The Langham, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise: From now until October, you can stroll into The Langham for one super-cute experience – Paddington Afternoon Tea. This decadent experience features The Langham’s signature warm scones and a selection of sweet and savoury delights inspired by a classic London high tea. There’s even a selection of Paddington’s favourite sweets like My Favourite Toast (vanilla whipped ganache, pecan and vanilla sponge and mango marmalade) and One Juicy Orange (macadamia dacquoise, strawberry and basil compote and Madagascar vanilla light cream). Pair it with a Tea by Tavalon or a barista-made coffee and you’ll be in heaven. The Paddington Afternoon Tea is $109 on weekdays and $119 on weekends. Call 07 5638 8888 to make a booking.
Palette Restaurant, Surfers Paradise: If you fancy your high tea with a side of show-stopping art, Palette Restaurant at HOTA is the perfect perch. Every Sunday, the restaurant invites you to experience the art of culinary delights with a lavish high tea spread complete with white chocolate and cranberry scones, berry jam and double cream alongside Davidson plum and marshmallow pinwheels, native iced Vovo and prawn toast with fermented chilli mayo. Enjoy with a Tavalon Tea ($65 per person), or step it up a notch with a glass of Veuve Clicquot ($80 per person).
Tea & Niceties, Mount Tamborine: Kissed with natural light and surrounded by lush greenery, Tea & Niceties is the ideal spot for high tea away from the hustle and bustle. Perched atop Mount Tamborine, the venue features a vintage-inspired tea room amid enchanting gardens. Sit back and soak up the charm of yesteryear with an elegant high tea menu that has everything from scones with berry jam and fresh cream to lemon meringue tartlets, chocolate eclairs, brandy snap cones, profiteroles and more. Get a glimpse of the goods here.
Imperial Hotel, Main Beach: For a truly sophisticated outing, Imperial Hotels’ series of high tea experiences will have you covered. Head straight to the top tier with the Royal Couture High Tea, which is served progressively alongside Ruinart champagne. Relax and graze on savouries like smoked salmon on brioche with caviar and sweets like pistachio tartelette with praline crunch and whipped pistachio cream, before indulging in the Black Pearl Siberian caviar, served with blinis and condiments. You’ll even go home with your own handcrafted chocolate… which, let’s be honest, probably won’t make it home.
Double Barrel Kitchen and Bar, Benowa: Picture this – you and your nearest and dearest seated at a long table. Between you are towers brimming with a drool-inducing selection of bites. Do you start with savoury, or skip straight to sweet? The beauty of high tea is that you get a little taste of both, without an imminent food coma. If that sounds like your ideal daytime activity, fire up the group chat and make a booking at Double Barrel Kitchen and Bar. The venue’s brand-new high tea offering is set to impress with circular towers filled with the likes of mini quiches, poached-chicken open sandwiches and mushroom arancini with truffle aioli. On the sweet end, enjoy light and fluffy buttermilk scones slathered with jam and cream, colourful macaroons, brownie bites and eclairs. Of course, there’s the option to add bubbles. Book Double Barrel’s high tea here.
BonAppéTea, Mudgeeraba: Three-tier delights await at this exquisite French-inspired teahouse. Nestled in the foothills of Mudgeeraba, BonAppéTea has set the standard high for its edible offering. The luxe high tea is $55 per person and comes with scones with homemade jam and cream, a selection of three petite patisseries and organic sandwiches, and a range of savoury bites. You can wet your whistle with one complimentary drink, or add sparkling champagne $10 per person.
QT Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise: QT is known for putting an eclectic and quirky spin on just about everything it does, and its high tea experiences are no different. There’s QT High Tea at Fixx Cafe, which offers a fun, nostalgic and totally delicious spin on traditional high tea. Executive Chef Greg Benney and his team are behind savoury treats such as bacon mozzarella doughnuts, pistachio, lemon and saffron arancini and vodka and beetroot-cured salmon blinis. When it comes to sweet, you’ll want to save room for delicacies such as raspberry towers and gold-leaf almond rochers. Make a booking here.
Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, Sanctuary Cove: As the first Australian hotel to feature Tea Forté, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort executive chef Hamish Watt and his team have expertly designed an elegant High Tea Immersion menu brimming with new interpretations of their globally renowned tea flavours. Treat your senses to three tiers of sweet and savoury delights, each boasting unique flavour profiles of a contemporary artisanal brew and designed to pair perfectly with your beverage choice. We’re talking spanner crab with saffron mayonnaise, slow-cooked 12-hour Toowoomba beef brisket doughnut and sweet salted-caramel choux with orchid vanilla tea cream and caramel sauce. The High Tea Immersion experience is curated to guide each guest on an opulent culinary journey from arrival. Your host will greet you with a Tea Forté infused towel and palate-cleansing iced tea piccolo. For an elevated experience, opt for bottomless rosé or a ‘Pear-tea-ni’ cocktail, infused with Tea Forté’s white ginger pear blend. Make a booking here.
Green Days, Bundall: This hidden pavilion has a lush garden setting creating a tranquil atmosphere for a relaxed high tea with friends. You’ll be delighted with a spring menu of gourmet savouries and sweets like duck empanadas with crispy curry leaf, pork marsala mini sausage rolls, lemon myrtle-hibiscus scones and much more. You can even request the private library upon booking for a more exclusive affair.
Chapter & Verse at Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort, Surfers Paradise: Here you’ll find a modern twist on classic high tea inspired by the JW Garden. The breezy lounge bar serves a tiered arrangement of sweet and savoury dishes at its signature high tea, in addition to freshly baked scones with double cream and homemade jams. There’s a selection of Dilmah tea and espresso coffee to drink and your $79 signature high tea includes a glass of Laurent Breban Blanc de Blanc Sparkling. Upgrade to a glass of Laurent Perrier Champagne for just $10 more. Make a booking here.
The Village Heritage B&B, Mudgeeraba: Surround yourself in the ambiance of a stunning 112-year-old Queenslander and take high tea in the Heritage dining room or on the balcony with majestic views to the hinterland. The treats include mixed sandwiches and wraps, a selection of hot savoury minis, homemade quiche, mini cakes, and homemade scones with jam and cream. Pair this with bottomless tea and a barista coffee served and you have yourself the fundamentals for a fantastic afternoon. The high tea is available from Thursday to Sunday from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm and from 1:30–3:00 pm. Bookings are essential.
Bumbles Cafe, Surfers Paradise: Bumbles is beloved for its sweets offering, so it’s only natural that they offer a stellar high tea too. The two-hour grazing experience includes an assortment of tea sandwiches, mini quiche lorraine, house made sausage rolls with tomato relish sauce, smoked salmon blinis, raisin scones with local jam and cream, raspberry brownie slice and much more. Book at least two days ahead by calling 07 5538 6668.
Image three credit: HOTA, Home of The Arts
