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Originally published by Catharina Cheung. Last updated by Beverly Ngai.
While finger foods and delectable pastries can be enjoyed any time of day, there is something incredibly compelling about slowing down from the rush of a busy day to indulge in a proper afternoon tea. Laze away an afternoon with delectable food served in bite sizes, tea or coffee, and a cheeky tipple or several—here are the best afternoon tea menus to try in Hong Kong this season, for a limited time only!
Add a spritz of elegant glamour to your afternoon with The Langham’s latest Salvatore Ferragamo Storie di Seta afternoon tea ($688 for two). In celebration of the Italian luxury brand’s new fragrance collection, Storie di Seta, the culinary team at The Langham has created a sweet and savoury delicacy for each of the four new fragrances, in addition to delighting guests with the hotel’s signature freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam.
Graze your way through the floral and fruity sakura strawberry-rhubarb mini pavlova and foie gras bonbon, the floral-green pistachio-raspberry panna cotta, the citrus-infused braised beef sandwich, and the aqueous-themed seafood salad on lobster crab quiche. Courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo, the first 1,000 guests will receive a complimentary miniature gift set of the four Storie di Seta fragrances with every tea set for two! Available until 30 September.
Palm Court, Lobby, The Langham, 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2132 7898
If day drinking is not your cup of tea but you still fancy the taste of a well-mixed cocktail, then Ozone’s Five Elements savoury afternoon tea ($298 per person) is your answer. Ozone has joined forces with non-alcoholic spirits brand Lyre’s to stir up five guilt-free, zero-proof cocktails inspired by each of the Chinese five elements of nature—fire, metal, water, earth, and wood.
Choose one beverage of your choice to pair with the enticing assortment of savoury bites, which includes wasabi avocado mousse, Mexican taco with Sichuan chicken, scallop ceviche, crispy fried shrimp, and the bar’s renowned mini mushroom Wagyu beef burger.
Ozone, International Commerce Centre (ICC), 118/F, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2263 2270
Tea fanatics will appreciate the special attention given to the leafy brews at the Garden Lounge’s A Tea-licious Afternoon ($728 for two), where three premium single-origin teas from Jing Tea take centre stage. Delight your senses and beat the heat with three refreshing chilled tea beverages: an invigorating lemongrass and ginger tea, a fragrant Ceylon and rose tea, and a robust earl grey tea.
Accompanying the exquisite teas is a thoughtfully curated spread of complementary sandwiches, tarts, and cakes. Start with savouries like black truffle chicken roll sandwich, watermelon and feta cheese sandwich, and avocado shrimp tart before diving into sweet treats like coconut pineapple sable, lemon bergamot cookies, and chocolate blueberry opera cake. Available until 30 September.
Garden Lounge, The Murray, 22 Cotton Tree Drive, Central | (+852) 3141 8888
Unlock the delicious wonders of fermented foods! This autumn, Kowloon Shangri-La is teaming up with Korean natural fermentation skincare brand Su:m37 to launch the Golden Elegance afternoon tea ($608 for two) in its Lobby Lounge. Echoing the core philosophy of the skincare brand, the afternoon tea set takes guests on a gourmet journey with fermented ingredients.
Presented in a beautiful floral golden birdcage, the tea set puts a trendy spin on probiotic-rich foods like sourdough, buckwheat blini, and yoghurt. Expect to feast on savouries like buckwheat blini and coriander pesto and salmon roe and plancha scallops with sesame oil, guacamole and sourdough as well as dainty desserts like baked cheese tart with yuzu curd and acacia honey-glazed blueberries and crème fraîche yoghurt cake with blood orange jelly. Available until 31 October.
Lobby Lounge, Kowloon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2733 8740
There is nothing quite like enjoying a lavish afternoon tea whilst being surrounded by colourful floral abundance. A collaboration with Elle & Vire and Liberty Lane, SP Flower and Tea Room’s limited-edition Floral and Tea Garden afternoon tea set bridges Asian aesthetics and flavours with Western culinary arts, all the while celebrating the unique characteristics of flowers and tea.
On the savoury side, you’ll find Spanish ham and cheese palmier, spicy chicken cheese mini burger, and tomato parma ham tart; while on the sweet side is an array of fanciful fusion mashups such as Japanese matcha orange cake, mango cheese caramel sencha cake, and butterfly pea flower yuzu tart, and more! Savour the experience with one of SP’s bespoke blended teas, and prepare to be blown away by flavour combinations like peaches and ginger sencha and orange and rose black tea! Available until 16 Jan 2022.
SP Flower and Tea Room, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, Shop G64, G/F, 66 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2789 3339
Relish the last of summer’s vibrant spirit and carefree exuberance with Popinjays’ pink-themed tea party! Curated in partnership with Givenchy, the Summer in Pink afternoon tea ($698 for two) spotlights bright, seasonal summer ingredients that are stylishly dressed up as a nod to Givenchy’s avant-garde elegance.
Among the savouries are refreshing yet flavourful bites like tomato tart and brown crab and Norwegian smoked salmon toast; while the desserts hone in on fruity and floral flavours, with creations like rose and vanilla éclair, white peach and verbena verrine, and raspberry financier. As a bonus, diners will also get to take home a complimentary Givenchy Pink mini gift set while stocks last! Available until 30 September.
Ponpinjays, 26/F, The Murray, 22 Cotton Tree Drive, Central | (+852) 3141 8888
Sevva’s children’s afternoon tea ($720) is every kid’s fantasy come true! Drawing from owner Bonnae Gokson’s fondest childhood memories, the whimsical tea set offers a selection of riffs off childhood classics, re-inventing them into miniature delicacies! Get nostalgic over savoury canapés like the Kurobuta pork sausage hot dog and mac ‘n cheese spring rolls, before working your way to fun-filled sweets like the rainbow jelly with French vanilla panna cotta, banana split cup, and Happy Cup, a mixed dessert cup filled with chocolate chip cookies, lollies, and other “happy things.” Complete with quirky puppets and sugar art, the dreamy tea set will surely have you and your little ones smiling from ear to ear!
Sevva, 25/F, Landmark Prince’s, 10 Chater Road, Central | (+852) 2537 1388
With apple season right around the corner, Three on Canton is discovering all the ways to enjoy the tasty autumn fruit in its Somersby Apple Garden afternoon tea. Paired with Somersby apple cider and Somersby cocktails, the tea set highlights fresh apples in a variety of sweet and savoury forms, tantalising your palate with intriguing bites like duck liver mousse with apple chutney and nuts and granny smith turkey croissant, as well as indulgent desserts like apple calamansi cheesecake and apple and blueberry vanilla éclair. Meanwhile, traditional high tea dishes including smoked salmon tart, bacon and egg quiche, and scones with jam and clotted cream will be punctuating the themed menu. Available until 31 January 2022.
Three on Canton, 3/F, Gateway Hotel, 13 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon | (+852) 2113 7828
Chocoholics are in for a real treat with Conrad’s Taste of Allegria afternoon tea ($588 for two)! Highlighting premium chocolates and gelato from Italian chocolatier Venchi, executive chef Claudio Rossi has whipped up a show-stopping parade of cocoa-forward delicacies, including chocolate scones, orange chocolate dome, dark chocolate raspberry tartlet, and a drool-worthy line-up of gelato flavours, such as chocolate truffle, Piedmont hazelnut, and stracciatella.
Striking the perfect sweet-savoury balance, the menu also encompasses umami-rich Parma ham and fontina cheese on a saffron bun and smoked salmon with mascarpone cream. To wash down the lavish meal, try swapping usual tea and coffee for a cocoa tea latte or strawberry fizz tea! Available until 12 September.
Conrad Hong Kong, Conrad Lobby Level, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty | (+852) 2822 8891
Befitting its East-meets-West ethos and artsy environs, Madame Fù is joining hands with Australian street style brand Moral this season to present a vibrant, Australian-inspired afternoon tea ($550 for two). Celebrating the flavours from down under whilst adding its own modern flair and timeless elegance, the menu runs from camembert with truffle crostini and shrimp and avocado cocktail to vanilla lamington cake, strawberry choux, and oh-so-fluffy scones with clotted cream and Madame Fù’s signature rose petal jam. Diners ordering the tea set will also receive a complimentary Moral Rose mini duffle bag, while stocks last. Available until 30 September.
Madame Fù, 3/F, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central | (+852) 2114 2118
Yearning for a taste of Japan? This September, Mandarin Oriental and Shiseido channel the best of the Land of the Rising Sun in their Shiseido Future Solution Legendary Enmei afternoon tea ($736), using authentic Japanese ingredients to present a feast of decadent sandwiches, pastries, and teas. Explore a myriad of Japanese unique flavours combinations with their lobster yuzu and tobiko sandwich and smoked salmon cream cheese and wasabi sandwich, followed by desserts like black sesame and yuzu tart and Enmei herb-infused chocolate entremets. After completing the afternoon tea ritual with freshly baked scones and green tea cappuccino, guests can continue revelling in luxury at home with the complimentary Shiseido Legendary Enmei Serum gift set! Available at Clipper Lounge and Café Causette until 30 September.
Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central
Give your afternoon tea a distinctly Hong Kong spin with the A Taste of Hong Kong menu from Holt’s Café. Presented as an elevated take on cha chaan teng culture, the menu includes fancified classics like spam & egg instant noodles ($120 with Ibérico luncheon meat and a Japanese egg, as well as a black truffle egg sandwich ($90), baked tomato Ibérico pork chop rice ($220), and Hong Kong-style French toast ($90).
Available from Mondays to Saturdays from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm, the dishes are available à la carte or in a tea set ($238 per person) which includes barbecued pork rice, a pineapple bun with butter, and yuenyeung.
Holt’s Café, 2/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3891 8732
Got eyes bigger than your belly? Opt for a more minimalist afternoon tea with Kiki Noodle Bar’s aptly named Light & Delight tea set ($48) of Taiwanese night market snacks. Six options are available, which include Taiwanese popcorn chicken with black truffle aioli, a snack platter of sliced sausage and chicken wings with lemongrass sauce, and more filling options like their mini dan dan noodle or rice with crispy chicken fillet. All afternoon tea sets come with your choice of two flavoured teas—winter melon or peach oolong—but customers who order the tea set through Klook can upgrade to any of Kiki’s special tea drinks for free.
Pitstop will be jumping on the train of afternoon tea sets with their Sweet to the Soul afternoon tea set ($628 for two persons), where diners can experience the wonderfully fresh pairing of in-season Japanese white peaches and melt-in-the-mouth Japanese uni. Check out their menu of savoury and sweet delicacies: Japanese uni & lobster vol-au-vent, Japanese uni seafood cocktail with jelly, white peach strawberry mousse cake, and fresh white peach with white wine agar, just to name a few.
Diners are also offered to pair the afternoon tea set with fruity peach fizz ($38) or peach oolong tea ($38). End it all on a sweet note with their complimentary themed dessert platter with four special desserts or a box of handmade cookies. Available until 30 September.
PitStop, 1/F, Alva Hotel by Royal, 1 Yuen Hong Street, Sha Tin | (+852) 3653 1319
Foodies who prefer Chinese cuisine to Western should visit 10 Shanghai for a different kind of afternoon tea with their Classic Huaiyang afternoon tea set ($338 for two persons). Served in large bamboo steamers, dig into perennial favourites such as marinated rosy jellyfish head with aged vinegar, Shanghai-style sweet & sour baby back ribs, smoked soft-boiled eggs with black truffle pearls, the restaurant’s signature crispy smoked baby squab, abalone & ham pastry, and xiao long bao.
In case the bites are not filling enough, the set also includes either stewed Shanghainese noodles with chicken or Shanghainese noodles with pickled cabbage, sliced bamboo shoots & shredded pork in superior broth. Available from 3 pm to 5 pm daily.
10 Shanghai, Shop 101, Lee Garden Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2338 5500
Though it’s not quite Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the afternoon tea ($688) at Tiffany Blue Box Café is a glamorous affair in and of itself. Enjoy Tiffany blue desserts like the mini- and regular-sized Blue Box cake—a jasmine mousse cake and a vanilla chiffon cake, respectively—as well as a Tiffany bird’s nest made of kataifi pastry with little caramel “robin’s eggs.” Delicate bites like foie gras crème brûlée, lobster rolls, and queen crab rolls add a touch of savouriness to proceedings, while pastries like bacon & cheddar cheese scones and brown butter madeleine and hojicha madeleine round out the lavish affair.
The Tiffany Blue Box Café, Shop 7 & 8, 2/F, One Peking, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2362 9828
Plant-powered restaurant Miss Lee is here to encourage green eating resolutions with their vegan afternoon tea set ($138 per person, with a minimum order for two diners required), which blends quintessential British tea time choices with the kind of creative Chinese dishes the restaurant is known for.
Served in an elegant bamboo cage, this set features eight vegan bites, including hawthorn & black sesame scones, steamed red dates and coconut milk cake, pan-seared rice noodle roll, and pumpkin cake. The set includes a coffee or tea—an additional $25 for a glass of mixed juice or soft drink, or an additional $58 for a glass of Organix Prosecco. For a heavier afternoon tea, diners may also get add-ons like vegan scones with homemade jam ($72) and black truffle yam fries ($58).
Miss Lee, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Sheung Wan | (+852) 2881 1811
An Nam’s Indochine afternoon tea ($238 for two persons) offers a regional variation not often found with this meal. Savouries include five of the restaurant’s classics such as garlic & butter chicken wings and char-grilled jumbo river prawns, while the dessert selection also contains five dishes, including sago pandan pudding and purple sticky rice. Two more noodle options—Vietnamese beef rice noodle soup or crabmeat vermicelli in tomato soup—will ensure that you finish the meal fully sated.
An Nam, Shop L1–20, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong | (+852) 2866 2803
Mango Tree brings a mix of old and new flavours in their Thai afternoon tea in a basket ($328 for two persons). Find Thai savoury favourites like pomelo salad with crab meat, Thai shrimp toast, and char-grilled beef satay, as well as four sweets which include mango sticky rice and sago dumpling. Inclusive of two drinks, this tea set is available in their Kowloon branch in Elements.
Mango Tree Kitchen, Shop 2032, Elements, 1 Austin Road W, Tsim Sha Tsui
Monsoon collates Southeast Asia’s best street foods into one vibrant afternoon tea set ($248 for two persons). Expect to find delights such as soft-shell crab rice paper rolls, lemongrass chicken bao, Dengdeng Belado spicy beef ribs, and seared scallop with green nahm jihm sauce. Of course, there are also sweet pastries and a variety of fine tea blends, with available add-on beverages from their alcoholic and non-alcoholic selection (starting from $38). Available daily from 3 pm to 5.30 pm.
Monsoon, Shop 1045, 1/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2511 0100
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