High Tea at The Tea Room QVB
Beautiful, elegant high tea.
A glamorous way to enjoy a high tea experience. Ladies, don that make up, and wear a pretty floral dress. Guys, your chance to dress up in a suit without the tie. Or leave the tie on if you wish.
The Tea Room is located on the Market Street end of the Queen Victoria Building (QVB), and was once the original Queen Victoria Building ballroom, turned library, and now turned tea house. Find yourself right outside the Fat Buddha Chinese Restaurant, and then head up the stairs, and high tea fun awaits.
Turned up to a ladies high tea event, and despite the crowds for this private function, the experience was amazing. Their high tea dishes are served in the most elegant dinnerware, and so appropriate, because The Great Gatsby film is soon coming out, as at the time of writing this. Their sparkling afternoon tea ($49 per person) was rather fancy, and not something you do everyday, and not if you're not too keen on scones in particular.
The scones and filo pastries
The experience starts with either some traditional tea or coffee, with refills available. The tea does get a bit cold too quickly, yet the dinnerware makes the experience too good to not complain, so you don't, unless you have to head to the bar to tell the waitress that they did not bring you your glass of sparkling champagne. Otherwise the Tempus Two champagne experience was divine. Apart from shy staff, or otherwise not overly friendly; the high tea experience was enjoyed here without any regrets.
Enjoying a finger sandwich
The scones look like rock cakes, and you need to share it with the person you're enjoying the experience with. Delicious strawberry jam with the fluffiest cream one has ever tasted in a high tea. The scones will leave you full. The finger sandwiches are otherwise delicious, and some even come out on brown bread. Gluten free packages are also available. Best to advise at the time of booking, and bookings are essential.
Tucking into the savoury stuff
The filo pastry with spinach is rather nice, but too cold. Took a family member with me, and we had to leave some of the food behind on the tower. There was too much. Their macarons look delicious, yet the middle wasn't set...the 'glue' that holds the macarons together was too runny. It feels rude to always use your serviette here. Otherwise the elegance is good to try here once.
Beautiful cream and jam for the scones
The pastry is too thin and buttery on both the sweet and savoury tarts. Otherwise anything with custard, fruit and passionfruit is well worth eating and not leaving behind. It is a pity to leave good food behind. Do not book in for a high tea experience if you're still hungover from the night before. Bad timing, and too many parties at once can smash us Sydney siders alive, in tandem with the fast paced lifestyle we have to adapt to enjoying. High tea slows us down, and Sydney, we love it. A mixed bag experience here. I think there is better high tea value elsewhere, yet it is worth it to try this place out for a high tea experience at least once.
Rating: 6/10
Where: The Tea Room, Queen Victoria Building (level 3)
Why: For an elegant, old school high tea experience.
Cost: $49 per person.
When: Need to book ahead. Saturday's are good.
Good for kids: No
Take away: No
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236913 - 2023-07-18 00:49:42