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The fanciest (and tastiest) high teas in Perth

Who doesn’t enjoy the sophistication and sumptuousness of a high tea?

Perth is known for its stunning beaches, but it is also a haven for culinary lovers. The coastal city has plenty of elegant high tea options, from traditional experiences and particularly opulent affairs to quirky high teas with a twist and even ‘high cheese’– a high tea for cheese lovers. Here are nine of the best high teas to enjoy in Perth.

In short

If you only do one high tea in Perth, make it at the Cape Arid Rooms or Hearth. Both offer an unforgettable experience in their aesthetic and refined settings, with premium food and bubbles.

Cape Arid Rooms, Perth

high tea at Cape Arid Rooms, Perth
This celebrated high tea is inspired by WA’s natural produce.

Best for: An opulent experience

Located in the iconic State Buildings, and resting above the official marking of Perth’s Point Zero, the Cape Arid Rooms are the warm and inviting home of one of Perth’s most celebrated high teas.

The space is adorned with intricate paintings by renowned WA artists Alex and Philippa Nikulinsky, whose Cape Arid Collection is what the rooms are proudly named after. The revolving high tea menu itself is inspired by WA’s natural produce, with each edition spotlighting a different area and its local producers and ingredients. You can choose to pair your food with Champagne or beautifully brewed tea.

Address: 1 Cathedral Ave, Perth WA

Opening hours: Thursday – Sunday,  12pm – 5pm

C Restaurant

high tea at C Restaurant, Perth
Revel in city views with a refined high tea experience at C Restaurant.

Best for: High tea with a view

C Restaurant is Western Australia’s only revolving restaurant, more than 30 storeys high in the middle of the CBD and offering sprawling views of the city and Swan River. Its popular high tea, widely regarded as one of the best in Perth, includes a selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours and freshly baked scones, alongside a selection of nine tea blends, coffee and bottomless sparkling and Champagne options.

Address: Level 33, 44 St Georges Terrace, Perth

Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 12.30pm – 2.30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 1pm and 2pm

Haven Lounge at The Westin, Perth

high tea at Haven Lounge at The Westin, Perth
This seasonal high tea menu comes with four sweet treats, four savoury treats, a scone and unlimited tea and coffee.  (Image: Shot by Thom)

Best for: Traditional high tea

The plush Haven Lounge at The Westin offers a seasonal high tea experience, with each menu edition uniquely crafted with fresh produce and meticulous finesse. The talented chefs change the themes each season, with each running for up to eight weeks. Moët & Chandon Champagne is included with your four sweet treats, four savoury treats, a scone and unlimited tea and coffee – plus you can choose to enhance your experience with a special edition cocktail in the theme of the seasonal menu.

Address: 480 Hay Street, Perth

Opening hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday – 11am and 2.30pm

Santini at QT, Perth

a look inside Santini at QT, Perth
Enjoy the indulgence of high tea at Santini.

Best for: High tea with a twist

The uber-hip city QT hotel hosts a memorable high tea in its Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Santini . Guests enjoy a three-tiered stand of mouth-watering treats, with sweets and savouries that each feature a unique QT twist. Think pancetta, mushroom and thyme tartlets; prosciutto, tomato and basil bruschetta; and whipped ricotta and pistachio cannolis. It’s all topped off with a glass of fizz and Seven Seas Tea.

Address: First Floor, 133 Murray Street, Perth

Opening hours: Saturday 1pm – 3pm

TWR at Crown Towers

Best for: Cocktail lovers

The Waiting Room at Crown Towers offers a unique twist on a traditional high tea with its luxurious Chambord Birdcage High Tea. Three tiers of carefully curated hors d’oeuvres are paired with free-flowing tea and coffee, and an expertly crafted Chambord cocktail – either a Fleur de Celeste or a classic French Martini.

Address: Crown Towers, Great Eastern Hwy, Burswood

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday, 11.30am – 3pm

Hearth Restaurant at The Ritz Carlton, Perth

high tea at Hearth Restaurant at The Ritz Carlton, Perth
Come for a taste of luxury at The Ritz Carlton.

Best for: A taste of luxury

For those who are keen for an unforgettable high tea, a trip to Hearth at the opulent Ritz Carlton is a must. The venue is right on the riverfront in the glistening Elizabeth Quay, with river views from the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows. The two-course high tea includes savoury and sweet treats featuring the finest local produce. You can choose whichever beverage package suits your style, from coffee and tea from Margaret River’s  Seven Seas Tea , to a two-hour Champagne package with Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage.

Address: 1 Barrack Street, Perth

Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 12pm – 3pm; Saturday and Sunday 12pm and 3pm

La Vie Champagne Lounge, Burswood

Best for: Cheese lovers

La Vie’s indulgent High Cheese is a high tea experience that celebrates cheese in all its forms. You start your journey with a four-tier stand featuring decadent cheese combinations – including a dramatic Grand Marnier flambé of Barossa Valley Camembert with caramelised apple, maple-glazed bacon and pecan. You then move on to your sweets, which is the finest selection of cheeses paired with fruits, quince paste and a honey nut medley, to goat cheese-inspired pudding and passionfruit crème brûlée. Pair it with a flute of Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne, or go all out with a tasting flight featuring four types of Champagne.

Address: Crown Metropol, Great Eastern Hwy, Burswood

Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday, 3pm – 5pm

Bar Amelie, Subiaco

the high tea experience at Bar Amelie, Subiaco
Indulge in the elegant high tea experience at Bar Amelie. (Image: Shot by Thom)

Best for: A boozy high tea

The High(ly) Good Tea at Subiaco’s Bar Amelie is strictly a boozy affair – no tea in sight, just bubbles and a delicious selection of sweet and savoury. Start with the savouries, which include smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers and roquette mini toasted bagel; then move on to your sweets that feature Portuguese tarts, macarons and baked cheesecake. The drinks packages include 90 mins of cocktails, free-flowing Prosecco, sparkling wine or Mumm Champagne.

Address: 118 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco

Opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 2pm – 4pm

Bites by D, Mount Hawthorn

Best for: A thrifty high tea

Over a leisurely two hours, you can experience a refined high tea in this quaint patisserie in the leafy suburb of Mount Hawthorn . It includes a selection of savoury and petite desserts with a beverage of your choice, coffee or a pot of tea from our selection of loose leaf teas. Because the team makes all their treats on-site, they can cater for a selection of dietary requirements. But what makes this a unique high tea experience is that you can BYO your own Champagne to accompany your high tea for a mere $5 corkage per bottle.

Address: 147 Scarborough Beach Rd, Mount Hawthorn

Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11.30am and 2pm;  Saturday and Sunday 11.30am, 2pm and 4.30pm

Still hungry? Discover the best restaurants with a view in Perth

Kirsty Petrides
Kirsty Petrides is a writer, wine-lover and cheese enthusiast. Whether she’s hunting down the best restaurant in Albania, foraging the Marrakech markets for spices or camping in the middle of Patagonian wilderness, she loves to seek out the authentic side of the places she visits, and share that with readers through her writing.
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7 Kimberley experiences that need to be on your bucket list

From thundering waterfalls to ancient Indigenous art, Kimberley’s raw beauty will take your breath away.

Wild, pristine, and shaped by nature, the Kimberley Coast is one of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes. A remote and rugged frontier that remains a bucket list destination for many travellers. Its most breathtaking attractions – including Montgomery Reef, King George Falls and Horizontal Falls – are accessible only by sea or air, making a guided expedition cruise aboard Silversea’s luxury expedition ship, Silver Cloud, the ideal way to explore it.

From its intricate intertidal zones to ancient rock art, extreme tides and rare wildlife found nowhere else in Australia – or the world – this journey offers an unparalleled exploration of one of Earth’s last true wildernesses.

Why Silversea?

Silversea offers a 10-day expedition departing Broome, or an extended 16-day expedition voyage from Indonesia, including landings on the hidden gems of Palopo Sulawesi and Komodo. Accompanied by expert guides and specialists in marine biology, history and geology, guests gain a deeper understanding of the Kimberley’s dramatic landscapes, rich cultural heritage and extraordinary biodiversity.

Silversea offers one of the experiential travel industry’s leading crew-to-guest ratios. Along with all-suite accommodation (80 per cent with private verandah), 24-hour butler service, a swimming pool and four dining options. Silver Cloud also has an experienced crew of multilingual expedition guides and specialists in marine biology, history and geology to enhance your Kimberley Experience.

silversea cruise ship pool deck
Take a dip in the pool deck.

1. Koolama Bay

​​Before visitors see King George Falls, they hear them – a growing rumble in the distance, steady and foreboding as the Zodiac glides through the gorge, the sound echoing off sheer rock formations. At 80 meters tall, the twin cascades carve through the red cliffs, churning the waters below in a spectacular finale – but Koolama Bay holds secrets beyond its striking scenery.

Named after a ship that beached here following an aerial attack by Japanese bombers in World War II, the bay may seem desolate, yet it teems with life. With Silversea’s expert guides on their 10-day Kimberley itinerary, guests gain a sharper eye for its hidden wonders – rock wallabies darting across the cliffs, crocodiles lurking among dense green mangroves, and high above, the silhouette of a bird of prey circling the sky.

King George Falls at koolama bay excursion on Silversea Kimberley Cruise
Take a shore excursion to see King George Falls.

2. Freshwater Cove / Wijingarra Butt Butt

Connect with Country on a wet landing at Freshwater Cove, also known as Wijingarra Butt Butt. Considered one of the most special experiences on both the 16-day and 10-day Kimberley cruises, Silversea guests are welcomed by the traditional Indigenous custodians of the land, painted with traditional ochre, and invited to take part in a smoking ceremony.

Located on the mainland near Montgomery Reef, Wijingarra Butt Butt holds deep cultural significance to the local Indigenous community. Here, rock formations along the shore represent spiritual ancestors, and guests are guided to a nearby rock overhang filled with ancient art, where traditional owners share the stories and meaning behind these sacred paintings.

welcome to country on freshwater cove during silversea kimberley cruise
Take part in a smoking ceremony. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

3. Vansittart Bay (Jar Island)

Modern history, ancient culture and mystery converge in Vansittart Bay, which is also known as Jar Island. Here, the first thing to catch the eye is the dented, silver fuselage of a World War II-era C-53 plane – a striking relic of the past. Yet, the true cultural treasures lie just a short hike away where two distinct styles of Indigenous rock art – Gwion Gwion and Wandjina – can be found.

The Wandjina figures, deeply connected to Indigenous traditions, stand in stark contrast to the enigmatic Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) paintings, which date back more than 12,000 years. Significantly different in form and style, the two different styles create a striking juxtaposition, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s rich and complex past.

aerial view of Vansittart Bay, See it in you Silversea Kimberley Cruise.
Explore ancient Gwion Gwion rock art at Vansittart Bay. (Image: Janelle Lugge)

4. Horizontal Falls

Part illusion, part natural phenomenon, the Kimberley’s much-lauded Horizontal Falls aren’t a waterfall, but a tidal and geographic spectacle that visitors have to see to comprehend. Known as Garaanngaddim, the phenomenon occurs when seawater rushes through two narrow gaps- one just twenty metres wide, and the other seven metres in width, between the escarpments of Talbot Bay.

With each tidal shift,  the force of the water creates whirlpools, furious currents and the illusion of a horizontal cascade as thousands of gallons of water are pushed and pulled in through the gap every six hours with relentless movement, making this one of the Kimberley ’s most mesmerising natural wonders.

Horizontal Falls are described as "One of the greatest wonders of the natural world". They are formed from a break in-between the McLarty Ranges reaching up to 25m in width. The natural phenomenon is created as seawater builds up faster on one side of the gaps than the other, creating a waterfall up to 5m high on a King tide.
Watch whirlpools and furious currents collide. (Image: Janelle Lugge)

5. Montgomery Reef

As the tide turns in Montgomery Reef, magic happens. With the Kimberley’s legendary tides varying up to ten metres, at low tide the submerged reef almost appears to rise from the depths: exposing up to four metres of the sandstone reef.

The impact is otherworldly: as the water drains, waterfalls cascade on either side of the channel,  turtles left exposed scramble and dive, and fish leap in search of sanctuary in shallow pools. Meanwhile, the dinner bell rings for the migratory seabirds dugongs, reef sharks and dolphins that scavenge and feast in the area.

Using zodiacs, guests cruise through one of the world’s most significant inshore reef systems navigated by experienced guides, exploring the most intricate and fascinating parts of a 300-square-kilometre-wide biodiversity hotspot.

aerial view of boat going along Montgomery Reef
Witness seabirds, dolphins and reef sharks on the hunt.

6. Mitchell Falls by Helicopter

Experiencing the Kimberley by sea allows you to feel the power of the tides, but travelling by helicopter reveals the sandstone tapestry of the Kimberley, a landscape geologists believe is over 1.8 billion years old.

One of Silversea’s most popular optional excursions , guests who opt to fly into the interior from the onboard helipad soar up above the rust-coloured landscape of the Mitchell plateau, taking in one of Australia’s most scenic waterfalls: Mitchell Falls, a series of four emerald-coloured pools gently cascades into each other, before plunging down to the river below.

Seeing the landscape from above reveals a landscape weaved and shaped by the power of the freshwater wet season, juxtaposed to the constant lapping of the relentless and powerful tide on the coast.

aerial view of mitchell falls on silversea helicopter excursion
See emerald pools cascade into the river below. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

7. Indigenous Art Caves, Wandjina Art

The Kimberley Region of Western Australia is home to some of the most striking and significant

Indigenous rock art in Australia. Dotted throughout the landscape are caves, cliffs and rock overhangs depicting the striking, ethereal image of Wandjina, the rainmaker spirit and creation being central to many of the Dreamtime stories in this region.

Some of the paintings are regularly repainted by traditional custodians, while others are believed to be over 4,000 years old. Each artwork serves as both a cultural record and a living connection to the past, offering a rare opportunity to engage with the enduring traditions of the Kimberley’s Indigenous communities.

Freshwater Cover Rock Art the kimberleys
Walk among cultural records preserved in stone. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

See the best of this incredible part of the world on a Silversea Kimberley cruise. Book your 10- or extended 16-day expedition voyage at silversea.com