From cloud-like buttery scones piled high with clotted cream and jam to elegant teapots, tiered cake stands and pianists quietly minding the mood, Joburg knows how to do tea with flair. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, plotting a glamorous catch-up, impressing a mother-in-law, or simply craving cake, the city has a High Tea with your name on it. From five-star hotel splendour to leafy garden hideaways, here are some of the best High Teas Johannesburg has to offer.

High Tea prices typically range from R450 – R800 p.p. For exact pricing and more details, please contact the relevant establishment directly.

1. 54 on Bath

For those who love a glass of bubbles as much as a cup of tea... plus five-star luxury. 

2. Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa

For those needing a reset close to the city, or for a fabulous bridal shower treat.

Enjoy a leisurely "Alice in the Woods"-themed afternoon High Tea at the luxurious Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa, situated in quiet Morningside and five minutes from Sandton Central. The hotel's setting is the gorgeous Manor House Bistro, which overlooks the hotel gardens, where, weather permitting, you can take tea on the terrace. The style is classic English afternoon tea with a choice of inventive savoury options like their truffle, mushroom and goat's cheese vol-au-vent and scrumptious duck and sour cherry pies, accompanied by a towering stand of cakes, fluffy scones and generous cups of loose-leaf tea. You will also be offered a glass of sparkling wine upon arrival, accompanied by a "shrinking potion" – in true Alice fashion.

When: Afternoon High Tea is served daily from 14:00 – 16:00. There's also a Morning Tea offering served daily from 09:30 – 11:30, and Tea in the Garden is served daily from 12:00 onwards. Bookings are essential. Call +27 11 804 2540 or email reservations@fairlawns.co.za

3. Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff

For those looking for a High Tea, and a view, to write home about. 

High Tea at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff is a cherished, timeless tradition. Set against the forest backdrop of Joburg's tree-lined suburbs, the tea includes delicate sweet and savoury treats, a selection of the finest loose-leaf teas and a glass of bubbly. The delicacies on offer range from egg mayo sandwiches, beef shortrib amagwinya / vetkoek, mushroom empanada and chicken coronation tartlets to citrus and blueberry tart, scones and hazelnut and blueberry financier. They also cater for vegetarians, so you have no excuse not to treat yourself.

When: Served on Fri – Sun at 12:00 or 15:00. Bookings are essential. Call +27 11 418 6000 or email reservations.johannesburg@fourseasons.com

4. Liberté Restaurant

For those looking for Friday afternoon indulgence.

In a world where the four-day week is always a hot topic, Liberté Restaurant's French-inspired High Tea offering fits in perfectly with its Friday High Tea. The tea is served in a cast-iron pot, which we love, as it keeps the brew at an optimal temperature for longer. The teatime treats are served on two elegant, silver multi-tiered stands, the first bearing the savoury selection, and the second the sweet. You can look forward to vol-au-vent puff pastry cases, roasted zucchini strips with halloumi, flatbreads, olives and a selection of sliced cheeses. The portions are well thought through, and altogether it’s a satisfying High Tea for two. The setting is laid-back, and the whole experience suggests the start of a good weekend. A lovely option for catching up with friends in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Read our review here.
 
When: Served on Fri from 11:00 – 15:00. High Tea is available for group bookings of 10 or more any day of the week. Bookings essential. Call +27 10 824 5791 or email bookings@liberte.com

5. Olives & Plates

For those serious about the setting, and want the perfect spot for tea with your mother-in-law.

Located on the Wits campus in a historic Dutch house canopied by oak trees, Olives & Plates at Wits Club is one of Joburg’s true hidden treasures. Olives & Plates is known for its bountiful cake displays and generous servings with eye-catching presentations, but did you know they also offer a picture-perfect High Tea on the first weekend of every month? It all begins with a glass of bubbles in a crystal Marie Antoinette glass paired with a vanilla macaron and berry panna cotta. Then you’ll get stuck into a menagerie of mini-cakes and savouries that include sumptuous salmon bagels, spinach and feta roses, exquisitely presented deluxe tea sandwiches, and some of the best hazelnut berry mousse, mille-feuille and pistachio croissants we’ve ever tasted, all on gorgeous gold and silver tiered cake stands.

When: Served on the first Sat of every month from 11:30 – 16:30. Booking is essential. Call +27 11 303 9282 or email club@olivesandplates.co.za 

6. The Palazzo Montecasino

For those who love a bargain as much as a good spoil.

High Tea at The Palazzo Montecasino is served at the hotel’s Medeo Restaurant terrace, overlooking a pool that would make any Hollywood starlet feel at home. The generous High Tea menu, presented with elegance, comprises a variety of extravagantly decorated little cakes, tarts and pastries, colourful macarons, petite quiches, assorted sandwiches, and sweet and savoury scones. The High Tea also includes a welcome drink and two perfectly paired imported teas. Read more here.

When: Served daily from 14:00 – 17:00. Booking is essential. Call +27 11 510 3000 or email Palazzo.dining@tsogosun.com

7. Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa

For those looking for the ultimate indulgence, in absolute privacy.

One of South Africa's most luxurious hotels, Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa hosts indulgent Morning and Afternoon High Teas in truly opulent surroundings. The Saxon High Tea is an elegant and traditionally styled High Tea served in the Piano Lounge where the hotel's resident pianist will tinkle the ivories to set the mood. Expect savoury delights like tomato tart with herb shortcrust, marinated tomatoes, basil pesto, whipped goats’ cheese, black pepper and parmesan madeleine with prosciutto and preserved fig, brioche bun with poached crayfish, garlic aioli, and caviar, and a Loch Duart salmon gravlax, lemon cream cheese, and pickled onion croissant. They also offer sweets that will simply take your breath away (their raspberry cremeux with pistachio shortcrust, raspberry gel, orange and honey whip is hard to beat). There are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free menus for those with additional dietary requirements. Paired with exceptional Ronnefeldt teas (or bubbly, if you prefer) and the very best service, this is an experience you won't forget. 

When: Morning Tea is served 09:30 – 11:30, Wed – Sat, and Afternoon Tea 13:30 –16:00, Wed – Sun.
Bookings are essential. Call +27 11 292 6000, email reservations@saxon.co.za, or book online.

8. La Tarte Pâtisserie

For those who want to enjoy a luxury French High Tea in the comfort of their own home.

Treading the line between food and art, the pastries at La Tarte Pâtisserie are delicate, flavourful and absolutely gorgeous. Crafted by renowned pastry chef Jared Melamed, these pastries are inspired by the refined, sophisticated and exquisite delicacies of the high-end French pastry scene. Enjoy luxurious flan Parisien, scrumptious pain au chocolat, a decadent hazelnut basque cheesecake, creamy la galette, and so much more – all in the comfort of your own home! All you have to do is hop on the internet, scroll through their wonderfully varied menu and order your favourite pastries... then sit back and make a cup of tea while you wait for your delivery.

When: Anytime you want! Check out their website for the menu, or contact them at info@latarte.co.za for special orders.

Bonus High Tea picks

1. BEST HIGH TEA OUTSIDE JOHANNESBURG: DE HOEK COUNTRY HOTEL

The hour's drive from Joburg to this luxury boutique hotel is worth it for tea served in a lush country garden. De Hoek Country Hotel's seasonal menu has a generous and tasty selection of finger sandwiches and sweet and savoury pastries, and their scones are top-notch. The tea includes a glass of bubbles, which makes this a nice option if you are spending the day in the Magaliesberg countryside.

When: Served Mon – Sun from 12:30 – 15:00. Booking is essential. Call +27 14 577 9600 or email info@dehoek.com; prior payment is essential to secure your booking. 

2. FAMILY-FRIENDLY OPTION IN JOBURG: MAXIMILLIEN HIGH TEA

We had the Maximillien High Tea at Maximillien restaurant at the DaVinci Hotel and Suites in Sandton and found it to be a lovely, leisurely afternoon out. Friendly, attentive service and a live piano player set a warm, relaxed tone, while a lively mix of friends, families and little ones gave the room a welcoming buzz. It's a charming lunch experience, though more of an elegant buffet than traditional High Tea. The self-service buffet featured a generous spread of sweet and savoury bites, from wraps, tarts and mini bunny chows to cakes, baked cheesecake and crème brûlée. The sweets stole the show: beautifully made and refreshingly restrained on the sugar front. 

When: Served on the first Sat of every month from 14:00 – 17:00. Bookings can be made here.

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