High tea is experiencing its own Bridgerton moment revived for the ages, but the tradition is one that has long been around before the hit Netflix series made it an excuse for a natter.
Where afternoon tea is all about elegant social snacking with tea, scones and finger sandwiches, high tea is heartier where meals can also include meats and pies. It’s evolved over time, but remains a tradition for those seeking a reputed destination who know how to do it well.
The Windsor Hotel has been serving up high tea for more than 140 years. Picture: Supplied
The Windsor Hotel in Melbourne was the first to serve afternoon tea in 1883 – a late 19th century British tradition that found its place in Australia and remains a cornerstone of luxury hotel offerings in the city today.
The English ritual became a Melbourne tradition, and still remains part of the city’s hotel fabric – where an old-world charm is still desired in the modern era.
It’s one that hasn’t waned but certainly changed in the way some hotels offer the ritual with their own nostalgic twist.
“Afternoon tea has been a part of The Windsor since we first opened our doors in 1883, and we see ourselves as custodians of this near-uninterrupted legacy,” said Joseph D’Rozario, The Windsor’s longstanding butler, who has been with the hotel for 50 years.
“For us – and to many Melburnians – The Windsor represents an establishment of traditions. It is the place where we celebrate the great English occasions of afternoon tea and Christmas, but always with an Australian touch.”
The Hotel Windsor was the first to offer high tea in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied
The hotel has purposefully chosen to retain the decor of the past – think classic white linen, the traditional stand, silver teapots, finger sandwiches, and scones with strawberry jam and double cream – all made in-house.
Pastries have changed with the times at The Windsor but British classics still play a part in the service of afternoon tea. A modernisation of the offering now includes macarons with flavours of matcha and yuzu.
In the 1970s, The Windsor’s pastry chefs made over 100 different types of pastries and cakes, including banana cakes, strawberry mousse cakes, raspberry bavarois, blueberry tarts, kiwi charlottes, chocolate fudge cakes, mixed fruit cheesecakes, and pavlovas. Now, a variation of these is showcased on a dessert bar for guests to pick and choose.
“In the great British tradition, we’ve always referred to our tea service as afternoon tea, in keeping with the time of day it was originally served, and the selection of food offered,” D’Rozario said.
Get dressed in your Sunday’s best. Picture: Supplied
“Over the years, however, our afternoon tea service has gravitated towards our first service being at noon, and in Australia, we’ve seen our guests have afternoon tea in replacement of lunch. In reflection of this, we now offer a trio of savoury canapés, with our buffet on the weekends including a selection of Australian cheeses.”
The nostalgia for the past continues, with The Windsor slipping alcohol into teacups in homage to The Windsor’s time as a temperance hotel in the 1880s, and now serves an espresso martini to commemorate their time as a grand coffee palace many years ago in Melbourne.
A new era of high tea at the Langham Hotel
The Langham Hotel brings its own unique British trademark to Melbourne honouring an afternoon tea tradition which began in London in 1865.
This year, a new era of afternoon tea is unveiled, with The Langham also publishing its first afternoon tea book, where seasonal ingredients drive the Australian menu.
The experience itself remains part of the Langham’s identity – a place to pause, celebrate, reflect and enjoy seasonal flavours all with a silver service touch.
The Langham Hotel celebrating its book launch. Picture: Supplied
In London, the luxury hotel became a popular spot for heavyweights who all took part in the famous afternoon tea setting – including literary writer Mark Twain, former British PM Winston Churchill and French general Charles de Gaulle.
According to The Langham’s CEO Bob van den Oord, The Langham in Melbourne offers what few luxury hotels can.
“We approach what we do in the hotel the Langham way; and that’s what we have become known for,” Mr van den Oord said.
“Yes, the afternoon tea is British in origin, but the location of our hotel in Melbourne is in the cultural heart of the city; a short walk to the National Gallery and art centre precinct and easy distance to museums which is different from other hotels.
“Our hotel connects you with the city’s creative and cultural district – and while we don’t take ourselves too seriously, we do want people who come here to have a good time. Our afternoon tea service in the hotel is what sets us apart and what we are known for. It’s a great tradition that keeps going.”
A sneak peek of The Langham Hotel’s new book on high teas. Picture: Jamie Orlando Smith
Bridging the past with the future
Back in Melbourne’s CBD, The Block Arcade’s Hopetoun Tea Rooms made the high society afternoon tea a permanent feature in 1892. The venue remains a must-visit destination for tourists in the city who want to rewind the clock for nostalgia’s sake.
Crown Melbourne brings its own unique gaze to high tea, with a limited-edition Curious Tea Party at The Waiting Room on offer. It’s inspired by Alice in Wonderland and brings a rabbit-warren of playfulness – a chance for guests to sit still for a moment in a traditional setting.
Treats range from Alice’s favourite scones with strawberry jam and Devonshire cream, to the Caterpillar’s Dreamy Seafood and ‘nduja croquettes and hibiscus dust for an avant-garde approach.
Crown Melbourne offers high tea with an Alice in Wonderland twist. Picture: Supplied
According to Sofitel Melbourne on Collins food and beverage manager, Gaurang Gahoi, high tea is one of the most interesting categories in hospitality right now.
In the 30 years since it first opens its doors at the Paris end of Collins St, the hotel has always found a way to bridge the past with the future.
“People want to create meaningful day time experiences and the high tea is the way they do,” he said. “It might have started in Britain, but Sofitel has always approached preserving the tradition with a French lens and always influenced by café culture and the art of living.”
The high tea is available at Sofitel’s No.35 restaurant on weekends, with the focus on French patisserie with a modern Asian flavour profile in more recent years, with matcha top of the list these days.
Sofitel Melbourne’s food and beverage manager Gaurang Gahoi. Picture: Supplied, Dave Green
“People want a slow-down ritual and high tea has become a weekend affair for many who visit us,” Mr Gahoi said.
“But what we’re seeing is a clientele that wants it to have a local finesse and relevance. The tradition has evolved in 2026, but high tea is definitely a way that people want to mark an occasion – so whether they’re tourists or locals – it’s all about dining differently.”
Show Mum you love her
The luxurious Royce Hotel in South Yarra, where A-list actress Cate Blanchett likes to stay, brings back a special edition of afternoon tea in time for Mother’s Day this year.
Head inside the sunlit conservatory – The Terrace – a room dressed in lush greenery and where Chinoiserie wallpaper in hues of Tiffany blue make the perfect backdrop to indulge in the very decadent Godiva dark chocolate Irish Cream Millionaire’s Tart and more.
The Royce Hotel in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied
The Westin Melbourne is also hosting A Love Letter to Mum in the hotel’s lobby lounge this May, and draws inspiration from the slow art of letter writing. A chance to express one’s appreciation with elegant stationery to write their own love letter to their maternal loves with devouring sweets and cups of tea.
At Pullman Melbourne Albert Park; a new era begins with the return of high tea for Mother’s Day this year, in a bid to attract guests to the ritual.