One thing that I absolutely adore is afternoon tea. I’ll easily give up a meal in order to fit in an afternoon of triangular sandwiches, miniature cakes and tea. One of the most interesting afternoon tea spots is Bygone Beautys in Leura.
With over 3800 teapots housed in this deceptively large space, it’s also a vintage shop full of all things luxurious and olde world, from scalloped fabric silk chairs, elaborate candelabras and of course all sorts of teacups and teapots.
Our traditional afternoon tea setting
We’ve called ahead to see whether they’re open and the woman on the phone asked if we’ll be having the traditional tea as it takes 20 minutes to set up. We’re a little confused as we didn’t think there was that much more preparation needed for it than a regular order but we say yes to a traditional afternoon tea for 2 ($49.50 for 2 people, additional people $19.50). While we’re there we also order a Devonshire tea $11.50 and a Petite order of sandwiches with 6 points for $11.00. Our waitress is warm and friendly and asks us if we’d like them all brought at once which we do.
The Pomp and Ceremony!
We’re given our sugar, milk and 5 minutes later, we hear the song “Land of Hope and Glory” booming through the room. Our smiling waitress has returned in top hat and tails and is pushing a impressive looking trolley bearing two British flags playing the Pro British tune. We’re stunned and pleasantly so, everyone is excited when they see this and we see many flashes go off.
Devonshire tea $11.50
With our table groaning under the weight of all of our food and drink, we dig in eagerly. The Devonshire tea has fresh, warm scones dusted with icing sugar with clotted cream and strawberry jam. The scones are soft and fresh and said to be based on an old Scottish recipe using cream rather than milk.
Sandwiches 6 points $11
The sandwiches have the crusts still on and consist of ham & tomato and cheese & avocado. They’re a bit home made looking but they are eagerly snapped up.
Traditional Afternoon tea $49.50 for 2
We next tackle the three tiered traditional tea. On the top are mini scones, the second tier the small cakes and the bottom tier the rolled sandwiches (apparently just like the sandwiches served at the Ritz, London). The rolling is presumably done by a rolling pin or press and makes the sandwiches denser and softer and they are filled with cucumber and cream cheese on wholemeal with a touch of horseradish and ham and seeded mustard.
The cake layer is filled with all sorts of cakey and biscuity morsels ranging from hazelnut chocolate cake squares, eggy coconut cookies which are crispily gorgeous, rummy rum balls, buttery shortbread, a range of small tarts and strawberries.
The scones are cold and a little on the hard side on the outside but the elegant settings of cream and jam are lovely and we use the lovely scallop spoons.
We relax and sit back and enjoy the atmosphere and brush up on our tea drinking folklore (apparently if two women pour from the same pot, one will fall pregnant within the year!). There are teapots upon every wall shelf (up high to avoid mishaps presumably!) and we can’t help but think that the Bygone times are ones that will surely be missed when pomp and ceremony is this charming.
The Ladies Room-I don’t usually make a habit of photographing bathrooms but this was surprisingly nice!
Bygone Beautys
20-22 Grose Street, Leura NSW
www.bygonebeautys.com.au
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20 Comments | Add your own
What a lovely little place! I can see we Americans simply do not know how to do tea properly!
Hi. I spend a lot of time in the upper mountains, especially Katoomba and Leura. Bygone Beauties is definitely a treasure. The tea room is always packed, so haven’t had the pleausre of afternoon tea yet, but, I purchased my collection of 1950s Fowlerware mixing bowls from there. And for a good price too.
Apparently it is the largest teapot collection in the world.
I love this place – I went there a couple of times when I lived in Sydney. As well as the food, I adore their selection of keepsakes – I bought a couple of ornaments (owls and kookaburras) and a gorgeous vintage-style postcard advertising gin (just because I loved the artwork).
omygosh my friends and i have been talking about going to afternoon (high?) tea FOREVER! i’ve never been and this looks soo awesome. the sandwiches still look absolutely awesome. now i really want to go
Looks like a rather interesting place.
I like the sound of the table groaning under the weight of all the food!
Gorgeous just gorgeous. Us Poms really know how to do afternoon tea! This I must visit if only for the beautiful crockery at least
How charming, although I’m not sure that many afternoon teas are heralded with such a fanfare! Looked like a memorable afternoon – and those scones look very good indeed!
How many synonyms are there for “jealous??”
That is a pretty bathroom. I love the teapots, it looks like a very charming and quirky place.
Oh you guys got the royal treatment for sure! Damn those scones look sooooo good.. I haven’t had any in agggesss
Hi Barbara-It’s really lovely and so unusual. I only wish it was closer to us!
Hi jules-what a lovely memory! I saw so many things that I would have loved to have bought but alas there’s only so much space here. The largest in the world? How wonderful
Hi Cakelaw-Cool! It’s a really treasure trove and I’m amazed how much they can fit into the space!
Hi Madison-I adore it, it’s such a lovely treat and always so welcome in the afternoon when sugar and energy levels drop
Hi Cappucino-Haha it was! We ran out of room on that table rather quickly!
Hi Karen-Yes a definite visit-but I do suggest the High tea if you do go. You definitely want the Top n tails service
Hi Helen-Yes I’ve never seen anything like it! The best way to pass the afternoon (aside from shopping that is).
Hi howtoeatacupcake-Awww sorry!
Hi Arwen-It is very unusual and charming. I find the Blue Mountains quite charming and this is one of the quintessential experiences there
Hi FFichiban-Sounds like an idea for a drive up with your peeps!
It’s only 2 hours from Sydney…
this surely is a nice place to visit. The presentation of the food is spectacular
i think i’ll try to institute a tea break at my work. i think it’d improve morale 500%.
Hi snooky doodle-It is one in a million I have to say-or several million probably
Hi grace-Absolutely! I think it’s a brilliant idea
3800 teapots! Sounds like my kind of place!
Hi Y-Yes, everywhere we turned really
Looks like it’s been there for years! Has it? We lived at Blackheath, Wentworth Falls and Medlow Bath, before moving here some 20 years ago. I wonder how long it’s been there and how come I have missed this charming place.
Shall visit there next time I am up that way.
Thank you.
Hi Sally-I’m not sure how long it has been there but I’d say quite a while from the looks of things! I’ve been to the Blue Mountains about a dozen times and this was the first visit for me. There’s just so much to eat there I suppose
Bygone Beauties look for their website as well, also own a series of guesthouses throughout the mountains – they are simply gorgeous and I adore their afternoon tea.
highly recommended.
Hi Shannon-Yes the afternoon tea is gorgeous although I’ve never stayed in their accommodation.
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