I love afternoon high tea. There’s really nothing quite like it as it combines three of my favourite things – yummy desserts, a nice pot of tea, and catching up with good friends.
The good thing is: there are many options to choose from. Be it international high tea buffet, or the traditional English Afternoon Tea that comes in 3 tier dessert stand, here’s a list of the best afternoon tea places in Singapore.
For more options, you can also read my guide on affordable afternoon tea places under $10.
Cafe L’Espresso
One of the most popular high tea buffet in Singapore is the one from Cafe L’Espresso at Goodwood Park Hotel. The high tea spread ($45++) includes scones, sandwiches, desserts and savouries. A lovely place to spend an afternoon with your girlfriends.
22 Scotts Road GF
Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6730 1743
Mon to Fri: 2pm – 5.30pm
Sat & Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm, 3pm – 5.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
On weekdays, Chihuly Lounge at Ritz-Carlton Millenia serves their English afternoon tea in a three-tier dessert stand (non-replenishable) at $39++. On weekends, they have a western-style high tea buffet at $48++.
Chihuly Lounge has several things going for it. I like that the lounge has a high ceiling – allowing light to flood the lounge – and it feels spacious and comfortable. I like that the lounge has good chill-out music, it is a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by. I like that the staff are attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. And of course, I love the cakes, pastries, and sandwiches, that are oh-so-delicious.
7 Raffles Avenue
Lobby Ritz-Carlton Millenia
Tel: +65 6434 5283
Daily: 2.30pm – 5pm
Nearest Station: Promenade
Marmalade Pantry
Marmalade Pantry has an afternoon tea set at $20++ each which is available with a minimum of 2 sets per order. The afternoon tea indulgence includes Gryphon tea, a selection of egg and cress, beef & horseradish and green land shrimp finger sandwiches, buttermilk scones, and a cupcake.
2 Orchard Turn #03-22
ION Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 2700
Daily: 3pm – 5pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
Cosy, contemporary and effortlessly chic are some of the words that you will think of when it comes to PS Cafe. Despite the competition in the local dining scene, PS Cafe is still one of the most popular venues in town. Come here for the delightful sticky date pudding and awesome truffle fries.
390 Orchard Road #02-09A
Palais Renaissance Singapore
Tel: +65 6887 2207
Nearest Station: Orchard
Rose Veranda
Rose Veranda, the classy tea lounge at Shangri-La Hotel, offers both international high tea buffet (S$38++ on weekdays), S$40++ on weekends) and English afternoon tea (S$34++ on weekdays, S$36++ on weekends).
22 Orange Grove Road Mezzanine Level
Tower Wing Shangri-la Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6213 4486
English afternoon tea: 3pm – 6pm (Daily)
International high tea buffet: 11.30am – 6pm (Daily)
Nearest Station: Orchard
The Lounge at Intercontinental Singapore
Another place that you can consider for English afternoon tea is The Lounge at Intercontinental Hotel. They have a 4-tier tea set at $38++ (non-replenishable), from 2pm – 5pm daily.
Another highlight here is the Peranakan-style afternoon tea (S$28++/pax). It comes with a spread which includes wagyu beef with rice crackle, otah-otah, chendol, nonya kueh, and coffee/tea.
80 Middle Road
1F Intercontinental Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6825 1046
Nearest Station: Bugis
On weekdays (12 noon – 5pm), The Regent Tea Lounge serves the traditional English afternoon tea which comes in a 3-tier dessert stand at $40++. During the weekend, there is an international high tea buffet (S$55++) which features a wider spread.
1 Cuscaden Road GF
The Regent Singapore Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3246
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 5pm
Sat & Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm, 3pm – 5.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
The Landing Point at Fullerton Bay Hotel
The Landing Point at the lobby of the gorgeous Fullerton Bay Hotel is one of our favourite spots for afternoon tea in town. The 3-tier afternoon tea set (S$48++) is the best way to spend an afternoon. Indulge in a fine selection of scones, sandwiches, pastries, and coffee/tea.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel
80 Collyer Quay
Tel: +65 6333 8388
Daily: 3pm – 5.30pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Over at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, the afternoon tea at The Courtyard is equally good. For $42++/pax, you get a traditional English afternoon tea that consists of a premium selection of English sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, and an assortment of desserts.
1 Fullerton Square
GF Fullerton Hotel
Tel: +65 6877 8129
Mon to Fri: 3pm – 6pm
Sat & Sun: 2pm – 4pm, 4.30pm – 6pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
The Knolls
If you fancy a getaway to Sentosa, The Knolls at Capella hotel is the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon with your loved ones. The classic English afternoon tea here is at $42++.
1 The Knolls
Level 1 Capella Singapore
Sentosa Island Singapore
Tel: +65 6591 5046
Mon to Fri: 3pm – 5pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront
TWG Tea Salon
TWG Tea Salon offers more than 800 different types of tea – it’s definitely the place to go if you are a tea lover. They have three different tea sets (3pm – 6pm daily) priced accordingly to different appetite. The 1837 tea set ($17++) includes two scones/muffin, 1 pastries/macaron and a pot of tea.
The Chic Tea Set ($25++) has 3 fingers sandwich, 2 scone/muffin, pastries, and a pot of tea. But if you want to try their famous macarons, go for the Celebration Tea Time Set ($29++) which consists of the same items as the chic tea set, accompanied with 3 macarons.
B2-89/89A The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
2 Bayfront Avenue
Tel: +65 6535 1837
Nearest Station: Bayfront
Having an afternoon tea at 10 SCOTTS at Grand Hyatt Singapore feels like dining in the comfort of your living room. It is divided into several sections, so each visit feels different every time you sit down with your papers and coffee.
The Dining Room and The Living Room are perfect for a leisurely afternoon tea, while The Verandah offers a splendid view of the waterfall in Grand Hyatt Singapore. The Collection Room is tastefully designed and showcases specially selected art pieces. The Library is a cosy corner where you can enjoy some me-time and read a book or magazine while enjoying a cup of fragrant Earl Grey.
The afternoon tea at 10 SCOTTS is the traditional English afternoon tea (S$43++/pax) which includes the classic items like scones, sandwiches, desserts and coffee/tea. It also comes with cold cut and live desserts stations.
Grand Hyatt SIngapore
10 Scotts Road
Tel: +65 6738 1234
Mon to Sat: 2pm – 5pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
For more options, please read our guide on Affordable Afternoon Tea under $10
Brad,
Cafe L’Espresso- reservations a must if you wanna indoor seats, if not it’s the outdoor terrance which can get really warm or wet (horrid rain nowadays)!
PS Cafe- U REALLY GOTTA GO THERE SOON! Rustic and Quaint…you will kinda forget you’re in busy Singapore…
We love Afternoon tea! =)
The Scotts Lounge buffet hi-tea at Grand Hyatt is very much like Rose Veranda but cheaper (~$28) and with a smaller array of food for when you don’t want to pig out. A wide selection of fruit/floral/traditional tea too.
the Goodwood Park Hotel in orchard has a casual and not overpriced high tea with nice herbal teas and coffees, delicious finger food and ABSOLUTELY EXQUISITE desserts, none of the mass- baked hotel stuff.
Love this post!
Can you tell us which afternoon high tea is pictured in this blog?
had a birthday celebration at White Rose Café in York hotel (high tea buffet style) and the guests were rather impressed with the spread. oh, and they have this uob promo – 1 dines free with every 3 adults. quite a good deal (:
hey! may i know which restaurant(s) were the two photos (with the 3 tier stands) taken?? they look so delectable!
I think the photos are from Barracks Cafe @ House Dempsey!
Right, Brad?
I think the photos are from Barracks, but am not sure.
Ladyironchef, you left out Conrad Hotel
Not a high tea person but the pictures shown sure make me think twice! Going to check out some of the recommendations.
Hi, photos are very cute! Which restaurant is? I really want to go there.
Genia: heh got it, will remember to make reservations if i am going there! we love afternoon tea, we love afternoon tea.. sounds like a song?
Chloe: OH! i didn’t know they serve afternoon tea too! is the 28 buffet style or 3 tier dessert kind?
amelia: sounds like u are a big fan of Cafe L’Espresso! how many times have u been there already? lol
Stella: Hello stella, the photos in this post are from the high tea buffet at House, Dempsey. I will blog about them soon : )
leona: whoa, the credit card promotion sounds cool, how much is it before/after discount?
cam: Hello there, the photos are from the afternoon tea buffet at House, Dempsey
Genia & MM: Yep they are from house, dempsey. Conrad hotel has good high tea too?!?
Jaclyn: we deserve a high tea treat once in a while : )
Yasu: thank you! the photos are from Barracks cafe at House, dempsey
Hi ladyironchef,
Yes, Conrad is good too. I kinda like the Afternoon tea at St Regis also. Good selection of cakes and savouries. Occasionally, they do run on a specific theme (I tried the french and russian) where they serve dessert / cakes / pastries specific to the theme. They do also have a wide selection of teas from TWG but some may find the pricing there a lil’ steep (It’s 50 odd for one w/o champagne).
I would gladly date you out for an afternoon at PS Cafe, their food & desserts(especially) are awesome! (:
Heya ladyironchef,
Have you tried Ritz Carlton Chihuly Lounge afternoon tea? It’s been years since I’ve been there but I remembered distinctly that it was a distressing experience for me – try as I might I simply didn’t have enough stomach room to try every item on the buffet table! Now as a self-respecting Singaporean this is really a low blow. I also remembered having to down lots of cooling tea in the days after since I gorged on their handmade chocolates.
Re the 5 reasons you listed for loving desserts – I absolutely agree with you – and have 1 more to add: I’d rather put on weight from desserts than fried pork lard… which is secretly added to most of the yummy hawker food anyway, duh!
Do they serve Hi-Tea at Fullerton? How does it fare?
No English high tea is complete without scones, strawberry jam, and clotted cream…..
As such, I would scrub most of your suggestions off my list of high tea venues. Maybe I am just a traditionalist…. but for me, it just doesn’t cut the mustard any other way.
hi,
Am just wondering how can you have high tea when it’s so close to lunch. Or you skip lunch for it?
Thinking of trying one when I apply for afternoon leave.
Hi, I am looking for a place to hold my 21st birthday and I would be grateful if you could give me some suggestions or ideas!! I actually like high tea style!
Allie: Drop me an email at [email protected] with your budget, and the number of guests u are inviting
hi..thank you for the list..
I wonder , if you know any place in Singapore that serves good English carrot cake?
for some reasons i have not found one..
let me know.. thank you!
cheers
Bella: For good English carrot cake, Cedele has a pretty competent one, otherwise you can try the ones from Marmalade pantry, or Prive Bakery
Thank you so much for the great recommendations! My daughter and I were able to enjoy a lovely tea at Cova – it was delightful!
Try the new place at Bejaya Hotel@ duxton rd.. japanese pastry chef whom was in french for many years.
i’ve tried the teatime indulgence at jewels artisan chocolate and it was gooood! the blood orange sorbet is a must try. my friends and i opted for hot chocolate instead of tea and the hazelnut hot chocolate was awesommmme. (:
Royal Copenhagen @ Ngee Ann City do have really good open-face sandwiches
How about Tea Cozy?
Hi, between Cova Pasticceria, Cafe L’Espresso and Rose Veranda, which would you recommend? 2 adults. Actually it’s my birthday and rom anniversary tomorrow. Been to RV not that great but if going without my toddler I think we can spend more time there, slowly too.
Josephine: Since you have been to Rose Veranda, why not try Cafe L’Espresso? Have a good afternoon tea : )
hi ladyironchef, I’m kinda new at this high tea thing but I’ve always been interested to try it out. I’m on leave tml and I thought I can have a little high tea session with my mum. Was thinking of TWG at MBS..but not too sure if its a gd choice..
pearl: Yeah TWG is a nice place, you can also check out the afternoon high tea at Regent Hotel, it’s one of my favourites.
Am thinking of high tea buffet with family and friends this Sat. Tea lounge is fully booked. Where will you suggest? Goodwood, Shangrila, Ritz Carlton….?
mag: I think it really depends on personal preference, but I’d go to Goodwood park hotel.
Hi!
Thinking of holding a corporate function with abt 80 ppl for high tea buffet:)
What would u suggest (Budget is max 25sgd per person)….
Thanks!
L’Expresso at goodwood park serves nice mini sandwiches.
St Regis high tea of which we partook 29 Oct was a little disappointing compared to several enjoyed at Raffles some 2-3 years previous and years prior. Individual table service at St Regisi limited personal selection of food [as was the case at earlier Raffles events where buffet style was in use]. No offer of a wine list & had to request topping up of both tea and water on a couple of occasions. Food quality excellent although limited in selection but let down by indifferent service.
I just called regent tea lounge and it seems they no longer have weekday high tea. Also the weekend high tea is a three-tier service, not buffet. Disappointed!
service at tea cosy was shocking. In the midst of taking my table’s order, the manager just left midway through to serve a customer who just entered the cafe. My girlfriends and I were just stunned. And he came back to us as though it was a normal thing. Definitely not going back there again.
I just went to the Tea Lounge @ Regent last Friday with my girlfriend. Very disappointed with the tea spread & the sandwich bread is obviously already premade & felt stale – obviously prepare beforehand & refrigerated in advance. The beef sandwich in particular looks very dry. They have the top tier with scones, middle tier with 3 pieces of puff & the bottom tier with dessert. The puff selection features sausage puff, curry puff & gives the feeling that they just want to fill up the space too.
The green tea selection is limited too – only 2 choices. Utterly disappointed with this place. The service is good though, unfortunately the quality of the food cannot match up & certainly not worth the $38 paid for it.
Will not go back for sure.
Hi There – I see that this blog was written back in 2010. Would love to see an update on best places for high tea! Thanks for all the suggestions though.
Hi, Ive tried the afternoon tea at 10 Scotts at Grand Hyatt, it really nice. The place is really cosy and you can choose if you want a sofa seat or normal table. They have sanwiches and savories in 2 tier stand (replenishable) and the dessert buffet is good. Their scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam is a must-try. They have a wide selection of food. Its a free flow of food and drinks. After we eat there, I can’t even imagine how am I going to carry myself.
Just wondering which would be the best to go to for some delicious pastries and cakes? I do like macaroons and cakes A LOT:)Thanks.
Tried L ‘espresso location is not classy, short of staffs and you can that they rush through to get things done. Sandwichs are nice but nothing to shout about, at $45 per pax it is over price. Give it a missed and go Regent instead.Disappointed as it is over price with what you get.
Cova needs to be deleted unfortunately. It’s closed
Unfortunately Tea Cosy has justed closed in April, another one off the list.
Hello brad! Can I check where is the first picture high tea set from? Looks yummy! Thanks! (:
Hi,
I’m looking for a high tea venue to celebrate my son 1st birthday, looking at 60 pax. Pls recommend. Tks
I went to the Fullerton Courtyard and yes, the food is replenished constantly, but must tell you, it’s a LOT of food for one person. The savories and dessert, let me tell you, each and every single item was to my delight. There was no one item I was disappointed with or was more reluctant to try than other items. I liked it especially because sometimes when they prepare without asking, they can put ham or red meat in the savories but all of their savories were with seafood and veggies which was so perfect for me. I have to add here though, I had tea for one and my bill came up to $50. This set did not include alcohol drinks. I’m usually a herbal tea person, I stick with floral teas but I think they either didn’t have any, or the one they had was quite mediocre I decided to go with a green tea blend, which was called Silver Moon from TWG. It was delightful and went very well with the sweets and savories. While my experience at Fullerton was delightful, I am very happy to know of cheaper options I have in Singapore. Would love to try them in near future
I’ve enjoyed reading your reviews; do you have any suggestions for where I might find the best chillie crab or pepper crab in Singapore; the reviews on trip advisor are a bit mixed. Tess
@Tess For chilli crab, I like NoSignboard (the Geylang branch) and Roland Seafood Restaurant. As for pepper crab, check out Eng Seng Seafood and Long Beach Seafood. Have fun!
Anyone tried the weekend high tea at Marina Mandarin’s Atrium Lounge? Is the selection good?