High Tea at Mary Eats Cake, Montrose: An Honest Review
A charming high tea spot at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges — worth the trip, and worth the booking.
If you’re searching for a high tea experience that feels genuinely special rather than just pretty, Mary Eats Cake in Montrose has built quite a reputation. Tucked into a quiet residential street at the edge of the Dandenong Ranges, it’s the kind of place you plan ahead for — and that’s rather the point. I visited with a friend and share my honest, detailed impressions below.
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A Montrose Cottage High Tea
I liked arriving in Montrose to find an unpretentious weatherboard house as my venue, a place a little tucked away, stopping people just lobbing in from the street. The High Tea was booked and paid for in advance, so as soon as my friend and I sat down at our reserved table, we were automatically presented with the correct menu for “Mary’s High Tea”, one of several packages offered by Mary Eats Cake.
The table was all ready for us, set up with a deliberately old-fashioned China cup saucer and plate, the anticipated three-tier stand, coupe champagne glasses, a vase of flowers, sugar bowl, and a glass teapot already filled with the beverage and a stand-over warming candle.
Actually, I found the table a little overcrowded and was almost glad at our decision not to have a glass of bubbly, as there was a little more room when the champagne glasses were removed.
Brew your own tea
The beverage, tea, really holds its own at Mary Eats Cake. While I question the fact that the tea was already made when we sat down, I really enjoyed the emphasis on pairing the tea with particular food delicacies. We were given recommendations on what to choose as we moved from savoury morsels to scones and then dessert delicacies.
On my next visit to Mary Eats Cake, I think I’ll investigate the teas a little more in their own right.
You see, there was a “Brew your own Tea” bar with signs explaining the 3 steps of tea blending, encouraging tea-drinkers to choose their own blend, based on a selection of at least 6 “base notes” and 12 “top notes”.
One of their specialist blends, “Mary’s Berry” actually looked good enough to eat.
A delectable high tea
Needless to say, the eating was wonderful. The savoury selection of both French and English delicacies, consisting of a small pie, a croquette, a sandwich and a brioche bun, was dainty and delectable. The famous scones on the middle layer were certainly light and delightful, but because it was the second layer, I think they had cooled a little and formed a slight crust.
Perhaps in Australia we are too obsessed with the three-layered presentation of a High Tea. I say that because if we had eaten the scones straight from the oven, as an official “second course,” it would have been a special treat.
They were so generous to offer unlimited scones, but after our third layer of éclair (with a difference), our mango-matcha tart and our Entremet (an elegant French multi-layered dessert), more food was completely out of the question.
Perfect for two
My friend Elizabeth and I both really enjoyed our visit. We think we could easily have stretched our leisurely High Tea (which we cleverly enjoyed at lunch time) out from 1 and a half to two hours. It’s just that we’re not sure that warm scones would have fitted in perfectly with that timetable.
The ambience of the room was pleasant, and the room we were in was for twosomes and smaller groups, so there were no noisy tables. They had other elegant spaces for bigger parties. And the outdoor area at the rear would have been beautiful on a warm sunny day.
A day trip with a difference
We both thought that High Tea at Mary Eats Cake, as part of a day trip to The Dandenong Ranges, would be just the ticket, since Montrose is right at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges. Mount Dandenong faced us as we entered.
It was a very relaxing venue for our lunch-cum-High Tea, as everything was taken care of for us.
There were also enough elements to make it an experience for a special occasion. And it was a lovely blend of old English style and French patisserie. For me, it’s an excellent benchmark for comparisons with other High Teas, past, present, and future. And that’s a recommendation!
June Scone Festival — Worth Timing Your Visit
If you’re reading this in June, there’s an added reason to book. Mary Eats Cake is running its Scone Festival from Wednesday 3 June to Sunday 28 June 2026 across both the Montrose and Brunswick venues. The concept centres on customisation — guests choose from house-made scone bases, condiments, and toppings to build their own combinations, alongside curated options from the kitchen team.
Rotating flavours, limited edition varieties, and small batch specials are on offer throughout the month — so it’s worth going more than once if you’re a scone enthusiast. It pairs very naturally with a winter day trip to the Dandenong Ranges.
Planning your visit to Mary Eats Cake, Montrose
Mary Eats Cake is located at 13 Leith Road, Montrose. All high tea packages include unlimited tea and scones. To begin the experience, a pot of Breakfast Tea is served on the table for guests to enjoy on arrival. However, guests are welcome to select from the full range of loose-leaf teas at any time during their visit, including the tea wall (an option unique to Montrose).
Montrose sits right at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges, which makes it a natural first or last stop on a day trip through the hills. Combine it with a drive up to Olinda, a wander through the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden at Olinda (also called RHS Garden Olinda), or a stroll through Sassafras and Kallista for a thoroughly pleasant outing.
The Brunswick venue
If a trip to Montrose isn’t on the cards, Mary Eats Cake also has a second venue on Sydney Road in Brunswick, closer to the CBD. It’s described as a two-storey “gritty glamour” tea house, well suited to birthdays, bridal showers, and celebrations.
The atmosphere is quite different to Montrose — livelier and potentially noisier on weekends, so if you’re after a more relaxed experience, Montrose is the better choice. Accessibility is also worth noting: some guests may be seated upstairs, and there is no lift. If you need downstairs seating, email the team in advance to request it. Getting there is straightforward by tram — take the number 19 from Flinders Street towards Coburg and get off at stop 24.
Accessibility at Mary Eats Cake, Montrose
The Montrose venue has wheelchair access via a ramp at the back entrance. There is also an accessible toilet on site. Note that the front entrance has a number of stairs, so anyone with mobility considerations should use the rear entry.
While the Brunswick venue can seat guests upstairs and has no lift access, the Montrose venue is generally the more relaxed and accessible option of the two.
Getting there
By car, Montrose is roughly 45 minutes from the Melbourne CBD via the Eastern Freeway and Maroondah Highway. Parking is available locally on the street.
By public transport, you can take the Lilydale or Belgrave train line to Croydon or Mooroolbah, then connect by bus. It’s worth checking the PTV journey planner for current timetables if you’re going car-free.
Mary Montrose: 13 Leith Road, Montrose VIC 3765
More articles by Marjie Courtis can be found at www.ozimage.com.au
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The Seniors in Melbourne team were hosted by Mary Eats Cake for this experience. All opinions are the writers’ own.
