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It’s High Time For These 10 High Teas in Brisbane!
If you’ve always fancied a fancier version of a cuppa, high teas are the way to go. Think of it as a posh tea party like the English used to do – but you’re in Australia, and instead of the drab weather they have over there. It’s a lot sunnier here!
Since tea time is a huge part of our culture, there’s plenty of high tea spots for you to checkout in Brisbane alone! These high tea spots offer a classier and more relaxing way to enjoy your teas.
If you’ve always wanted to find out where to get these, then you’re in luck! We’ve listed the best places to get high teas in Brisbane!
1. Stamford Plaza
Address: 1 Edward St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3221 1999
Hours: Saturday – Sunday: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Aptly named the Spirit of Queensland High Tea Time, Stamford Plaza offers teas from the Outback to the coast. We have to give the quiche made with Daintree barramundi fishes a shout-out – the light flavour goes well with their teas!
As you would expect from a posh hotel, Stamford Plaza’s Spirit of Queensland High Tea Time has a quieter vibe since you’ll be having your tea in their garden. The white decor is a nice touch, and we appreciate the thought that goes into their food.
Fun fact, the Queen of England has tried the Spirit of Queensland herself and liked it – and if it’s good enough for her, then you’ll most certainly like it! Word on the street (or hotel, in this case) is that she liked The Lord Lamington!
| Pro Tips: You can get a side of drinks with the Spirit of Queensland High Tea Time for an extra $20. It adds an extra spice to the high tea time, and it makes it a bit more fun while still keeping it classy! |
2. Mt. Cotton Retreat
Address: 355 W Mount Cotton Rd, Mount Cotton QLD 4165
Phone Number: +61 418 745 167
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
If having an exquisite cup of tea in the middle of Mother Nature’s warm embrace sounds like your cup of tea, then Mt. Cotton Retreat is the place for you!
Here, the high tea time is only open for a couple of days a year, and only for specific dates. For instance, as of the time of writing, Mt. Cotton Retreat’s high tea is only available for the first and last Saturdays of the month.
Each high tea session lasts for two hours, and both the regular and Sparkling High Tea option means you’re getting bottomless plunger coffees and leaf tea.
There’s plenty of solid food options like the Petite scone with jam and cream and the Fudgy chocolate brownie being the best sweet picks. However, if you’re craving for something more savoury, then their Poached Chicken Finger Sandwich is also good.
| Pro Tips: Most of their available dates are for special events – Mother’s and Father’s Day, public holidays, etc. Considering that, we strongly recommend booking their high tea time a year or two in advance to make sure you’re secure! |
3. Patina at Customs House
Address: Customs House, 399 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3365 8921
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
What Patina at Customs House does better is, unlike the other high teas in Brisbane that offer separate packages for their alcoholic tea time, Patina does so by default!
The cherry on top of the cake (or scone, in this instance) is that it’s a lot cheaper than what you’d normally pay. Usually, Brisbane high tea time will cost somewhere between $90 to $100 – but here it’s only $88!
Their French handcrafted tea selection has diverse flavors, which goes very well with their handcrafted petite desserts and macarons. The Tattlinger Champagne has a nice subtlety to it that we dig!
| Pro Tips: Although their high tea time is great, their service can be a bit too slow, especially during their peak hours. |
4. Belle Époque
Address: Emporium Hotel South Bank, Ground Floor, 267 Grey St, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone Number: +61 7 3556 3333
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6:00 AM – 4:00 PM
What we like about Belle Époque is that they’re open for the entirety of the year!
Belle Époque’s accessibility is thanks to their selection. They have a wide array of tea leaves and coffee beans at any given moment. We recommend trying out their Darjeeling for something relaxing, but their China Pai Mu White Peony is also worth a go.
Belle Époque goes for a more tropical atmosphere, and it works well. It can get a bit overwhelming at times, especially since it can be a bit too bright outside, but you can always cool off with their excellent craft teas!
If you ask us, we suggest trying their Truffle Chicken Finger Sandwich and Scones. Yes, the Scones have dates in them, which is essentially like raisins, but eating it with a side of their Mixed Herb Tea easily evens it out.
| Pro Tips: We suggest getting the earliest time slot for Belle Époque’s high tea time. Their high tea time lasts for one and a half hours, and it’s better to start things off earlier when it’s a bit cooler and end it when it’s just about to get hotter. |
5. The Inchcolm
Address: 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3226 8888
Hours: Open 24 hours
An icon in the Brisbane high tea scene, The Inchcolm provides a more classical high tea experience. After all, you’re having tea in a Georgian building.
With The Inchcolm’s high tea, you can expect many sweets. The lemonade scones are served with a side of jam and cream fraiche which is the right amount of sweet, and pairing it with their signature teas is absolutely wonderful!
The Inchcolm offers barista-crafted teas that change with every visit, making them unpredictable yet fun at the same time. If you manage to catch them serving the lemon-infused ones then we suggest getting those – they’re always a treat!
| Pro Tips: The usual high tea at The Inchcolm lasts for two hours, but you can always extend it to an hour or two if you ask them kindly! It won’t work all the time though, and it will vary per reservation, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. |
6. Shingle Inn City Hall
Credit: @izenijamil on Instagram
Address: Brisbane City Hall, Hall King George Square, 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3210 2904
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Within Brisbane City Hall’s art deco walls lies Shingle Inn City Hall, a quaint spot where you can dine in and have a nice cup of tea!
What we like the most about Shingle Inn City Hall is their price. Their signature, Traditional High Tea is half the price of their competitors, coming in at $44. It’s a lot cheaper than the average high tea in Brisbane that will usually set you back $70.
Shingle Inn City Hall’s Traditional High Tea comes with Pol Roger Brut Reserve non-vintage French Champagne, making it feel more like an occasion. Pair that with their savoury ribbon sandwiches and you’re in for a lovely afternoon!
| Pro Tips: Shingle City Hall offers allergen-friendly food, but you’ll have to let them know in advance to ensure they can prepare it for you. It’s not guaranteed on every menu item, but they’ll try their best to accommodate you. |
7. Lennons Restaurant & Bar
Address: 72 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 5647 1234
Hours: Monday – Friday: 6:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
No, it’s not named after a member of the Beatles – instead, it’s named after the historic Brisbane hotel that stood there from 1973 to 2013. But you’re not there for their “punny” name – you’re there for their high teas.
Though Lennons Restaurant & Bar doesn’t go above and beyond with a posh atmosphere that you’d expect from a high tea time, they make up for it with their diverse
menu. It’s an all-Australian special, and the Ice Cream Sandwich took the cake for us!
With their teas, we strongly recommend you to try out their Earl Grey. It doesn’t have the “soapy” aftertaste that usually comes with the tea and is all citrus, which matches well with their well-tailored all-Australian menu.
| Pro Tips: If you’re having your high tea time at Lennons Restaurant & Bar, then we suggest getting the farthest away seats. The hotel lobby gets noisy in the afternoons, and the farthest seats are guaranteed to be the quietest! |
8. Keri Craig Emporium Cafe
Address: Brisbane Arcade, Shops 6 & 7/160 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3211 2797
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Keri Craig Emporium Cafe’s antique vibe is no joke – the place is filled to the brim with antiques everywhere. It’s a bit weird at the beginning, but it makes their high tea time feel like you’re having tea at your grandma’s house, which is unique.
When it comes to their food and teas, the Traditional high tea has lots of good sweet and savoury picks, and we can’t decide which one is the best! But if you had to make us pick, we suggest trying their Ribbon Sandwiches – you can even take them home with you
| Pro Tips: For some reason, Keri Craig Emporium Cafe tends to rush their high tea time, which can jeopardize the relaxation. If you’re feeling short on time, we suggest taking their food home and having your own little tea party there! |
9. Room With Roses
Address: Brisbane Arcade, Gallery Level, 117 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Phone Number: +61 7 3229 7050
Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Sunday: Closed
With a name like Rooms With Roses, you’d expect a relaxing high tea time in a flower garden. Although they’re far from being in the middle of an actual garden, they still manage to bring that same vibe in the middle of Brisbane Arcade.
Rooms With Roses’ specializes in high tea time, so you can expect quite the experience. Their ambiance alone should be enough to convince you to visit here.
We especially suggest Rooms With Roses’ Chocolate Fondue High Tea. The homemade chocolate fondue has the right amount of sweetness to it, and it comes with Raspberry Scones with their signature raspberry jam that you should try out!
| Pro Tips: Rooms With Roses does not serve vegan dishes, but you can vegetarian or gluten-free version of their food for an extra fee. |
10. Bacchus
Address: Podium Level, Rydges South Bank, Glenelg Street & Grey Street, 9 Glenelg St, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone Number: +61 7 3364 0870
Hours: Monday – Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday – Friday: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Putting a modernized twist on the high tea concept, Bacchus makes it even posher. The decor, the atmosphere, and the food already provides that “modern chic” vibe – but their high tea is the biggest twist of them all!
To put into perspective just how posh Bacchus’ high tea time is, they use Harney & Sons teas and use William Edwards fine bone Chinaware. If that’s not enough to sell you the experience, then we don’t know what will!
Out of their food options, we strongly recommend trying the mac and cheese croquettes since the savoury flavour pairs well with their teas. That said, the lemon tarts are always nice, plus the scones with jam and cream is always a high tea staple that we like.
| Pro Tips: Bacchus’ parking is a bit complicated, especially if it’s your first time! We suggest taking an Uber if you’re not sure, or parking near the Convention Centre and using their free parking! |
