The best high teas in hotels around Australia

Here is our comprehensive guide to the best high teas in hotels around Australia.

Our round-up of the best high teas in hotels around Australia focuses on venues that offer fabulous food alongside pots of premium beverages. Whether you want to catch up with friends or treat someone special, here are 16 of the best high teas to try around Australia.

1. High tea at glass brasserie, Hilton Sydney

Elevate your high tea experience at Hilton Sydney which has launched its first-ever high tea in the ever-popular glass brasserie. High tea at glass brasserie is all-class as the experience includes epic views over the iconic dome of the landmark Queen Victoria Building in Sydney’s CBD. Experience serenity in the centre of the city every Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 4.30pm at the brasserie where the sterling service is also a real treat. Here, at glass, you can expect to be pampered right from the get-go as much attention is paid to whether your glass is full and you have everything you need.

Keep your pinky finger poised for this impeccable high tea where the first order of business involves partaking in a glass of Pol Roger Champagne. The new afternoon tea menu is curated by executive chef Hamish Neale and his team of pastry chefs and includes a selection of sweet and savoury options such as classic smoked salmon cronuts, crab salad brioche rolls, jamon and cheese donuts and a prosciutto crisp. Sweet tooths will enjoy a sugary rush with decadent brûlée scones with Nutella, vanilla and matcha, indulgent seasonal tarts, opera slices, macarons and soft serve sundaes. The afternoon tea also includes a pot of premium tea, cocktails mixed tableside and a roaming Champagne service.

Must try: The dreamy jamon and cheese donuts.

2. High tea on Level 36, Shangri-La Sydney, NSW

Shangri-La Sydney is one of the best hotels in Sydney for high tea, which means you’re likely to encounter everyone from multi-generational family groups to couples and colleagues partial to tea, cake and fizz with a view at High Tea on Level 36.

Altogether, the panoramic views of Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are hard to beat, But the menu designed by pastry chef Kumiko Endo (ex-Tetsuya’s and Bather’s Pavilion) also causes heads to swivel.  As an illustration are dishes such as the braised ox-tail on a milk bun. Or the traditional buttermilk scones with house-made berry jam and fresh cream.

Must try: The honey cheesecake with coconut ginger streusel and cherry glaze.

3. Gin High Tea The Lobby Lounge, Hyatt Regency Sydney, NSW

Gin High Tea at Hyatt Regency Sydney is a mod Oz twist on high tea and it’s everything we want it to be. After settling in for an afternoon of indulgences, Gin High Tea takers are led on a multi-sensory journey starting with cocktails crafted with Australian Poor Toms Gin, Scapegrace Gin and Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin.

The native botanicals used in the cocktails have also inspired sweet and savoury delicacies such as scones matched with Australian jams and lobster anise-cream caviar brioche and scallop watermelon hibiscus salsa. Order your choice of Rabbit Hole loose-leaf tea and enjoy all-you-can-eat sweets.

Must try: Butterfly G&T and the S’mores pudding or mango cheesecake with pistachio slivers and gold leaf.

4. High Cheese at voco Kirkton Park, Hunter Valley, NSW

If you’re obsessed with cheese, then this is the high tea for you. Although it is a novelty idea, it is also extremely well received and a fun way to taste a wide variety of cheeses. All of the cheeses served during the High Cheese experience are artisan cheeses sourced from the Hunter Valley.

There’s a woodfired brie, a Binnorie Dairy Duetoo (a creamy blend of mascarpone and gorgonzola), as well as savoury sandwiches and treats such as mushroom and molten cheese arancini. Best of all, you get to enjoy indulging in your cheese obsession from the light-filled Conservatory overlooking the prestigious 28-hectare voco Kirkton Park, which has just 70 guestrooms.

Must try: The Binnorie Dairy chilli, garlic and rosemary labna with a glass of Peterson House Sparkling.

5. High tea at The Reef House Adults Retreat, Palm Cove, Qld

The Reef House Adults Retreat has launched a high tea offering on its restaurant terrace overlooking the Coral Sea in Palm Cove. Chef Ondrej Urbanovsky has crafted a selection of savoury and sweet treats that are made in-house. The three-tiered tower includes finger sandwiches and petit fours and lemon myrtle scones with seasonal berry jam and Daintree vanilla Chantilly. There’s also an indulgent coronation chicken choux pastry with snow pea sprouts.

The high tea experience is $150 for two people which is accompanied by bottomless tea from local company Blackbooks Tea and includes the option of a glass of Champagne or hand-crafted cocktail. High tea at The Reef House Restaurant is available from 2.30pm each weekend.

Must try: The lemon myrtle scones dolloped with seasonal jam.

6. Eat your Art High Tea at W Brisbane, Qld

Nix the starched white tablecloths and stuffy service. The high tea at the Living Room Bar at the W Brisbane echoes the contemporary styling of the hotel, which flaunts its big, bold vibes for all to see. While the hotel interiors have been inspired by the tidal patterns of the Brisbane River, the Eat your Art High Tea nods to the river city’s partnership with QAGOMA (Queensland Art Gallery l Gallery of Modern Art).

Everything on the menu, from the wagyu beef pumpernickel bite with avocado cream to the paint-your-own panna cotta, is sublime. Guests are urged to wander around the hotel to spot the Mad Hatter-esque flourishes that influenced the menu.

Must try: The tropical Oh My GOMA vodka cocktail, which is served with an edible art print.

7. High tea at Coco’s Kitchen + Bar, Pullman Cairns International, Qld

High tea in Coco’s Kitchen + Bar Pullman Cairns International, at the marina end of the city, starts with a flute of Australian sparkling wine followed by pretty petit fours and finger sandwiches. The menu in the lobby bar is seasonal so expect jams made from exotic tropical fruit to spread atop freshly made scones, with dollops of cream as well as local fresh fruits, and an array of house-made pastries and cakes.

Savoury tooths will be pleased that the tiered trays include finger sandwiches stuffed with shredded chicken or Atlantic salmon. After a few pots of tea, stroll a block down to the centre of Cairns where you will find a plethora of cool places to eat and drink.

Must try: The plate of local and international cheeses.

8. High Tea at Deco Lounge, The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart, Tas

The Deco Lounge at The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart, is a dreamy place to enjoy a high tea in a hotel. Located in Hobart, The Tasman opened in December 2021 and is the new kid on the block with 152 rooms across three different eras of architecture: heritage, Art Deco, and modern.

The high tea experience at The Deco Lounge is, like the vibe in the state’s capital, refined but relaxed. Although the signature high tea changes with the seasons, you can expect a glass of Arras Blanc de Blanc on arrival and an Aussie inflection with dishes such as lemon myrtle scones, the signature Tasman lobster roll, and bush tomato bread.

Must try: Hoji tea panna cotta complemented with a pot of Storm & India’s plant-based wellness tea.

9. Afternoon Tea at The Ritz-Carlton Perth, WA

The Ritz-Carlton Perth has a new Afternoon Tea menu at Hearth, which overlooks the picturesque Elizabeth Quay. While the two-course menu is not afraid of a cucumber slice, you can expect it to arrive pickled alongside house-smoked tart on top of your three-tiered stand.

The Afternoon Tea also includes savoury delights such as braised pork rillette with pink lady apple, and baked camembert tart as well as sweet treats such as Davidson plum and coconut lamington. Elevate the experience with a two-hour package served with Howard Park Petit Jeté sparkling wine.

Must try: The white peach mousse with lemon verbena and a peach glaze.

10. Couture High Tea at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

Are you stuck in a scroll hole looking for the best high teas at hotels around Australia? Want somewhere to take your fashionista friend? The Couture High Tea at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is an exclusive new offering hosted in the glam Velvet Lounge overlooking the Garden Court in the heart of the Art Deco hotel.

The high tea is inspired by the couture catwalks of Paris, so dress up, not down, for the French-inspired Couture High Tea which is in a class of its own for old-school glitz. Clink to your good fortune over a flute of Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut in the deliciously theatrical lounge, which is all red-velvet banquettes and dulcet tunes by Parisian singer Henri Salvador. The staff here are reassuringly efficient and friendly and will talk you through the tiers with ease: As well as traditional scones, with house-made jam, the high tea includes delicate macarons, , mandarin-vanilla cannelés from Bordeaux, and a revisited opera cake and lemon myrtle meringue petite tarte.

Must try: The revelatory religieuse with a touch of rose and raspberry along with the signature Sofitel.

11. Afternoon tea at The Langham, Melbourne, Vic

There’s a soft light filtering into the lobby at The Langham, Melbourne and staff pirouetting around tables, making sure everything is just so. Afternoon tea at the Aria Bar & Lounge room is special-occasion stuff. And while there are the obligatory finger sandwiches, pastries, cakes and scones, the skill demonstrated by executive chef Thomas Rappl is in adhering to certain traditions while fusing flavours that are completely up-to-the-minute. Start with sandwiches and savouries such as the saffron arancini with shrimp butter sauce followed by hand-made pastries like the kaffir key lime meringue tart, which will finish you off in the best possible way.

Must try: The scones, oh the scones. Served with Yarra Valley clotted cream and macerated strawberry preserve.

12. High Tea by the Sea at Stamford Grand Adelaide Hotel and Resort, SA

Enjoying views of Glenelg Beach makes the experience of a traditional High Tea by the Sea at Stamford Plaza, Adelaide even more special. The Promenade Restaurant is a peaceful oasis in a notable position that hums with the low chatter of happy customers and attentive staff who whirl about the space in a whisper while you while away the afternoon. Ask the knowledgeable staff to help zone in on your Dilmah tea of choice to accompany the food, which there is an abundance of.

Take your time over a traditional selection of sandwiches – pulled chicken and mayo; classic egg salad; smoked salmon and cream cheese – followed by pastries and petit fours and hot and savoury options.

Must try: The candy-coloured assortment of mini macarons.

13. Champagne High Tea at PepperBerry, Hilton Darwin, NT

Although guests partaking of high tea at the Hilton Darwin will receive the prerequisite selection of sandwiches and petit fours, the sweet and savoury treats on the tiered tray arrive infused with flavours such as Kakadu plum, rosella, crab and coconut.

Expect the Piper-Heidsieck to be flowing at the sophisticated Champagne High Tea, located in Hilton Darwin’s signature restaurant, PepperBerry Restaurant. The hotel hosts high teas on Sundays with each tier arranged with savoury sandwiches such as crab and apple salad in rye sourdough, scones with raspberry and quandong jam and desserts such as blueberry cheesecake.

Must try: Scones with whipped butter, quandong jam and chantilly cream.

14. High Cheese at Sheraton Grand Mirage Gold Coast, Qld

While the ocean views might be one of Pearl Bar’s main selling points, the carefully curated High Cheese at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Gold Coast is also worth feasting your eyes on. It’s a high tea, albeit with cheese.

You’d have to be Jatz crackers to count calories in this case: plan instead for a post-prandial walk on the beach (or one of the many other Gold Coast bush walks) so you can inhale every last crumb of cheese on the pretty platter.

Enjoy triangles of creamy camembert, sharp cheddar and a tangy blue accompanied by silky prosciutto, fresh fruit and crackers before sinking into the Pearl Bar’s plush chairs. The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort is also offering a Pink High Tea until November 30 to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, available from noon to 4pm.

Must try: The rosemary-baked camembert.

15. Chapter & Verse high tea at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa

The Chapter & Verse high tea at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa includes a Teeny Tiny Tea for chipolata-sized fingers. Of course, it includes a miniature mix of sweet and savoury dishes. There is also a High Seas experience that showcases local seafood like oysters and tiger prawns. And a High Cheese that includes brie, blue and cheddar cheese. Purists will also appreciate the Traditional High Tea. Why? Because it includes sandwiches stuffed with pork and truffle cheddar cheese as well as berry-filled pastries.

16. QTea at QT Sydney, NSW

Patissier Adriano Zumbo didn’t blow the dust off his yiayia’s old book of recipes. Instead, the new QTea experience at QT Sydney is all about extravagance, theatre and fashion. Evidently, this is more in line with the QT brand and its cool clientele.

Zumbo hasn’t taken the tradition of a tiered tray off the table. But the one on offer at QTea looks more like the work of an artist from the Cubist movement. Expect a mix of sweet and savoury dishes, such as his signature Zumbarons, Sconez and lobster rolls with coconut, chilli and lime mayo. The high tea is one of the best high teas in Australia. Basically because it includes paired pourings of Perrier Jouet Champagne.

17. Solander Bar & Dining, Sydney

One of the most beautiful things about afternoon tea at Solander Bar and Dining is the blooms on display. The West Hotel Sydney, Curio Collection by Hilton, certainly leans into the seasons.

The venue is named after botanist Daniel Solander. Accordingly, it is a fabulously floral affair.

As a matter of fact, the high-end high tea includes a tiered selection of both sweet and savoury snacks. Head chef Joel Robinson’s menu includes dishes such as poached prawn fennel and spiced mayo buns. And salted macaron mini eclairs for $65 per person ($20 extra includes bottomless house wine, sparkling and beer).  The Afternoon Tea Party happens every Saturday from 2pm to 6pm,.

Must try: Saffron and buffalo mozzarella arancini with the welcome cocktail.

18. InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, Melbourne

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto celebrates native Australian ingredients in their indulgent afternoon tea offering at the Alluvial Restaurant under a stunning ten-storey glass atrium. Executive Chef, Charlie Song, serves bites such as Tasmanian smoked salmon on brioche paired with finger lime and sauce gribiche, traditional buttermilk scones served with Yarra Valley strawberry jam, sustainable honey, and lemon myrtle double cream, and Davidson plum-infused black forest and delicate pepperberry choux bun filled with berry crèmeux. Wash down these delightful bites with tea, champagne, and an orange and Cointreau shooter, served between courses to refresh the palate between courses.

Must try: Smoked ham hock terrine with bush tomato chutney and caper berry.