Description
These tea rooms in Melbourne’s Block Arcade go back over 120 years. You won’t get a more elegant setting for afternoon tea in Melbourne.
The review of this tea room in Melbourne is designed to fit in with our tour of vintage buildings in Victoria and this tea room was great for a proper afternoon tea around a visit to the Block Arcade. There’s no book planned for now but a new website for Vintage Victoria is up and running now. Take a look at our earlier books, though…
Crossing Paths, Crossing Borders
This 2016 publication recounts our journey from Yorkshire to Australia via 25 countries. It includes an annex with our 100 top tips for coffee or tea on the road, including this venue.
Menu
High Tea is top of the bill at the Hopetoun Tea Rooms, with a three-tier tray of sandwiches, quiche and cakes/scones plus a pot of loose leaf tea. But you have to reserve this in advance and they only have a limited number of slots per day, so if this is what you’re after, book ahead.
If your’e just joining the line outside the tea rooms for tea on spec, as we were, the wait isn’t too bad usually, and you have time to gaze at the cakes in the window so you know what you’ll choose to go with your tea when you do get your table. There are lots of fancy teas on offer, but if you like the basic black teas with a drop of milk, they have a great selection with several Earl Greys to choose from, a Darjeeling and even the basic breakfast blend is deliciously tasty. All in all, a really good experience.
Address
The Block Arcade, Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
Contact details
Tel: +61 (3) 9650 2777
Web address
http://www.hopetountearooms.com.au/
Opening Hours
8.00am – 5,00pm Monday – Saturday
9.00am – 5.00pm Sunday
Getting there
The tea rooms are right by the Collins St entrance to the Block Arcade, so you may well see the Hopetoun Tea Rooms board out on Collins St before you spot the tea room itself. If in the arcade already, just look for the shop with the longest queue outside it.