Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Unveils Jacaranda Afternoon Tea

Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff is celebrating Johannesburg’s iconic Jacaranda bloom with a signature Afternoon Tea and exclusive private helicopter flights over the city's stunning purple canopy.

Pastry Chef Nathan Jacobs has crafted a menu that respectfully honours traditional teatime while infusing it with contemporary elegance. Each new addition is subtly inspired by the colours, textures, and serene beauty of the Jacaranda season.

Chef Jacobs’s new creations offer a sophisticated taste of Johannesburg's perennial iconic floral wonder.

Menu Highlights - a graceful suggestion of Nathan’s exquisite afternoon tea journey includes the following:

• Plain scone and Fruit scone: Warm and delicately crumbed; served with clotted cream and seasonal preserves.

• Hazelnut and blackberry financier: A tender almond-hazelnut cake lifted by tart blackberry, finished with a whisper of toasted nut for depth.

• Black Forest opera: Sleek layers of dark chocolate sponge and cherry notes, refined into a polished, petite entremets.

• Citrus and blueberry tart: Zesty citrus curd brightened with blueberry compote, in an impeccably crisp shortcrust.

• Cassis and white chocolate vacherin: Glossy meringue embracing blackcurrant and a silken white chocolate cream—an elegant, violet-tinged nod to Jacaranda.

• Cheese savoury on white bread: A classic, reimagined with a light cheddar mousse and chives, delicately sandwiched.

• Cucumber and herbed crème fraîche on brown bread: Cool cucumber ribbons, dill and chive crème fraîche, neat and refreshing.

• Smoked salmon and guacamole slider on brioche: Silk-smooth salmon paired with a citrus-kissed avocado, tucked into a soft brioche bun.

• Chicken coronation tartlet: A crisp pastry shell filled with gently spiced, creamy chicken—familiar, regal, and perfectly bite-sized.

• Beef short rib amagwinya/vetkoek: Slow-braised and sumptuous, nestled in a warm South African favourite for a richly comforting mouthful.

• Mushroom empanada: Flaky pastry encasing earthy mushrooms and thyme, a savoury whisper of the autumn forest floor.

The Setting: Where the City Turns Violet

Perched high above the treetops, Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff offers a singular vantage across Johannesburg’s famed urban forest.

During the Jacaranda bloom, the view becomes a living tapestry of lavender and lilac—an exquisite backdrop for the calm cadence of afternoon tea. The Jacaranda High Tea invites guests to linger as the light shifts, watching the city soften into a purple silhouette.

Jacaranda in Your Pocket

In addition to the Friday – Sunday offering, on October 25, Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff along with Jacaranda in Your Pocket and Bastion Aviation hosted an exclusive, yet immersive salute to Johannesburg’s purple season, and an experience reminiscent of the Japanese Cherry Blossom season.

This special day included a guided walk through Westcliff’s Jacaranda-lined avenues, where experts shared insights into the city’s urban forest, seasonal ecology, and architectural heritage ending atop the Westcliff ridge at the back of the Hotel, where they boarded a helicopter for a panoramic flip over the city’s shimmering canopy.

Upon landing, guests walked down to the hotel to enjoy a leisurely limited-edition Jacaranda High Tea, created by celebrated Pastry Chef Nathan Jacobs, featuring delicate patisserie, feather-light scones, and savoury bites inspired by the bloom.

Availability

• The Jacaranda High Tea is offered during the Jacaranda season, from October through November 2025, Friday through Sunday

• Reservations are essential and subject to availability