So you have decided you want to have High Tea, and you know that you need to prepare yourself, both…read morephysically and mentally. Your booking was made weeks ago, you have been on a starvation diet since breakfast and you are ready to go. You walk in the front door, to what appears to be a very small coffee shop but if you look closely, just to the right of the counter, there is a hallway to the many smaller tea rooms. All just waiting for you to hide away in and eat and tall and eat and talk for the rest of the afternoon. So, it is confession time: this review is solely about their High Tea. If you are here for some other reason, change your mind and order the high tea. WARNING: Your eyes are about to lie to you! you will think you can eat it all.. and you will be proved wrong. High tea consists of three courses.. * A savory course of delicate small sandwiches and mini pies and sausage rolls. * A scone course with jam and cream * A sweet course of small cup cakes, tarts and the odd macaron It also comes with an endless supply of tea (english breakfast, irish breakfast or peppermint tea were offered) or coffee (only percolated coffee) The coffee was quite good, however if they asked me to pay extra for an espresso based coffee I would have The scones were perfect and they must have been made only just before they came in as they had that perfect bounce a good scone has. The savory course was great. The only thing that I felt a bit let down by was some of the tarts and cakes in the sweet course were obviously made off-site and could have been a tad fresher (I may be being a bit too picky here) We were all slowed down by the scone course and stopped dead in the sweet course. The good news: anything you don't eat in, they will gladly package up for you to take home and have later... maybe when you have undone your belt buckle...

The Austen Tea Room is absolutely perfect!!! Its tucked away from the busy Mt Alexander rd, so its…read morenice and quiet whether you choose to dine inside or out! The staff are polite, attentive and welcoming! I bought my mum and grandmother here for Mother's Day and we were absolutely blown away! The decor is beautiful and charming , and the atmosphere is homely, yet, elegant :) Coffee = 11/10 (absolutely spot on! and i'm a self-confessed coffee snob lol!) Tea = 11/10 Sweets and savouries = 11/10 I will certainly be returning! Thank you so very much, The Austen Tea Room, for hosting a wonderful high-tea! You do it brilliantly!

Located in historical block arcade. They do a great job with the display case. The tea room has a…read moretourist clientele as Tour groups passed through this area, which is how I spotted it. However, out of several dessert spots this is fine, but not a place I would return. I would prefer shops that are less crowded and frenetic. Although the tea room is quaint, seating is tight and service has more of a diner feel. Melbourne has some other great dessert shops, which I prefer.

What a great little spot to have high tea. We had finger sandwiches followed by scones, cream and…read moreJelly. You pick 2 tea served in a really pretty tea pot and a strainer. I had Buddha's finger. It was a delicious tea. Service is impeccable. Wish we had one closer to us. Just a real neat place.

Great food and plenty of it Service was a little slow but…read morethey were really busy Certainly go back again

So lucky to live in the Yarra Valley and enjoy the beautiful selection of food this place offers…read more The staff are kind and helpful and the bakehouse has a lovely, welcoming atmosphere. Incredible selection of pies, delicious sandwiches and great coffee. You must try the Vanilla slice or the carrot cake!

Took a break from Boxing Day sales frenzy to have a quick brekky here…read more Delivery boxes, half unpacked. Tables dirty and un-cleared. No customers inside. I had to poke my head in to make sure they were actually operating. But once we were seated, the service was friendly and warm and we opted for fruit salad and pancakes. The pancakes were a little flaccid and chewy, not fluffy and light as expected. However the macerated berries it came with was nice. Once the pancakes soaked up the berry juices it was much nicer. Fruit salad was a generous portion too and came with what tasted like a balsamic reduction and some yoghurt. Wasn't bad. Overall it was an "OK" place, nothing to blow your mind. Fine for taking a break from shopping, though not sure if service / Wait time differs when it's actually busy.

Gorgeous little tea room in St Collins street…read more Food: We had lemon tart and an orange mousse cake which I can't remember the name of. Both were really high quality with lovely flavours. I felt my orange cake was really delicate and light, very enjoyable. The presentation was exquisite and all the cakes looked equally beautiful. The decor and gorgeous teapots give a real feel of an English tea room. Atmosphere: Great relaxed atmosphere. We were seated outside - inside looked like it could get a bit crowded when busy. Lots of people enjoying coffee and a catch up or a relaxed brunch. It has the great advantage of being In a quiet arcade so much less of the hustle and bustle of the busier laneways. Service: We were greeted promptly, given a couple of minutes to browse the window display (which we requested, and I was pleased the waiter went away and didn't hover over our shoulders). Greeted again and shown to a table as soon as we started looking around for someone. Staff were friendly and seemed to enjoy being there which always makes a big difference. Only thing I would improve would be labelling the cakes in the window - it was impossible to match them up with the menu items and the cafe layout makes it awkward to point at items in the window. Would I go back: Yes definitely. I enjoyed both my cake and tea and there were lots of other cakes I'd like to go back and try. While there are other cafes that probably have the edge on Runya's in terms of their cakes, the relaxed atmosphere - and particularly the seating on the mall make this a very viable alternative.

This lovely place is full of pretty teapots, teacups and tea. I'm a huge tea drinker so I couldn't…read morehelp but wander in for a look. They have a number of premium teapot brands, from classic Japanese pots which feel like they weigh a ton, to the traditional British 4 cup. You'll also find all sorts of tea related trinkets: strainers for loose leaf tea, teaspoons and tea towels. And, of course, tea. I asked the sales assistant for some help finding a few new teas, and she was more than happy (even excited) to oblige. I gave her a few criteria and like magic she suddenly had three large tins of tea in front of me to smell. She did a great job at describing them all, and from my experience in drinking the tea I purchased from her, her knowledge and recommendations were spot on. The tea is reasonably be priced for premium tea, and is worth the little bit extra just to get the expert opinions. If you're looking for an awesome malty black tea to have with milk and sugar, try the Assam Dimakusi BOP. It's smooth, has a lovely aroma and isn't at all bitter. It's replaced Yorkshire as my favourite cup of tea! Just note that this isn't somewhere to sit down and have a cup of tea - The Tea Centre is purely retail. If you're hankering for a cup of tea and a scone, head down a level to The Tea Salon.

Kallista Tea Room has been on my to-visit list for a while and when we decided to drop in, at lunch…read moreon a weekday, I was very pleasantly surprised. Let's talk food: AMAZING. I had the chilli eggs and would heartily recommend: just the right amount of kick and full of flavour. Hubby had the brioche french toast, slightly elevated from your typical fare by the delicious addition of pear compote and coconut custard. A must have for all the sweet tooths out there. The prices were maybe a touch on the dearer side (think tourist pricing) though I personally think reasonable enough for the quality. As far as atmosphere think ecclectic-bush-hole-in-the-wall; a big tick in my book. With a laid-back, chill vibe it's perfect for a long, gossipy cuppa or just a quick bite to eat. Of note and one of the HUGE highlights for me was the picturesque native cockatoo viewing: free with lunch. The interior of the cafe has a section with this glorious picture window showing the local winged residents chilling, pruning and putting on a free show. It was as unexpected as it was delightful. I'll definitely be back: the high tea is calling my name.

Food was very nice, good atmosphere and enjoyed watching the birds…read moreantics................................

What a surprise!.. the Corner Post Cafe, Beaconsfield…read more This quaint little restaurant cafe tucked away on the bend of Woods street in Beaconsfield, Melbourne Victoria, Australia, is a pleasant surprise and a gastronomical gourmet just awaiting to tantalise and satisfy your appetite and palette. Open for breakfast and Lunch from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, it resides in modest but cosy 1878 colonial building, presumably first opened as a Post Office, complete with warm fireplace, multiple dining rooms and central open kitchen. The atmosphere is cosy and the staff are friendly and professional, and understand the concept of 'hospitality. The food is all and more you would hope and expect... some may say 'exquisite gourmet', others, like me "yummy, delicious and superb!" I'm not sure where Dunstan the Chef originally came from, but frankly Scarlet, it doesn't matter, because he is a passionate, dedicated Chef and a superb cook! We first accidentally arrived at the Corner Post Cafe on an outing one day, and just had a cafe latte with Dunstan's fresh home baked scones, jam and cream. Now in my time, as a leading Executive Chef having worked in some of the most prestigious establishments around the world, you can imagine, I have not only cooked a million scones, but also tasted as many. I bit into Dunstan's scone and my tastebuds were overwhelmed... in the best possibly way. They were nothing short of delicious and perfectly cooked... perfectly. We returned a few times to indulge in Dunstan's scones again, but then decided to branch out and try a lunch dish. I have to say, that was probably the best decision I made all that week. My wife and I shared one meal of a gourmet Beef, Mushroom and Burgundy Pie with salads and a side server of a delicious home made tomato chutney sauce, and a special of Salmon patties and fresh garden and potatoes salad. Well, the pie was indeed exquisite. It was constructed like something from a fairy tale, a perfectly cooked hightop puff pastry pie, with tender slow cooked beef and mushrooms in a perfectly balanced naturally thickened sauce... I mean, no starch to bulk it up, just pure natural demi glaze. The garden and potato salads were fresh, and properly cleaned and washed... one of my pet hates is restaurants that do not wash greens properly. The Salmon patties were light, but had enough body to feel like a proper meal, tasty with perfect seasoned balance. The accompanying salad included perfectly cooked asparagus and Chinese broccoli among an assortment of gourmet tomatoes, julienne of peppers, carrot, cucumber and eschallots, accompanied with a side server of a tasty homemade Aioli mayo. Both dishes were very well presented with care, and were a perfect balance. The prices were average, some a little less than others, but when the meals came out and we indulged, they were worth every cent. What a surprise, what a secret little find... we will certainly be going back to the Corner Post Cafe, and trying some of the Chef's other delights. We are going to try and make it for breakfast one day, as I have been told they do an excellent 'French Toast' with a twist, and I am intrigued. I have no hesitation in recommending this little treasure and if your don't enjoy it, I will eat my Michelin hat! Happy Dinning Chef Cristo

This place is nada. Gone. Kaput. No more. A new restaurant sits on site. And it's definitely not…read moreopen for Sunday brunch. Just so you know and don't rock up like I did only to be disappointed.

We had a great visit to the tea room when we visited the lighthouse. I had a delicious plain scone…read morewith clotted cream and blackberry jam. My friend had a salami toastie that was delicious. They had a basket with wrapped bread you could take for free as a paying customer. They have indoor and outdoor seating. They have a self serve water station. You order at the counter and they bring your food and drink to the table. There is a toilet.

This was one of those really fancy tea houses in a pretty fancy Melbourne shopping centre. Since I…read moredo enjoy my tea I decided that I would check it out one lunch time. Well, they certainly had a huge selection of teas available, though the problem was that like many places they seemed to assume that we all want our tea really, really strong. In fact it was so strong that I honestly wasn't able to drink it (though I did). Yeah, I wasn't really all that impressed.

Possibly the only people drinking coffee in The Tea Salon but it went a treat with the delicious…read morescones that we devoured. The scones initially seemed a little on the petite side but with the cream & jam were actually just enough. The Salon has a top 10 list of scones & we sampled 3 (Date & Orange; White Chocolate & Cranberry; Lemon, Pistachio & Currants). I wouldn't hesitate to head back again for more of the same!!!

Even before I moved to Melbourne, I had heard quite a lot about The Windsor Hotel's traditional…read moreafternoon tea. Being a fan of this tradition myself (who doesn't want to be served bite-sized sandwiches and cake while you sip on tea) I decided that a visit to The Windsor was definitely in order. Having served this traditional afternoon tea since 1883, my expectations were high. Keeping in mind that the Windsor is known for its poised, luxurious reputation, we got dressed up for an afternoon of cucumber sandwiches and sweet bite sized morsels. We were seated promptly, our order was taken and we requested for everything - tea, food and champagne to arrive at the same time. The bubbly and three-tier gourmet finger food arrived promptly but we sat there and chatted for at least 25 minutes before the tea finally made its entrance. Needless to say I was parched by then and couldn't understand why no one even explained the delay and when we enquired about this, the student who was serving us just smiled awkwardly and walked away. The cakes/ pastries were okay (nothing to scream about) and the finger sandwiches were a little dry for my liking (this happens when bread is left out so the sandwiches must have been made much earlier). I did like the scones with jam and cream though but I didn't appreciate having to wait yet again for my teapot to be refilled. And at $59 per person on weekdays and $79 per person on weekends - I certainly expected better and cannot see what the fuss is all about.

While not as classy as I was expecting, this was certainly a fun outing…read more The good: The scones and tea were excellent. The Windsor morning blend was nice and strong, and the scones were of a good consistency and flavour. It was also nice to have proper cream to go with them, instead of the whipped cream concoctions that you end up with at many other places. The venue is of course another plus - beautiful historic building, with nice china and table settings. The less impressive: The service was a bit underwhelming - all very nice and polite, but generally very young, and really just not the calibre I was expecting. The sandwiches were also a bit dry. It would have also been nice if there was some sort of music playing (jazz or something?) instead of silence.