Melbourne loves a good high tea, but I'd never come across one quite like this. Eleni's Kitchen + Bar in Yarraville has taken the very British ritual of finger sandwiches, scones and free-flowing tea and given it a full Greek makeover — and the result is one of the most genuinely distinctive high teas I've come across in this city. If you love Greek food and you love high tea, this is the mash-up you didn't know you needed.
I've eaten at Eleni's a handful of times over the years — it's a bit of a Yarraville institution — but this was my first time trying the new Greek High Tea concept, inspired by owner Thierry Mana's yiayia's kitchen. It's the kind of idea that sounds like a novelty on paper but, once you're sitting in front of three tiers of honey-drenched baklavadakia and taramosalata tartlets, makes total sense.
Melbourne's high tea scene has exploded over the past few years, from grand hotel affairs at the likes of the Windsor and the Langham through to quirky themed sittings built around everything from Bridgerton to Wonderland. What most of them have in common, though, is that they're still working from the same British blueprint — scones, cucumber sandwiches, a tiered cake stand of pastel macarons. Eleni's is one of the few I've come across that throws that blueprint out entirely and rebuilds the format around a completely different culinary tradition, and it's all the more memorable for it.
What Is Eleni's Greek High Tea?
The concept is simple: take the traditional three-tier high tea format and fill every layer with Greek flavours instead of the usual cucumber sandwiches and Victoria sponge. It's served in Thierry's Champagne Room at Eleni's, an intimate and sophisticated space filled with Greek art and music, and every session opens with a glass of Sparkling Prosecco followed by free-flowing tea for the rest of the sitting.
What struck me most was how generous the spread is. This isn't a token savoury item followed by a wall of sweets — Eleni's Greek High Tea delivers just as strongly on both fronts, which is rare for high tea in Melbourne and one of the reasons I'd call it genuinely good value.
The Savoury Tier
The savoury selection reads like a love letter to a Greek yiayia's kitchen table:
- Tzatziki & Cucumber on Rye Crisp — strained yoghurt, grated cucumber, fresh dill, a whisper of garlic and extra virgin olive oil on toasted rye
- Taramosalata & Pickled Caper Tartlets — whipped fish roe with lemon, nestled in pastry shells with pickled capers
- Spanakopita Bites — individual filo parcels of spinach and Greek feta, brushed with olive oil
- Heirloom Tomato & Whipped Greek Feta Tart — softened tomato and whipped feta on a tart shell, topped with dried oregano
- Poached Chicken Finger Sandwiches — tender poached chicken breast in a herb-infused mayonnaise dressing, served with a dash of Tabasco
The taramosalata tartlets and spanakopita bites were standouts for me — light, well-seasoned and clearly made with care rather than mass-produced for the occasion. The tzatziki on rye in particular showed real restraint with the garlic, which is easy to overdo, and the pastry on the tartlets held up well without going soggy under the whipped roe. Even the chicken finger sandwiches, usually the most forgettable item on any high tea stand, had a bit of heat and personality thanks to the dash of Tabasco through the herbed mayonnaise.
The Sweet Tier
Then comes the part most people will be here for. The sweet tier leans hard into traditional Greek dessert territory, and it's generous:
- Baklavadakia — miniature hand-rolled filo layered with almonds, walnuts and cinnamon, drenched in honey syrup
- Galaktoboureko Petit Fours — silky custard in crisp filo, glazed with citrus-lemon syrup and a dusting of cinnamon
- Kourabiedes — crumbling ouzo-scented almond shortbread, blanketed in icing sugar
- Rizogalo — Yiayia Eleni's traditional rice pudding with cinnamon
- Housemade Scones — served with a generous amount of Chantilly cream and homemade berry jam
The scones deserve a special mention — they're large, properly housemade, and paired with an abundance of cream that a lot of high teas skimp on. The baklavadakia, unsurprisingly, disappeared fastest at our table, and I'd argue it's the dish that best captures what this menu is trying to do: something familiar in format, but entirely its own in flavour. The kourabiedes, dusted heavily in icing sugar with just a whisper of ouzo underneath, were a close second, while the rizogalo brought a comforting, home-style note that felt like exactly what a yiayia would serve on a Sunday afternoon.
What I appreciated most is that nothing here felt like it had been simplified or watered down for a high tea crowd. These are proper Greek recipes, scaled down to bite size, not a token nod to the theme — the same care I've come to expect from the city's best Greek restaurants in Melbourne.
The Tea & Drinks List
Every sitting starts with a glass of Sparkling Prosecco, followed by free-flowing tea for the rest of your time in the room — a nice touch for anyone who usually associates Yarraville's drinks scene with its bars rather than its tea list. The tea list itself is worth pausing on:
- Greek Mountain Tea — dried sideritis flower, earthy and floral
- Chamomile — natural sweetness with hints of apple, pear and honeysuckle
- Peppermint — subtly sweet with a clean, sharp finish
- Earl Grey — deep, malty and slightly smoky
- Lemongrass & Ginger — spicy with a lingering ginger kick
- English Breakfast — served with milk, for the traditionalists
- Greek Coffee — brewed with sugar, served with kaimaki, for those who want something stronger
The Atmosphere
Part of what makes this high tea feel special is the room itself. Thierry's Champagne Room at Eleni's is intimate and charming, decorated with Greek art and filled with Greek music playing softly in the background. Service was warm and attentive throughout, which matters when you're settling in for a long, lingering afternoon.
Two Greek ladies at a nearby table, who'd just returned from a trip to Greece, summed it up better than I could: "This is Greece coming to us." That's really the magic of what Eleni's has pulled off here — it takes the format of a very English tradition and makes it feel unmistakably Greek, without ever feeling like a gimmick.
It's also worth saying that this is a high tea built for lingering rather than rushing. With free-flowing tea and Prosecco on arrival, the two-hour window is generous enough to work through every tier at a relaxed pace, and the room lends itself to conversation rather than feeling like a tightly timed sitting. If you're planning a birthday, a catch-up with friends, or simply an excuse to get out to Yarraville on a weekday afternoon, this is the kind of high tea that rewards taking your time.
And Yarraville itself makes the trip worthwhile beyond the high tea alone. The suburb has quietly built one of the best food and coffee scenes in Melbourne's western suburbs, and it's home to a few of the city's best cheap eats too, so there's plenty to fill the rest of the day if you're making the trip out west.
Practical Details
- Where: Eleni's Kitchen + Bar, Yarraville
- When: Thursdays and Saturdays, 1:00–3:00pm
- Running until: Extended through to August 29
- Price: From $64pp Thursdays, $74pp Saturdays
- Includes: Glass of Sparkling Prosecco on arrival, free-flowing tea
- Bookings: Essential, via Eleni's website
FAQ: Eleni's Greek High Tea, Yarraville
What is included in the price of Eleni's Greek High Tea?
Your ticket includes a full three-tier Greek high tea spread of savoury bites and sweet pastries, a glass of Sparkling Prosecco on arrival, and free-flowing tea for the duration of your sitting.
How much does Eleni's Greek High Tea cost?
Sessions start from $64 per person on Thursdays and $74 per person on Saturdays.
When is Greek High Tea served at Eleni's?
Sittings run Thursdays and Saturdays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, extended through to August 29.
Do I need to book ahead?
Yes, bookings are essential and can be made through Eleni's Kitchen + Bar's website given the limited-run nature of the sessions.
Is Eleni's Greek High Tea suitable for vegetarians?
Several savoury items, including the spanakopita bites and the heirloom tomato and whipped feta tart, are vegetarian, though it's worth checking directly with the venue if you have specific dietary requirements.
Where is Eleni's Kitchen + Bar located?
Eleni's Kitchen + Bar is located in Yarraville, one of Melbourne's inner-west foodie strongholds.
The Verdict
Eleni's Greek High Tea works because it doesn't try to force Greek flavours into a British format for the sake of novelty — it genuinely reimagines what high tea can be. The spread is generous on both the savoury and sweet sides, the setting is warm and characterful, and the whole experience feels distinctly, unmistakably Greek from start to finish. It also stacks up well on value: at $64-$74 per person with Prosecco and free-flowing tea included, it sits comfortably alongside — and in some cases undercuts — the big hotel high teas around the city, while offering something none of them can match in terms of originality.
For anyone who loves Greek food, or simply wants a high tea experience that isn't the same scone-and-clotted-cream formula you'll find everywhere else in Melbourne, this is well worth booking before the run ends on August 29. Go with a group, go hungry, and don't rush the tea list — the Greek Mountain Tea alone is worth lingering over.
Come hungry. You'll leave dreaming of Greece.