Floriditas

The high ceilings, dark wood finishes, and opulent drop pendant light say it all. Floriditas, on the corner of Cuba Street and Swan Lane, offers a grand setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food matches the atmosphere with a menu based on a European palate but viewed through a New Zealand lens. 

The refined ambience and food offering are thanks to Floriditas’ four owners. Renowned cook Julia Clark and partner James Pederson opened the restaurant in 2005. In 2019, chef Hayden McMillan and partner Dominique Fourie joined the team. Together, they run two restaurants on Cuba Street: Floriditas and Loretta. 

Hayden describes the restaurant's food philosophy as “a New Zealand/European brasserie. It’s café food but more ‘grown up’.” The menu subtly changes depending on when you visit. “It’s hyper-seasonal, but no matter what, we never scrimp on quality.” The team works with regional suppliers to source the best ingredients. 

While the fare varies with the time of year, some things on the menu never change. “We could never get rid of the fish hash or fish pie — people keep asking for it,” says Hayden. 

The restaurant’s staple fish dishes are as well-known as its opulent interiors. According to Hayden, they envisioned the feeling of the space from the start. “Julie’s original brief to the interior designer was ‘1920s and lived in’”. The high ceilings and age of the building naturally lent themselves to the grand café tradition in cities like Paris, Vienna, and London. “Those places have a real sense of community. We wanted Floriditas to be the same — to feel alive and safe, and have fun and converse with friends.”