There’s nothing like having scones in Cameron Highlands while enjoying tea from locally sourced leaves. But where should you go when there are so many options to choose from?
Many strawberry farms tend to serve scones that you can eat with your self-picked strawberries. There are also some fancy places if you want to pretend that you’re overseas in Europe!
Take a look at these recommended spots!
1. The Lord’s Café
For yummy scones and apple pies at reasonable prices, The Lord’s Café has you covered.
This hidden café is above a Marrybrown restaurant in Tanah Rata. Their delicious scones are cheap at RM3.20 apiece and served with delectable cream and strawberry jam that’s worth trying.
With a homely ambiance and a cozy, nostalgic interior, The Lord’s Café is a great place to chill while sipping a refreshing cup of tea.
We do really enjoy their creamy homemade mango lassi as well.
It is a popular spot, however, so head on earlier to avoid the crowd and get the scones while they last!
- Location: Jalan Besar, Tanah Rata, 39000 Tanah Rata, Pahang
- Opening Hours: 10am–5pm; Closed on Sundays
- Contact: +6019-5722883
2. Green View Garden
This attraction is not famous yet. And for this reason, we like the fact that parking is usually available. Plus, it is nice that this place is not full of people.
We happened to try their scones and think that they are good. You can order them with Japanese inspired mains from their on-site Japanese restaurant.
If you get the set of 4 scones, you can try their chocolate scones too. They are tasty and come with a chocolate spread as well. Apart from chocolate, they have lavender scones, and these are pleasantly flavored. They do not taste or smell of artificial lavender scent.
You can see more photos of Green View Garden from our individual post.
- Location: 609, UT/KR/F609 Jalan Simpang Pulai, Kampung Raja, 39010, Pahang
- Opening Hours: 9am–6:30pm
- Contact: +605-4981982
3. Jim Thompson Tea Room
Situated at the Cameron Highlands Resort, the Jim Thompson Tea Room has a stylized English aesthetic, offering plenty of great picture opportunities!
But while the service is fine and the overall atmosphere cushy and quiet (with live piano music too), we find that having high tea here is very expensive.
The menu features a RM150-for-2 high-tea set where you can choose different tea – we got the Cameron tea.
We will say that the scones are nice along with the clotted cream. The sandwiches (except for the smoked salmon sandwich) are average.
The top tier has sweet and small bites like Madeleine, parfait, and brownie. There are also fresh strawberries served with chocolate.
If it’s your first time trying a British high tea set, we recommend sharing one set among 3 pax or skipping lunch. Or coming here for breakfast because the set is rich and very filling.
Give this high-class tearoom a shot at least once as the scones are enjoyable in such a lovely ambiance.
- Location: Cameron Highlands Resort, Cameron Highland, 39000 Brinchang, Pahang
- Opening Hours: 12pm–6pm
- Contact: +605-4911100
4. Cameron Valley Tea House
Cameron Valley Tea House has 3 branches and at each location, you’ll be able to enjoy a gorgeous view of the surrounding tea plantation.
They have paid buggy services that can take visitors up and down the hill, alongside the breathtaking waterfall that’s down the path from the plantation (at Cameron Valley Tea House 1).
As for the scones themselves, they’re delicious and served alongside jam & cream, all at a reasonable price.
Be aware that all these scenic tea houses (particularly tea houses, 1 and 2) are full of people around breakfast, brunch and in the afternoon. It won’t be easy to get parking during these peak times.
5. BOH Sungai Palas Tea Centre
While the views are unbeatable, we have tried the scone set here and were not impressed with either the scones or the accompanying condiments.
Their tea is a little sweet but flavorful. Apart from this, this contemporary tea house also has a selection of cakes and pastries.
You can read more about our experience at BOH Sungai Palas Tea Centre here.
Be ready for a huge crowd (and road congestion) while you are here as plenty of people visit for the scenery.
Read this guide for alternative tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands if you want to avoid the thick crowds at BOH Sungai Palas!
- Location: Google Maps
- Opening Hours: 8:30am–4:30pm; Closed on Mondays
- Contact: +605-4962096
6. Barracks Café
As you stand at the entrance of Barracks Café, the name becomes apparent because the indoor dining space and the kitchen are housed in real barracks!
Name aside, the café is a plant lover’s delight, with greenery at every corner of the outside garden. Try getting a seat outdoors as the indoor seating is quite dull.
As for the food, the prices are quite steep for what you get (RM20-30 for a main). The menu features western food like duck carbonara, soft shell crab burger and fish and chips.
PS: Don’t get the fish and chips. There is hardly any fish.
But they have scones as well. And these are lovely, served alongside delicious jam that has just the right hint of tartness.
- Location: 1, Jalan Gereja, Tanah Rata, 39000 Tanah Rata, Pahang
- Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11am–8pm; Friday to Sunday, 11am–10pm
- Contact: +6011-14648883
7. Amsterdam Café
Amsterdam Café is a simple café in Tanah Rata. It’s on the same row as The Lord’s Café.
It’s a good rest stop to get a hearty meal or breakfast (since they open quite early). They have delicious scones served with butter, jam, and cream. The butter and jam you get are not exceptional – being your standard store-bought fare.
And the French toast and omelette with toast are all average too.
Coffee is decent, however. If you are ordering tea instead, note that the teas are different flavors of BOH or Bharat tea satchets.
Head on over earlier if you’d like to get the freshest scones. Note that finding parking here may be difficult during peak season due to the cafe’s location along a main road and its proximity to other shops.
- Location: 38, Tanah Rata, 39000 Tanah Rata, Pahang
- Opening Hours: 8:30am–4:30pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
- Contact: +6011-13355122
8. The Smokehouse Hotel & Restaurant By The Golf Course Cameron Highlands
Both a restaurant and a hotel, The Smokehouse Hotel & Restaurant is a popular destination for its looks.
The building has a distinct Tudor influence. There is an exceptionally charming garden that guests and customers of the café can access.
While they might be expensive, the scones are worth it. They have good taste and texture, alongside plentiful servings of cream and strawberry jam.
But having tried their Western mains for lunch before, we advise against going on an empty stomach as the food does take a while to come. Furthermore, the food quality doesn’t match the price.
Note: If you do plan on staying the night at this hotel though, keep in mind that it can get a little loud during breakfast or brunch.
- Location: By the Golf Course, Tanah Rata, 39000 Tanah Rata, Pahang
- Opening Hours: 9am–10pm
- Contact: +605-4911215
Conclusion
While all the available choices of places to try scones, it depends on your personal taste and whether you put a higher priority on ambiance or value-for-money.
For a British-like ambiance, The Smokehouse, Jim Thomson Tea House, and The Barracks Cafe are great. And for inexpensive scones, The Lord’s Cafe or Bharat tea houses are our recommendations.
PS: If you want to escape the crowds or try some unusual flavors of scones, then we would recommend Green View Garden.
Strawberry Farms
Some strawberry farms have their own on-site café where they may offer a multitude of strawberry themed food and drinks. And scones are a common item on the menu too.
Cafes
Our favorite café in Cameron Highlands for coffee and scones would be Cado Café. But there are other cafes that you might be interested in. Such as The Hidden Lab for their specialty coffee.
Food
Besides scones, there is other food in Cameron Highlands that you can try. Steamboat being one of them. But there are also local spots for Chinese food.
