Auckland’s best high teas for Mother’s Day

High tea is a must for special occasions, and one of the best ways to celebrate the ladies in your life this Mother’s Day. We’ve rounded up the most inventive, luxurious, and delicious high teas Auckland has to offer, so you can show your love in the most decadent way.

Via @esterrestaurant 

Esther’s High Tea - QT Auckland
An Auckland harbourside favourite, Esther’s, offers an indulgent, Mediterranean-inspired high tea, the Sean Connolly way. Tiger prawns, mini spiced lamb pies, orange-scented tiramisu, and viral Portuguese custard tarts are just a taste of the inventive treats on offer. Soak in luxury with a complimentary cocktail on arrival and tableside service from the roaming dessert trolley. Looking to shake up your high tea? Spike your ‘tea’ with some Hendricks, as the team onside offers fresh, botanical cocktail mixes for cheeky afternoon tipples. Finish on a sweet note – beetroot macarons, anyone? – and enjoy a stroll along Auckland’s picturesque harbour to end your Mother’s Day outing.
Price: $99pp

Via Bluebells Cakery  

Bluebells High Tea 
It feels only obvious that the city’s favourite cake destination, Bluebells Cakery, does a stunning high tea as well. Even better, it’s nestled in our favourite inner-city culinary destination: Commercial Bay. Bluebells’ High Tea leans classic; savoury options include scones and finger sandwiches, while their expert pastry artisans craft sweet treats such as macarons, passionfruit cheesecakes and vanilla cupcakes. There’s a vast range of hot drinks, and for those with dietary requirements, don’t fret, Bluebells makes the widest range of accommodations we could find. Vegan, veggie, GF, kids and pregnant folks all have options available. Don’t want to head into the city? Visit them at their Kingsland branch!
Price: $55pp

Via Bellini Bar

Roots Of Hiranya - Bellini Bar at Hilton Auckland
While we dream of tropical South-Asian holidays, we’ll fill the hole in our hearts at the Hilton’s Bellini Bar. Roots of Hiranya combines the culinary techniques of Sri Lanka with classic Kiwi flavours, resulting in perhaps the most unique high tea of them all. Spice lovers, rejoice! Pastry Chef Hiranya Ratnakaye combines nostalgia and innovation with dishes like mango lamingtons, scones with pineapple marmalade, and lamb rolls with mint chutney, to name a few. With artisanal teas to compliment the sea views, these flavours will take you worldwide with every bite (and sip!). 
Price: $70pp

Via The Churchill 

High Gin at The Churchill
For the anti-traditionalists, The Churchill has you covered with their High Gin. Leave the hot beverages behind and embark on an afternoon filled with lavish gin and cocktail creations. Of course, plenty of equally delicious delicacies are on offer, nine curated treats, to be exact, ensuring you’ll be more than satisfied on all fronts – and we haven’t even mentioned those views yet!
Price: $55pp

Via @cordis_auckland

Mother’s Day High Tea - The Chandelier Lounge at Cordis
Relax below the namesake chandelier as you enjoy the live harp, personalised tea sommelier and the abundant selection of premium teas at Cordis’ Mother’s Day High Tea. Work your way through the seasonal menu created by internationally acclaimed chefs Volker Marecek and Anton Pochta and tea from TWG, the luxury brand that boasts 800+ flavours. Dishes highlight the best of our local flavours and premium ingredients, with bites like spiced apple scones and truffled brie tartlets or larger plates like gin-cured salmon bagels and a crab XO taco. Though the tea on offer is hard to miss, hot chocolate is available for the less herbally inclined, and the sweet offerings are just as sumptuous. Cherry and almond tart, yes, please! 
Price: $99pp on Saturdays, $150 on Sundays.

 
Via @parkhyattauckland

Mother’s Day High Tea At Park Hyatt Auckland 
Park Hyatt’s high tea is renowned for its creative subversion of the genre - a five-course, two-hour experience taking you through a whimsical culinary journey. For Mother’s Day, Executive Pastry Chef Callum Liddicoat has created a bespoke menu for the special afternoon(s), with delights like vanilla oat crumble scones, pastrami finger sandwiches, and yuzu kahawai on lavash flatbread. Complemented with a glass of Louis Roederer Brut Champagne, live music and a special gift, the team will make the most important ladies in your life feel like a million bucks.
Price: $125pp

 
Via @thehotelbritomart

Aotearoa High Tea - The Libraries at The Hotel Britomart
If you’re looking for a slice of New Zealand’s best, The Hotel Britomart’s Aotearoa High Tea ticks all the boxes this Mother’s Day. To start, you’ll unwind in The Libraries, the hotel’s elegant private rooms, usually reserved for guests, featuring New Zealand contemporary art and design. The three-course meal then takes you through local, sustainably sourced, seasonal produce, with two savoury courses and one sweet, ending on a sugar high. The drinks are just as Kiwi – sip on a glass of No1 Family Estate Assemblé on arrival, and enjoy Zealong tea, Aotearoa’s only commercial, organic tea estate. Inspired by Executive Chef Andrew Lautenbach’s favourite childhood treats, it’s an excellent showcase of our cuisine against one of Auckland’s most exclusive, unique settings.
Price: $95pp

Via @skybarakl

Sky Tea at SkyBar
Marry aerial views with top-notch food, and you get one of the city’s most camera-ready high teas. Seventy-one floors above the city, the award-winning team at SUCRÉ presents Sky Tea at SkyBar on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and Mother’s Day is no exception. Enjoy a selection of five savouries and five desserts, along with tea, coffee or juice to pair. To turn it up a notch, upgrade your night with a glass of Moët and Chandon Champagne Brut or Rosé, and relish in the city views.
Price: $80pp