The 12 Best High Teas in Cape Town + Surrounds

For food that looks too beautiful to eat, and service that makes you feel like a VIP, high tea is a gently thrilling and joyful experience, akin to being spoiled on your birthday. The pâtissier’s art and chef’s culinary skill, combined with a connoisseur’s menu of top-quality teas, create a sense of occasion that appeals to all the senses. 

Known as afternoon tea in old-school tradition, and made popular by Anna, Duchess of Bedford in the Victorian era, this lavish ritual is largely the preserve of luxury hotels (with the occasional delicious exception), offering visitors a leisurely and sophisticated way to while away an afternoon over animated conversation and clinking tea cups.

The Cellars-Hohenort

This gracious and historic country hotel in the Constantia Valley is arguably one of the loveliest spots to enjoy high tea at any time of the year. The Classic High Tea is served in the light and airy Greenhouse, or on the Hohenort Terrace with views over the award-winning gardens, which really are rather extraordinary. Impeccably presented and served over four courses, our tea meandered from traditional finger sandwiches to savouries, including a truly delicious baked brie-and-cranberry phyllo pastry. After light and fluffy scones with jam and chantilly cream, we moved on to nibble on an array of sweet delights: dark chocolate and honeycomb tart, caramel popcorn choux puff, and, our standout, a divine raspberry and pistachio swiss roll. To drink, there’s a fine selection of 11 loose-leaf Nigiro teas, rooibos and herbal infusions – the exclusive hotel blend of green rooibos with various fruits, flowers, herbs and Liz McGrath rose petals truly conjures a sense of place.
Good to know Book 24 hours in advance.
Cost R455 per person
R235 (children 4 – 11 years)
Times Saturday + Sunday, 11am – 1pm +  2pm – 4pm
Contact 021 794 2137, functions@cellars-hohenort.co.za
Where to find it 93 Brommersvlei Road, Constantia, Cape Town
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Cape Grace Hotel

Glamorous yachts, sunshine sparkling off the water of the marina, with Table Mountain framing it all… The views from Cape Grace at the V&A Waterfront are pretty special. But once you settle into a comfortable booth at Heirloom (the signature restaurant) and embark on their elegant afternoon tea, all eyes are on the table. Sumptuous savouries from executive chef Asher Abramowitz include finger sandwiches on the freshest homemade breads, Coronation chicken samosa, spring vegetable tart, ratatouille frittata… followed by the lightest scones hot from the oven. All this is just a preliminary to the pièce de resistance, a show-stopping birdcage tower of exquisite sweet bites from executive pastry chef Lorraine Meaney. Each delicate creation is a symphony of flavour: buttery palet Breton, hazelnut Paris Brest, cocoa nib financier, the crackling snap of a tuile dentelle,  decadent hibiscus chocolate cake, delicate macarons, and many more. Accompanied by a selection of beautiful loose-leaf Nigiro tea blends (choose one for the savouries and another for the sweets, or there’s coffee if you prefer), it’s a celebratory spoil to linger over all afternoon.
Good to know Booking is essential
Cost R550 per person
R650 per person (includes glass of cap classique)
When Thursday – Sunday, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm (seatings)
Contact 021 410 7100, capegrace.heirloom@fairmont.com
Where to find it West Quay Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
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Mount Nelson

Afternoon tea at this “grande dame” is a Cape Town institution. Settle into a table on the verandah or the sunny terrace overlooking the magnificent gardens. Tea sommelier Craig Cupido guides you in choosing from over 60 of the finest teas and infusions, including a blend created to celebrate the hotel’s 125th anniversary: rooibos, honeybush, mesquite and apple. The accompanying three-course feast is served on silver-tiered stands: first sumptuous savoury pastries, and delicate finger sandwiches, followed by a basket of warm scones with vanilla cream and strawberry jam. Take a breather and brew a second pot of tea to go with the sublime confections dreamed up by pastry chef Vicky Gurovich: she changes things up often but think delicious bites that riff on salted caramel, carrot cake, French patisserie or chocolate brownie in ways you’ve never tasted before. And then there’s a tempting table of cakes by the slice in the lounge (a warm space with Aubusson rugs and rose-hued upholstery). All this, while a pianist plays classics on a baby grand. Come hungry!
Good to know Vegan and gluten-free menus are available with advance notice. Champagne can also be ordered to make your après-midi that much more sparkling. And there’s a pet-friendly tea (complete with a doggie menu), taken outside on the terrace.
Cost R595 per person (includes a welcome glass of iced tea or L’Ormarins Cap Classique)
R350 (children 4 – 11 years)
Times Monday – Sunday, 11am – 3pm (seating slots each hour)
Contact 021 483 1000, restaurantreservations.mnh@belmond.com
Where to find it 76 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town
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One&Only Cape Town

Lofty proportions, grand decor and a magnificent view of Table Mountain through floor-to-ceiling windows greet you as you enter the Vista Bar & Lounge at this elegant V&A Waterfront resort. Served on characterful O&O stands, the glamorous afternoon tea features salmon blinis, Coronation tacos, beef Wellington, cucumber wraps and more. After the traditional scones with cream and jam, move on to the sweet selection: baked citrus cheesecake, berry and dulce macaron, chocolate hazelnut plaisir and several more delights. And, of course, a free-flowing selection of loose-leaf luxury teas (try two or more throughout the course of your afternoon), and there’s coffee too. Or push the boat right out with the elite Champagne Afternoon Tea for two.
Good to know A vegetarian menu is also available. Children under 10 can order from the standard Vista Lounge à la carte menu, which includes scones, cakes, pastries, muffins and cookies.
Cost R595 per person
Champagne Afternoon Tea: R2 500 per couple (includes a 375ml bottle of Moët & Chandon)
Times Monday – Sunday, 2pm – 5pm
Contact 021 431 5888, guestexperience@oneandonlycapetown.com
Where to find it One&Only Cape Town, Dock Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
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Orangerie at Le Lude

Where better to go for a sparkling high tea than an estate that focuses solely on producing award-winning cap classique? The restaurant’s interior hints at a greenhouse of yore, with cane chairs, ceiling fans and leafy palms and ferns. Double-volume arched windows all around put the marvellous view centre stage. Tea begins with a glass of Le Lude Cap Classique (either Brut or Brut Rosé), then select two from among nine TWG teas. It’s served in the most beautiful tea service, while the eats arrive on a three-tiered platter. The delightful spread starts with finger sandwiches (including Franschhoek smoked trout and caper cream cheese) and savouries such as spinach and gruyere frittata. Then scones with chantilly cream and strawberry jam, followed by exquisite confectionery, from salted caramel profiterole and raspberry macaroons to chocolate lamington and lemonade madeleines.
Good to know Book 24 hours in advance.
Cost R460 per person (minimum two, maximum eight guests)
Times Monday – Sunday, 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 3pm (seatings)
Contact 021 876 2961, restaurant@lelude.co.za
Where to find it Bowling Green Avenue, off Lambrechts Road, Franschhoek
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Taj Cape Town

The grandeur of Taj Cape Town’s Lobby Lounge, with its marble columns and opulent armchairs, is the setting for their afternoon tea (or sit outside on the terrace at Mint Restaurant overlooking St George’s Mall if tree-dappled sunshine beckons). A generous selection of Indian-infused savouries, ranging from samosas and mini chicken pies to spinach-and-feta spring rolls fills one tier of the birdcage stand. Plus there are salmon sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, fresh scones with jam and cream to feast on. You’ll need to save space for the whole tier of sweet spoils which awaits, including delightful macarons, decadent chocolate cakes, cream sponges and more, with a pot of tea chosen from the extensive selection of loose-leaf teas from around the world.
Cost R305 per person
R340 (includes glass of cap classique)
Times Daily, 12pm – 4pm
Contact 021 819 2000, restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com
Where to find it 1 Wale Street, corner Wale Street and St Georges Mall, Cape Town
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Manor Kitchen at Lanzerac

Adorned with a dazzling chandelier and large skylights, Lanzerac’s elegant Manor Kitchen restaurant is the splendid setting for the Timeless Afternoon Tea. It’s a decidedly decadent and sophisticated affair, running from canapés to hot bites to sweet treats and a macaron to finish. After being welcomed with a glass of cap classique, choose from a selection of loose-leaf TWG teas: one tea to pair with your savoury, and a second with the sweet courses. Think reimagined bites prepared with the finest seasonal ingredients, tasty croquettes, a selection of finger sandwiches, as well as Lanzerac’s famous scones served with clotted cream, strawberry jam, lavender cream, cheddar and rich butter. Did we mention the sweets? Cupcakes, petit fours, tartlets, éclairs… You’ll want for nothing except perhaps a loose-fitting frock!
Cost R420 per person
R520 per person (with unlimited cap classique)
Times Saturday, 2pm – 5pm
Contact 021 887 1132, restaurants@lanzerac.co.za
Where to find it Lanzerac, Lanzerac Road, Stellenbosch
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Grande Roche

The beautiful thatched Cape Dutch manor at Grande Roche, with its wide verandah giving views over the Paarl mountains, or its log fires burning in the voorkamer in winter, is the perfect setting for an old-world morning or afternoon tea. Arrive to a sparkling glass of cap classique, then settle down to an abundant feast of savouries (from beef croquettes to smoked salmon blini)and generous sweet treats (think lemon meringue, Basque cheesecake, and millionaire’s shortbread) accompanied by an enticing menu of whole-leaf and single-estate teas (or coffee if that’s your preferred cuppa).
Good to know Book 48 hours in advance.
Cost R445 per person
R345 (under 12s)
Times Monday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Contact 021 863 5100, restaurant@granderoche.co.za
Where 1 Plantasie Street, Paarl
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La Residence

“Versailles in Franschhoek”, La Residence is an elegant hideaway dramatically staged among sweeping vineyards, orchards and olive groves on a secluded 12-hectare estate. Afternoon Tea is served in The Loggia overlooking a tranquil pond and mountain views, or fireside in The Great Hall on cooler days​. A variety of savouries, such as mini three-cheese quiches, finger sandwiches and cheese straws, is complemented by sweet delights ranging from classic buttermilk scones (with clotted cream, jam and citrus curd), to macarons, profiteroles, fruit tartlets, baked cheesecake and rich chocolate cake, and served with Nigiro loose-leaf tea or artisan coffee.
Good to know Afternoon Tea is for a minimum of two guests.
Cost R495 per person
R650 (with glass of cap classique)
Times Monday – Sunday, 2pm – 5pm
Contact 021 876 4100, info@laresidence.co.za
Where to find it Elandskloof Private Road, Elandskloof Farm, Franschhoek
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The Silo Hotel

Becki Enright

Towering above the V&A Waterfront with the most incredible views, The Silo Hotel’s Royal Tea is taken in The Granary Café, a glam sixth-floor space where dark leather couches, copper-topped tables and contemporary art complement the striking pillowed-glass windows. Come in your most comfy, loose-waisted clothing because pastry chef Bianca Schreuder puts on quite a spread. Three-tiered circular stands (or étagère, to use the correct term) are piled with petit gateaux and exquisite teatime treats: macarons, profiteroles, madeleines and petit fours. The equally delicious savoury stand features delicate finger sandwiches, cheese puffs, mini pies, wraps and quiches, with beautifully balanced flavours and miniature perfection in every bite. And there are scones too. A wide selection of fragrant teas is served in tea-tasting format so that you can try several. We particularly enjoyed the African honeybush.
Good to know Booking is 24 hours in advance (payment required on booking), or 48 hours for special-occasion, large-group and dietary requests.
Cost R575 per person
R650 (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free)
Times Thursday – Sunday, 2.30pm – 5pm (last seating 3.30pm)
Contact 021 670 0511, dining@thesilohotel.com
Where to find it The Silo Hotel, Silo Square, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
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Manna Epicure

The charming and quirky neighbourhood café setting of Manna Epicure (on Kloof Nek Road) has a best-kept secret. For the past few years, owner Agnès Renault has been applying her pastry chef expertise to a delicious afternoon tea with a French patisserie twist… and it includes a glass of Graham Beck bubbly! Without the formality of a hotel setting the experience is relaxed but just as delightful. A tiered stand arrives holding substantial sandwiches (the salmon trout and cream cheese sandwich in the house coconut bread is a meal in itself), chorizo tarts and mini quiches. On the next level is a pretty-as-a-picture array of generously sized tarts and pastries: cannelé done the traditional French way, crisp on the outside and creamy custard inside; just-set lemon meringue tarts; strawberry tarts on a rose pastry cream, and a beautiful caramelised toffee apple pastry encased in spun sugar. Accompanied by one of their own rooibos blends (or Earl Grey, Ceylon or English Breakfast teas) this is a feast you’ll need to come hungry for.
Good to know Booking 48 hours in advance is essential. Minimum of two people.
Cost R305 per person (includes glass of Graham Beck Brut)
Times Daily, 2pm – 4pm
Contact 021 426 2413
Where to find it 1 Burnside Road, Corner of Kloof Nek Road, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town
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The Vineyard Hotel

This historic hotel on the banks of the Liesbeek River is an eight-hectare oasis of verdant gardens, old-world charm and tranquillity. Take afternoon tea – as former owner Lady Anne Barnard might have – on the terrace of Morii restaurant, looking out over the natural splendour and the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Brought out as a series of four courses, the menu kicks off with finger sandwiches, mini pitas and choux buns, followed by a delicious selection of Middle Eastern-inspired savouries (butter chicken puff pies, beef kibbeh with tzatziki, potato borek with lemon mayo). After lingering over a plate of scones (which arrive in a smoke-filled cloche) with milk tart chantilly and strawberry jam, the sweets arrive (including a particularly memorable strawberry crémeux with rose jam on black pepper sablé). A choice of two teas and/or coffees from the extensive beverage menu completes the experience.
Cost R450 per person; R570 with a glass of cap classique
Times Friday – Sunday, 3.30pm
Contact 021 657 4500, eat@vineyard.co.za
Where to find it Colinton Road, Newlands, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan

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