The afternoon tea set for two arrived on a theatrical pumpkin-shaped stand.
Our Farquhar Mansion high tea in Penang was built around ambitious food, from truffle-scented potato blinis and duck confit tart to some of the best fruit scones we tried in the city. The tea list was modest and the room rather dark, though the elaborate pumpkin-shaped stand, polished service and unusually accomplished savory bites made this a memorable afternoon tea. This review preserves the original experience, while the practical section explains what has changed since our visit.
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Was Farquhar Mansion high tea worth booking?
Best for: Readers comparing Penang’s notable afternoon teas and anyone interested in the original Farquhar Mansion experience.
Ian and I had afternoon tea in the original Farquhar Mansion, a formal dining room styled with patterned floors, dark wooden wall details and plenty of gold. Velvet chairs and matching drapes carried most of the visual weight, while classic cover songs played in the background. The generous spacing between tables also gave us more privacy than we often find at busy hotel teas.
The soft chairs were comfortable, and the gold-handled teacups suited the room. Lighting was the weak point. It created a secluded mood, though a little more brightness would have made the setting more inviting and the food easier to appreciate visually.
The tea list covered familiar caffeinated and caffeine-free choices, though it was restrained for an afternoon tea with food of this standard. Each selection arrived in a large pot, and the staff offered additional hot water to manage the strength as the leaves continued to steep.
We chose Jasmine Gold, a flavored green tea with a clear jasmine aroma and a floral character over the green-tea base. It was pleasant and easy to drink, even if the overall selection left less room for exploration than we had hoped.
Farquhar Mansion served Ronnefeldt, the German tea company founded in 1823. The brand was a credible choice for the setting, although the number of teas available mattered more to us than the name on the menu.
Scones are often the simplest way to judge an afternoon tea. Just across the road, the afternoon tea at the E&O Hotel had already set a demanding benchmark, and Farquhar Mansion came remarkably close.
The tall fruit scones had a crisp, almost biscuit-like crust and a warm, tender center. They were enjoyable even without accompaniments. Salted whipped cream and mixed berry jam came alongside, and the assertive salt in the cream sharpened the sweetness of the jam instead of disappearing beneath it.
E&O still had the advantage of two scone varieties and two jams, though the baking at Farquhar Mansion was strong enough to make the comparison genuinely close. That was no small compliment in Penang.
The savory course was the clearest reason this tea stood apart. Instead of relying on conventional sandwiches, the kitchen served composed two-bite pieces with cured salmon, duck confit, prawns, mushrooms and truffle. Some descriptions were theatrical, though the cooking had enough substance to support the presentation.
The small potato blini was fried in truffle oil and topped with cured salmon, egg and salmon roe. A tender base, saline fish and the gentle richness of the egg made this one of the most complete bites on the stand. It also announced immediately that Farquhar Mansion intended to do more than assemble a few neat sandwiches.
Slow-cooked duck met sweet-and-sour tamarind jam inside crisp phyllo pastry, with broccoli crumbs and a piece of gold leaf completing the tart. The fruitiness kept the duck from becoming heavy, while the pastry supplied a clean crunch. The gold was decorative; the balance underneath it was what earned our attention.
Butter bread came with poached prawn, a steamed cherry tomato, pesto and a cheese sphere. We could combine everything in one generous bite or divide the elements and taste them separately. Once broken, the smooth cheese spread across the prawn and tied the components together.
Fungi Forest placed a creamy mushroom and truffle mixture over puff pastry, finished with a fresh sprout. The pastry held its structure beneath the moist topping, and the pieces of mushroom gave the filling more texture than a smooth gratin would have provided. Its woodland presentation was playful without distracting from the flavor.
Five sweets completed each stand, four arranged on the top tier and one beside the scones below. Red accents linked the individual pieces visually, and the kitchen gave the pastry course the same attention to presentation as the savories.
A red craquelin shell covered the cream puff and added a dry, cracked texture against the smooth chocolate mousse on top. Inside, a coffee-flavored cream brought gentle bitterness to the richer chocolate elements.
Rhubarb, raspberry sauce and fresh berries cut through the creamy cheesecake and kept the portion light. Crumbs on top added crunch, while the softer base made the textures less predictable than a standard biscuit crust.
Wrapped in chocolate and topped with a macaron, the tart delivered a clear banana flavor followed by milk chocolate and dark chocolate fudge. A roasted hazelnut hidden in the center added the final crunch.
Sweet passion fruit sauce sat above silky crème brûlée in the glass. This was one of the simpler desserts, which worked in its favor after several more elaborate pieces. The acidity and custard made an uncomplicated, satisfying pair.
We saved the lychee and rose mousse for last because of its aromatic profile. Both flavors remained easy to identify, even with the chocolate cookie at the base, and the rose left a fresh finish after the richer sweets.
Food placed Farquhar Mansion among the strongest afternoon teas we tried in Penang. The savory selection was more ambitious than most, the scones nearly matched our favorites at the E&O, and the sweets combined good pastry work with confident presentation. A broader tea list and brighter room would have made the experience more complete.
Because this review now records a past venue and menu, readers planning a current reservation should also consult our guide to the best afternoon tea in Penang.
The original Farquhar Mansion high tea suited diners who cared as much about composed food as tea-room tradition. Its strongest memories are the crisp fruit scones, detailed savory bites and pumpkin-shaped presentation, with the limited tea choice and low lighting providing necessary restraint to an otherwise excellent score. The exact experience can no longer be booked, though it remains a useful record of one of Penang’s more creative afternoon teas of that period.
| Detail | Information checked in September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Restaurant reviewed | Farquhar Mansion, original Lebuh Farquhar location |
| Original address | 33 Lebuh Farquhar, George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Category | Afternoon tea |
| Price guide (USD) | Historical review: about USD 15 per person. Current Orinea menu: US$40 per person |
| Current restaurant | Orinea Restaurant, operated by Farquhar Group |
| Current address | 68-18-1, Sunrise Gurney, Persiaran Gurney, 10250 George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Current high tea hours | Friday, Saturday and public holidays; 2:30 PM–4:30 PM or 3:00 PM–5:00 PM |
| Dress code | Men: smart casual, no slippers. Women: presentable, no slippers |
| Phone | +60 19-528 8933 |
| Website | Official Orinea website |
No. This article documents the original Farquhar Mansion setting and menu published in 2019. Farquhar Group now operates Orinea Restaurant at Sunrise Gurney, where the current high tea has a different location, format and price.
The official Orinea menu listed its Grand High Tea at US$40 per person. Prices can change, so confirm the amount when reserving.
Orinea listed high tea on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays, with sessions from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM and from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The final service ends at 5:00 PM.
The fruit scones and savory course were the highlights. We especially enjoyed the potato blini with cured salmon, the duck confit tart and the mushroom-based Fungi Forest, while the pumpkin-shaped stand made the presentation memorable.
Farquhar Mansion was a serious rival for food, particularly its savory bites and fruit scones. E&O retained an advantage for us with two scone varieties, two jams and a stronger sense of traditional hotel afternoon tea.
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