped in a little scroll shape.

The chocolate orange drink was a tiny sip of heaven (I love chocolate and orange together), and the gingerbread mille feuille was just divine. The crispy gingerbread wafers combined with the cranberry cream made for a light and refreshing treat – as well as being extremely pretty.

I also enjoyed the macaron with its fresh berry centre, and the little slice of fruit and nut Christmas cake, and the “almond stole”, which was kind of like a tea cake with almond inside. Light, fresh and sweet.

I highly enjoyed the Christmas high tea, and would strongly recommend it for a special outing in the lead up to Christmas. It’s only available until Dec 24, so get in quick!

The Christmas Edition High Tea Stand includes one coffee or tea per person. $109 for two. Additional cost for sparkling wine

The Christmas Edition High Tea is served Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-2pm and 2:30pm-4:30pm until December 24th.

Sheraton On The Park High Tea
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$
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Thank you to Sheraton On The Park for hosting us.

Sleeping Beauty High Tea at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel

November 14, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 4 Comments

The combination of two of my favourite things makes for an irresistible outing. I’ve been a lover of ballet my entire life, and of high teas for a good 10 years or so. Together, they are a bit magical!

I’ve booked tickets this year to see the Australian Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty and also their children’s version of the Sleeping Beauty Storytime Ballet. An evening at the ballet has been a highlight of mine over the years. One of my dearest friends and I have been seeing attending the ballet every year since our university days, and recently have started taking our daughters to the Australian Ballet’s children’s performances too. When I saw the Sofitel Wentworth had a new high tea inspired by the Australian Ballet’s new Sleeping Beauty ballet, I knew we had to go, and take the girls too.

The Sleeping Beauty High Tea is available for a limited time only (Nov 1 2015 – Jan 31 2016) and is an excellent showcase of the skills of their talented Head pastry Chef Vai Hong Lo and internationally renowned Executive Chef Boris Cuzon.

Sleeping Beauty High Tea at the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel via christineknight.me

The high tea is timed to co-incide with David McAllister’s lavish reimagining of The Sleeping Beauty, performing at the Sydney Opera House from 01 November 2015 – 31 January 2016. I have tickets towards the end of November and I am counting down the days.

If you too are a ballet and high tea lover, then you too may enjoy a decadent afternoon indulging in both of your loves at the same time.

Another detail worth noting is the Sofitel Sydney’s collaboration with lifestyle designer Cristina Re. Her vintage-inspired exclusive Signature High Tea collection is now a part of the luxury high tea experience. I really enjoyed the delicate China in its beautiful pinks and purples with 24 carat gold finishes. A really modern China with romantic colours, a perfect fit for the ballet theme as you can see from the images.

The Sofitel Sydney has amazing attention to detail with their high teas. The menu for the special high tea was specially printed with a floral design, as were the colouring in sheets given to the girls to occupy them. The purple ribbons around the cutlery were a gorgeous touch.

The table was beautifully set up for our arrival, including a glass full of pencils for the girls to use to colour in. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness in regards to the girls, who, at 4 and 6, are on the young side to be taking to a high tea, mostly because they both eat like birds and also aren’t the best at sitting still for long periods.

Our tea choices arrived in individual pots, each contained at least 3, maybe 4 cups of tea. Much appreciated as I love, love, love tea.

Even though the children’s tea is advertised as coming with soft drink, Cheese was offered a more suitable hot chocolate option, which came with a sweet heart flower design (she loved it), and a little square of chocolate. The barista was particular to make it very lukewarm so as not to burn her little tongue. Cheese tipped a (hopefully clean) finger in and pronounced it perfect.

The teas arrived looking absolutely amazing. The children’s high tea is actually exactly the same as the adult’s high tea but is served with the soft drinks instead of a pot of tea. This makes it the best value children’s high tea I’ve ever seen.

Sweet layer 1:
Raspberry and white chocolate dome
Vanilla bean choux
“Kiss” chocolate tartlet

Sweet layer 2:
Macarons
Candy floss “spindle” – the feature element in the high tea is this “spindle in a glass” consisting of a spindle shaped chocolate with pink and blue fairy floss.
Fairy bread cheese cake

Savoury layer:
Scones, cream, jam
Smoked salmon, cucumber, multigrain bread
Roasted beef, mustard, tomato, brioche
Mushroom quiche
* Avocado, cucumber, tomato on brioche
* Vegetable pesto on multigrain bread

The highlight sweet for me was the raspberry and white chocolate dome and vanilla bean choux. I really love fruity desserts and the raspberry dome was lovely and tangy with its tartness. The vanilla bean choux was kind of like a profiteroles but better – light and fluffy and stuffed with the most amazing creamy custard.

Cheese loved the fairy floss in the cup. She actually ate all three of them before I could stop her. They were delicious from the tiny bit I managed to snaffle. Not sickeningly sweet like the commercial fairy floss you usually get. Both the girls loved the “lips” on the chocolate tart – playing with them more than eating them, but they did have a lot of fun and they were eventually eaten and enjoyed.

Out of the savouries I enjoyed the quiche the most – I am very partial to a good quiche! Nice buttery pastry on the outside, fluffy eggy centre with bits of leek and mushroom throughout. The sandwiches were made with lovely fresh bread and toppings. Sandwiches often get served hard edge to them that shows they’ve been out in the air too much, but these were so soft and fluffy.

The scones were on the smaller side, more like an American biscuit than an English scone. The petite size actually helped in that I could eat them both – the plain and current one – without getting completely full on just the scones. They came served with two good sized bowls of jam and cream. The jam was a burst of fruit flavour, but i would have liked it to be a tad thicker only to stop me from making a mess of it when I tried to spoon it onto the scones and failed miserably when I got the tablecloth instead. I enjoyed the thickly whipped cream.

Both the girls started to get restless towards the end and made their own “tea” out of milk, tea, hot chocolate and whatever else they could get their grimy little hands on. A massive thank you to the attentive and tolerant staff who didn’t blink at their “delicious” concoctions.

The Sleeping Beauty High Tea is available 01 November 2015 – 31 January 2016.

$59* per person including a glass of Veuve Clicquot

$65* per person including sparkling wine for the duration

$39* per child (5-12 years) inclusive of soft drinks

*Vegetarian substitutions

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
61-101 Phillip Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9228 9188
Bookings
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Thank you to the Sofitel Wentworth for hosting us. All opinions and “adorable” children are our own.