There's something about a tiered stand piled with finger sandwiches, warm scones and impossibly pretty petit fours that never gets old. Melbourne does high tea better than most cities in the world, from centuries-old tea rooms tucked inside heritage arcades to five-star hotel lounges dripping in chandeliers. I've spent years working my way through the best of them, from a Moët-fuelled afternoon at Crown to a caviar-and-chocolate showstopper at The Westin, and I've pulled together the definitive guide to Melbourne's best high teas below. Last updated: August 2026
1. Mary Eats Cake, Brunswick & Montrose
I visited the Montrose venue for the Fancy Sparkling High Tea and it ticked every box, not just for the sweets but for a genuinely strong savoury lineup, which matters a lot to me when I'm judging a high tea. Standouts were the citrus poached prawn petite loaf and the pecorino King Edward croquette, alongside bottomless sparkling, wine, beer or mocktails, bottomless house-blended teas you can build yourself, and a fruit and cheese board to finish. It's a generous, luxe offering for the price, with engaging staff and a real touch of class about the whole experience. The Brunswick venue on Sydney Road has a livelier, gritty-glam energy if you'd rather stay closer to the city.
Where: 558 Sydney Road, Brunswick & 13 Leith Road, Montrose
2. Collins Coffee House, Melbourne CBD
Set inside a beautifully restored heritage building on Collins Street, Collins Coffee House has become one of the CBD's most-loved high tea spots. I've sampled their High Tea in a Box, which delivers the full experience straight to your door seven days a week, baked fresh daily and beautifully packaged — think roasted butternut pumpkin and sage tart, ricotta and baby spinach filo pie, a chicken waldorf ribbon sandwich and scones with Yarra Valley pure cream and raspberry preserve. It's every bit as good in person, with mismatched Victorian furniture, bone china and a live violinist on weekends adding to the charm.
Where: 395 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
3. The Tea Rooms 1892, Block Arcade
If you want the real deal, this is it. Established in 1892 as the Hopetoun Tea Rooms, this is Australia's oldest tea room, tucked inside the mosaic-floored grandeur of the Block Arcade. Fine bone china, hanging chandeliers and Belle Époque flourishes set the scene for a properly traditional high tea — finger sandwiches, chicken liver pâté, smoked salmon pinwheels, petite desserts and scones with triple berry jam. It's Melbourne high tea history in one sitting, and still one of the most photographed rooms in the city.
Where: Shop 1&2, Block Arcade, 282 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
4. The Waiting Room, Crown Melbourne
I was invited in for the Moët and Chandon High Tea at The Waiting Room and it's easily one of the best high teas we've experienced, hands down. Everything is made from scratch, including the pastries, and the menu ticked every box across hot and cold savoury and sweet — mini lobster and prawn brioche, smoked burrata tart, spinach and porcini arancini, confit salmon rillettes and a braised beef brisket burgundy pie among the highlights, alongside bottomless tea and coffee and a glass of Moët Imperial Brut (with the option to go bottomless on the champagne for two hours). Service was five-star throughout, and the velvet-draped, dimly lit room adds real theatre to the whole experience. Menus rotate regularly, so it's always worth checking what's currently running.
Where: Crown Towers Melbourne, Southbank
5. Aria Bar & Lounge, The Langham Melbourne
I spent an indulgent afternoon at The Langham for their Paddington High Tea, a specially created menu from the hotel's Executive Pastry Chef featuring Paddington classics like a marmalade sandwich, suitcase ginger and rose lamington, and Paddington macarons, alongside miniature sweet and savoury treats and freshly baked scones with fresh cream and fruit preserves. Tea sommeliers help you pick your blend, and yes, I got a selfie with Paddington himself, who helped host the afternoon. It was genuinely one of the more fun and memorable high teas I've been to, set beneath the hotel's grand marble staircase and crystal chandeliers overlooking the Yarra. The Langham regularly refreshes its afternoon tea concept, so keep an eye on what's currently running.
Where: 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank
6. The Westin Melbourne
I visited the Lobby Lounge for High SocieTea, built around the themes of caviar, cheese and chocolate, paired with a glass of Rob Dolan wine. I have a real penchant for savoury over sweet in a high tea, and The Westin hit the mark on every front — the juniper-cured Ora King salmon with wild scampi caviar in a handmade charcoal tart was a personal favourite, alongside a baked Le Conquérant camembert taken to another level with truffle, and Murray region pulled lamb with Woodside saltbush chèvre chaud that was an outright showstopper. It's a highly impressive, slightly decadent affair, set beneath the hotel's eye-catching spiral staircase. The everyday seasonal high tea is more restrained but still generous, and available every day of the week.
Where: 205 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
7. The Hotel Windsor
No list of Melbourne high teas is complete without the Windsor. Built in 1883, it's the city's only surviving grand Victorian-era hotel, and afternoon tea has been served here in some form since it opened — making it older than the Ritz in Paris or the Savoy in London. The One Eleven Tea Lounge serves it as it should be: ribbon sandwiches, savoury canapés, scones with housemade strawberry jam, and a proper pot of the signature Windsor Blend, with French sparkling wine poured on arrival. Weekends bring a chocolate fountain and dessert table. It's the most old-world experience on this list, and deliberately so.
Where: 111 Spring Street, Melbourne CBD
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best high tea in Melbourne?
There's no single answer — it depends what you're after. For heritage and tradition, The Tea Rooms 1892 and The Hotel Windsor are unmatched. For sheer spectacle and generosity, The Waiting Room at Crown and The Westin's seasonal specials consistently deliver the most memorable menus in the city.
How much does high tea cost in Melbourne?
Prices generally range from around $50 to $60 per person at more casual venues up to $100–$150 per person at five-star hotels with champagne included. Weekend and public holiday surcharges are common across most CBD venues.
Do I need to book high tea in advance?
Yes, almost always. Most venues on this list prepare high tea fresh to order and require bookings at least a day in advance, with full prepayment often required at the time of booking.
Which Melbourne high teas cater for dietary requirements?
Most venues on this list offer vegetarian and gluten-free options with advance notice, and several, including Collins Coffee House and The Tea Rooms 1892, cater specifically for a range of dietary needs. It's worth confirming directly with the venue when booking, particularly for vegan or allergen-specific requirements.
The Verdict
Melbourne's high tea scene is as strong as it's ever been, and what stands out is the variety. You can go properly traditional at the Windsor or the Tea Rooms 1892, glamorous and theatrical at Crown or the Langham, or generous and savoury-forward at The Westin, Mary Eats Cake or Collins Coffee House. Whichever direction you go, book ahead, come hungry, and don't skip the scones.