vegetarian Archives - Adventure, baby!

vegetarian

Vegan High Tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney

March 27, 2017 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

I’m thrilled to be trying what I think is the first 100% vegan high tea in Sydney, at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. While I’m not vegan myself I am vegetarian and more than happy to eat vegan where available, so this high tea was an exciting one to try with a friend who is lactose and egg-free.

Eating high tea when you have a dietary requirement like this is often a major hassle (it’s even a major hassle if you’re vegetarian!) and it’s wonderful to see hotels like the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney cater to people of all dietary requirements (they also serve a gluten-free high tea and kids’ high tea!).

A new vegan chef is behind the additional high tea menu. Chef June Liu joined the Radisson Blu Plaza Sydney after working for several years in other iconic vegan restaurants in Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West. She is passionate about vegan cuisine and healthy eating, which is evident in the new menu.

High tea is served on an elegant three tier stand in the relaxing Lady Fairfax lounge area. We are first brought a “welcome drink” of watermelon and red berry that is delightfully refreshing and a touch fizzy.

Tea orders are taken and we select from a menu that includes classic choices as well as more interesting ones such as the Queen Of Hearts Tea that I select. The menu describes it as Light spice of delicate, young rose buds atop the sweet full ness of China black tea.

Soon after, both the tea and food arrive.

Savoury items
Spiced lentil pies
Stuffed Moroccan pumpkin flowers
Sweet potato and cashew empanada
Grilled zucchini, asparagus and hummus sandwich
Avocado, alfalfa sprout and Spanish onion sandwich

The savouries are excellent. I’ve commented before on how well the Radisson Blu does these, and the vegan delicacies were no exception. It was so novel to have three entirely different pastries I could eat! My fave was the empanada – a touch of spice and filled with creamy pumpkin. The sandwiches were delightful triangles of light produce on fresh bread, exactly what should be served with a high tea.

Sweet treats
Chocolate cake with beetroot frosting
Salted caramel cheese slice
Mango passionfruit cake
Chocolate and hazelnut slice with lychee and raspberry
Tutti-Frutti jelly

Roasted pumpkin and herb scones with soy cream and jam

I was pleased to see the scones were large and fluffy, with the same dry taste and texture that a scone should have. The soy cream was a wonderful addition as it’s rarely possible for people who can’t eat lactose or dairy to be able to enjoy whipped cream when dining out.

The sweets section was a delight for the senses with the gorgeous chocolate cupcake topped with the most delicious beetroot (again, SOY!!) frosting, and a mango cake that packed an incredibly fruity punch. The jelly was a bit tougher than I had imagined it would be (not sure what it was made with – pectin perhaps?) I don’t eat gelatine and was happy to know I was able to eat the jelly, even if it was a bit unusual texture-wise.

The salted caramel slice was very much like a little mini banoffee pie with the banana on top – a delectable morsel that was also super creamy even with no dairy in it.

The vegan high tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is a fantastic addition to the Sydney food scene. I can’t say how wonderful it is to be able to sit down to a high tea and be able to eat everything on the menu, for people who don’t eat animal products for ethical reasons such as me, or for food intolerances and allergies such as my friend.

Traditional high tea
Served with tea and coffee, $54pp

Sparkling high tea
Served with a glass of sparkling wine, $64pp

Champagne high tea
Served with a glass of Moet & Chandon, $74pp

Please note that the vegan high tea requires advance booking. Walk-in guests with no booking who would like to order the vegan high tea may have to wait up to 45 minutes while the dishes are prepared.

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.
High tea is served daily from 10:30am-4:30pm
Get Directions

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

Bake Bar: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Randwick, Sydney

November 30, 2015 / Eastern Suburbs, Randwick, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

I’ve been going to Bake Bar weekly for about a year now and only just took my camera there for the first time to take some pictures for a blog post. It’s one of my favourite little cafes that I’m reluctant to share incase it gets even busier!

Bake Bar is kind of the perfect cafe to take kids to. It’s casual, with an open layout on a busy road (so you don’t need to worry about the noise your kiddos might make!), and it has a really cute little nook in the back that’s perfect for holing up with kids for a cosy coffee and snack.

There are two places to order food inside – one to sit down and one to go. I love this and sometimes will grab something from the “to go” counter and perch at one of the stools for a bit with my daughter, maybe snack a bit, then leave with her to the playground that’s just up the road.

Bake Bar is famous for their amazing sourdough bread. I buy a loaf every week (bonus points because they slice it for me!) as well as a berry scone with poppy seeds, a chocolate croissant for Cheese and a bagel for Alec. The bread is so incredibly good. It’s so soft and fluffy with a firm but not hard crust. There’s nothing worse than bread with a tough crust that hurts the roof of your mouth.

If you’re thinking of dining in, here’s what we ate on our most recent visits: Avocado & Tomato (on sourdough, $9.50) plus Haloumi ($3), Gusto’s Famous Brekkie Combo fruit salad yoghurt (small $7.50), Eggs Poached (served with tomato, spinach & your choice of hollandaise or yoghurt basil pesto $11.50) and the Chunky Beef Pie $5.50.

I love the avocado and tomato on sourdough because the bread is a star at Bake Bar, so you know it’s going to be good. My other favourite dish is the fruit salad yogurt because it’s light and filling at the same time. You can make your own combination from their muesli bar too, and add in granola or a berry coulis.

Bake Bar does get busy particularly on weekends, but there is a fast turnover of tables so the wait is never long. If you take your kids, they have a small selection of books you can find to read to them stored underneath the water cooler.

Before you go, grab one of their delicious pastries for the road. The fruit tarts are excellent, as are the croissants.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Bake Bar
67 Frenchmans Rd,
Randwick NSW 2031
Phone: (02) 8021 0728
Prices: $
Hours: Daily 6am-6pm
Get Directions

Moo Gourmet Burgers, Bondi Beach: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bondi, Sydney

November 15, 2015 / Bondi, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

I love a good burger! Being vegetarian makes it hard to find good burgers, so I was very excited when walking past Moo Gourmet Burgers in Bondi to see their menu out front listed three different types of vegetarian burgers.

Moo Gourmet Burgers is a small chain of burger stores focusing on producing great burgers, amazing shakes, and addictive chips. Moo Gourmet Burgers only uses ethically farmed, free range, free to roam, sustainable products free from hormone growth promotants and antibiotic treatments. Their menu includes 20 different gourmet burgers.

All beef burgers are made with 100% Australian Grasslands Premium Beef. As well as the 3 vegetarian options there is a selection of premium burgers including the double Wagyu beef “Deluxe Moo®”, Duck & Bacon, Greek Lamb, and Grilled Salmon.

Kids under 12 can choose from the “Little Cow®” menu which includes a choice of 3 menu options (including a vegetarian burger), a drink, and a dessert.

Multigrain and gluten free buns are on offer.

You know a restaurant is kid-friendly when you sit down and a box of crayons and drawing paper appears immediately on your table. The walls are covered with the drawings of Moo’s kiddie customers too – another good sign.

We ordered the kids’ Mini Falafel Burger with Hummus and a chocolate milkshake, $10.95, a Vanilla Malt Milkshake, $6, the Grilled Haloumi vegetarian burger, $14.50, Kangaroo Burger, $16.50 and a side of Sweet Potato Chips, $5.50. All in all, a bit expensive for burgers, but I guess you’re paying for the view, too.

The kids’ milkshake came in the cutest cup – a miniature version of the adult one. Both shakes were classic, old school Aussie shakes.

The Bondi branch of Moo Gourmet Burgers overlooks Bondi Beach.

The kids’ burger came with a small side of chips and a little side salad. It was the perfect size for little kids – and still way too much food for my little Cheese to be able to finish.

My haloumi burger was delicious: pureed avocado, haloumi, tomato, rocket and cucumber on a fluffy fresh bun. Hubbie’s kangaroo burger was “great”. He loves word economy.

We thoroughly enjoyed our burgers at Moo Gourmet. A great easy dining option with plenty for everyone to eat and a laidback atmosphere perfect for families.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Moo Gourmet Burgers
70A Campbell Parade,
Bondi Beach NSW 2026
Phone: (02) 9300 8898
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 11am-9:30pm
Get Directions

The Langham Sydney Afternoon Tea With Wedgwood: Sydney’s Best High Teas

June 4, 2015 / CBD, Millers Point, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

The Langham Hotel has under gone a significant refurbishment, and is now lighter and brighter than ever before. The Palm Court at the London Langham Hotel is heralded as the birthplace of the traditional Afternoon Tea, so it has been on my list of “must-do” Sydney afternoon teas for a while.

Mother’s Day is always a good excuse for an indulgent high tea, and so it was the location for an elegant lunch (yes, even with my 30 year-old in tow) to celebrate, well, me!

The Palm Court at the Langham Hotel offers guests an exclusive afternoon tea experience with their new global partner, Wedgwood. The beautiful tea experience was heightened with the serving of Wedgwood specialty teas in tailor-made “Langham Rose” Wedgwood teaware.

Our server for the tea was lovely beyond belief. She offered our testy preschooler a hot chocolate and made it on the lukewarm side without being asked. Perfect not just for Cheese to drink straight away, but also in case of spills.

Since we visited on a weekday, it was a quiet seating. Our tea and then food were brought out quickly. I particularly enjoyed our server’s attention to detail through out the tea, ensuring that we were happy with everything and asking if there was anything more we could do for us. She also made an effort to engage with Cheese, and complimented us on how well behaved she was (lucky Cheese saved her tantrum for refusing to wash her hands in the bathroom!).

With one vegetarian and one regular diner, our platters looked exceptionally pretty with the added variety.

Starting with the savoury, I loved the pumpkin tart the best. It was just a delicious morsel of pumpkin and pastry with nuts for garnish. Next was the corn and avocado cornet (delicious) and the sandwiches. The sandwiches were sadly the only part of the high tea that I wasn’t happy with. All three were a kind of vegetable medley – it would have been nice to have a bit of variety like an egg salad, or cucumber. The bread was also kind of on the dry side and god stuck in my mouth. The fillings were fresh and flavoursome however.

The scones were my favourite part of the tea, along with the pumpkin tart. They were freshly made that day (not warm, but obviously not made long ago) and came with the most delicious strawberry jam and cream.

Desserts included a pannacotta with lychee, blueberry tart, sesame macaron and a kind of pistachio cake. My favourite was the blueberry tart, which was nice and tart rather than sickeningly sweet. I wasn’t a fan of the macaron as I don’t like sesame flavour in general, but Alec really enjoyed his. The panacotta was creamy and light, and the cake a dense chocolaty way to finish.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable high tea.

Wedgwood High Tea at The Langham Hotel
89-113 Kent St, Millers Point,
Sydney NSW 2000
Prices: $$$ (From $55 pp Mon-Fri & $65pp Sat & Sun)
Phone: 02 8248 5220
Hours: Daily 12pm–5pm
Get Directions

Tartine: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Mascot, Sydney

June 3, 2015 / Inner South East, Mascot, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

At Tartine in Mascot, the humble jaffle sanga is being elevated to new heights. “Tartine” literally means “open sandwich” and at this cafe, you will not just enjoy tartines with amazing toppings like double smoked leg ham, provolone, chives on sourdough, you can also indulge in a delicious jaffle, unlike any you’ve likely ever had before.

Chef and co-owner Anthony Telford has brought the French open sandwich to Sydney, along with his partner Amy Kirchhoff, who’s the creative behind the interior.

The food is simple and reasonably priced, with every item on the menu is under $10. The tartines are beautifully presented on Brasserie bread, which is one of our favourite local breads. Jaffles are stuffed with combinations like heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella, or even dessert options like nutella, banana and marshmallows.

Families are extremely welcome at Tartine, and we did see several babies and toddlers having lunch at the same time that we visited. There is plenty of outdoor seating, which is particularly good for strollers, and a large lounge area that can also accommodate a stroller.

We started with an English Breakfast Tea ($4.5 pot), Flat White ($3.50 small, $4 large), Hot Cocoa ($4).

When i asked for the hot chocolate for Cheese, the waitress very helpfully let me know that she would make it lukewarm for her, which we all appreciated. It came out with the most adorable kitty face, making Cheese’s face in turn light up with joy.

Next up was the food: Vegemite, Feta, Avocado, Sourdough ($9.50), Cheese Jaffle ($8), Herbed Cottage Cheese, Tomato & Avocado ($9.9).

The jaffles and tartine were so delicious. Wonderful bread supporting fresh, flavoursome fillings. My avocado was the perfect ripeness, and the combination with the cheese and vegemite was heaven for my tastebuds.

Cheese devoured her jaffle, as did Alec his. We fought over who ate Cheese’s crusts.

We still had room for dessert, so ordered the Apricot and Frangipane Tart ($4) and a Coconut Tea Cake ($4).

The tart was delicious – light and fruity, with the perfect crust.

The tea cake was dense and moist – what Cheese didn’t want I finished off for her.

We loved this hidden gem in Mascot and will be back frequently for more jaffles and tartines.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Tartine
635 Gardeners Road,
Mascot NSW 2020
Phone: (02) 9700 9847
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 8am-3pm, Sun 9am-3pm
Get Directions

The Vogue Cafe, Macquarie Centre: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Sydney

May 21, 2015 / Macquarie Park, North-West Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Rainy days in Sydney just destroy me. Especially when the rain has set in for weeks and we are all getting a serious case of cabin fever. On one such rainy day we head over to the Macquarie Centre for lunch and shopping (along with half of Sydney, it seemed). After the stress of finding a car park was over, we head straight to The Vogue Cafe for lunch.

The Vogue Cafe is such an interesting little place. It sits inside the shopping centre, and even has a seating area that is pretty much in the car park, but it’s an adorable, whimsical place, and it’s hard to remember that you’re actually in a shopping centre.

The staff are all very sweet and assure me that they are very kid-friendly. There are a lot of families having lunch when we arrive, as well as lots of young couples who are possibly big kids at heart.

The Vogue Cafe feels a bit like something out of Wonderland. While the menu is pretty straightforward, they are known for their fantastical shakes. Called “Magical Milkshakes”, they are topped with things like whipped cream, rice bubbles, pop corn and jelly snakes, with a chocolate and sprinkles rim. The weekly specials are even fancier.

The cafe is popular and we have to wait about 10 minutes for a table. The service is fast, and after we order, everything starts to arrive quickly. The kids milkshake arrives first, which is perfect for wriggly kids.

We ordered the TVC Mix Up (scrambled eggs tossed with feta and basil, served with soy and linseed toast, $12.50), sides of grilled tomato ($2) and avocado ($2), Benny Dict (salmon, two poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, chives, served in chiabatta bread, $16.50), BEB (egg and bacon baguette served with BBQ sauce ($8), Kids Sourdough Soldiers (with vegemite, $4), Hot Chips ($7), Kids Magic Milkshake (chocolate, $4), Magic Milkshakes (vanilla and strawberry, $7 each), Nutella Milkshake (8).

The food is great. While they are known for their milkshakes, their food is really delicious and also very well priced. My eggs are a huge serving that I can’t finish. Probably because I also drank that giant Nutella milkshake first.

The Nutella milkshake is what The Vogue Cafe is well known for, and it did not disappoint. The milkshake was creamy and delicious, and I really enjoyed the quirky waffle cone filled with gummy snakes on top.

In early 2018 the Vogue Cafe added a little enclosed play area for small kids, perfect for toddlers or preschoolers.

The Vogue Cafe is a great dining outing, even if you’re not planning on shopping at the Macquarie Centre.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Vogue Cafe
109 Waterloo Road,
Macquarie Park NSW 2113
Phone: (02) 9887 2570
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am-6pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm
Get Directions

The Incinerator Cafe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Willoughby, North Shore, Sydney

May 6, 2015 / North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food, Willoughby / 2 Comments

The Incinerator Cafe is, frankly, a haven for families who want to eat out somewhere decent. House on the ground floor of the Willoughby Incinerator building that was designed in the 1930s by Walter Burley Griffin, the cafe has become extremely popular with local parents who are after a relaxing brunch with friends where their kids are welcome, too.

As well as being a cafe, The Incinerator is also an art space. Large works are around the entrance, and also on the lower level if you take the elevator down to see them. The elevator actually is an artwork itself.

Around the Incinerator building lay picnic tables with small roof covering. Enough to beat off the hot summer sun and make dining outdoors possible without a sunburn. Families also throw down a picnic rug on the grass and grab coffee and a bite to eat from the takeaway stand.

Drinks first: I ordered a Tim Tam milkshake ($8) and a kid’s chocolate milkshake ($4). Mine came in a glass jar, and Cheese’s came in a takeaway cup with a straw. Very thoughtful.

We ordered a Kids Pancakes (x2) with apple and ice cream ($8), the Sweet Potato Rosti (with haloumi, beetroot relish and poached eggs, $17.50), and a “Have It Your Way” 2 free range eggs poached with toast ($9), with sides of mushrooms ($4) and avocado ($5).

The food came quickly, and was well cooked. My egg dish was a delight to my tastebuds. The sweet potato combined with the eggs and beetroot was absolutely delicious. The Tim Tam shake was so good I could have drunk about 10 more.

After we finished breakfast we walked down the path to Halstrom Park (about 10 metres away). I really like this park because it offers a lot of shade. It also has decent bathroom facilities.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Incinerator Cafe
2 Small Street,
Willoughby NSW 2068
Phone: (02) 8188 2220
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 7am-4pm
Get Directions

Yum Cha at Fisherman’s Wharf Seafood Restaurant, Pyrmont, Sydney

April 30, 2015 / CBD, Pyrmont, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

I know pretty much nothing about yum cha, except it’s food on carts that you choose when the servers come hurtling past. It turns out that “yum cha” is actually the Cantonese term for “drinking tea” and refers to the custom of eating tiny servings of different foods while sipping well-brewed Chinese tea.

Yum cha fun for those who like a visual of their food before they order it, and also if you like to try lots of different bits and pieces for your meal. Yum cha is also an extremely good meal option if you have kids, which is how we found ourselves trying yum cha at Fisherman’s Wharf Seafood Restaurant, Pyrmont.

We had a booking for 11am, which was lucky as even though it is a huge restaurant, it was absolutely packed at 11am (it opens at 10:30, which is when I took the photo as we were a bit early). The staff were efficient and friendly, showing us straight to our table and setting up the high chair immediately.

Food started flying past on carts immediately, and our friends who yum cha more than we do did the choosing, and also helped me track down some vegetarian dishes. I managed to find vegetarian spring rolls, dumplings and soy noodles, plus some kind of greens dish.

Cheese hadn’t been to yum cha before, but surprised us by trying a few things. She was mostly keen to master chop sticks, and she had a pretty good try, managing to get food into her mouth using them.

When the kids got antsy, they went for a walk to the big fish tank where all the fishies and crabs who are going to be cooked later are kept alive and swimming. The kids thought they were super cool, so that was a good distraction while we ate a bit more food.

Yum cha is a pretty messy meal, so there is no pressure to have a neat table afterwards. It’s also a fast meal, which I always appreciate with a wiggly kid.

We were in and out in about an hour, which is about the amount of time we can dine before Cheese gets bored and wants to do something else, so that was perfect. Cost-wise, the bill came to $110 for four adults, with the three kids kind of pecking at a few things, but not ordering anything specific just for them.

The restaurant is level one of a building at the Fisherman’s Wharf in the Sydney Fish Markets, and after we dined, we had a stroll down on the wharf to let the kids burn a bit of energy. They enjoyed chasing seagulls and spotting pelicans, and us adults enjoyed walking off the food in the sun. What a view!

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: No.

Fisherman’s Wharf Seafood Restaurant
1 Bank Street,
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Phone: (02) 9660 9888
Prices: $$
Hours: Yum cha: Mon-Fri 11am–3pm Sat & Sun 10am–3pm
Restaurant is open daily 5:30pm-11pm
Get Directions

The Tea Cosy: Sydney’s Best Afternoon Tea Spots

March 5, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food, The Rocks / 4 Comments

In the heart of The Rocks lies one of your best bets for traditional scones in Sydney. The tiny and adorably named The Tea Cosy is an Irish-Australian family-run business, housed in a stunning 1870s heritage-listed building.

If you’re serious about scones and tea – and also love a fancy tea cosy – then this is an outing for you.

The Tea Cosy is small and very popular. Blink and you’ll miss the small sign the wall near the entrance to the Irish Shop (that they also own and run), letting you know that you have indeed reached scone nirvana. Walk through the narrow hallway to the back and find any table you can – or stand around and wait till someone leaves and then grab their table fast.

We had a short wait when we arrived on a rainy gloomy Saturday, but very happily found a little corner in which to squeeze. Our order overflowed from our little table.

Devonshire Tea (Scone Basket) $14 per person, includes your choice of drink (I chose chocolate and vanilla tea), scones and jam (I chose Raspberry), Babyccino, Ploughman’s Lunch ($15), Ribbon Sandwiches in curried egg and tomato ($9.50).

The Babyccino actually came with TWO marshmallows, both of which were nabbed before I could get a shot.

I shared the scones with Cheese, who insisted that hers was also topped with the amazing raspberry jam and cream. Alec loved the jam so much he bought a jar to take home. His ploughman’s platter was light and yet filling – as described, it is indeed the perfect traditional lunch (for those who like meat).

All of the scones at The Tea Cosy are made by hand from scratch, using an old fashioned family recipe. Their jams are Australian-made gourmet jams, and the cream is double thick.

The food was so good, I honestly couldn’t fault a thing. The staff were really lovely – it’s really obvious that this is a family-run business as the people who run the joint really care about their customers and ensuring that they have a great experience. They’re also really friendly and chatty, which is also a nice experience in itself.

A little stroll around The Tea Cosy reveals many, many, many tea cosies. These can be bought for very reasonable prices (I saw labels for around $25 – $35). As each looks handmade and unique, that sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal – it’s a very small space.
Easy access: Small steps in, narrow corridors.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Tea Cosy
33 George Street,
The Rocks NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9247 4955
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon, Wed-Fri 10am-4pm, Tues closed, Sat & Sun 9:30am-5pm
Get Directions

Vaucluse House: Sydney’s Best High Teas

February 18, 2015 / Cheese, Sydney, Sydney Food, Vaucluse / 14 Comments

Sydney is full of gorgeous historic places, such as Vaucluse House and Vaucluse House Tearooms. Tucked away in the suburb of Vaucluse, this little oasis of quiet is a gorgeous spot for an outing to escape the hustle and bustle of the city around it.

The Vaucluse House Tearooms overlooks the beautiful and sprawling Vaucluse House gardens, and is the location we chose recently to celebrate my dad’s birthday.

Vaucluse House is surrounded by 10 hectares of stunning gardens stretching down to Sydney Harbour. The sandstone mansion was built in the 1830s and was the home of William Charles Wentworth and his family. The Tearooms were added later in the 1930s in art deco style.

Reservations are for parties over six, or for the high tea menu only. Otherwise, be prepared to wait for a table.

My parents and Cheese ordered off the a la carte menu. Their dishes: Cheese Burger (beetroot, tomato, pickles on brioche with chips, $24), Tearooms Panko Crumbed Market Fish, (with fat chips, $28) Kids’ Cheese & Tomato Toastie ($8). My parents were both very happy with their dishes – fresh ingredients and well cooked.

Alec and I ordered the Colonial High Tea ($49pp including Glass of Australian Sparkling Wine, Selection of Premium Teas from Chamellia & Coffee from The Little Marionette).

Tearooms’ Scones with Berry Jam & Clotted Cream. I actually found the scones to be the only let down of the tea. They were hard and dry – obviously not freshly made to order.

Savoury selection: Cauliflower & Truffle Tart with Samphire & Parmesan Crisp, Smoked Salmon on Brioche with Lemon Crème & Caviar, Chicken & Tarragon Pillows, Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwiches, and an Heirloom Tomato Tart. We enjoyed the savoury selection, but would have liked to see some more traditional sandwiches here, like egg salad or cucumber.

Sweet selection: Apple Snow, Chocolate & Earl Grey Macarons, Strawberry Éclairs with Vanilla Crème, Brioche Doughnuts with Lemon & Lavender Sugar, Caramelised Pineapple & Orange Curd Custard Tarts. The highlight was the donuts. They were really delicious.

For dessert, both of my parents ordered the Vanilla Sponge (with buttermilk curd, strawberries & mint with garden chard, $14), which they both said was really lovely.

After lunch we took a stroll around the gardens. We checked out the vegetable garden and farm animals at the back of the property, as well as the stables (which are all free to visit). The produce from the gardens is featured on the Tearoom’s menu, so you can literally see your lunch growing before you.

The farm animals are a huge hit with kids visiting the property. They’re housed in huge enclosures and live a pretty pleasant life, from what we could see. The gardens and Vaucluse House are alone a reason to visit.

We didn’t enter Vaucluse House, but we enjoyed walking around the gardens immensely. The whole property is so peaceful and quiet that it’s hard to remember that not far away is the bustle of Sydney traffic.

We really enjoyed our experience at Vaucluse House, and will be back once more when we need to take a time out from Sydney and visit the calmer days of yesteryear.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Vaucluse House Tea Room
Wentworth Road,
Vaucluse NSW 2030
Phone: (02) 9388 8188
Prices: $$$
Hours: Wed–Fri 10am–4.30pm, Sat & Sun 8am–4.30pm
Get Directions
Bookings essential for high tea.