Subscribe
Subscribe
Pinkies Up: Where to Find the Best High Tea in Melbourne
Teaming every indulgent food group with caffeine and champagne, here's where to go for a sumptuous high tea in Melbourne.
The charm of a fancy high tea never fades — fine porcelain, bite-sized decadence and a hint of old-world drama make it magic every time. It’s the most civilised excuse for dessert and Champagne before dusk, and honestly, who could argue with that?
For an afternoon that’s equal parts indulgence and elegance, gather your favourites and settle in for finger sandwiches, bubbles and a bit of gossip. Here’s our guide to Melbourne’s most enchanting high teas — pinkies up.
Everybody Loves Cake x The Windsor Afternoon Tea
There are afternoon teas — and then there’s this peach-tinted fantasy inside The Windsor’s storied dining room. For one weekend in January, the hotel teams up with Alisha Henderson of Everybody Loves Cake to create a dessert-laden escape worthy of vintage cookbooks and sweet-toothed daydreams. Expect tiers of petite cakes, nostalgic flavours reimagined, and a dessert buffet piled high with Alisha’s signature creations. It’s elegant, a little whimsical, and unabashedly joyful — the kind of afternoon that feels suspended in time.
Sitchu Tip: Book the earliest sitting to nab the prettiest light and the freshest sweep of the dessert buffet.
Saturday 17th to Sunday 18th January, 2026
12:30pm or 2:30pm sessions
111 Spring Street, Melbourne
Fleet Rooftop Bar’s Afternoon Tea in the Clouds
High tea reaches new heights at Fleet Rooftop Bar, located on level 22 of the Vibe Hotel with sweeping views over the Yarra and city skyline. Saturdays bring a sky-high spread of heirloom tomato tartlets, tempura prawn cocktails, wagyu sliders and dreamy sweets — including apple-lime mousse and still-warm scones. Sip bubbles, spritzes, or mocktails, paired with unlimited loose-leaf tea. It’s an afternoon made for celebrations, catch-ups and elegant, above-the-city indulgence.
Every Saturday, 12pm to 2pm
Vibe Hotel, 1 Queen Street, Melbourne
Morning & Afternoon Tea at Como Lane Pavilion
Set within the heritage gardens of Como, the newly refurbished Como Lane Pavilion brings a fresh dose of elegance to Melbourne’s high-tea scene. Scott Pickett’s signature touch shows in every tier: delicate pastries, still-warm scones and savoury bites crafted with finesse. Light-filled and undeniably pretty, it’s a sublime spot for Friday afternoons, weekend celebrations or a leisurely escape surrounded by greenery.
Fridays and Saturdays, from 11am
20 Como Avenue, South Yarra
Gardens House High Tea
Hidden within the Royal Botanic Gardens, Gardens House delivers high tea with storybook charm. Set in a 19th-century cottage framed by emerald lawns and climbing roses, it’s equal parts heritage and indulgence. Tiered trays arrive laden with truffle-egg sandwiches, wagyu sausage rolls, lemon-drizzle lamingtons and jewel-like tarts — all served with bottomless specialty tea or Champagne for extra sparkle. Every sip feels cinematic, every bite a little escape. It’s high tea that tastes like a secret garden brought to life.
Sunday 23rd and 30th November
Book here
Royal Botanic Gardens, Gardens House, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne
Miss Violets Tea Rooms at Old Man Drew
A local treasure with old-world soul, Old Man Drew feels like stepping into a storybook. Housed in an 1868 heritage building, this cafe-meets-tea-house charms with chandeliers, floral china and the scent of freshly baked scones drifting through the air. Their high tea is pure joy — tiered stands piled with ribbon sandwiches, buttery pastries and Mrs Drew’s famous sausage rolls, all served with Champagne or tea in Miss Violets Tea Room or the leafy courtyard.
It’s the closest you’ll get to Bath without leaving Melbourne — all tea, tarts and a touch of Bridgerton.
359-361 Mt Alexander Road, Ascot Vale
High Tea à la Gigi
Caviar éclairs, foie gras macarons and bottomless bubbles — darling, this isn’t afternoon tea, it’s an event. Each Sunday, High Tea à la Gigi turns its chandeliered salon into a stage for Melbourne’s most fabulous. The menu? Pure theatre: smoked Yarra Valley salmon roe, lemon tarts, passionfruit profiteroles and the glossiest scones in town. Free-flowing French sparkling keeps spirits high and conversation higher. It’s decadent, a little bit naughty, and totally irresistible — the city’s most glamorous excuse to cancel dinner.
Sundays from 12pm, $99.90 per person
1/143 Greville Street, Prahran
YTB
Newly reopened and effortlessly glamorous, YTB gives Melbourne high tea a modern plot twist. Here, east meets west — and both dress impeccably. The experience unfolds in two acts: savoury sandos and seasonal bites segue into pastry perfection and the city’s fluffiest scones. Tea sommeliers brew tableside like it’s performance art, while Champagne and zero-proof cocktails keep things interesting. Elegant, dramatic and just a touch mysterious — this is high tea for people who don’t do ordinary afternoons.
Saturdays and Sundays, 12pm to 2:30pm
605 Chapel Street, Capitol Grand, South Yarra
The Royce Hotel
High tea inside a heritage hotel? It doesn’t get more elegant than this. The Royce invites guests to enter its old-school hospitality world with a Saturday High Tea series worth dressing up for. Executive Chef Pawan Dutta (ex-Grossi Grill, Conrad Tokyo and Maldives Rangali Island) crafts a spread of refined savoury and sweet delights — think bloody shiraz gin caviar and bite-sized perfection on every plate. Sit in The Showroom Bar or The Terrace and prepare for pure indulgence.
Saturdays, from 2:30pm
379 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
The Hotel Windsor
Timeless yet effortlessly current, The Hotel Windsor has been perfecting the art of high tea since 1883 — and it shows. Served on silver stands in a setting made for lingering afternoons, the seasonally changing menu spans delicate pâtisserie, canapés and the fluffiest scones in town. Eleven specialty teas promise the perfect pairing, poured with the kind of polish only 140 years of practice can bring. Elegant, nostalgic and a little bit theatrical — this is Melbourne high tea, done properly.
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 12pm
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 12pm or 2:30pm
111 Spring Street, Melbourne
Afternoon Tea at The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne
High above the city skyline, The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne takes afternoon tea to dizzying new heights — literally. Executive Chef Michael Greenlaw and his pastry dream team deliver four decadent courses that read like poetry: scones still warm from the oven, Oscietra caviar beignets, Ispahan macarons almost too pretty to eat. Sip Love Tea or Code Black coffee as the skyline glows, or raise the stakes with a glass of Champagne. It’s Melbourne’s most elevated high tea — in every sense of the word.
Thursday to Sunday, 12pm to 3pm
Suitable for guests aged 12 years and older
Level 80, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
TWR at Crown Towers
High tea at TWR, Crown Towers is pure, unfiltered indulgence. Plush velvet seats, gleaming glassware and city views set the tone for a feast that’s as extravagant as it is elegant. Lobster tarts, lamb shank pies and scones that melt on the tongue headline the spread, while Piper-Heidsieck Champagne or a finely tuned cocktail completes the moment. Every detail feels elevated — from the service to the final crumb — a masterclass in refined decadence that’s every bit as dazzling as its riverside setting.
8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Pan Pacific
At Pan Pacific Melbourne, high tea is an elegant balancing act of luxury and creativity. Three tiers brim with native Australian flavours infused with Singaporean and Southeast Asian flair — slow-cooked pork belly with Davidson plum gel, Yarra Valley smoked salmon with dessert lime, and a Calamansi mango tart draped in jasmine tea veil. Served in a light-filled lounge overlooking the Yarra, it’s the kind of indulgence that lingers long after the last sip of tea — refined, surprising, and unapologetically decadent.
Every Saturday & Sunday, from 12pm to 4pm
2 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf
Collins Coffee House
For a high tea in Melbourne with heritage and charm, Collins Coffee House delivers in spades. Set inside the National Trust-listed Bank of New Zealand Building, this cafe blends ornate architecture with old-fashioned warmth. Choose from brunch, traditional or deluxe high tea experiences — each served with classic sandwiches, dainty sweets and endless tea refills. It makes slowing down feel special — soft chatter, clinking china and buttery scones served amid heritage surrounds that feel beautifully frozen in time.
Different high tea packages available daily, see website for details
385 Collins Street, Melbourne
Oxi Tea Room
At Oxi Tea Room, high tea isn’t served — it unfolds. This immersive experience invites you to write your own culinary story, with each dish revealing a new “chapter” of flavour and artistry. Kenyan black teas and Taiwanese oolongs anchor the journey, poured with ceremony and a hint of theatre. The setting? Whimsical yet refined, like stepping into a modern fairytale with better lighting and far better pastries. Choose your path, sip slowly, and let the plot — and the tea — thicken.
T4/158 Victoria Street, Carlton
The Langham
Few places capture old-school glamour like The Langham Melbourne, where afternoon tea is elevated to an art form. Served daily in the elegant Aria Bar & Lounge, this experience balances decadence and detail — delicate pastries, buttery scones, and exquisite savouries paired with Ronnefeldt specialty teas. Add a glass of Champagne and you’ve got yourself a scene straight from a romance film. With its river views and pink-hued opulence, The Langham’s high tea is Melbourne luxury at its sweetest.
Daily, two-hour sessions from 10.00am, 1.00pm and 4.00pm
The Tea Rooms 1892
A Melbourne institution steeped in old-world charm, The Tea Rooms 1892 brings a touch of grandeur to every afternoon. Once the go-to for “polite society,” it’s now open to anyone who appreciates emerald wallpaper, crystal chandeliers and the gentle clink of fine bone china. Tiered stands overflow with dainty sandwiches and classic cakes, served with a side of nostalgia and grace. Traditional high tea, exactly as it should be — elegant, indulgent and quietly timeless.
Shop 2, The Block Arcade, 282 Collins Street
Olinda Tea House
Set among the rolling greenery of the Dandenongs, Olinda Tea House & Restaurant serves high tea with a serene, Asian-inspired twist. Begin with hot and cold savouries before sampling delicate petit fours and finishing with classic Devonshire Tea. A full suite of international black, white and green teas rounds out the experience — though a rich hot chocolate is hard to resist. On clear days, the Garden High Tea is pure magic, with gazebos and private garden seating surrounded by lush mountain air and foliage.
86A Olinda-Monbulk Road, Olinda
Strangers Corridor
You’ll have to scan your bags on entry, but it’s a small price to pay for the privilege of having tea within the hallowed halls of Parliament House, a space usually reserved for politicians, visiting dignitaries and royals. There’s a somewhat respectful hush that comes with dining in an exclusive, private space, but the food at Strangers Corridor is warm and familiar.
Graze on a three-tiered stand of finger sandwiches, truffled mushroom and cheddar tarts, and scones with thick cream and lemon curd before walking it off with a free guided tour.
1 Spring Street, Melbourne
Westin Melbourne
Indulge in a sumptuous high tea within the luxurious surroundings of The Westin Melbourne. Savour delicate tea sandwiches and seasonal sweet treats as you soak in the hotel’s refined ambience. While Chandon and Moët provide the bubbles of choice, here, it’s the tea that takes centre stage. In partnership with Jing Tea, The Westin offers an unrivalled selection of rare herbal infusions, hand-sourced directly from tea farmers across China, India, Japan and Taiwan.
205 Collins Street, Melbourne
The Grand Hyatt
Served on Cristina Re’s 24-carat gold-trimmed china, this weekend ritual at the Grand Hyatt pairs refinement with indulgence. Begin with warm scones, truffle-egg sandwiches and delicate spanner-crab tartlets before wandering toward the dessert buffet — a decadent spread of pastries, gelato, and molten chocolate. Champagne bubbles, T2 teas swirl, and city views sparkle through glass walls. Elegant, generous and just a little over the top — the Grand Hyatt’s high tea is Melbourne at its most glamorous.
123 Collins Street, Melbourne
Mary Eats Cake
Beloved by bridal parties and birthday crews alike, Mary Eats Cake nails the art of the laid-back indulgence. Think cucumber and chicken sandwiches, beetroot ravioli, and lamb ragu pies followed by apple chai tea cake with salted caramel and chantilly cream. Their resident tea sommelier keeps cups flowing with seasonal blends, while optional add-ons — from cocktail mixing to flower crown workshops — make the experience delightfully extra. Weekday packages start from $72 per person, including unlimited tea and major main-character energy.
558 Sydney Road, Brunswick
13 Leith Road, Montrose
Mamor Chocolates and High Tea Szalon
Take tea at Mamor Chocolates and High Tea Szalon and step into a luxurious French boudoir full of deep reds, plush velvet and sparkling chandeliers. You’ll be tucking into French-inspired bites like confit chicken pinwheels, savoury mille feuille with salmon and dill pâté, petit gateaux and Mamor’s artisan house-made chocolates, plus endless cups of tea, coffee or pink lemonade.
Friday to Sunday
153 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Fashion High Tea at Altus Rooftop
Where haute couture meets high tea, Altus Rooftop takes indulgence to elegant new heights. The Fashion High Tea is a showstopper — golden tiers stacked with spanner crab sandwiches, delicate pâtisserie, and the exquisite Lady of the Isles mango bombe, all served against sweeping city views. Champagne flows, style reigns, and every bite feels runway-ready. Sophisticated, seasonal, and effortlessly glamorous — this is Melbourne’s most fashionable afternoon ritual, where tea time comes dressed to impress.
Friday, 1pm to 2:30pm
Saturday & Sunday, 11:30am to 2pm
1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone
Loved our edit of the best high tea in Melbourne and looking for more decadent desserts? Make sure to read up on the best bakeries and dessert delivery around town.
