Eat nose to tail at The Larder

Where

Miramar

Location

133 Darlington Road
Miramar

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The old homestead on the corner of Darlington Road and Camperdown Road, Miramar, has stood there for over a century.

At first, there was nothing around it but empty space. Over the years, it has been a family home, a grocer’s, a boarding house and, since 2009, a beloved neighbourhood eatery.

Chef Jacob Brown and his wife, maître d’ Sarah Bullock, opened The Larder when the youngest of their three sons was just a year old. Their family has grown up alongside the restaurant, and so too has a band of loyal regulars, some of whom have been coming in to order Brown’s famous goat’s cheese soufflé since day one.

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There have been some changes, most notably the couple’s decision to stop doing dinner service in 2017 as a way to get more family time (and more sleep), but the philosophy behind The Larder has remained the same. It’s all about community and serving up top-quality food that makes people think harder about what they’re eating.

For example, you’ll always find offal on the menu, because Brown is a fervent believer in nose-to-tail cooking, minimising waste by using as much of an animal as possible. He’s also a keen forager and loves incorporating pests, such as jellyfish, into his dishes.

Don’t get us wrong, though; you don’t have to be a super-adventurous diner to enjoy The Larder’s all-day breakfast/brunch menu. It changes regularly but always features variations on the classics – eggs Benedict, crepes, mushrooms on toast – with a flourish. There’s also counter food galore, all made in house, including loaves of bread you can buy to take home.

Although Brown and Bullock pared back the drinks list when they ended dinner service, they still put careful thought into wine and food matches. And, in true Wellington fashion, they love a good beer-and-burger special, often showcasing brews from their Miramar neighbours Double Vision Brewery.

The goat’s cheese soufflé has been on the menu since we opened. People tell me they try to come in and order something else, but they just can’t resist the soufflé.

Sarah Bullock, co-owner and maître d

One of the ways Brown keeps himself challenged is by devising special pop-up dinner menus about five times a year, always to a theme. Past highlights include a culinary journey along the Silk Road, a nine-course meal in which each dish paid homage to a chef who had inspired him, a Mediterranean feast, and, true to form, a menu showcasing local pests.

Needless to say, The Larder’s pop-ups always sell out quickly, thanks to their devoted local following. Here’s an insider tip: flick them an email and ask to be put on their mailing list; that way, you’ll be the first to know next time they open their doors after dark.