There we were, the five of us crammed in the Night Nurse’s car. We were dressed in our Sunday best, hats on, skirt hems stiff and ironed shirts having waved Mr NQN goodbye for the afternoon. Where were we headed? To the eastern part of the eastern suburbs Vaucluse where we were going to make the most of this blissfully beautiful Sydney day and take afternoon tea.
Afternoon tea at Vaucluse House was a find from Queen Viv – she had loved the fact that for $35 a person, one received afternoon tea, a glass of sparkling wine and a pot of tea or a cup of coffee. However, she was most besotted by the gardens and the look of Vaucluse house so she assembled Miss America, Night Nurse (an old friend from 20 years ago) and his partner The Great Dane for a lovely afternoon in the sun.
Afternoon tea must be ordered ahead of time and our table awaits in the centre of the courtyard. Inside the building it looks to be a function and in the driveway proudly sits a row of gleaming vintage cars.
Service is friendly if a bit absent at times and we make our way to our table where there are the non afternoon tea offerings (two courses for $30 and 3 for $45). There is a two piece classical ensemble playing and things look very garden party and we can’t help but think that this would be a great place to take your mother for mother’s day.
The maitre’d comes over and sorts things out and within minutes they are pouring sparkling wine. Queen Viv comments that it is a sparkling wine that she is unfamiliar with but it’s quite a nice one. A few minutes later our three tier stands arrive. Everyone is patient while the Great Dane and I take photos although everyone has prepared for this afternoon’s feast by eating light or skipping breakfast and lunch.
We start on the crustless sandwiches on the bottom tier and we all particularly like the chicken sandwiches with their pressed sides. They are cut in half and filled generously with a fresh chicken and tarragon filling. There is also smoked salmon and baby spinach which is also good and a spinach and feta pie with a lovely short shortcrust pastry. The delicious shortness of the pastry is commented on by everyone at the table.
The scones are next and they smelled wonderful coming to the table and the aroma of them was what had everyone fidgeting while patiently waiting for us to take photos-myself included! 
They’re soft and light and served with what looks to be a home made strawberry jam – quite runny and one really has to pour it on but the flavour is good (it’s a bit 3 day strawberry jam-ish) and an excellent thick clotted cream.
The sweets tier was a bit of a mixed bag. The pink macaron wasn’t very macaron-like as it was really a cross between a meringue and a macaron but rough in texture. Oddly the buttercream centre was a pink coloured butter – not sweet and spread just like butter and when I tried it by itself it tastes like butter-odd! The brownie cube wasn’t bad and tasted very cocoa-ey. The lemon tart was served in a dark baked crispy pastry crust with a very tart lemon curd and a blueberry on top.
Our tea comes out last and there’s a choice of loose leaf teas to choose from. I order my usual: Earl Grey and Queen Viv goes for the gunpowder green (nothing too explosive, more a full flavoured green tea) while everyone else orders coffee.
“Shall we settle the bill and go for a walk?” Queen Viv asks and we all agree. Vaucluse House is next to the tearooms in a separate building and we peer through the windows. We see full dining tables set and it beautifully preserved. We visit the gift shop (good for unusual gifts, particularly quirky or botanical themed ones) and then pay the $8 admission to visit the house.
Queen Viv walks ahead and we can hear her coos of “how delightful!” and “ooh look at this!”
Note the steps up to the bed!
It’s a fascinating glimpse into what life would have been like from the “Princess and the Pea” bed to horsehair covered chaises lounges, tiny beds and sumptuously appointed sitting rooms.
Tobacco flower
There is also a vegetable garden where the produce is used by the tearoom as well as the neighbours, It has an interesting and varied range of fruit and vegetables including tobacco flower which actually smells beautifully fresh and is used in perfumes. There is asparagus, large pumpkins, heirloom squash varieties and even pineapples!
After wandering around and wishing that Vaucluse House was our home and that we could have afternoon tea in the tea rooms or chat to cook in cook’s corner we head back to real life…
So tell me Dear Reader, do you like looking at other people’s houses? And if you could grow anything in your garden what would it be?
Vaucluse House Tearooms
Vaucluse House Wentworth Rd Vaucluse NSW 2030
Tel: +61 (02) 9388 8188
www.vauclusehousetearooms.com.au/
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45 Comments | Add your own
What a great setting for an afternoon tea and wow I love all the copper kitchen displays totally gorgeous. Yes looks like they haven’t beaten those macarons down quite enough and a bit weird with the pink butter but everything else looked great.
What a wonderful afternoon you must have had, Lorraine. I have a great set of tea cups I received when my MIL passed and I keep threatening to have high tea with my girlfriends with young girls. The antique cars are wonderful and the shops look great. Hope yu had a very nice weekend.
Eva http://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/
I’m sure we’ll see those cars in The Great Gatsby when it is released. I love Vaucluse House and it is great such a wonderful period of history is being preserved. I didn’t know it was possible to grow pineapples this far south! xx
This place looks lovely. A great ambiance for afternoon tea. Though the butter filling in the macarons does sound odd. Love the copper pans. GG
So lovely. I love all your photo taken.
I love vintage and period homes. The rooms you posted pictures of are lovely, and yes, I enjoy looking at other peoples homes.
As for my garden, I’d love to try my hand at some of the heirloom varieties such as yellow pear tomatoes and lemon cucumbers.
Sounds like cheat macarons to me. ehehe
I would not have served the macarons and I’m not a chef!
I love stickybeaking in nice homes and I would grow lots and lots of vegetables and herbs.
What a fun place to spend an afternoon. With all those classic cars, I bet you felt like you had walked back into the era of “Mad Men” or something. Now, if only they could improve the macarons…because a mediocre macaron is a real disappointment.
Finally, someplace you’ve been that brings back great memories for me. The last time my sister visited from New York we spent a lovely morning at Vaucluse. I loved it but I wasn’t sure the elder sister would be impressed as she lives within spitting distance of the Vanderbilt and other mansions along the Hudson Valley.
She loved it! We walked every bit of the gardens and spent too much money in the gift shop.
swooning at the afternoon tea again…
Might have to make myself some scones to satiate my desire.
Oh that looks like such a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I went to a high tea here a while back and was disappointed to see they used teabags. Your tea looks very good.
What a beautiful place. My Grandmother took me here as a little girl for afternoon tea one! I felt most grow-up! I would love to grow those heirloom pumpkins in my garden!
Oh I love to peek into other peoples houses.
If i could grow something in my tiny, tiny house, it would be raspberries!
what a gorgeously elegant afternoon with the girls!
Pretty impressive spread for tea. Yum!
I love Vaucluse House tea room, a girlfriend and I like to go there for scones and tea when we can. Their jams can be hit and miss as I do think they make them themselves.
I also love the house there, such an interesting glimpse into early life (albeit for the rich) in Australia.
I had high tea just this weekend at the Victoria Room in Darlinghurst (amazing!) and I must say I was a little dissapointed with the sweets layer you received here at Vaucluse, it seems a little clumsy. However for the price of $35 with the sparkling wine, I certainly would not complain!
Awww, this is gorgeous! I know I would love this place. I don’t like looking at private houses – I feel like an intruder – but in a place like this, it’s an absolute yes.
One of my very favourite places in Sydney, not just to take Mom but gorgeous on that first date or third, for that matter! Have not been to afternoon tea there [actually not quite my 'thing'
! ], but awhile back Vaucluse House used to serve the most delicious Sunday lunches: a beautiful place to meet on a fine day. In winter one could enjoy open fires. And the gardens were wonderfully romantic – one could even find secret spots for private moments 
!
Looks like a very interesting place, adn the sunny day helps a lot for that afternoon tea.
The house looks so pretty, as soon as I see the picture of the big bed I think on the Princess and the Pea story, just like you.
Too bad the macarons were a little off. The pink butter filling sounds so odd! The scones look delightful though. And, yes, I love getting to see other people’s houses, and I wish I could successfully grow tomatoes.
Growing up in Melbourne I can remember as a kid travelling to Sydney for holidays. Top of my list for visiting was always Vaucluse House. I just remember it being so elegant and wanting to play ladies having tea in the garden. Looks like now you can live the dream!
I love afternoon tea. Looks like the savouries won out in this one. Not bad value for $35!
I never tire of afternoon tea – anywhere – but such lovely surroundings do help the scones go down!
An afternoon well spent. This is just the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Lovely clicks as usual Lorraine.
I’ve never been to a formal tea like this before, and I know you’ve already been to quite a few. You’re so lucky!!
But what are those gleaming vintage cars for? Just display?
Great post as usual
I love high teas! If I could grow anything in my garden it would be fresh lemon grass so I could make great thai curries with it!
I can’t wait to have a vegie patch again although it’s going to take some planning to keep the dogs out of it.
The scones look nice here.
PURE MAGIC.
Those beds & steps. Fabululous.
I imagine she was awaiting her small Lovaaah….
Ahhh, & afternoon tea w/ Lorraine.
That is on my bucket list ( for sure ) <3
I love Vaucluse House. It’s kinda my thing.
Out of town guests- come to Vaucluse House!
Outing with kids- Vaucluse house!
Feeling down, just come on down to Vaucluse house!
I had my 14th birthday party there. We dressed up as colonial characters and people thought we were actors. It was quite thrilling at 14.
High Tea…..I don’t think it gets any better. I love it!! (although I think yours at Vaucluse House was a little hit and miss!)
I love wandering around peoples houses
But only if they say I can… and I love afternoon teas!!!
oh this is so nice! i would definitely organize a girly afternoon tea with my girl friends. great find Lorraine!
Wow, $35 for high tea sounds really good. Will definitely go visit when I’m back in Sydney. I thought about having a wedding there but wasn’t sure about the views. Leaning more towards a harbour view..
What a shame that the sweet treats didn’t live up to expectations – those macarons look very funny! The gardens and house look amazing though so I guess it all balanced out
this looks lovely – I love historic buildings and remember visiting Vauclause house as a child and then being a great admirer of sydneys historic houses trust (probably got that name wrong) as a student. I just don’t know if I want the afternoon tea or the house tour more – probably just want both
Ohh what a great find
it looks so pretty and totally reminds me of the Werribee Mansion in Melbourne hehe it’s historical building too ~ have you been before?
The sandwiches and scones look great ~ but the desserts especially the ‘macarons’ don’t look very nice
The tea looks lovely, but those classic cars…Wow! And the lovely beds.
I love historic houses and antiques. And if I had veggies in my garden, I would love to grow a couple of ones that I can’t find here in Mexico, such as rutabaga, lima beans, and black-eyed peas! All from my youth.
Hm, Yes and no. I like to look at the people’s houses when it’s nice and clean and there is something to look at. But through my work I’ve seen so many just nasty houses that I hesitate now if I should look at all…
Beautiful tea time you’ve had!
It was wonderful to visit one of my favourite places in Sydney with you. I used to go there a lot when I was younger. I lived at Bondi and would catch the Dover Heights bus, and then walk down the hill to get there.
It’s important to treat yourself to a little elegance from time to time, and it looks like you did just that at this teahouse! Thanks for sharing, Lorraine.
I would grow banoffee peanut butter pie in my garden.
Oh how I love looking at old-style houses and furniture! I’ll never forget looking through Jefferson’s Monticello home. His bed was IN THE WALL between two rooms. Best ever!
Sightseeing, snacking and shopping- what an awesome afternoon!
I have a coffee tree, a tea bush, a truffle tree, Saffron, peanuts, and the usual veggies growing in my garden, but I would dearly love to get hold of a vanilla orchid to grow- that would be terrific!
I’m scottish and i enjoy watching when i can. Senga
Hi NQN,
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog, and in particular this post – it has made me want to visit Vaucluse House for their High Tea ever since.
And just as a FYI, I hope you don’t mind me linking to your blog from the one I recently started – http://petsmenu.blogspot.com.au/
Cheers,
Pet
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