Tara Tea Room

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  8     

Loved the scones and must try the pear jam. Pity they are open only on the weekends as it does get really crowded. Great hidden little place to have a break after browsing at the Rocks Markets.

Nov 24, 2011 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  1     

Best scones in Sydney? Well the scones I was served were under cooked and the coffee was undrinkable.

Jun 04, 2011 

7.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  9     

Http://foodfashionvictim.blogspot.com/2011/04/tara-tea-room.html. Tara Tea Room*

"In the rear courtyard of the Irish Design Shop lies The Rocks' best kept secret... a traditional tea house serving home made scones and imported Irish teas. Being situated in a 130 year old heritage listed building, it is exactly like what Grandma used to make, I say!"

All their scones are baked fresh on premises throughout the day, and the blackboard outside will helpfully indicate when the latest batch is out of the oven. When we arrived at 11:15 am, we were just in time for a new batch of scones being escorted out of the oven, to be served onto our plates, and straight into our rumbling tummies!

Rewind - now let us turn back time. Imagine this my friends. On a picturesque cold Winter's day, you were fortunate to escape the chilly breeze into a small cosy cottage. Inside you will find the walls are adorned with random trinkets, a warm fireplace, random portraits of scenes from the countryside, and a friendly lady peering from the counter in the corner ready to take your order.

Maybe some dreams are not that far from reality after all. That is, if you venture to The Rocks on the weekend and enjoy high tea at Tara Tea Room. As you enter, the fantasy comes alive once more as a staircase leading to the unknown is littered with colourful teapots sitting contently on each step. Let us now re-enter our childhood once more, and relive the happy memories of eating.

Tasting Basket for Two, Sampler for the Sconnoisseur! (An assortment of five plain and specialty scones, three gourmet jams, two serves of double-thick cream plus imported clotted cream.)

Choosing from the large range of gourmet Australian made Jams and Imported Clotted Cream was not an easy task. Today, we opted for the three most unusual choices: Triple Berry, Fig, Almond and Ginger and Paw Paw, Lime and Passionfruit.

Luckily we do not have to make anymore hard decisions since we were served a tasting of each flavour in the Gourmet Scones that included Cheese, Maple Syrup, and Raisin. But be warned, even the plain scones are not to be reckoned with. Their simplicity places focus on the warm fluffiness which makes you craving for more, so we are given not one, but Two plain scones!

Even the Teapots are well dressed in their knitted warmers ready to combat the winter cold. Several different outfits are available, which means a few extra occasions are needed to try more flavours from the gourmet tea selection! We played it safe today and settled with the classic English Breakfast. Although I must confess that I have already started compiling a list of teas to try on my next visit, because they honestly sound too good!*

Black Teas: Creme Brulee Black Tea and Madagascan Vanilla.
Herbal Teas: Gunpowder Green, Turkish Apple and Red Fancy Fruit.

Read more on my blog

Apr 19, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  9     

Love the tea coseys and knitting baskets. Scones were light as air.

Mar 31, 2011 

4.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  6      Service  4      Value  4     

I have also been to the tara tea rooms in recent months but found the opposite to previous visits. The owner seems more harassed than normal, not taking the time as she used to to chat to return customers. The menu has changed making it much less value for groups to visit. Where is the lovely big tasting basket and bottomless drinks. Devonshire teas in the "assemble yourself to pay more" concept really seemed to annoy the return customers.

I heard plenty of chatter from the other tables - sorry to say not at all in favour of the menu changes despite the cute pictures. Also - it is definitely time to wash some of the tea cosies. I am pretty sure some of the cosies taken to tables would raise the ire of the health department. I think the proprietor needs to remember that it is just scones afterall, and at $2 per piece before jam or cream is pretty steep, even for the rocks.

And the quality of the scones, well the last weekend I went, you could have played cricket with the savory one. Not good at all. And as for the plain, well, I am sad to say that they were not fluffy or light as they had been in the past. I truly hope that the Tea room returns to it's former glory and I won't be returning until it does. Sydney is to bigger place to return to a venue for average afternnon tea.

Mar 05, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

I visited Tara tea room a couple of years ago and really liked it, though I did think their claim of "best scones in Sydney" was a stretch (I love scones). I recently heard about some changes at Tara and decided to revisit with some family from hong kong (they've seen koalas before). I have to say this place has really found it's stride, the scones were definitely way better than last time and the menu is quiet different. They now seem to only do scones, but they have expanded their variety and ave introduced nom nom hanks jams to the menu. We had a tasting basket for 4 people, we got to pick our jams and scones (fun). I loved the date scones and paw paw jam, not so keen on the clotted cream, but I hear it's an acquired taste. From what I can see, this place just keeps getting better.

Mar 01, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Tasting basket the best I've ever tasted, very friendly staff.

Oct 19, 2010 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

My fiance and I Love this place! We will make a trip into the Rocks just to get scones here. The tasting baskets are great value and the service is always polite. Best scones we have ever tasted.

Aug 18, 2010 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

I just had my 21st birthday party here and it was fantastic! I definitely recommend anyone consdering parties/functions here. The owner is very very nice, approachable and more than willing to cater for your needs! All my guests and I loved this place!

Aug 15, 2010 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

We ordered a tasting basket and it was really nice. The plain scones were just out of the oven and truly divine. I had tea which came with the cutest tea cosy ever! My partner had an irish cream coffee, which was a little on the sweet side but ok. He said he'd stick to tea next time. It was pretty busy and crazy, but worth the wait.

Aug 07, 2010