Arteastiq High Tea Review: Tea, Art and Sweet Bites in Singapore

We were still thinking about our polished afternoon tea at Anti:dote when it was already time to choose the next one. This time, I surprised Ian with an Arteastiq high tea at Mandarin Gallery, a Singapore tea lounge where afternoon treats share an address with an art-jamming studio. The combination sounded playful, although our visit ultimately impressed us more for its teas and sweets than for its atmosphere or service.

Arteastiq was created around the idea of combining art and tea, and the neighboring studio allows guests to add an art-jamming session to the visit. The lounge itself felt pleasant enough, but we had encountered more memorable interiors even inside other Singapore shopping malls. The service followed a similar pattern: polite, yet missing the polish that turns an afternoon tea into a guided experience. Our waiter did not introduce the food, leaving us to identify the tiers ourselves. Fortunately, the tea soon gave us something much more interesting to discuss.

Arteastiq Tea Selection

Ian chose green tea with goji berries, a combination that brought soft fruitiness to the tart character of Japanese green tea. It was bright, balanced and easy to enjoy. My choice was pu-erh, a fermented tea traditionally associated with Yunnan in China. Its earthy and slightly bitter opening softened into floral, woody notes in the aftertaste. On a rainy Singapore afternoon, it felt exactly right.

Savory Bites at Arteastiq High Tea

The savory tier was uneven, but several ideas worked beautifully. A small vol-au-vent held mushroom and caper pâté, its crisp pastry giving way to a rich filling lifted by balsamic notes. The foie gras terrine on toast was paired with yuzu marmalade and pistachios. That touch of citrus was useful rather than decorative, cutting through the richness of the terrine and adding a clean, fragrant finish.

A smoked salmon bite with cream cheese mousse and fried shallots was more familiar. The flavors were sound, although the generous amount of salmon overwhelmed its small piece of bread. Better balanced was the tortilla with smoked duck breast, arugula and horseradish mayonnaise. The duck remained tender and moist, while the horseradish brought enough sharpness to keep the bite lively.

Sweets at Arteastiq Afternoon Tea

Dessert was where the set found its confidence. The macarons looked attractive and tasted genuinely enjoyable, reminding us of the macarons we tried in Paris. A double raspberry choux brought a pleasing tartness, although the chocolate truffle with nuts was even better. Soft, rich and unmistakably cocoa-led, it delivered the depth that the more decorative sweets sometimes lacked.

The chocolate cone with banana custard looked charming but made less of an impression once tasted. More importantly, our set had no scones. Arteastiq was clearly following its own style rather than reproducing a traditional British afternoon tea, yet a warm scone with cream and jam would have given the experience the sense of completeness I was looking for. If you are curious about the terminology, our guide explains how afternoon tea and high tea differ.

Is Arteastiq High Tea Worth Booking?

Arteastiq gave us a likable afternoon rather than a faultless one. Ian was not particularly inspired by the simple painting activity available during our visit, and the service needed more confidence and explanation. The lounge also lacked the sense of occasion we had found at some of Singapore’s more formal afternoon teas.

Still, the core of the experience had genuine strengths. Both teas were excellent, the desserts contained several memorable bites, and the better savory combinations showed imagination. The missing scones prevented the set from feeling complete to me, but travelers who care more about tea, sweets and an informal creative setting may be less troubled by that absence. At the price we paid in 2018, it was a good-value refuge from the rain and an enjoyable contrast to the city’s grand hotel lounges.

Arteastiq High Tea Review Card

• 6.2/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 6.2/10
• 5.6/10
  SERVICE – 5.6/10
• 8.9/10
  TEA SELECTION – 8.9/10
• 7.0/10
  PRESENTATION – 7.0/10
• 7.8/10
  FOOD OFFER – 7.8/10
• 8/10
  VALUE – 8/10

Arteastiq Prices, Location and Practical Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Arteastiq High Tea