Brunch your way around Wellington
Wellington probably didn't invent brunch, but it has certainly perfected the concept
Olive
170-172 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Olive is a long-standing Cuba Street institution serving seasonal French and Italian-inspired menus in a rustic-chic space. Olive’s curiously lush tropical courtyard featuring, you guessed it, an olive tree is one of Wellington’s best-kept secrets.
The garden courtyard is the perfect spot to while away an afternoon, sipping on a chilled rosé and nibbling on some warmed olives. The indoor dining room has a French industrial rustic vibe and is the perfect spot for a weekend brunch or an intimate dinner. Head Chef Jamie Morgan regularly changes the menu to include fresh, in-season, local produce.
Loretta
181 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Scandinavian-style design with a Californian-style menu on Wellington’s Cuba Street. Loretta is a smart but casual eatery serving up wholesome and delicious food in an award-winning, architecturally designed 120-seater restaurant.
Perfect at any time of the day or evening, Loretta has menus for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. The food, served on ceramics by local potter Paul Melser, reflects the natural earthy style of the restaurant’s interior.
Start your day with coffee and house-made crumpets and end it with free-range organic wood-fired chicken and fresh, seasonal salads. An extensive wine menu is available by the glass, or at the other end of the spectrum, there’s fresh lemon verbena tea and kombucha.
Floriditas
161 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
If you’re a fan of eggs for breakfast, then you’re going to love Floriditas.
Their brunch menu has an entire section dedicated to all things egg – boiled, scrambled, fried or poached. With salmon, spinach, ham or broccoli on sourdough, brioche, potato hash or salad.
If eggs aren’t your thing, there’s plenty of other delicious possibilities including Floriditas’ legendary fish pie. Whatever you order, add a bowl of fries with aioli for the table to share, and if by some miracle you have room, order a brown sugar meringue piled with brown sugar and fresh fruit.
The Hangar
119 Dixon Street, Te Aro, Wellington
What was once a car park on Dixon Street is now a bustling brunch spot by one of Wellington’s third-wave coffee roasters, Flight Coffee. Serving up their freshly-roasted coffee in whatever format you take it - from espresso to pour-over and filter alongside a seasonal brunch menu that covers all of the modern classics from granola to eggs to breakfast tacos. For coffee lovers, you won't want to miss the tasting flight of coffee. It's made up of three different coffees, or blends of your choice so you can walk out know what coffee you like best.
Elements Café
144 Onepu Road, Lyall Bay, Wellington
You'll feel like you've found an incredible hidden gem that only the locals know about the first time you visit Elements. This all-day café serves up breakfast, lunch, brunch and little sweet treats a few blocks back from Lyall Bay.
With fresh and seasonal takes on café classics with a good range of gluten-free, vegetarian and dairy-free options, Elements also make their own fresh juices. There are a few tables outside that are perfect for a sunny day or if you're dining with your pooch. But don't miss heading inside to check out the small but perfectly formed store, which has a curated selection of homewares and accessories made by small and independent New Zealand makers.
Salty Pidgin
5 Todman Street, Brooklyn, Wellington
An award-winning modern neighbourhood bistro, Salty Pidgin is warm and welcoming with an open fire that is lit on cooler days. Salty Pidgin’s menu is driven by quality and makes the most of local produce, meat and seafood.
Open for brunch and dinner at the weekends and dinner during the week, their Turkish pide (flatbread with toppings) is a popular choice and their crispy cauliflower with harissa mayo will change your opinion of brassicas for good.
There’s an excellent wine list (co-owner JP is a sommelier) and a changing line-up of local and international craft beer on tap. Right across the road from the popular Penthouse Cinema, Salty Pidgin is the perfect spot to head for a bite to eat after a film.
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