The Tea-Tree Gallery & Ms Mermaids Tea Rooms

I was camping in town and after a few days of eating campsite meals, this restaurant really hit the spot.

This restaurant is located in the heart of Portland's CBD and is perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee or a meal. The service is consistently friendly and welcoming. The restaurant offers a variety of rooms to choose from, whether you prefer a more spacious or intimate setting. In addition to the delicious food, guests can also explore the artwork displayed throughout the restaurant.

We visited Ms Mermaids Tea Rooms for a Saturday morning coffee and eats. Being a windy day (typical weather for Portland wind-farms) we sat on the front veranda that was convenient shelter where we were able to view the pretty rose bushes prolifically covered in summer flowers, and while traffic crawled along the main street.We noted several rooms with art displays but felt the art-work encroached upon the viewer. Also we noted rooms with retro chrome and laminex kitchen furniture that seemed to be out-of-character.I tried the flat white coffee and a 10 cm diameter caralmelised pecan tart, which was pleasant and satisfying. My adult daughter had a pot of green tea which tasted nice but it was not very hot.

This was admittedly the only place we could find in Portland that was open and not too busy over the holiday period. But we would return. The eclectic collection of art and clatter in the rabbit-warren rooms of this cafe restaurant are homely and quirky. The Thai-inspired soup we had was excellent. We were even tempted to ask for the recipe. Well worth a visit.

We were lured in by a sign advertising fresh scones and decided to pop in for lunch, coffee, and a scone. The food was excellent, with the coffee and scones being warm and delicious. The Tea Tree Gallery is truly one-of-a-kind, situated in a typical house where visitors can explore different rooms, admire the art, and shop for gifts (there is currently a pop-up store with handmade gifts in the gallery). In summary, it was a fortunate discovery and definitely worth a visit.