Slow, steamy tea bliss at the fast-paced heart of the CBD, where the Fields & Florals High Tea awaits at Croft Restaurant Sydney.
Nestled on the cusp of Wynyard station, between the bustle of George st and the hustle of Barangaroo, this peaceful gem sits at an intersection of old and new Sydney.
A faithful staple in the pantheon of Sydney CBD 5-star establishments, The Amora Hotel, Jamison Street has traversed its share of reinvention, formerly the site of Le Meridien, then the Rydges when initially acquired by the Thai-based Siriphatrawan family run Amora Hotel Group in 2004.
Two decades on, it has had its discrete facelifts, but the true scaffolding of innovation is being crafted by the chefs and experience managers behind the scenes. The opulent Gatsby stylings of the very noir and discrete Brooksy Bar launched in 2024, served as a dark wood and velveteen nod for flourishes to come.
The freshly launched Fields & Florals High Tea, punctuates the point. Hosted in the Croft Restaurant, replete with high windows, capturing the limpid autumnal light and tree lined Sydney scape, Executive Chef Gaurav Thakur has delivered a unique and delicate ensemble.
The reimagined High Tea is wedded to the restaurant’s commitment to showcasing local produce and the providore that source it. It is a philosophy that yields a showcase of deeply studied delights with a refined attention to detail, timing and flavour.
Timing, is of course everything with Fields & Floral being launched the week after Winter solstice, heralding the need for heated comforts, it delivers a rumination on tea, the seasons and subtlety.
Chef Thakur sets a new benchmark in the unexpected accents and distinctly local flavour eruptions that he has carefully crafted across his new menu.
Visually, opulence and artistry are a High Tea expectation, and on that front Croft delivers, but the real treasure is the unexpected delight on the palate, the ruminating puzzle of how that mysterious flavour performed witchcraft on an innocent slice of Tasmanian Tassal smoked salmon brioche. Answer: it was that enchantress, the finger lime, perched atop the dill crème fraiche and chives.
The savoury menu is more of a central feast with Meredith goat cheese taking the lead on a localised rendition of the most delicate white bread cucumber sandwich, locally farmed Hatem free-range chicken is doused in mustard aioli on tender brioche, the humble brie is reborn in a poppy and quinoa crusted coat, while giant east coast tempura prawns guest star for a plunge in house made black garlic aioli and the sweet & sour beetroot asparagus and native bush tomato tart is a confection of unexpected local charms.
Whilst the feast is a sensorial playground, the showstopper, is perhaps the tea itself. Tea aficionados will be delighted by Croft’s new partnership with The Tea Centre. For those who are not in the know, The Tea Centre, which was founded in Paddington over thirty years ago, remains an Australian owned purveyor of global classic and local tea blends that revel in experimenting with our local botanicals and flora. For Amora’s Fields & Florals, the Billy Tea selection, almost demands its own degustation for sampling. Your reviewers indulged in the deep rose hued resonance of the Davidson’s Plum & Rosella Native brew, the Desert Lime and Lemon Myrtle confection and the definitive, Smoked Red Gum a sample trio of transportive flavour experiences.
For an added flourish, we suggest adding a glass of the Croft’s house wine or French champagne, and the mocktail selection continues the riff on native botanical themes. One may need the palate cleanse to behold the majesty of the reinvented classic cake confections. Highlights include the molten chocolate raspberry gateau and the inclusion of the cherry ripe in a sophisticated detour featuring cherry meringue and coconut compote.
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Like all good rituals, this High Tea offering is not just about the tea, the emphatic flavours demand the pause. They command the reason to slow down, to savour, to reflect and connect. The Australian native inflections remind us that each cup contains a narrative of water, earth, memory and interconnectedness. Suddenly the city is less steely, and the hum of our glistening harbour is brought closer.
The first sip [of tea] is joy, the second is gladness, the third is serenity, the fourth is madness, the fifth is ecstasy.” Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums
Fields & Florals High Tea Menu:
Traditional Scones
Yarra Valley strawberry preserve & vanilla cream
Finger Sandwiches
- Tasmanian Smoked Salmon Brioche, dill crème fraîche, finger lime & chives
- Meredith Goat Cheese & Cucumber Soft white bread, garden herbs
Free-Range Chicken Brioche, mustard aioli & baby cos
Savoury
- East Coast Tempura Prawn Black garlic aioli
- Poppy & Quinoa Crusted Brie Homemade sweet & sour beetroot
- Asparagus & Bush Tomato Tart Cheddar & native bush tomato relish
Sweet Indulgences
- Cherry Ripe Tartlet Cherry & coconut compote, cherry meringue
- Lime & White Chocolate Slice Dark chocolate ganache & roasted
- macadamia Chocolate Raspberry Gateau Seasonal berries
Pours & Infusions
- Includes unlimited premium Billy Tea Collection teas or coffee.
- Curated in partnership with The Tea Centre, our Billy Tea Collection celebrates Australia’s native botanicals and distinctive regional flavours.
High Tea Sydney – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory
