New local eats
Treat your taste buds at one of the new eateries, cafes, restaurants and bars in Wellington
Nashville chicken at Soul Shack
120 Victoria Street, Te Aro, Wellington
If you can handle the heat then test your tolerance at Soul Shack, the Nashville-style chicken shop.
Starting out on wheels, this once popular food truck has finally found a place to call home. Your fried chicken needs can be fulfilled at Soul Shack's newest home on Victoria street. Now, with a much-anticipated dine-in experience! (Available when Alert Levels are appropriate.)
Dig into your fried chicken that's been soaked in a buttermilk brine for hours before being breaded and fried. The magic to their chicken is their salt; a blend of oil and secret spices. Pick a heat level from 1-4 but be warned level 2 is rated kiwi hot!
Lola Rouge
213-223 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Enter through the boutique inner-city hotel, Naumi Studio Hotel, and be transported to a glamorous dining room in South East Asia at their new restaurant, Lola Rouge.
Dripping with luxe brass detailing and pink and red velvet, this eatery is a feast for all the senses. The menu is a culinary journey around Asia, and includes a full page of plant-based dishes for everyone to enjoy. For the carnivores, there's a range of seafood and meat dishes, including softshell crab and a tandoori tasting plate. Don't forget a nightcap - their cocktail menu is not to be missed, with an impressive selection of unique mixes.
If you've got a bigger group, the private dining is an intimate and breathtaking space for a real night to remember, or make the most of the 60-seater dining room and drink in the vibrant fit-out, in keeping with the rest of the whimsical hotel.
Predicting great coffee: The House of Good Fortune
52 Fitzherbert Street, Petone, Lower Hutt
This stunning house has a new lease on life as it becomes the newest home to Good Fortune’s coffee roastery and café.
Feel at home with the smell of freshly roasted coffee and delicious food in the air at The House of Good Fortune on Fitzherbert Street in Petone. The vibrant colours and retro fit-out will be familiar to cafe-goers in the area as it’s owned by the same people as Seashore Cabaret and Miss Fortune.
Grab a coffee and something delicious from their cabinet or walk away with a bag of coffee roasted in house. Open Monday-Friday 7am-3pm.
Orient Cafe
29B College Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Nestled inside Orient: Homeware and Gifts is a new cafe specialising in modern Asian cafe-style food for morning and afternoon snacks and lunch. Formerly known as Bao Boy, Orient Cafe has an ever-changing menu but there are a few constants of wraps, salads, and soups.
Their 'Asian wraps' are filled with lemongrass chicken, sticky pork, and smoked banana blossom. The Asian-style slaw has a coconut chilli dressing, and soups include Thai pumpkin and ginger. (The soups and salads are always vegan and gluten-free.)
There's even an Asian-style take on the classic Kiwi sausage roll with chicken, coriander, and lemongrass taking this morning tea classic to new levels of deliciousness. Just make sure you save room for a Portuguese egg custard tart!
Spooky mini golf
7 Forresters Lane, Te Aro, Wellington
Witching Hour Mini-Putt and Bar is a 13-hole indoor mini-putt with a spooky haunted house theme on Forresters Lane. This is not for the faint-hearted. Those afraid of spiders, skeletons, witches and clowns are warned that if you’re too scared, there’s no refund.
When the sun goes down the course truly awakens, and this is where all children must go home so the adults can play. Those who know this space will recognise it as ex Boogie Wonderland and Alice. So in living memory grab a drink from the bar and enjoy a round. To keep you hydrated (or at ease) canned drinks are available from local breweries Garage Project and ParrotDog.
Māori and Pacific inspired eatery: Kawakawa
469 Adelaide Road , Berhampore, Wellington
Chop Suey and hangi pork and chicken are delicious dishes being served at this Māori and Pacific inspired eatery. Kawakawa Eatery is the newest eatery to open in Berhampore that’s emerged from the team at Karaka Café in the city.
Their menu and atmosphere are inspired by Pacific and Māori cuisine. Listen in to their indigenous playlist and order hearty dishes such as chop suey, hangi meats and more. You’ll be spoilt for choice with their vibrant spread of creative, yet flavoursome, salad combinations. There's also a la carte menu, with a Pacific twist. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
Historic homestead to family-friendly eatery: Gear Eatery & Bar
1 Okowai Road, Aotea, Porirua
Step back in time with a seat at the newest eatery with breath-taking views of the sparkling Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour. The iconic Gear Homestead (1882) is opening its doors with a transformed 1950s themed eatery and bar from the co-owner of Library Bar and Chow Michael Holling.
The décor comes to life with brightly coloured walls, taxidermy animals and serving pub meals such as fish 'n' chip or burgers. It wouldn’t be a Michael Holling establishment without a cocktail bar. Upstairs you will find a nautical-themed bar with an octopus mural, a table in a boat and an extensive range of local beer and wine offerings.
There's no stopping there. They are planning to build an ice cream parlour and Italian Pizzeria.
Wholesome plant-based eats: Krishna Food
49 Manners Street, Te Aro, Wellington
From feeding hungry university students to urban dwellers this new Manners Street eatery is fulfilling all your plant-based desires. Krishna Food has opened its newest store on Manners Street following the success of its Kelburn Café on campus at Victoria University. Pop down for your lunchtime fix from 11-2pm Mon-Fri. Choose from a variety of salad and pasta dishes, or tempt yourself with plant-based treats like sausage rolls, pies, cookies and slices
Two heads are better than one: Evil Twins
3 Vivian Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Starting your own business isn’t an easy ride. These university students are giving it a go by opening the next place to fuel your caffeine addiction. Meet Stephanie and Natalie Chin, the twins behind Evil Twins, the newest hole-in-the-wall coffee shop on Vivian Street.
Squeezed into the space is a simple offering of coffee and ice drinks. Impress your friend by getting matcha or an iced caramel. Evil Twins was born from a brotherly nudge that asked them every student’s worst fear “What do you want to do?”. As art and design students, they were drawn to the art of coffee. A coffee shop also gave them space to design merchandise. Clothing is coming next.
The twins will tell you the road to becoming business owners has its hurdles. After facing rejection their persistence to becoming the best behind a coffee machine is near, their loyal following will vouch for it. But, they won’t forget their roots just ask them for a mocha and the story behind the mocha man.
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