High Tea at Conservatory Crown Melbourne

High Tea is back at Conservatory Crown Melbourne with a delightful range of treats served every weekend.

Updated May 2022: High Tea is no longer served at the Conservatory Crown Melbourne but is available at The Waiting Room, Crown Towers Melbourne.

In a quiet corner of the luxurious and light-filled Crown Conservatory, we were treated to a feast for the eyes and taste buds in their newly reopened High Tea sitting.

The light from the floor to ceiling windows bounced off the glistening mirrors situated all around the venue to give an ethereal feeling. Accents of Marble and the gorgeous (and comfortable) windsor-style chairs only add to the feeling of luxury.

After being greeted by the kind and attentive servers, we were bought a glistening, three-tier stand laced with an array of mouth-watering savoury pastries, finger sandwiches, and sweets. Complimenting this was a serve of plain and fruit scones with accompanying clotted cream and strawberry jam, as well as a selection of tea and coffee.

 

The top tier of the stand was laced with beautifully garnished pastries.

Starting with a twist on a classic dish, was the Spiced wagyu sausage roll. Topped with bush chutney and a piece of crispy kale, each mouthful was full of flavour.

Next on the menu was the seafood vol au vent. This dainty pastry packed quite the punch of seafood flavour, encased in a buttery and flakey shell and topped with silky smooth dill cream.

Lastly, we turned to the unassuming Mushroom Pie. This bite-sized pie was appealing to the eye, dressed with dainty fried Enoki mushrooms. The hearty mushroom flavour of the pie itself was complemented by the subtle flavour of the mayo on top.

Moving down the stand, we came to the finger sandwiches. I had been eyeing these sandwiches since we first sat down, with their fluffy bread and delicate fillings, and they did not disappoint.

Firstly we enjoyed the humble cucumber and cream cheese sandwich, a staple of any High Tea spread. However, these sandwiches served at Crown Conservatory put a unique spin on this tradition by adding herbs to the cream cheese. This addition gave the sandwich a unique, almost sweet flavour. This same cream cheese mix was used as the base of the salmon sandwich too, complementing the smokiness of the salmon perfectly.

The deviled eggs sandwich was next, treating us to a delicately spiced and deliciously creamy egg mix served between two perfectly soft pieces of bread.

My favourite sandwich on the platter was the chicken salad. The creaminess of the chicken salad was cut with crunchy bites of celery, giving an additional texture to the traditional sandwich.

The desserts tier was laden with a colourful variety of bite-sized sweet treats for us to try.

The first bite was of the Coconut & blackcurrant, vanilla sable. The creamy and soft vanilla and coconut cream was punctuated in the centre with a distinct black current flavour. All of this deliciousness was laid on top of a thin and delicate sable shortbread, which added a delightful texture to the dish.

The passionfruit and blueberry verrine was our next treat to try. The passionfruit and blueberry creams were both incredibly smooth and delicious, but both distinctly flavoured from each other. Each mouthful tasted slightly different as each of these flavours mixed together. The dish was garnished with a fresh blueberry and a leaf shaped chocolate, adding new flavours and textures to the dish.

The pièce de résistance of the platter was the vibrantly coloured Raspberry & earl grey tea ganache tart. The tart itself was crunchy and filled with a delicious chocolate ganache, topped with a delicious raspberry mousse, which concealed a fresh raspberry at its centre. The raspberry flavour was fresh, cutting through the sweetness of the tart and ganache.

What would a High Tea be without a serve of classic scones? And if you prefer fruit scones over the pain variety, there’s no need to worry, as you are served one of each to keep the balance. Once the scones were served we could tell on sight that they were of a high standard. On the first bite, the scones were beautifully dense, while still maintaining a soft, fluffy texture. And, as tradition dictates, the scones were served with a generous side of strawberry jam and clotted cream, and all you have to decide is whether to eat them with cream or jam first!

Keep in mind that seatings are for 1.5 hours only, which is on the shorter side, so best keep conversation to a minimum if you enjoy taking time to savour each morsel.

As more and more venues open up across Melbourne to serve High Tea, the High Tea at Conservatory is still one of the best in town. Take the day to enjoy some of Melbourne’s other amazing attractions, and finish with this five star High Tea at Crown.

Conservatory Crown Melbourne High Tea Menu:

Hot Savoury Selection:

• Spanish spiced wagyu sausage roll with bush chutney, & crispy kale
• Seafood Vol au Vent with dill cream & rocket
• Wild mushroom pie with truffle mayo & fried enoki

Finger Sandwiches:

• Smoked salmon, cucumber & horseradish cream
• Chicken, celery & Worcestershire sauce
• Curried egg & chives
• Cucumber & cream cheese

Selection of Cakes:

• Strawberry & rhubarb cake
• Coconut & blackcurrant, vanilla sable
• Raspberry & earl grey tea ganache tart
• Banana peanut butter rocher
• Passionfruit & blueberry verrine

Scones:

• Warm Scones
• Traditional plain & raisin scones
• Accompanied with clotted cream & strawberry jam

 

High Tea Melbourne – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory