- Venue: The Standard
- We loved: the Amalfi vibes
- We weren’t expecting: the butter
The Amigas and I kicked off our first afternoon tea of 2026 ready to be entertained, and, as it turns out, a little surprised.
At first glance, The Standard is easy to miss. The modest building on Roe Street sits quietly in the shadow of the shiny new ECU city campus, looking almost too understated for what lies beyond its doors.
It’s the kind of place you might be tempted to swipe left on. But step inside and you’re transported to an entirely different scene. Praise be.
The intimate bar area opens onto a shady pergola-style courtyard, where a sprawling bougainvillea vine drapes overhead, occasionally dropping soft petals onto the table during our afternoon tea. Charming white wrought-iron chairs and glass tabletops give the setting a relaxed Mediterranean feel, straight from the Amalfi Coast styling playbook. And then there’s the alfresco mezzanine bar above it all. Swoon.
Afternoon tea at The Standard runs across the weekend, and you can book any time throughout the afternoon. It’s a clever approach that gives the venue a relaxed, social rhythm as groups—mostly women—drift in and out over the course of the afternoon. It also means the kitchen and bar can keep things flowing smoothly, which is always good news for the Amigas.
Speaking of flowing: the bottomless drinks package, aptly named “Keep It Flowing” (also the Amigas’ unofficial motto), features a line-up of spritz options – Classic, Appoleta (apple) and Rosa Limonosa (limoncello and strawberry), alongside Prosecco, house wine and beer.
Naturally, the Amigas opted for Prosecco, and the San Martino (ITA) was perfectly chilled and dangerously easy to drink. I must admit, my head is easily turned by beautiful glassware, and the elegant stemware here had me mentally transported to a rugged Italian coastline trattoria. Perfetta, darling.
The current afternoon tea theme is an “Italian Feast”. Initially I had reservations about pasta paired with Prosecco, but it turns out the concept is pure brilliance.
It begins with “The Teaser”: four small plates delivered swiftly to the table: sourdough with butter, stracciatella, olives and shaved cured porchetta. The standout? The butter. It may sound simple, but this is no ‘standard’ spread. The parmesan butter is rich, savoury and completely addictive. Trust me: you’ll want to Google it later.
Then comes “The Feast”: unlimited pasta, with your choice of two dishes from the menu. We settled on ricotta gnocchi with black pearl mushrooms and campanelle with stracciatella – a creamy, burrata-like pasta dish that disappeared far too quickly. A crisp green leaf salad rounds out the plates and keeps things feeling (just slightly) virtuous.
The Amigas feast, sip, laugh and talk our way through the afternoon, and somehow the two hours fly past in a blur. Suddenly, our Italian flirtation is over.
We wander back up Roe Street toward Stories, determined not to let the evening end just yet. But I still glance back over my shoulder at The Standard one last time.
Lesson learned: never judge a venue by its cover.
Ciao, bello.
Disclaimer: The reviewer was not paid for this review, which has been conducted without the involvement of the venue.
