Prefab: Go where the Wellington locals go

When you visit a city for the first time, there’s a special feeling you get when you discover a favourite local spot. Prefab is one of those places.

On any weekday you’ll find an eclectic mix of customers (and the perfect representation of Wellington). A mixture of tourists, families, business catch-ups, lunches with friends, couples with their dogs, and freelancers with their laptops.

Everyone is at Prefab for the same things. Great food and coffee, the electric hum of the dining area, and the amazing hospitality of the Prefab team.

Despite the functional industrial fit-out, the sunny 180-seater eatery exudes warmth. Long communal tables and the surrounding bar are always buzzing with hungry diners. The aroma of coffee roasting, bread baking, and delicious plates of hot food all add to the atmosphere.

Waffles with berries, syrup and bacon strips on a white plate. The dish is from Prefab Eatery, a restaurant in Te Aro Wellington.

Open for breakfast and lunch, Prefab specialises in unpretentious food, done well. The menu features timeless favourites like pizza, burgers, and their legendary potato gratin. Prefab also has a busy in-house bakery, which sells to local cafés under the Acme brand. They bake all their own cakes, pastries, and breads, including their delicious organic baguettes. The team delivers these by bike down the road to food store Moore Wilson’s, where they are quickly snaffled up.

Prefab’s owners Bridget Dunn and her partner Jeff Kennedy are passionate Wellingtonians. They’ve spent many years in the industry, and have stayed in hospitality purely for the love of it. You’ll find them both in the mix with the team at Prefab. On any given day they’ll be firing up the coffee machine at dawn, and closing down the café in the late afternoon.

As well as running their busy café and bakery, Bridget and Jeff have an in-house line of Acme products. The brand reflects their approach of always using the best of everything — and if the best doesn’t exist, create it yourself. The restaurant uses Acme olive oil from their own Wairarapa grove, and Acme pickles in their sandwiches. You’ll sip Acme coffee from Acme cups, and eat your eggs with Acme cutlery. These stylishly packaged Acme products are for sale, so you too can replicate the Prefab experience at home. Trust us, you’re going to want to.

The interior of Prefab Eatery, a restaurant in Te Aro Wellington. There is an open kitchen and the tables are occupied by happy diners.

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