High Tea Experience at Loftus Lane Café Cocktail Bar, Circular Quay

Date: July 28, 2024

We recently visited Loftus Lane in Circular Quay to enjoy their renowned “whimsical high tea,” which had garnered significant attention on Instagram due to its unique presentation on a Ferris wheel and carousel. Our visit, scheduled for a brisk Sunday, was highly anticipated.

Booking Experience

The booking process for high tea was efficient and user-friendly via their website. We opted for the Ferris Wheel High Tea package at $85, which includes a signature cocktail. The available packages are:

$69: Includes a hot drink
$85: Includes a hot drink and a cocktail
$129: Unlimited boozy high tea
$169: Unlimited signature cocktails high tea

The day before our reservation, we requested to add an additional guest. This adjustment was handled promptly via email and confirmed within a few hours.

The Venue

Loftus Lane features an elegant décor with pink tones, floral arrangements, and green marble tables. The venue offers brunch, lunch, and high tea services. Timeliness is crucial, as we found that our food was pre-set upon arrival, which was unexpected despite our punctuality. The table setting was visually appealing, with a Ferris wheel display of treats. However, the overall experience felt somewhat rushed. We ordered a selection of drinks, including tea, coffee, and cocktails such as the Pink Lady and Cheeky Peach, all of which were enjoyable.

Food Quality

While the presentation was impressive, the food quality did not meet expectations:

Savory Items: The sandwiches, including tuna and coronation chicken, were stale, and the scallop was served cold. The sliders also lacked freshness and flavor.
Scones: A traditional highlight of high tea, the scones were unfortunately hard and dry.
Desserts: The caramel petit fours and rose mousse cake were enjoyable, but the macarons were dry and underwhelming.

The service felt rushed, as we were informed at 1:55 PM that the venue would be closing soon, despite the website indicating a closing time of 3 PM. The abruptness of this notice detracted from our experience, as we would have preferred a more relaxed environment to enjoy our time and order additional cocktails if desired.

Conclusion

While Loftus Lane’s cocktails and setting are commendable, the high tea experience did not meet our expectations. For a comparable price, other establishments offer high tea with better quality food and service. Unfortunately, this experience did not warrant a return visit. We rate it 4.5 out of 10.