This spring, Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff celebrates Johannesburg’s iconic Jacaranda season with an elegant Afternoon Tea by Pastry Chef Nathan Jacobs, a delicate tribute to the city’s most beautiful bloom.
Each spring, Johannesburg slips into lavender. Streets turn violet, skies soften, and the city hums with quiet anticipation as the Jacarandas unfurl their blooms. From its perch high above the treetops, Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff honours this fleeting spectacle with an elegant Jacaranda High Tea, created by Executive Pastry Chef Nathan Jacobs, a culinary ode to colour, calm, and craftsmanship.
Afternoon Tea in Bloom
Chef Jacobs, celebrated for his modern interpretations of classic patisserie, has composed a menu inspired by the hues, textures, and serenity of Jacaranda season. “We wanted each bite to echo the anticipation of the first blossoms,” he explains. “Every new addition balances crisp and creamy, bright and rounded, capturing the rhythm of the season.”
The Jacaranda High Tea invites lingering indulgence. Delicate fruit and plain scones arrive warm and golden, served with clotted cream and seasonal preserves. Savouries follow in a graceful procession — cucumber with herbed crème fraîche, smoked salmon and guacamole on brioche, chicken coronation tartlets, and slow-braised short rib amagwinya.
For the sweet finale, Jacobs presents a series of refined confections: hazelnut and blackberry financiers, citrus and blueberry tarts, and the show-stopping cassis and white chocolate vacherin, its glossy, violet-tinged meringue a nod to the bloom outside.
Where the City Turns Violet
Few places offer a better vantage of Johannesburg’s seasonal metamorphosis than The Westcliff. The hotel’s terraces overlook the city’s urban forest, which, from late October through November, transforms into a living tapestry of lilac and lavender. Guests sip tea beneath soft afternoon light, as the skyline shifts from gold to violet in a quiet daily ritual.
Jacaranda in Your Pocket
This year, Four Seasons The Westcliff extends the celebration beyond the tea table. In partnership with Johannesburg in Your Pocket, the hotel hosts an immersive guided walk through Westcliff’s Jacaranda-lined avenues — a reflective journey beneath a violet canopy that celebrates Johannesburg’s rare natural beauty.
Led by local experts, the walk traces the story of the city’s urban forest and architectural heritage, concluding at the hotel, where guests are welcomed with the limited-edition Jacaranda High Tea. The experience captures the essence of spring in Johannesburg — a moment to pause, wander, and savour.
Seasonal Serenity
The Jacaranda High Tea is available Friday to Sunday throughout October and November, coinciding with the bloom. Reservations are essential.
Bookings can be made through Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff or via Quicket.
