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Satisfy your midday cravings at the 8 best high tea lounges in Cape Town
Nestled in between a hearty lunch and a satisfying dinner is high tea, a nice cup of tea you have alongside savoury, filling meals and snacks.
Whether you’re just craving some food in the middle of the day or you observe this as part of your daily routine, high tea is a great food tradition to partake in!
I particularly love having high tea in Cape Town, as I can’t really have coffee, and I much prefer to have tea with my snacks and small meals. Cape Town is also home to some of the finest high tea cafes in the country, and I’m here to go through them for you!
The Cellars – Hohenort
Media from: thecellarshohenort
Website: https://www.thecellars-hohenorthotel.com/restaurants-bars/high-tea/
Address: 93 Brommersvlei Rd, Constantia Heights
Phone: +27 21 794 2137
Price: $$$
With a unique selection of sweet and savoury hors d’oeuvres that pair perfectly with their specialised teas, high tea at The Cellars – Hohenort was a memorable experience for me!
I took a friend here, and while it was a bit pricier than other options, the food was worth it! In my opinion, the best combo I got was the mango infusion tea with the smoked salmon rose—perfectly sweet, light, and smoky all at the same time.
My friend, meanwhile, has a bit of a sweet tooth, so she ended up really liking the dark chocolate tart alongside the Cherry Quince Rooibos.
Pro tips:
- The Cellars – Hohenort also serves coffee during high tea.
- Their high tea is only open during the weekends, so plan accordingly!
Cape Grace Hotel
Media from: capegracehotel
Website: https://www.capegrace.com/restaurant/afternoon-tea/
Address: V&A Waterfront, W Quay Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Phone: +27 21 410 7068
Price: $$
Cape Grace Hotel’s high tea actually takes place on a yacht overlooking the V&A Waterfront, giving a unique, seaside experience. With different kinds of sandwiches, crepes, and cones, the food served makes for a tasty, filling afternoon tea time!
As far as food goes, I think the highlight was the ratatouille frittata and the roast beef sandwich. I also really liked the rose oolong tea, which helped make the flavour of the food much lighter.
Cape Grace Hotel also hosts special high tea events, such as a Christmas in July-themed high tea, which serves Christmas cakes and delicate orange tuile dentelle. There’s also the Beau-Tea high tea event, which is an art workshop that brings together flowers, art, and fine tea.
Pro tip: For a stronger tea taste, I highly recommend the English breakfast pure black tea!
Orangerie at Le Lude
Media from: thegreedyspoon
Website: https://lelude.co.za/the-orangerie-restaurant/
Address: Bowling Green Avenue, Lambrechts Rd, Franschhoek
Phone: +27 21 876 2961
Price: $$
The Le Lude Wine Estate’s signature restaurant, the Orangerie, offers high tea at reasonable prices and even has a schedule for morning tea time! Their specialty is the Le Lude Classic, a signature tea which has a uniquely grapey aroma and citrusy flavour.
I went to the Orangerie’s morning high tea from 10:00 to 11:00 for a change of pace, and I had to reserve a slot the day before. Their food was delectable and fresh, with the smoked salmon and caper cream cheese sandwich being a standout dish.
As far as their tea goes, I really liked their specific style of chamomile tea. It was as calming and light as your usual chamomile, but it also tasted a little sweet!
Pro tip: Unfortunately, the Orangerie doesn’t have any gluten-free options on their menu, so plan accordingly.
Taj Cape Town
Media from: tajcapetown
Website: https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/hotels/taj-cape-town/restaurants/lounge-bar-cape-town
Address: 1 Wale Street, corner Saint Georges Mall, Wale St
Phone: +27 21 819 2000
Price: $$
A more elegant, bar-style lounge, the Taj Lobby Lounge is a relaxing place to have your high tea. With its grandiose interior design as well as Indian-inspired food and tea, the lounge offers a unique high tea experience.
I was particularly curious to try Taj’s high tea, since, as a big fan of Indian food, I was curious how this cuisine would translate to high tea. After trying their samosas and chicken pies, I was convinced that it was a match made in heaven!
As for tea, I opted for Darjeeling. Thankfully, it tasted better than any Darjeeling tea I’ve ever tasted!
Pro tip: Taj also specialises in cakes, with their chocolate cake and macarons being the clear highlights!
Mount Nelson
Media from: belmondmountnelsonhotel
Website: https://www.belmond.com/hotels/africa/south-africa/cape-town/belmond-mount-nelson-hotel/afternoon-tea
Address: 76 Orange St, Gardens
Phone: +27 21 483 1000
Price: $$
High tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel, in my opinion, is quite lively and luxurious, courtesy of the live bands, indulgent hors d’oeuvres, and the history behind their high tea tradition.
Mount Nelson was the first hotel to offer high tea in South Africa, beginning with the 7th Duchess of Bedford all the way back in 1840.
Nowadays, Mount Nelson continues that tradition with some of the most filling, delectable foods alongside a varied selection of teas, coffees, and even alcohol.
As a tea enjoyer myself, I really loved their Lavender Moringa tea, which was light, refreshing, and even a little creamy.
My friend, on the other hand, got the signature Mount Nelson tea, which he told me was a stunningly African twist on Darjeeling that used traditional flavours alongside pink rose petals. As for the food, we both loved their homemade cheese and herb scones.
Pro tip: If you’re lucky, you could spot and maybe even pet Nellie, the high tea room’s resident cat! They even have an afternoon tea menu for pets.
The Silo Hotel
Media from: thesilohotel_
Website: https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo-hotel/dining/the-granary-cafe/royal-tea/
Address: Silo Square, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Phone: +27 21 670 0500
Price: $$
The Silo Hotel hosts their high tea at the Granary Cafe, which is on the 6th floor of the hotel and offers sky views that you need to see to believe! This, alongside the dark leather and contemporary art decor and the contemporary menu, evokes a modern, cool high tea experience.
The tables come piled high with iconic French pastries and sweets such as madeleines, macarons, petit fours, and even baguettes. I really liked their tomato and cheese quiche too; it tasted like a refreshing and bite-sized calzone!
Their royal tea was also lovely, with the African honeybush tasting really sweet, warm, and soothing. I also liked their Earl Grey tea, which was refreshing and light.
Pro tip: For the chocolate lovers, their chocolate ganache really stands out with its richness and sweetness, and it’s perfectly balanced out by the praline creme.
The Vineyard Hotel
Media from: missgailis
Website: https://www.vineyard.co.za/dining/afternoon-tea-experience/
Address: Colinton Road, Newlands
Phone: +27 21 657 4500
Price: $$
The Vineyard Hotel’s high tea experience prides itself on its Middle Eastern influences and signature Vineyard blend tea, which helped it stand out to me. While their schedule is limited, in my opinion, it’s really worth it!
The tea room and lounge overlooks the Liesbeek River and has views of Table Mountain, which helps add to the atmosphere, especially during sunset.
Their Middle Eastern selection of food was wonderfully savoury, aromatic, and even spicy, with the homemade butter chicken puff pie being an absolute favourite of mine.
I was also a very big fan of their Gunpowder Temple of Heaven tea, which caught my attention just from its incredibly metal name. It tasted quite unique, rich and light with a sort of earthy flavour.
Pro tip: If you have a sweet tooth, the warm mini vanilla bean scones are like an explosion of flavours in your mouth; they somehow jam strawberries, milk tart chantilly, and butter in there. It tastes amazing!
One&Only Cape Town
Media from: oocapetown
Website: https://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/cape-town/dining/vista-bar-and-lounge
Address: One&Only Cape Town, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Phone: +27 21 431 5888
Price: $$
One&Only’s high tea experience, much like the hotel itself, is brimming with a lot of character and personality. From the tiered stands that hold your entrees to the beautiful decor and even the seaside views, high tea here is memorable and quite distinctive.
The luxury and grandiosity of One&Only’s high tea starts with their food, which includes standouts such as the salmon blinis, cucumber wraps, and—the one I was most excited for—Beef Wellington. It was the first time I’ve ever tried the latter, and I instantly fell in love!
They also specialise in offering luxury teas, such as their high-end black teas. They also had something called “The Elite Champagne Tea,” which had a uniquely sweet, refreshing flavour.
Pro tip: One&Only has a vegan menu, as well as gluten-free and pescatarian options.
