Hong Kong’s best seasonal afternoon teas to try right now

Add a spritz of elegance to your afternoon with The Langham’s festive afternoon tea (starting from $698 for two). As part of their annual celebrations, the culinary team has crafted an array of delicacies that incorporate the whimsicalities of this special season, in addition to delighting guests with its signature freshly baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream and jam.

Graze your way through the creamy and smoky salmon sandwiches evocative of a Christmas fir, a jewel-toned Santa hat panna cotta, chestnut mousse cake with blackcurrant fashioned into a sleigh, and the wintry traditional trifle topped with a chocolate snowflake. Add on a free-flow package of Saicho sparkling tea (starting from $588) or champagne ($200) to complement the set. Available until 2 January 2022.

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 the 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 to pair with the enticing assortment of bites, like wasabi avocado mousse, Mexican taco with Sichuan chicken, scallop ceviche, crispy fried shrimp, and Ozone’s renowned mini mushroom Wagyu beef burger.

Ozone, 118/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, ICC, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2263 2270

An iconic space in Hong Kong’s most central locations, The Murray has a couple of great spots that will serve as the perfect backdrop to afternoon tea. The Garden Lounge comes with a full view of the beautiful green surroundings and the historic St John’s Cathedral through giant windows, making for a serene yet elegant place to enjoy an afternoon tea ($728 for two).

Pet owners will be delighted by the alfresco Cotton Tree Terrace, where they can enjoy tea-time with their favourite four-legged friends as part of the much-loved Paws for Tea ($898 for two) that accompanies delectable treats for two humans with a treasure trove of goodies for the pets at the Pet Marketplace.

Relish the spirited rooftop views and alfresco atmosphere at Popinjays with an indulgent buffet-inspired high tea! Offered along with their traditional and maple pecan scones, A Teatime Feast afternoon tea (starting from $398) spotlights robust ingredients that are stylishly elevated to suit the modern urbanite, such as the roasted butternut squash and red currant tart and the simple yet satisfying pan con tomate. Desserts strike a balance between creamy, chocolatey, and fruity, with creations like the green velvet cake, Earl Grey chocolate cake, and berries panna cotta. Available until 2 January 2022.

The Murray, 22 Cotton Tree Drive, Central | (+852) 3141 8888

Hotel Icon is collaborating with renowned Belgian chocolatier Godiva to tantalise our senses with the Gifts of Godiva afternoon tea (starting from $408 per person) this season. Presented on a chic vinyl turntable, the bite-sized delights range from mouth-watering savouries to sweet treats, paired with soothing tea or coffee. Sink your teeth into the lemon verbena and framboise macaron, the Griottines cherry with dark chocolate, a dark chocolate mousse infused with Earl Grey tea, and morsels of unmissable Godiva chocolates.

Spin the turntable deck to continue on to the savouries, which feature the duck liver mousse-coated chocolate served with caviar, smoked salmon with roe, and traditional scones with clotted cream and jam, with a Bloody Mary martini with shrimp to pair. Sate your sweet tooth with a two-hour free-flow at the Godiva chocolate station, where you can dip a steady supply of fresh strawberries to your heart’s content, and wrap things up with a Godiva chocolate twist soft serve and a signature Godiva hot chocolate with blooming marshmallow! Available until 14 January 2022.

Hotel Icon, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3400 1343

A collaboration with Elle & Vire and Liberty Lane, SP Flower and Tea Room’s limited-edition Floral and Tea Garden afternoon tea set ($398 for two) bridges Asian aesthetics and flavours with Western culinary arts, all the while celebrating the unique characteristics of flowers and tea in a room of colourful floral abundance.

On the savoury side, you’ll find the 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 mash-ups, such as the Japanese matcha orange cake, mango cheese caramel sencha cake, and butterfly pea flower yuzu tart. Savour the experience with one of their 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 January 2022.

SP Flower and Tea Room, Shop G64, G/F, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2789 3339

Stationed on the first floor of the revitalised Central Market, I-O-N is Nina Hospitality’s new-wave café concept that makes creative use of the open space of the location. Served on a nostalgic three-tiered collection of wooden boxes, their signature afternoon tea set ($488 for two) pays homage to the East-meets-West conflux in Hong Kong cuisine, with foie gras French toast, baked lobster and cheese-stuffed potato skin, as well as the vibrant mango palmier.

I-O-N, Shop 124–125, 1/F, Central Market, 80 Des Voeux Road Central, Central | (+852) 9141 5863

Three on Canton is discovering novel ways to enjoy the tasty autumnal fruit in its Somersby Apple Garden afternoon tea (starting from $388). Paired with delicious 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 the apple calamansi cheesecake and apple and blueberry vanilla éclair. Meanwhile, traditional high tea dishes like the 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 | (+852) 2113 7828

Madame Fù is joining hands with beauty brand Rituals to present a wellness-centric Ayurveda afternoon tea ($550 for two), inspired by the philosophies behind the collection of the same name. Celebrating the flavours from both its signature updated Canton fare while adding accents of fresh rose and honey, the menu runs from honey-glazed roasted chicken on blinis to rose petal cheese tart, yoghurt cupcake with rose and strawberry frosting, and oh-so-fluffy scones paired with the ever-iconic rose petal jam. Diners who order the tea set will also receive a complimentary The Ritual of Ayurveda gift set (while stocks last) worth $240, as well as some other Ayurveda goodies to spoil themselves with. Available until 31 January 2022.

Madame Fù, 3/F, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central | (+852) 2114 2118

Mandarin Oriental channels the best of what the season has to offer in their festive afternoon tea (starting from $488), using premium ingredients to present a feast of decadent sandwiches, pastries, and teas. Explore a myriad of mouth-watering combinations with turkey roll sandwiches, roast beef and horseradish cream sandwiches, or chicken and leek vol-au-vent, followed by desserts like the must-have 1963 Mandarin cheesecake, as well as the chestnut Mont Blanc. Available at Clipper Lounge and Café Causette until 23 December 2021.

Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central | (+852) 2522 0111

An all-day lounge that plunges you into a world of glamour and refinement, The Butterfly Room is an alcove of the utmost comforts offering premium tea-time nibbles. Its signature afternoon tea ($998 for two) has been elevated to suit the tides of December and will have you spoilt for choice. Items on offer are rotated and made fresh daily. Beginning with mandatory scones, the selections progress through an artisanal array of savoury bites made by the day, trollies of cakes, pastries, and chocolates, as well as optional caviar (starting from $450). Refillable coffee and tea are also readily available, with the option of upgrading to Champagne Perrier-Jouët ($188), all of which are served in gorgeous Lalique crystal glasses.

The Butterfly Room, 2/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3891 8732

Pitstop will be jumping on the train of afternoon tea sets with their Premium Shine Muscat Treasures afternoon tea set ($598 for two), where diners can experience the wonderful and fresh flavours of the in-season Japanese grapes. With pairings of savoury and sweet delicacies, delight in the flavours of Shine Muscat with goose liver mousse tart, Shine Muscat Alaskan king crab meat cup, Shine Muscat mango tart, and Shine Muscat coffee cheesecake. Diners are also offered to pair the afternoon tea set with fragrant floral tea, or simply coffee and traditional brews. Available until 31 December 2021.

PitStop, 1/F, Alva Hotel by Royal, 1 Yuen Hong Street, Sha Tin | (+852) 3653 1319

Plant-powered restaurant Miss Lee is here to encourage green eating resolutions with their afternoon tea platter ($138 per person, with a minimum order for two diners required), which blends quintessential British teatime choices with the kind of creative Chinese dishes the restaurant is known for. Served in an elegant flourish, this set features eight plant-based bites, including beetroot tart with vegan mayonnaise, fried sweet corn cake, pumpkin pancake with walnut praline, and salted egg yolk cracker. 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 organic prosecco. For a heavier afternoon tea, diners may also get à la carte add-ons like fried wonton in caramelised black vinegar ($108) and the mixed mushroom slider ($128).

Miss Lee, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Sheung Wan | (+852) 2881 1811

Bridging together two different cuisines into one distinct dining experience, Monsoon collates Southeast Asia’s best street foods into one vibrant afternoon tea set ($248 for two). Chef Will Meyrick has artfully incorporated a firey flair into typical afternoon tea delights such as softshell crab rice paper rolls, Dengdeng Belado spicy beef ribs, and chicken and prawn balls with smoked chilli mayo. Of course, there are also sweet pastries, such as the pandan custard cream puffs, and chocolate coconut Aeros as a few fusion examples of choice. All of these are perfect to wash down with tea, coffee, or something with a bit of an extra kick, like the Betel gin and tonic ($38).

Monsoon, Shop 1045, 1/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2511 0100

Befitting its colonial-era environs, Statement pays homage to the history of Tai Kwun with the refined Lady Caine afternoon tea ($298). Named after the wife of William Caine, who founded the original location, the tea set is brandished on a spiral-shaped stand designed by Ron Arad, and the options on offer include East-meet-West flavours like the beef tenderloin cutlet and chicken teriyaki mantou, black sesame tofu cheesecake, and yuenyeung mousse with coffee crumble. Offered in partnership with Ruinart Champagne, an extra $268 will allow you to enjoy a free-flow package of bubbly. Nibble on the butterflies that adorn the swirling steel tea stand—they are edible! Available from Thursdays to Sundays from 3 pm to 5 pm.

Statement, Police Headquarters Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central | (+852) 2848 3000

In collaboration with premium French caviar brand Plantin Kaviari, the team at Kerry Hotel has designed a decadent Franco-inspired afternoon tea set that showcases the beauty of the fresh obsidian pearls. November stars main entrées like the sumptuous Kaviari smoked salmon imperial fillet, Plantin black truffle wild mushroom patê, and cod patê with Kaviari Baeri caviar on charcoal bread. For your sweets, you will be tucking into classic Black Forest cake with dark chocolate mousse, cherry jelly with Kirsch Chantilly cream, Bastogne cake, and more.

In December, the menu transforms to a collection of savoury dishes that range from Hokkaido scallop ceviche topped with Kaviari Kristal caviar and foie gras pie with wild blueberry jam to wild truffle mushroom soup with truffle croutons and snow, though the confectionaries remain the same as November’s. Every purchase of a set also gifts the diner with an exclusive 10 percent discount code to be used on the official Kaviari e-shop, valid until 31 January 2022. Dine in to enjoy this luxurious afternoon-time feast. Available until 31 December 2021.

Lobby Lounge, Level 1, Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay | (+852) 2252 5237

Hosted at the Gradini Ristorante e Bar, the festive afternoon tea set (starting from $298) keeps it simple and sumptuous with classics that hint at the broadly European influences behind the establishment. Savour in the foie gras with port wine jelly, turkey sandwich with cranberry jam, cucumber with sundried tomato, herb, and cream cheese wrap, and smoked salmon with capers and mayonnaise as the stellar savoury choices. The dessert selection evokes memories of Christmas at home, featuring items like mince pie, festive tiramisù, les chouchous, and macaron. A broad assortment of teas ($58) is on offer, next to coffee ($58) and prosecco by the glass ($128). Available until 31 December.

Gradini Ristorante e Bar, Lobby Level, The Pottinger, 74 Queen’s Road Central, Central | (+852) 2308 3088

Inspired by beauty brand Valmont’s tribute to nature in their line of products, this gorgeous afternoon tea set (starting from $618 for two) is full of exquisite dishes that marry refined flavours and premium ingredients. Begin your journey with a welcoming cup of osmanthus oolong bliss tea before diving into a gold-dusted abalone tart, lobster claw salad with Siberian caviar and strawberry, and other opulent nibbles. The meal reflects the natural ingredients listed in Valmont’s skincare, with dessert options like butterfly pea and lemon crystal mousse, elderflower mascarpone crémeux adorned with edible butterflies, and caramel lemon and honeycomb.

Each afternoon tea set is offered alongside a complimentary five-item moisturising skincare trial kit from Valmont, redeemable upon completion of a one-on-one consultation at one of their outlets. What’s more, any purchase of the Valmont Christmas advent calendar can receive an additional gift. Available until 31 December.

The Lounge, JW Marriott Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty | (+852) 2810 8366

Transplanting you right into the winter wonderland of the North Pole, the Dazzling Aurora Festive afternoon tea ($568 for two) pays a spectacular homage to the northern lights with its wintertime treats. Be greeted by a frosty lime and lemon sorbet, before delighting in warm black truffle, raisin, and white chocolate chip scones paired with signature Nordic lingonberry festive marmalade. Savouries showcase the beauty of seasonal ingredients and international flavours, with dishes ranging from Nordic salmon and truffle caviar puff to braised abalone and porcini tart.

Taste the colours of the sky with the Aurora of chocolate, pear, and caramel, then savour the sweetness of the vanilla and Hokkaido milk-based Snowball. The set is inclusive of Coco’s range of Illy coffees and TWG teas, but there are upgrades that add in champagne ($848 for two) and even an extra customised dessert ($638 for two). Available until 30 December.

Coco, G/F, The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2315 5566