The History of Tea
Prior to the 17th century, the English had two main meals – breakfast and dinner. It was Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, who first invited her friends to join her for an additional afternoon meal of bread and butter sandwiches, small cakes and, of course, tea. Later, made popular by Queen Victoria, afternoon tea developed into an indulgent cuisine of wafer-thin crust less sandwiches typically of cucumber, smoked salmon and cheddar cheese, fancy cakes and regional British savouries and pastries such as Welsh rarebit, Scottish scones and English crumpets.
Two distinct forms of tea services evolved: ‘low’ and ‘high’ tea. Low tea, enjoyed in the low or early part of the afternoon, was served in aristocratic homes and featured gourmet titbits with emphasis being on the presentation and conversation. The working class originated high tea. Not having the means of two main meals each day they combined afternoon tea with the evening meal, serving meats, breads and cakes with hot tea at the end of the day.
The Tea Room preserves a rich tradition using the highest quality single estate loose leaf teas and tisanes sourced from the finest growing regions of the world – China, India, Japan, Sri-Lanka, Taiwan and Africa. Unlike most loose leaf teas which are blends from many estates, our single estate teas guarantee the purest expression of flavour, place and quality
The Tea Room QVB offers morning tea and tradition high tea service tea in luxurious surroundings that celebrate the cultural significance of the historic Queen Victoria Building Ballroom.
MONDAY TO FRIDAY – 10AM UNTIL CLOSE
DEVONSHIRE TEA
Two scones with preserve and cream, tea or coffee
SANDWICH PLATE
A plate of sandwiches, tea or coffee
LIGHT TEA
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, tea or coffee
Tea Selection included. Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2
Please note our Devonshire tea, sandwich plate and light tea menu options are not available on weekends or public holidays.
MONDAY TO SUNDAY – 10AM UNTIL CLOSE
CHILDREN’S HIGH TEA
A child friendly selection of finger sandwiches, sweets, savoury item, scone
with strawberry and raspberry jam and clotted cream, choice of tea, hot chocolate, juice or soft drink
TRADITIONAL HIGH TEA
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scone with
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee
Tea Selection included. Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2
SPARKLING HIGH TEA
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scones with
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee and a glass of Australian sparkling wine
Tea Selection included. Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2
COCKTAIL HIGH TEA
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scone with
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee and served with a cocktail
Tea Selection included. Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2
CHAMPAGNE HIGH TEA
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scone with
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee and a piccolo of French champagne
Tea Selection included. Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2
GLUTEN FREE HIGH TEA
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries made with
Gluten free flour and almond meal, tea or coffee
Nut free, Vegan and Dairy Free High Tea need to pre – ordered 24 hours prior to arriving.
Please note nut and wheat products are used on the premises.
A minimum of one menu item per person must be ordered.
A surcharge applies on all public holidays & special event days.
TEA SELECTION
ENGLISH BREAKFAST
- Carefully chosen selection of best quality high grown Ceylon teas from the better known districts in Sri Lanka.
- Full bodied rich dark tea, traditionally served with milk.
IRISH BREAKFAST
- Special Te Room blend of black teas selected from the best quality high grown teas from the better known districts in Sri Lanka and Assam. Serve with or without milk.
EARL GREY
- Luxurious combination of carefully selected tea perfectly supplemented with the flavour of bergamot fruit.
- A powerful blend; hearty and aromatic. Complimented with milk.
ASSAM BARI
- Single estate black tea ideal for those who like their tea as strong as coffee. Serve with or without milk and other additions such as honey
ORANGE PEKOE
- A fancy grade of full tea from Dimbula, Sri Lanka where teas are grown in ideal conditions of sparkling sun and crystal clear air. Fine scented with a full, bold flavour. It gets its name from the luscious orange colour of the brew.
CHAI
- Special Tea Room blend of exotic spices – cinnamon, cardamom and cloves – with black tea. An invigorating beverage refreshing to the mind and body with a strong pleasing aroma. Served with hot milk releases the aromats.
TARRY LAPSANG
- Fine pieces of vanilla are added to this delicate tea to offer a subtle sweetness. Recommended served black.
VANILLA
- A premium tea with a flowery elegance and luscious fragrance. Delicate leaf buds picked by hand make for a rare, mildly tart and refreshing tea. As with all green teas, no milk should be added.
CEYLON DECAFFEINATED
- A Ceylon tea full of fruity liveliness – without caffeine, mild in acids. Can be served with or without milk.
RED ROSES
- A blend of the finest China tea with rose petals – flowery and mild. A fragrant black tea.
WILD CHERRY
- An extravagantly blended India tea with the full aroma of sun-ripened Japanese wild cherries. A dash of milk will add a richness to the tea.
NILGIRI MOUNTAINS
- A mild, aromatic tea from the Nilgiri Blue Mountains, with the flavor of lemons and low in tannins. A light crystal clear brew best drank without milk.
DARJEELING’S DELIGHT
- A clear, fresh spring tea with a typical Darjeeling bouquet – from the best Organic tea gardens. Can be served with or without milk.
FANCY SENCHA
- An excellent example of delicately leafed China Sencha. Light green in the cup and slightly tart.
WOKOU GARDEN
- This organic fragrant green tea is carefully handcrafted to accentuate the delicate sweetness of spring.
DARJEELING GREEN LEAF
- An elegant highland Indian green tea with a distinctive delicate flowery aroma.
JASMINE GOLD
- Sweet jasmine petals give their special flavor to this elegant fine leaved tea.
GREEN DRAGON
- A premium tea with a flowery elegance and luscious fragrance. Delicate leaf buds picked by hand make for a rare, mildly tart and refreshing tea. As with all green teas, no milk should be added.
HEAVEN & EARTH
- A delicate blend of tart Sencha, sweet strawberry and hints of kiwi fruit. An interesting Japanese style green tea.
HERBAL INFUSIONS
PEPPERMINT
- Pure, fresh herbal tea with a cool refreshing and highly characteristic taste. Lifts the spirits.
PURE CHAMOMILE
- One of the most popular herbal beverages in the world. Fragrance is sweet, taste is floral.
TEA FOR CONNOISSEURS
CLASSIC ENGLISH TEA
- It is blends like this that have given English teas their reputation: strong and aromatic, top quality teas from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya that can be enjoyed with milk and sugar.
SPLENDID EARL GREY
- A fragrantly gentle Darjeeling with fine China and Assam teas with the purest essential oils of bergamot Complimented with milk.
SUPERIOR OOLONG
- One of the most exquisite semi-fermented teas from Formosa. Only minute quantities of this rarity are harvested every year. A fascinating tea with great richness of flavor, and a fruit and nut character full of elegance.
YIN LONG
- A rarity from the mountains in the province of Anhui. When harvesting, only the delicate downy shoots are carefully rolled by hand to a small ball and heated in the pan to halt fermentation. A subtle peach flavor with a touch of tartness. Our only white tip tea on the menu and served without milk.
JASMINE PEARLS
- The leaves of this rare specialty from China’s Fujian region are plucked by hand and hand rolled into small balls. Flavored with fresh picked jasmine flowers, lending its unusual and delicate flowery aroma.
SUPERIOR GYOKURO
- A beautifully fine green tea with a subtle and mildly sweet aroma, harvest only once each Spring.
ROYAL GUNPOWDER
- Refreshingly tart green tea leaves rolled into balls that expand once brewed. It is higher in caffeine than other greens, and is commonly used by athletes to improve endurance.
ROYAL YUNNAN
- A gourmet black tea from the world renowned Chinese region of Yunnan. A rich and malty tea with lingering notes of chocolate and honey. Served with or without milk.
