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The Canberra guide to high teas

Jil Hogan
Jil Hogan

High Tea on the Terrace at Burbury Hotel.
High Tea on the Terrace at Burbury Hotel.Supplied

There's something quite fancy about a high tea, and what's not to love about relaxed grazing on an extensive range of tasty morsels and endless cuppas? Plus there's usually sparkling wine involved. Here are some of Canberra's best high teas:

Best for: dining with a view

High tea on the terrace at Burbury Rooftop

At Burbury Hotel they take high tea to the next level - level 7 that is. Lap up the sweeping views across leafy Barton towards Lake Burley Griffin while dining on a tiered plate of delicate savouries, French cakes and tarts, and scones. Sip on tea and coffee, add a glass of champagne, or lash out with the free-flowing champagne option.

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Available: Saturdays and Sundays with sittings at 12pm or 2.30pm.

Price: $50 high tea, $60 with a glass of champagne, $105 with free-flowing champagne.

1 Burbury Close, Barton. Bookings on hightea@burburyhotel.com.au or (02) 6163 1894.

Canberra high teas. Buvette Brunch at Hotel Realm.
Canberra high teas. Buvette Brunch at Hotel Realm.Supplied

Best for: those with a savoury tooth

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Buvette Brunch at Buvette

If you're less about cakes and scones and more about cheese and oysters, this is your kind of afternoon. Available every Sunday, the Buvette Brunch is a European take on high tea. Start with a loaded plate of oysters, charcuterie, cheese and savouries, followed by a plate of petite desserts to finish. It comes with a glass of wine, but you can also add bottomless mimosas.

Available: Sundays from 11:30am – 2:30pm.

Price: $55 per person including a glass of wine. Add bottomless mimosas for $20.

18 National Circuit, Barton. Bookings on buvette@domahotels.com.au or (02) 6163 1818.

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Best for: the buffet-lover

High tea buffet at the Canberra Hyatt

When you think high tea in Canberra, the first place that comes to mind is undoubtedly the Hyatt. They serve up all the high tea you can handle with their weekend buffet. Over the 2.5 hour sessions, load up on an extensive range of high tea morsels, from finger sandwiches and savoury pastries, to cakes, scones and desserts. High tea comes with a glass of sparkling wine on arrival for the adults, plus unlimited tea and coffee. There's also a price for the kids.

Available: Friday 2.30-5.30pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2.30-5.30pm and 11am-1.30pm.

Price: Adult $65, kids (aged 4-12) $45.

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120 Commonwealth Ave, Canberra. Bookings on (02) 6269 8815.

High tea at Hoi Polloi, Old Parliament House.
High tea at Hoi Polloi, Old Parliament House.Supplied

Best for: those with intolerances

High tea at Hoi Polloi, Old Parliament House.

The name Hoi Polloi may refer to the commoners and the great unwashed, but there's nothing undignified about the high tea at Old Parliament House. Held in the building's former members bar, this high tea serves up all usual suspects on a tiered plate, but also has dedicated gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy free menus. Comes with a glass of sparkling wine, plus tea, coffee and sparkling water.

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Available: Saturday and Sunday at 11.30am or 1pm.

Price: $49 per person.

18 King George Terrace, Parkes. Bookings on (02) 6261 7200.

Canberra high teas. Chinese tea at Natural Nine.
Canberra high teas. Chinese tea at Natural Nine.Supplied

Best for: something a bit different

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Chinese high tea at Natural Nine, Canberra Casino

Had your fill of finger sandwiches? If you're after something a bit different. Natural Nine serves a Chinese take on high tea. Each person gets their own tiered plate filled with a sake salmon and cucumber roll, miso roast pumpkin dumplings, pork and prawn spring roll, and lap cheong radish cake. For dessert there is mini white chocolate and yuzu cheesecake, five spice mantou doughnut, pear broche, jasmine fudge, and a scone with matcha cream. Wash it down with a selection of teas.

Available: Friday and Saturday from 2.30-4.30pm.

Price: $35 per person or $45 with a glass of sparkling to start.

Natural Nine, Casino Canberra, 21 Binara St, Canberra. Bookings on (02) 6257 7074.

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Kids high tea at First Edition Bar and Dining.
Kids high tea at First Edition Bar and Dining.Supplied

Best for: the kids

Kids high tea at First Edition Bar and Dining

First Edition on level 1 at the Novotel Canberra this year introduced monthly high teas that are all about the kids. Parents get to sit back and relax for two hours with a glass of bubbly and a high tea spread while kids are entertained with activities such as face painting, arts and crafts, music, and dancing. There's a different theme each month, and all kids get to go home with a gift that they've created based on the theme. And they won't go hungry - they get to snack on a kid-friendly high tea buffet (including party pies of course). Bookings are recommended early for this one - it's been selling out every month.

Available: Held monthly, 11am-1pm. The next is Monday June 25, with a teddy bear picnic theme.

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Price: Adults $25, children aged 2-5 $35, under 2s are free.

Novotel Canberra, Level 1, 65 Northbourne Ave, Canberra. Bookings at firsteditioncanberra.com.au.

Tipsy Tea and White Rabbit.
Tipsy Tea and White Rabbit.Supplied

Best for: a mad hatter's tea party

Tipsy Tea at White Rabbit Cocktail Room

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Head down the rabbit hole for tipsy tea at White Rabbit Cocktail Room. On weekend afternoons, the cocktail bar turns mad hatters tea party with their tipsy tea from 2pm. Food includes savouries like spiced pork and fennel sausage roll with tomato chutney and quiche lorraine, followed by desserts of lemon meringue tarts and a section of macaroons. But the real fun is in the drinks - choose from one of four specially created cocktails (one even comes in a teapot) or you can swap it for champagne.

Available: Saturday and Sunday from 2pm.

Price: $65 per person

65 Northbourne Ave, Canberra. Bookings on info@whiterabbitroom.com.au or (02) 6257 7779 .

Best for: the guys

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The Gent's High Tea at QT Canberra

Not to say that your average man can't appreciate a good scone and finger sandwich, but QT Canberra's Gent's High Tea has been designed specifically with the guys in mind. It has a hearty, predominantly savoury menu, including pork and black truffle scotch egg, dry aged beef and barolo wine pie, and a prawn cocktail, with a chocolate cigar to finish. Get the group together for this one - you need a minimum of 10 people.

Available: Fridays and Saturdays in Lucky's speakeasy. Also available in Capitol Bar and Grill at other times.

Price: $39 per person, or $69 per person including a three hour beverage package (selected tap beers and wines).

1 London Circuit, Canberra. Bookings on (02) 6267 1200 or luckys_canberra@evt.com.

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Best for: a group

Bottomless Brunch at Muse

Next time you're put in charge of organising a birthday/hens do/birthday/baby shower/general catch up, Muse's Bottomless Brunch has you covered. Set in the bookshop, they'll fill the long table with a selection of fresh Three Mills Bakery pastries, cooked eggs, thick-cut bacon, seasonal salads and more. The sparkling wine is free-flowing, and all food, coffee, tea and juices is also included. They're also great at catering to dietary requirements and allergies.

Available: Saturdays 9am-noon or 1pm-4pm and Sundays 9am-noon. Minimum 10 people, up to a maximum of 24.

Price: Three tiers available depending on the wine chosen: $48 per person (house prosecco), $60 per person (Gallagher NV "Duet" Pinot Noir Chardonnay), or $80 per person (De Salis "Blanc de Noir").

East Hotel, 69 Canberra Ave, Kingston. Bookings on (02) 6178 0024.

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Jil HoganJil Hogan is an food and lifestyle reporter at The Canberra Times.

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