SARAH DE WITT’S IMPALA AND PEACOCK PUTTING THE TEA BACK INTO HIGH TEA

The all-class teahouse and tea retailer, in Brunswick’s Sydney Road, has been casting a leaves-led spell on the inner-north, converting latte-lovers to tea aficionados.

And now with a new loose-leaf tea range - not to mention the healthy, vegetarian high-tea “treats” that are drawing their own foodie fan base - Impala and Peacock is cementing its name as the first choice in top-quality tea.

Sarah opened her tea atelier in June last year after a full-scale renovation - and the inspection of more than 200 other potential locations, in just one month. The result is the perfect hub for experiencing the ancient ritual of tea, with the bright and spacious venue quickly become a local hotspot - and source of intrigue.

”Most customers who first walked through the door wanted a takeaway latte with sugar, and were a little confused by the concept of a teahouse,” Sarah says. “This is where I had the most fun, converting coffee drinkers to tea drinkers. Watching them sitting down for a pot of green tea instead, and then becoming regulars, was great.”

At just 23, Sarah has university degrees in psychology, art and French, as well as a business qualification, and has also trained as a perfume nose in Grasse, France. She discovered her ability to accurately pick the aromatic components in wines while visiting Victoria’s Yarra Valley. And while Sarah jokes about her “superpower”, it has proven a secret weapon in the tea trade: “I’m continually training and testing my nose. You will often see me walking around the teahouse sniffing herbs, flowers and teas with my eyes closed, so I can blindly test myself.”

High tea - with tea itself the star attraction - is key to the success of Impala and Peacock. “I believe tea is absolutely central to a high tea experience,” Sarah says. “It’s cleansing, tasty and, when done correctly, can enhance your food experience. We walk our customers through a selection of five different teas, matched to the treats on the high tea platter.”

The food served is another big departure from a traditional high tea. All nibbles are vegetarian and made from fresh, local produce. And any animal products used are, where possible, organic or sustainably farmed: “Many of our treats are organic raw foods and a fusion of interesting flavours that complement our hand-crafted blends.” Highlights include chocolate zucchini petit fours, quinoa-filled mushrooms and coconut cream scones.

Sarah, whose South African husband Ruan helped design and renovate the Impala and Peacock venue, says the name for her business “represents the two sides of the tea story”. “The impala, a common African deer, represents the humble origins of the tea plant, worked by labourers all over the world. And the peacock embodies the sophisticated and ancient tea ceremonies that bring so much glamour and class to tea.”

Impala and Peacock is located at 558 Sydney Road, Brunswick, phone (03) 8294 5661. Opening hours: Sunday-Monday 10am-6pm; Tuesday-Friday 1pm-6pm; Saturday closed (open for private High Tea showers only). High Tea sessions (bookings essential): Sunday 11am, 2pm; Monday 2pm. High tea costs $38/head (+ $4 surcharge for gluten-free and vegan), minimum of two people, maximum 35.

Visit www.impalaandpeacock.com.au; Instagram @impalaandpeacock; Facebook.com/impalaandpeacock