Sydney has one of the world's great high tea scenes. The harbour views alone set it apart — there are few things as indulgent as working through a tiered stand while the Opera House glitters across the water. But beyond the headline hotel experiences, the city has a genuinely diverse spread: Indigenous-inspired menus at the Opera House itself, gin-forward afternoons in The Rocks, matcha-laced pastries in Haymarket, heritage estates in Mosman, and charming country escapes an hour or two from the city.
This guide covers the best high tea experiences we list on Find High Tea — all 13 Sydney venues, with real prices, opening hours, and what makes each one worth booking.
Sydney CBD & Circular Quay
Aperture at Capella Sydney — Best for Luxury in the CBD
Where: 24 Loftus Street, Sydney CBD Price: $98 per person Hours: Daily, 12:30pm–4:00pm
Set within the heritage-listed Capella Sydney hotel, Aperture is one of the most architecturally striking high tea settings in Australia. The centrepiece is the Meadow — a kinetic ceiling sculpture of opening and closing petal-like forms — that turns the grand sandstone dining room into something genuinely theatrical. Beneath it, five-star pastry technique is on full display: precisely made tiers of sweet and savoury creations, seasonal in rotation, with a premium loose-leaf tea programme to match.
The dress code is smart casual (gym wear is not permitted), which suits the calibre of the space. Gluten-free and vegan options are available. Book ahead — this fills quickly, especially on weekends.
Perfect for: Special occasions, milestone birthdays, anyone who wants Sydney's finest CBD experience.
Loftus Lane Café & Bar — Best for Something Spectacular
Where: 38–42 Bridge Street, Sydney CBD (moments from Circular Quay) Price: From $69pp (standard) to $169pp (unlimited cocktails, 90 min) Hours: Mon–Fri 6:30am–2:30pm, Sat–Sun 8:00am–2:30pm
Loftus Lane takes high tea in a different direction entirely. Choose between the Ferris Wheel High Tea or Carousel High Tea — both themed experiences served with floral styling, French tableware and the kind of presentation that was made to be photographed. The food is genuinely good: mini sandwiches and sliders, warm scones, macarons, tartlets and cakes across the tiers.
The boozy options are where it gets social — a 90-minute unlimited drinks package covering cocktails, sparkling, house wine and spirits. For a birthday or celebration where you want atmosphere and fun alongside the food, few Sydney venues compete.
Perfect for: Birthdays, hens events, or anyone who wants spectacle alongside their scones.
Paradox Sydney — Best Classic CBD High Tea
Where: 27 O'Connell Street, Sydney CBD Price: From $85pp (standard) to $95pp (with sparkling); kids $40pp Hours: Daily, 10:00am–4:00pm
Paradox Sydney, set within the Radisson Blu hotel, delivers a traditional tiered high tea in an elegant CBD setting. Finger sandwiches, warm scones with jam and cream, and an assortment of pastries — beautifully presented, classically structured. Optional champagne and cocktail upgrades are available, and the menu caters for gluten-free, vegan and kids' preferences.
What stands out at Paradox is the range: the Chocolate High Tea ($85pp) is a popular seasonal offering, and the children's menu ($40pp) makes this one of the more family-friendly CBD options. Open seven days, which means it works for weekday catch-ups without the weekend booking scramble.
Perfect for: A reliable, polished CBD high tea that caters well to mixed groups and dietary needs.
The Rocks
The Fox Hole — Best Gin High Tea in Sydney
Where: 117 Harrington Street, The Rocks Price: $85pp (with gin cocktail teapot) / $110pp (bottomless gin cocktails) Hours: Saturday–Sunday, 12:00pm–5:00pm
Situated in a beautifully restored heritage building in The Rocks, The Fox Hole has carved out a niche as Sydney's definitive gin high tea venue. The three-tier afternoon tea comes alongside glass teapots filled with handcrafted gin cocktails — choose from creative blends like English Garden, Cornish Punch or Rosemary Lemonade — and a bottomless option is available for those who want an extended afternoon. Over 100 gins on the list, so there's no shortage of variety.
Traditional tea and coffee are available if gin isn't your thing, and gluten-free and vegan options are offered. The heritage interiors — cosy, warm-lit, intimate — are a genuine draw in themselves.
Perfect for: A group celebration or date afternoon with something distinctly different.
Darling Harbour
Hyatt Regency Sydney — Best Five-Star Darling Harbour Experience
Where: 161 Sussex Street, Sydney (Darling Harbour) Price: From $99pp adults / $50pp children (6–12) Hours: Saturdays, 2:30pm–5:00pm
The Hyatt Regency's Lobby Bar overlooks Darling Harbour, giving it a distinctly Sydney waterfront setting. The current signature experience is the Hendrick's Gin High Tea — a modern twist on tradition where botanical gin cocktails are paired with a carefully curated selection of sweet and savoury creations. Two signature Hendrick's Gin & Tonics are included per person alongside the food.
Being a five-star hotel, the service is impeccable and the room is polished, making this a genuinely luxurious afternoon that won't feel generic. Gluten-free and vegan options available. Saturday-only sessions mean advance bookings are essential.
Perfect for: A sophisticated Saturday occasion with a modern edge.
Sydney Opera House
Midden by Mark Olive — Most Unique High Tea in Sydney
Where: Western Broadwalk, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point Price: $75pp (Native High Tea) / $85pp (with Lorimer NV sparkling) Hours: Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday, 10:00am–4:30pm. Pre-book at least 72 hours ahead.
There is nowhere else in Sydney — or Australia — quite like this. Midden is led by celebrated Bundjalung chef Mark Olive and delivers an Indigenous-inspired high tea on the Western Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House, with harbour views extending across the water in every direction.
The menu is the experience: native botanicals throughout, savouries including salmon, prawn sliders and kangaroo sausage rolls, lemon myrtle scones, riberry pavlova, and wattleseed sweets. Premium Indigiearth teas infused with Australian botanicals replace the standard tea selection. It's a high tea that tells a genuine story about Australian ingredients and First Nations food culture, which gives it a dimension that standard luxury hotel experiences don't have.
For visitors to Sydney, this is the one to book first. For locals, it's the kind of experience that tends to get overlooked simply because it's on your doorstep.
Perfect for: Visitors to Sydney, anyone who wants a genuinely unique cultural experience.
Haymarket
Willow Tea Room — Best for Matcha Lovers
Where: 13 Hay Street, Haymarket Price: $50pp (Hay St High Tea) / $65pp (Matcha High Tea, bookings required, min 2 people) Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00am–6:00pm
Willow Tea Room has built a loyal following in Haymarket on the strength of its matcha programme. The signature Matcha High Tea ($65pp) is built around premium matcha-infused pastries, petit fours and cakes — and comes with your choice from the Mushy Matcha menu, with an optional glass of bubbles. The standard Hay St High Tea ($50pp) is a rotating seasonal showcase sourcing from several of Paddy's Market's best producers.
A neighbourhood-scale venue rather than a hotel-scale one, which means a warmer, more relaxed atmosphere and much easier weekend bookings than the CBD hotel circuit. The Matcha High Tea requires 48 hours advance booking — worth it.
Perfect for: Matcha fans, a casual weekday afternoon, or a relaxed option near Darling Harbour.
North Shore — Mosman
Burnt Orange — Best North Shore High Tea
Where: 1108 Middle Head Road, Mosman Price: $65pp (traditional) / $75pp (with sparkling) / $100pp (cocktail) / $45pp children Hours: Wed–Fri 12pm–4pm, Sat 12pm–5:30pm, Sun 3:30pm–5:30pm
Perched high above Sydney Harbour in Mosman, Burnt Orange occupies a lovingly restored 1920s sandstone mansion that was once a historic golf clubhouse. Wrap-around verandas, panoramic harbour and bushland views, and a kitchen that produces genuinely good food — three-tier stands of finger sandwiches, savoury tarts, scones with jam and cream, and petite desserts made in-house.
The cocktail add-on is worth noting: for $15 extra you can choose from options like a Downton Abbey Gin Fizz, Aperol Spritz or Espresso Martini alongside your high tea. Large group bookings are welcome on weekends. Gluten-free and kids' menus available.
Perfect for: Groups, North Shore locals, or anyone who wants harbour views without the CBD.
Western Sydney
Lil Miss Collins — Best High Tea in Parramatta
Where: 13 Wentworth Street, Parramatta (moments from Parramatta Station) Price: $29pp (Mini) / $59pp (Grand) / $79pp (Bottomless) / $39pp (Kids) Hours: Daily, 9:00am–1:30pm
Lil Miss Collins is a family-owned café set in a converted industrial space in Parramatta, with vintage character, lush greenery and a distinctly welcoming atmosphere. High tea here feels genuinely different from the hotel-lounge circuit — rustic, creative, and excellent value. The Grand High Tea ($59pp) delivers three savouries, three sweet treats and scones; the Bottomless option ($79pp) adds unlimited Mimosas and a mini cheese platter.
The standout menu item is The Royal Chai Affair ($59pp) — an Indian-style high tea featuring masala chai, samosas, bombay sandwiches, bhel salad, gulab jamun and barfi alongside scones. It's one of Sydney's most distinctive high tea menus and reflects the Western Sydney food scene at its best.
Perfect for: Western Sydney locals, families, anyone who wants something creative and affordable.
Biviano's Dural — Best Hills District High Tea
Where: 628 Old Northern Road, Dural Price: $59pp (Traditional) / $69pp (with sparkling) / $75pp (Pretty in Pink with gin cocktail) Hours: Thursday–Friday 12:30pm–2:30pm, Saturday 1:00pm–3:00pm
With over two decades of hospitality excellence, Biviano's in Dural is one of Sydney's most established high tea destinations. The setting is beautiful — a light-filled dining room with landscaped gardens — and the service reflects the venue's long experience: consistent, polished and attentive.
Three-tier stands of freshly baked scones, delicate finger sandwiches, and exquisite sweet pastries, paired with premium T2 loose-leaf teas or coffee. The 'Pretty in Pink' package ($75pp) adds a signature gin cocktail and makes for a festive afternoon. Private room available for groups over 20. Free parking on site.
Perfect for: Hills District locals, groups and celebrations with a touch of elegance.
Beyond Sydney — Worth the Drive
Brookfield House — Best Heritage Country House (Camden)
Where: 30 Hill Street, Camden, NSW Price: From $43pp (Light Tea) to $68pp (Vivaldi Quartel); kids $38pp Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 9:00am–4:00pm
About an hour south-west of Sydney, Brookfield House is a beautifully restored heritage manor in Camden with lush gardens and a whimsical, light-filled atmosphere. High tea here is generous — the Vivaldi Quartel ($68pp) includes two scones, four savouries and four sweet treats with tea or coffee. The menu caters extensively for dietary needs: dedicated gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and low-sugar packages are all available.
Kids' high tea is $38pp, making this one of the better family options in Greater Western Sydney. Street parking, and a lift for accessibility.
Perfect for: A leisurely day trip from Sydney, families, and groups with diverse dietary requirements.
Cambewarra Estate — Best Vineyard High Tea (Shoalhaven)
Where: 520 Illaroo Road, Bangalee, NSW (approx 2 hrs from Sydney) Price: $55pp (standard) / $88pp (VIP High Tea) Hours: Friday–Sunday, 11:00am–4:00pm
Cambewarra Estate is a boutique family-owned vineyard nestled at the base of Cambewarra Mountain on the NSW South Coast. The high tea ($55pp) is served on tiered stands with savoury bites, freshly baked scones, and petite desserts — and you can add a glass of the estate's own sparkling or local wine for a genuinely vineyard-appropriate treat.
The VIP High Tea ($88pp) gives you exclusive access to the estate's famous oversized pastel pink teacup among the vines — two hours, a glass of bubbles included, and the most photographed setting on the property. Free parking, gluten-free and vegan options available.
Perfect for: A South Coast weekend getaway, wine lovers, or an unforgettable vineyard setting.
Bygone Beautys — Best Blue Mountains Day Trip (Leura)
Where: 20 Grose Street, Leura, NSW (approx 1.5 hrs from Sydney) Price: From approximately $55–70pp — check current pricing on the venue page Hours: Check current opening hours directly with the venue
Bygone Beautys in Leura is one of the most beloved high tea destinations in NSW — a heritage tearoom filled with antique teapots, vintage china and the kind of old-world charm that's genuinely rare. The scones are excellent, the tea list is extensive, and the surrounding village of Leura is one of the prettiest in the Blue Mountains.
Best treated as part of a Blue Mountains day trip — pair it with a walk at Wentworth Falls or the views at Echo Point, and you have one of the finest day trips from Sydney.
Perfect for: A memorable Blue Mountains day out, heritage high tea lovers, visiting family.
Pricing Summary
| Venue | Location | Price pp | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aperture Capella Sydney | CBD | $98 | Daily |
| Hyatt Regency Sydney | Darling Harbour | From $99 | Saturdays |
| The Fox Hole | The Rocks | From $85 | Weekends |
| Loftus Lane Café | CBD/Circular Quay | From $69 | Daily |
| Paradox Sydney | CBD | From $85 | Daily |
| Midden by Mark Olive | Opera House | From $75 | Wed/Sat/Sun |
| Burnt Orange | Mosman | From $65 | Wed–Sun |
| Biviano's Dural | Dural | From $59 | Thu–Sat |
| Willow Tea Room | Haymarket | From $50 | Wed–Sun |
| Brookfield House | Camden | From $43 | Wed–Sun |
| Lil Miss Collins | Parramatta | From $29 | Daily |
| Cambewarra Estate | Bangalee | From $55 | Fri–Sun |
| Bygone Beautys | Leura | Check venue | Check venue |
When to Book
Most Sydney high tea venues require advance bookings, and popular spots fill weeks ahead on weekends. As a general guide:
- Weekdays: 3–7 days is usually enough for most venues
- Weekends: 2–4 weeks minimum for CBD and popular suburban venues
- Midden by Mark Olive: Must be booked at least 72 hours in advance
- Special occasions (Mother's Day, Christmas, Valentine's Day): 4–8 weeks ahead — these sell out fast
Browse More Sydney High Tea
View all venues, filter by area, and check current menus and availability:
- All High Tea in Sydney — full directory with interactive map
- Luxury High Tea Sydney — five-star hotel experiences
- High Tea in Sydney CBD — city centre venues
- Kids & Family High Tea Sydney — venues with children's menus
- Afternoon Tea Sydney — classic tiered experiences
Prices and opening hours are based on current venue listings. Always confirm directly with the venue before booking as these may change.
