There’s no better feeling than sipping a piping hot cup of tea with your friends while nibbling on sweet treats and exquisite savouries.
Offering buttery soft scones, bite-sized locally-infused pastries, finger sandwiches, and more on picturesque tiers or extravagant buffet spreads, high tea sessions are highly coveted among Singaporeans looking to unwind and enjoy an intimate heart-to-heart chat during the weekends or public holidays.
However, because this afternoon activity can be a pricey affair, it is often reserved for special occasions. Not to worry, we have compiled a list of 11 affordable high tea spots (all under $30++!) in Singapore where you can sinfully indulge without busting your budget:
Cedele’s all-day dining outlets carry a two-tier High Tea Set that’ll have you sinking your teeth into a hearty spread of savoury and sweet treats, from sliders with a choice of crisp soft shell crab or grilled beef patties to truffle fries, scones and Cedele’s classic cakes. For a boozy kick, there’s the Dark Jamaican Rum Tiramisu for a bit of extra indulgence.
Price: $48++ for two
Available daily 2-6pm, exclusively at Cedele’s All Day Dining outlets; #03-14 Wheelock Place, #B1-K115/116 Great World City, and #B2-120/120A Marina Bay Sands.
Hainan Story has launched a new afternoon tea set that boasts Hainanese teatime favourites.
Start with the top tier, where you’ll find cookies and Swiss rolls – expect to dig into delightful treats like Hae Bee Hiam, Ondeh Ondeh, and Hainanese Kopi Guyou cookies, as well as Hainanese Coconut Pandan, and Nanyang Yam Orh Nee rolls. Chef Pang Kok Keong’s (formerly of Antoinette) creations will also be on rotation.
On the second and third tiers, you’ll find other tasty morsels, like the traditional yi bua as well as honey toast cubes, prawn fritters, and Hainanese Yuan Yang satay. And if you have room for more dessert, there’s the adorable Beary Cute Coconut Dessert ($5.90). Dig into taro balls, red kidney beans, coconut jelly, honey sea coconut and more, all atop shaved coconut ice, and topped with a frozen ice coconut bear.
From now till Oct 15, enjoy from 50 per cent off the Beary Cute Coconut Dessert for only $2.95 when you order a high tea set. Terms and conditions apply.
Price: $19.90 per person (minimum of two persons for dine-in)
Exclusively available at The Hainan Story Hotel Boss (Chapter One), 500 Jln Sultan, #01-09 Hotel Boss, Singapore 199020.
The Marmalade Pantry is known for its exquisite cupcakes. But the homegrown bistro also offers a hearty High Tea set if you’re looking to have something more fulfilling. Its signature afternoon treat includes a selection of roast beef, truffle egg mayo and cranberry chicken finger sandwiches, as well as fried mantou, lemon meringe tarts, plain and raisin buttermilk scones, and petite cupcakes. Savour it all with two pots of artisanal tea by Monogram.
Or elevate your teatime affair with a glass of Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial 200ml for an additional $28++.
Price: $54++ for two persons
Marmalade Pantry is at various locations. High tea set is available only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 3pm to 6pm at its Novena and Downtown outlets. Visit its website for more information.
With its far-flung (aka ulu) location, The Coastal Settlement with its surrounding greenery and vintage-style interiors is perfect for an afternoon to escape it all – and an affordable high tea set to tuck into while you’re there.
Available from 3.30pm to 5.30pm daily, the tiered stand comes with a medley of morsels inspired by Asian and classic flavours, including assorted macarons, cendol panna cotta, a cake of the day, a smoked salmon sandwich, crispy char siew sou, a mini curry puff and more. Plus, you’ll get a free flow of coffee or tea.
Still feeling peckish? There are other items on the high tea menu like har cheong gai ($16), portobello fries ($15), and pizzas (from $23).
Price: $19++ per pax for a High Tea set (minimum of two)
The Coastal Settlement is at 200, Netheravon Road, Singapore 508529. High tea is available daily from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Visit its website for more information.
You’d likely associate Jumbo Seafood with a hearty seafood feast, but it’s also recently introduced an afternoon set that won’t have you feeling too much of a pinch.
Priced at $48++ per set for two, it doles out new handmade dim sum such as Baked Jumbo Chilli Crab Puffs, Sweet Yam Paste with Salted Egg Yolk Puffs, Jumbo Siew Mai, Teochew-style Turnip Puffs, and an exquisite Baked Egg Tarts with Bird’s Nest.
Wash it down with a cup of tea that’s part of the set; you can select either the Wellness Eight Treasures Tea or the Oriental Beauty Tea.
Price: $48++ for two
Only available at Jumbo Seafood Ion Orchard, #04-09, ION Orchard, Singapore 238801. The Afternoon Tea set is available from 2pm to 5.30pm daily. Visit its website for more information.
The dainty and exquisite éclairs from L’éclair Pâtisserie need no introduction. But if you’re looking for a more all-rounded French experience, try its tea set, L’expérience ($45 nett for two), which comprises classic French pastries such as mini madeleines, chouquettes, and financiers. You also get to pick three regular éclair flavours and two beverages of your choice.
For more savoury bites, go for the High Tea Degustation, with bites like Parmesan Onion Crostini, Mushroom Vol Au Vent, and Signature Mini Chicken Bacon Pies. There’s also an assortment of six mini eclairs, and a beverage of your choice. Enchanté.
Price: $45 nett for two for the L’expérience set (top up $20 for an extra person), $68 nett for two for the High Tea Degustation set.
L’éclair Pâtisserie is at #01-28, Singapore Shopping Centre, 190 Clemenceau Avenue, Singapore 239924, tel: 6635 7909. High tea set is available from 10.30am to 4.30pm daily.
The less fussy and more budget-friendly 1837 set ($20++) will have you sipping on either a cup of iced or hot tea, alongside a choice of either two muffins, scones served with TWG tea jelly and whipped cream, or a patisserie from its trolley.
If you have a rumbling tummy, there’s the more lavish Chic set ($35++) that includes delish finger sandwiches, like crab meat tart and Thai basil chicken brioche, in addition to what’s available on the 1837 set menu.
Price: $20++ for 1837 set, and $35++ for the Chic set
TWG is multiple locations, including #02-21 Ion Orchard, and B2-65/68A The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Visit its website for a list of locations and for more information.
True to its name, high tea at Arteastiq is certainly an artistic affair. Housed in a photogenic two-tiered gold cage, its Dream Treasury Afternoon Tea set — which will cost you $58++ for two or $32++ for one — comes with an assortment of intriguing sweet and savoury treats, like truffle shell pasta, some salmon roulade, squid ink macaroon with blue cheese and lychee jelly, and a canele.
Or if you prefer local delights, there’s the similarly priced National Treasure Afternoon Tea set that’ll whet your appetite with kueh pie tee, otah fries, tapioca kueh and banana pancake.
If you’re feeling particularly indulgent, the Luscious Seafood Afternoon Tea Set has all the works with lobster tail, blue crab cake, and oysters alongside treats from the other two menus.
Price: $58++ for two, $32++ per pax for the Dream Treasury Afternoon Tea set and National Treasure Afternoon Tea set. $98++ for two for the Luscious Seafood Afternoon Tea Set.
Arteastiq is at #04-14/15, Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road, Singapore 238867, and #03-70/72, Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238839. Dream Treasury and National Treasure tea sets available from 1pm to 5pm daily. Visit its website for more information.
Fosters may be a steakhouse known for beef patties and all things meat-related, but did you know that they offer a range of yummy baked goods as well? Priced at $11.50++, its Devonshire Cream Tea Set comes with freshly baked scones served with butter, strawberry preserve, and fresh cream, tea cakes, and finger sandwiches. Wash that down with either a freshly brewed cup of coffee or a pot of tea. What a great deal!
Price: $11.50++ per person
Fosters is at 277 Holland Ave, Singapore 278994. High tea set is available from 3pm to 5pm daily. Visit its website for more information.
Nestled inside a refurbished colonial house, Wildseed Cafe’s quaint interior of bricked walls and hanging dried florals is a dream for the frequent Instagrammer. Located at Seletar Aerospace Park, which is often described as “Dempsey in the North”, as well as Alkaff Mansion, Wildseed offers an Afternoon Tea Set ($48++ per set, good for two) which includes macarons, and mini brownies, caneles, and scones. For savouries, you get a mini quiche, a crab mayo croissant and a salmon mousse brioche.
They come served with two cups of either coffee or tea.
Price: $48++ per set (good for two)
Wildseed Cafe is at Level 1, 3 Park Lane, Seletar Aerospace Drive Singapore 798387, and Level 1, The Alkaff Mansion, 10 Telok Blangah Green, Singapore 109178. The Afternoon Tea set is available from 2pm to 4.30pm (till 3.45pm for Alkaff manion) daily. Visit its website for more information.
This post was updated for accuracy on Sept 29, 2021.
From the rustic wooden furniture and metal grills to the vintage-themed ornaments and antique car display (which BTW, is converted into a seating area), Brunches Cafe is the perfect place for old souls to indulge in a teatime tete-a-tete. Take a trip down memory lane with your buddies as you savour its High Tea set, which will cost $39.90++ per set (good for two).
Served in an attractive three-tiered birdcage, the set includes sliders, mini tarts, a range of assorted cakes and a pot of tea; you can choose from six of its house blends, such as the berry-infused “Beauty” tea and oolong with chamomile “Slow Down & Relax” tea.
Price: $39.90 per set
Brunches Cafe is at 96 Rangoon Road, Singapore 218381. High tea set is available from 11am to 10pm on weekdays, 10am to 10pm on weekends, closed on Tuesdays. Tea sets are limited to 10 sets daily. Visit its website for more information.
