Join me as I review the visually stunning and equally delicious Hyatt Canberra High Tea. This venue is a perennial favourite in Australia’s capital city and a must visit if you are looking for Afternoon tea in Canberra.
Hyatt Canberra High Tea – A feast for the senses
Date visited: 24 April 2025
Location: Hyatt Hotel Canberra, 120 Commonwealth Avenue, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
My dining companions: Mr B and Master H (age 13)
Cost: Thursday to Friday
11:30am – 2:30pm
$79 adult, $50 child (6-12yo)
Saturday & Sunday
11:30am – 2:30pm
$85 adult, $50 child (6-12yo)
Location & setting
The Hyatt Hotel Canberra is a 15 minute trip by car from Canberra Airport. It is 7 minutes from the centre of Canberra and 5 minutes from Parliament House.
Situated in an Art Deco building upgraded with modern touches, their High Tea is held in The Tea Lounge. It features comfortable chairs, traditional tiered stands, thick linen napkins, seasonal floral arrangements and a light and airy atmosphere.
Dress code
Neat casual dress (comfortable waistlines recommended)!
The tea selection
The teas on offer have been curated by tea experts from the The Tea Centre. The selection includes specialised blends like Canberra Earl Grey and Rose Floriat, Darjeeling, Japanese Genmaicha, Royal Chai plus Decaf Ceylon. In addition, classic tea and coffee selections are also available – see menu below.
Other drinks
A glass of Austalian sparkling rosé or wine is included in the per person cost. Children over 12 are charged the Adult price and can choose from a mocktail or soft drink of their choice. Also Tattinger Champagne is an extra $22 if you prefer something French.
Hyatt Canberra High Tea Menu
What we ate
The Hyatt chefs truly excelled themselves with their creativity, skill and flavour. The food was beautifully made with the highest quality Australian ingredients as well as next-level attention to detail. It definitely lived up to what’s expected from a five-star hotel. It is definitely one of the best Afternoon Tea experiences in Canberra.
It was obvious that a lot of thought and care had been put into developing a menu reflecting the tapestry of flavours and colours of the shifting Canberra seasons. The late summer sweetness of peach, raspberry, lime, and kiwi was brought together with the autumnal richness of pear, quince, caramel, fig, honey, truffle, and pumpkin. Furthermore, the warmth of rich beef and earthy potatoes was a gentle reminder of the cold weather to come. The menu emphasised the need for hearty, comforting fare.
My sweet and savoury favourites
I really enjoyed the cured Tasmanian salmon mille-feuille; it included crunchy, flaky buttery pastry stack interspersed with dill mascarpone and topped with a runny quail’s egg. The Tarte aux Figues with delicate frangipani raspberry tart was offset by acidic creme fraiche and finished with wafer-thin sweet fig slices.
Serving sizes
There were four sweet, four savoury items and one scone to try, and all were a generous size. While I tasted everything, I found I couldn’t finish all my food. Remarkably, even Mr B had to give up. Only Master H, the growing teenager with his bottomless pit of a stomach, was able to proudly consume everything on offer.
Allergies
My husband has a seafood allergy, which we mentioned when booking online. Hyatt called the day before to confirm our reservation and to ensure they could accommodate him. When the tiered tea stand arrived at our table, my husband was presented with a separate plate containing a seafood-free savoury selection. He really appreciated this gesture. He didn’t feel like he was being a bother, which can sometimes be the case.
Noise level
As the space is open, it can be a little loud at times depending on the number of guests and their volume. However, it wasn’t to the point of not being able to hear each other speak. My husband is usually the first to get annoyed if it’s too loud. He didn’t comment, so I take that as a win!
We were sat along a centre throughfare between the lobby and the lifts. It got quite busy at times with people moving back and forth. So if this is something that might bother you, then make sure you request a table near the windows instead.
Service
While the service was attentive we never felt rushed even though we knew it was a two-hour sitting. Drinks were poured immediately and the menu and tea selection was well explained. Requests for extra drinks, coffee, and the bill were responded to in a friendly way. Nothing was too much trouble, which made this luxurious afternoon tea in Canberra very enjoyable.
Highlight of the day?
Definitely the little Black Angus pies with potatoes mousseline impressed us. Also, who knew that High Tea pies could taste so good? As the weather was on the cooler side, these flaky, buttery and richly flavoured pies were a lovely warm addition to the high tea. Neither of my boys mentioned the words ‘tomato sauce’, which is a testament to how well the potatoes mousseline complemented the pies.
An additional highlight was watching our son try everything on the tiered stand. He was enticed by the presentation and the opportunity to taste all the different flavours. His enthusiasm about the whole high tea experience really helped to make the day special.
Can’t wait to make…
Something piped on brioche toast, flower-shaped chocolate sablés, and mini pavlovas. Keep an eye on the blog for my Hyatt Hotel Canberra High Tea inspired delights!
Run or return to the Hyatt Canberra High Tea?
Definitely return. Because if you are an Afternoon Tea fan like me, you love beautiful food, or you want to celebrate a special occasion, it is well worth a visit.
Good to know
Book early to avoid disappointment as this is one of the most popular Afternoon Teas in Canberra. As it’s not far from Parliament House, it can often be quite busy with visiting dignitaries and politicians.