A GEM, HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT!*…read more The Gatehouse Tea Rooms' gabled gothic architecture, bathed in dappled afternoon sunlight and set within a garden of topiary and roses is a touch of old England framed by beautiful big trees that embody Australiana. Built in 1887, this would have been a perfect synthesis of the old and new worlds in the colony. So what more perfect place could there be to do as the colony's crème-de-la-crème once did and take high tea here? I adored the quaint interior of this recently restored world heritage-listed cottage, looking out a bay window onto the glorious Old Government House across the way with soft jazz playing in the background; it all added to the charm. For only $39 per person** we enjoyed the Gatehouse's star attraction: a high tea full of delectable dainties; fresh sandwiches and quiche, zingy mini lemon meringue tarts, pastries, rich chocolate tarts, and teeny-weeny cupcakes, candy-pink macarons and jam and cream scones. By far, this was the best high tea I've ever had made all the more special, as it was Mothers Day. We enjoyed each and every morsel immensely and, since these were combined with unlimited top-ups to the gorgeous selection of teas we tried -- including Rose Gray (the best!), Goji Acai and Lime and Ginger Green Tea -- we were so satiated we were compelled to ask for a container to take some of our dainties home for later on when we recovered, which was graciously supplied by the lovely, attentive staff here. Evidently, high tea at the Gatehouse is an experience in and of itself, but if you are city-based and need further persuasion to come out to Parramatta to experience it, indulge me for just a moment; I can see you (OK...it's me) donning a velvety, Phryne Fisher-esque devoré cardigan-cum-kimono and enjoying a high tea in this historic gatehouse as a perfectly divine denouement to a day that began with a scenic ferry ride down the Parramatta river followed by a tour of a plethora of Parramatta's heritage sites, most of which are within easy walking distance of the Macquarie Street Gatehouse Tea Rooms. (Be sure to go for a turn around the old convict lumberyard -- now the wondrous Rumsey Rose Garden -- located directly behind the tea rooms. The Gatehouse is positively stunning from that angle!) Of course, if you're just looking for a quiet spot in the area and don't need the pomp and ceremony of a high tea, know that you can get a beautiful cappuccino, try one of their quality teas, milkshakes or iced coffees/chocolates, order a piece of cake or freshly-baked croissants filled with butter and seasonal jam or savoury muffins that come with highly recommended fresh cucumber yoghurt, too. Dropping in for a lovely bite and beverage is a cinch on the weekdays it is open, (Wednesday to Friday), but can be a slightly more considerable feat on the weekend when it gets very busy, so bookings are recommended. 'Twould seem the secret of this hidden gem is getting out, and rightly so! FIVE STARS. * Oft' I wax lyrical about the heritage gems t' be found within the bounds of Parramatta Park, and yet - I am ashamed to admit it - this one escaped my attention until recently. I found this charming little gatehouse cottage nestled in beside the entrance I most frequently use to enter the park - on Macquarie Street. In my defence, it only opened as tearooms in October 2013, but that doesn't explain how I hitherto failed to see this architectural beauty. The poor lass has only been standing there, looking utterly fabulous waiting to be noticed for 127 years! ** $39 per person is a brilliant price for high tea. Note that there is a full gluten-free high tea option for $44 per person as well! *Review originally written and posted 4 June 2014.

My partner and I are always on the hunt for a well made cup of tea in Sydney, better yet in NSW,…read moreand sadly this entire country does not offer up much in the way of tea. Many places boast high tea experiences (and in my opinion, most of these places are cutesy trimmings but lacking in substance, ie the tea), a few boast a broad range (but then can't brew it properly and ruin it anyway), and then you even have a few who think it's a boast to simply be serving loose leaf tea.... so for tea enthusiasts like us, we always feel like we are scraping the bottom of the barrel to find somewhere that not only stocks good tea but who can also brew it correctly. When my partner and I were just out for a scenic cycle through this beautiful area we stumbled across another tea house, expecting the same old same old but wanting to try it all the same. And "WOW. FINALLY", we thought, "A TEAHOUSE DESERVING OF THE NAME!" Absolutely exceptional. Couldn't flaw this place. Exceptional tea, scones that were so delightful we savoured every mouthful (with, what we feel confident in saying was freshly made cream with vanilla bean maybe? Incredible), extremely cheerful service by all staff, as well as prompt (even though we were a walk in no booking!), and what a beautiful setting to boot (it even backs onto a rose garden if you care for a stroll afterwards!). We absolutely can't wait to return and can finally say, "we've found a good teahouse in Sydney!". Love your work guys, thank you!

Burnt Orange is a great way to start your day. Located within Chatswood Chase, it's a little cafe…read moregreat for getting away from the hustle and bustle that is Chatswood. The table is set simply with fake flowers and fake vines overhang above giving the atmosphere of a garden escape. I myself had the buckwheat pancakes, which came out presented lovely. They were soft and fluffy and full of flavour, with fresh fruit, a fresh cranberry ricotta and maple syrup on the side. I had a coffee also, which was smooth, creamy and had lots of aroma! Very satisfied with my meal. My friend had the King Crab Benedict and thought it was a really innovative and yummy dish. The presentation was gorgeous again and the serving was generous. Eggs were cooked perfectly, hollandaise was really great and the crab was fresh. The only thing that didn't quite go was the brioche bread. She also had the super smoothie which was just as yummy! The staff were friendly, quick and efficient! Great place for a nice and swift breakfast or brunch on a weekend!

Had been wanting to try Burnt Orange for ages. Every time I walked past it was just luring me in,…read moreit's like a tea party garden vibe in the middle of a shopping centre! Friendly and eager service to start, which was great, but I wish the food had kept up the happy energy. In a nutshell, food is very, very pricey for what it is. I mean I get it, it's to cover the quality of ingredients used, Chatswood location, on top of that - Chatswood CHASE location which is bound to raise the cost of anything. But now knowing what's on offer, I'll be hesitant to pay that fee. To start off with the watermelon juice was $9. We were aware it was just a plain watermelon juice but it came out in an average sized cup, and honestly does not warrant that price. It was just a sign for things to come. I got the salmon nicoise salad which comes with a Jap style potato salad. $24 - not cheap. And not filling either. Yes, the ingredients were fresh and the olives were pretty good even though I usually can't stand olives. But it was the tiniest dish. The salmon was tasty but it too was so small. Potato salad also came with an unpleasant surprise of what looked to be over crispy bacon. Just overall not thrilled with this choice. The teriyaki tofu and chicken burger was quite salty, with teriyaki and mustard? It was a burger which required a lot of concentration to notice anything really, as the teriyaki was so strong and overpowered everything. Accompanying salad was quite lovely though. The menu has hints of Japanese throughout and changes seasonally? Actually not sure but it does update every so often so perhaps better luck next time? For now I'm just lingering on the fact that I left sad and hungry and had to have an early 5pm dinner to compensate.

This was a nice little spot on my afternoon walk around Sydney…read more They were extremely busy when I went and had no tables left. I had to go to the take out counter to order. I got a scone with clotted cream. It was pretty good. A bit on the dry side, sadly, but nice with the cream. They're busy for a reason though! The towers of tea sandwiches and pastries on the tables definitely had me jealous! Too bad I didn't get to really try them.

This time, last year, I was nearly 10,000 miles away in Australia…read more My first full morning, I had to grab a cuppa and a scone. The Australian way to say scone is to pronounce "skon" to rhyme with the word gone, not "skone" to rhyme with bone. So, I went to @TheTeaCosy, located in the oldest part of Sydney, known as the Rocks. What's a Tea Cosy? Also known as a tea warmer, it is a cover for a teapot, usually made of cloth. It was necessary to keep contents warm before the invention of vacuum flasks to keep hot liquids hot. It is a perfect name for this woman-owned business. The founder, Aisling Kinchin, founded her cafe, @theteacosy , in 2005. However, the business roots go back 20 years earlier. Aisling's mother opened the Irish Design Shop in 1985. Then, it became the Tara Tea Room before becoming The Tea Cosy. Sometimes, all three generations, Aisling, her mother, and her daughter, are all in the kitchen. I ordered their famous Devonshire scones, freshly baked daily and served with all-natural double thick cream and gourmet Australian-made jam. The initial serving comes with one jam, but I paid an additional AUD 3 for a second jam. I chose Strawberry and the staff favorite, Rhubarb, Raspberry and Vanilla jam flavors. For my tea, I decided to stay away from my traditional herbal teas and the fact that jetlag had me in a chokehold... I had the Creme Brulee.

Excellent vegan high tea. Drop dead gorgeous views right on the water. They also handled my husband…read morebeing celiac well too. Highly recommend. A bit tucked away but worth seeking it out.

While expensive this was a wonderful experience. We sat on the balcony and appreciated the view…read more The wind was really blowing and it was a little cool. The heaters could not keep up with the cool blowing wind. The scones were amazing. Tall and light. The clotted cream and jam were amazing. I am giving this a four star as it was expensive for two scones and a pot of tea. This is a place you visit for a special treat

The cakes on display and the shopfront is so beautiful and delicate! A real gem and I'm so glad I…read morevisited. Apart from cakes, they sell cupcakes and snack-sized tarts. I tried a cupcake and the icing was too hard and sweet for my liking, and the cake itself was a little dense and dry. But if I ever need a big cake for a special occasion, I'll be sure to visit Soiree. The fondant is perfect, the cakes look incredibly classy and intricate. Love the designs.

This place is amazing. The crepe cake and Nutella crepe cake are to die for. They're like 1,000…read moretiny crepes with an amazing homemade French pastry Creme in between every layer. The homemade whipped cream on top is also good. Huge selection of hot teas, and you've GOT TO TRY the Marie Antoinette Hot Chocolate. Made with pure melted Belgian dark chocolate, Almond Milk, orange blossom water, whipped cream, and topped with this crazy pink stuff called Persian Fairy Floss. Will definitely come back at least twice next time I'm in Australia. They also make the absolute coolest looking custom cakes, wish they could send one to America for my birthday haha

Such a grand old dame. You can almost imagine Jane Austen types in their corsets taking tea on the…read morebalcony and giggling behind lace gloves. I don't know if that's what people did back then, but that's what they do in my head. High tea here is as luvverly as you'd expect, there's egg salad sandwiches and marinated chicken sandwiches and little gorgeous desserts and small scones served with lashing of jam and cream, and more tea types than you'll be prepared to choose from - you were warned. Dress up and make it faaaancy, it's the only way to fly. Oh, and explore the house and grounds, they're rool noice mister.

Absolutely beautiful spot for high tea in a grand old mansion…read more The decor is beautiful here - bright open rooms with tasteful furnishings and crisp white linen on the table. We ordered the traditional high tea (one of which was vegetarian) and it was delicious. An excellent range of sandwiches, mini quiches, and of course dessert (doesn't it look great?). The service was lovely and attentive and prices reasonable for high tea. Highly recommend - nice change from the well known spots!

Beautiful interior with the huge chandeliers. It looked small but we walked out full and didn't…read morequite finish everything. And the food tasted wonderful! I felt so fancy!

The Tea Room is located in the 3rd floor of the Queen Victoria building (QVB) Elevator is slow -…read morejust take the stairs to save time. Even though we had a reservation, there was still a little wait at the top. Once inside the historic room, you can marvel at the decorative lofty ceiling and ornate chandeliers. Tables are arranged a little close to each other even though the room was barely half full. The room is airy and chilled so consider bringing a light jacket. Each person must select one set menu but they can be different set menus. There are also alcohol upgrades should you chiis Traditional High Tea Savory pastries - prosciutto thing, quiche Finger sandwiches, includes a spice eggplant, egg salad, ham and cheese, cucumber, curry and salmon (my favorite). Scone with jam and clotted cream. Pretty good - soft and warm on the inside. Sweet pastries Impressive quartet of blueberry, raspberry, choco cream and another dark red fruit tart. All are incredibly made with multi-layers and presented beautifully. Tea selection Each person can select either a green or black tea with different infusions. I tried the Irish whiskey cream - a very floral, assam blend with a flamboyant fragrance of whisky and cocoa. Undoubtedly a complex tea that commands a moment of silent contemplation to savor its flower garden aromas and flavors. Overall an elegant experience that I highly recommend because it complements the aura and history of the famous building (and modern shopping outlets). That's all...

Such good food, it's delicious. If I could eat here every day I would. The pork ramen is amazing! I…read moregive it 5 stars.

Love the tea and the sweets here! I wish there were more chocolate options other than the brownie,…read morebut it is AMAZING. You really don't need more. There are lots of tea options and they have descriptions of them as well.

Wonderful little tea bar. Try the refreshing tea soda. I had the green tea and Marrakech mint. Was…read morelovely and bubbly. They also had a ruby one with coconut and hibiscus I think. Gorgeous baked goods that I was too stuffed to even think about trying. Very nice hostess and charming shop.

My cousin and I did high tea here, and it definitely gave off a "Pinky up!" kind of vibe. The place…read morewas surrounded by the park, and it would have been a very nice view if it wasn't raining that day. Free private parking lot, and the park grounds are easy to navigate through. I was a little shocked by the price, but the 3 tier food spread and the atmosphere are top notch. The ~$100 bill at the end didn't seem that awful, especially since we ended up walking away with our leftovers. That's right! Despite everything being portioned out as fancy finger food, we were still stuffed to the point of barely touching the dessert tier. I don't know how often their menu rotates, but we were served things like smoked salmon with cavier and lamb sausage rolls. This place is a nice treat, but with the cost, I can't say this would be a regular stop for me. As a tourist though, it was definitely great to experience.

This tea house is tucked away on the grounds of Wentworth - Vaucluse house has some mighty pretty…read moregardens. We went here for the high tea and weren't disappointed. The champagne and tea flowed really well. It was $45 for the high tea, and we went dressed up in our Victorian regalia to ensure that we got the actual feel of the whole era in one. The 3 tiered cake holders were just adorable and the bites to eat on it were just as succulent. Well worth a trip out here to socialise with some friends over a cuppa and enjoy the greenery. I do have to say however that I love love loved the tea cups. The china made my heart sing. Ahhhhh tea!!! My other love! They have free parking on site as well if you would like to drive out here. Alternatively there are buses that go past the estate.