Now vegans also can tuck into creamy scones, delicious cakes and a range of savoury items at this stylish hotel. Plus, The Leopard Bar is pet-friendly, so you can take your furry best friend to tea too!
Where is it?
The Leopard Bar at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, Camps Bay, Cape Town
Why go there?
High Tea is such a wonderful thing to indulge in and there cannot be a more opulent place to enjoy this tradition than The Leopard Bar at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa. Now vegans also can tuck into creamy scones, delicious cakes and a range of savoury items. Plus, it’s pet-friendly, so you can take your pooch to tea too!
How much am I going to pay?
R375 per person, but you can share.
When is it open?
The Vegan Tea by the Sea experience is served daily from 10h00 to 16h00.
Contact details
Bookings are essential. Call them on (021) 437 9029, or visit their website for more information.
Vegans are no longer the social outcasts that they once were. In fact, veganism is one of the fastest growing lifestyles today, so it’s no wonder that establishments that keep ahead with the times are starting to incorporate vegan dishes on their menu. The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa realised this trend some time ago and now they’ve launched a Vegan High Tea in addition to their other vegan-friendly menu items. When Valentino and I were invited to “vegan tea by the sea” at the pet-friendly Leopard Bar we naturally leapt at the opportunity!
After a lovely glass of bubbly for me and biscuits for Valentino, the sumptuous tea tray arrived – three tiers laden with all manner of goodies from savoury bites to sweet treats. It was really hard to believe that absolutely everything was vegan! The scones were my favourite and it turns out that the Head Pastry Chef responsible for the vegan tea menu, Gina Marziani, uses coconut cream instead of butter to get the same creamy, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Being more of a savoury than sweet person, I really enjoyed the various sandwiches on offer too. In addition to all this food, there are a variety of teas available, including the hotel’s own special blend – an elaborate affair that everyone should try!
The vegan high tea menu has no less than 12 items, which include:
- Roast seasonal vegetables with peppadew hummus sandwich on ciabatta
- Fried aubergine and dukkha spice sandwich on ciabatta
- Avocado, hummus and marinated tomato tortilla wrap (gluten-free)
- Vegan scones served with jam and mixed berry compote
- Banana and walnut loaf
- Toasted coconut and date bar
- Forest berry jellies
- Mini vegetable crudities
But that’s not all! If you take your four-legged best friend with you, they get spoilt too! They get given a special cushion to sit on along with a packet of biscuits and you can order something for them to enjoy from the special pet menu. The pet menu includes loads of dishes that all dogs will drool over, including:
- Beef Fillet Steak with boiled potato wedges and gravy
- Lamb Burger with brown rice and gravy
- Ostrich Mince with cooked oats, flax seeds, fresh apple and dried cranberry
- Chopped Vegetable & Chicken Salad with chicken breast, carrots, apple, wilted spinach and dried cranberries
If you have a cat that deserves to be treated like royalty (which cat doesn’t feel they should be?) there’s also the purrfect menu for felines, including salmon trout with scrambled egg! The pet menu has been created by the hotel’s Executive Chef, together with the Panorama Veterinary Clinic & Specialist Centre, so you know it’s only the good stuff for your furry companion.
Valentino relished tucking into his ostrich mince dish (not very vegan of him) and has been begging me that we go back as soon as possible. I have promised that we will, but only if he pays for us to stay the night. I needed a nap after all that fabulous food and I think curling up on a plush couch in The Leopard Bar may be frowned upon…
Inside information
All items on the tea tray can be topped up. Yes, it is as limitless as your appetite!
Published March 2018 | Hosted by 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa