What to do around Berhampore

There are plenty of breweries and coffee roasters in Wellington where you can watch the process from raw materials to finished products happen before your eyes. Baron Hasselhoff’s in Berhampore allows you to do that with chocolate. You can watch your future chocolate treat made from bean to bar. The café and shop have a workshop where you can view the whole fascinating process. Stone grinders (called melangers) break down cacao beans into a smooth, flowing paste. That paste becomes a luxurious, decadent sweet chocolate treat.

Founded in 2012 by Clayton McErlane, Baron Hasselhoff’s has developed into a thriving chocolatier. It offers a wide range of products sold across Aotearoa. At the café, you can sample the bean-to-bar creations and fresh baking along with hot chocolate made from scratch. There is also a sugar-free cacao tea, and a delicious coffee and chocolate combo with help from neighbouring Rich Coffee Roasters.

Quality handcrafted bread on the city fringe. Berhampore’s Baker Gramercy has made a name for itself by making simple, honest breads. The sourdough is slowly fermented and contains only flour, water, and salt (seeds and oats are added for specific varieties). It’s the croissant selection that keeps people returning. You can try plain, almond, ham and gruyere, jalapeño cheddar, or chocolate almond. The café, with its high-gabled ceiling, is uncluttered and fresh. 

Set into the hills of the city-fringe suburb of Newtown, Wellington Zoo is a thoroughly modern institution. It leads the way as the first carboNZero-certified zoo in the world.

With 500-plus animals spread across 13 hectares Wellington Zoo may be small by world standards but it’s big on heart, sustainability, welfare, and conservation. Its Close Encounter programme where you get to see animals in close quarters is both educational and memorable.

Here’s where it all happens. The hub where Peoples Coffee roasts, packs, distributes and serves its delicious coffee. The café at the front, with its old wooden floors and two-story high windows, is light and airy. There’s a selection of delicious toasties on offer along with scones, pastries, and cookies. At the back, through a second set of large windows, the roastery is a hive of activity. Here, two tonnes of coffee beans are roasted each week and distributed to scores of cafés and grocery stores around the country. After you’ve had your pick-me-up coffee you can talk to the staff and learn about roasting and the coffee industry.

Down a side street in Newtown, you’ll find Margot. She’s not a person, but a place — a restaurant to be exact — but it’s not hard to imagine the woman behind the name.

With a striking red awning, big open windows, and a warm atmosphere spilling onto the street, Margot is a welcoming aunt, your chicest friend, and the ultimate dinner party host. In short: she’s someone you want to meet, and a restaurant you want to visit.

Margot’s menu changes often, championing local produce in often simple ways, but always to delicious effect. Small plates are made for sharing, with a European flair and Kiwi touches across every dish.

The Empire Cinema offers Island Bay its own piece of art nouveau history. After many non-cinematic uses, the 1925 movie theatre was returned to its former glory in 2005. Each boutique cinema holds between 50 and 65 people. It shows mainstream blockbusters, family movies, and art-house titles. It’s friendly and cosy, with plenty of room alongside the built-in couch seating for your coffee, wine, or snack.

The in-house café makes excellent coffee. There’s also a good range of daily-made cabinet food, a brunch menu, and classic movie treats like gelato and popcorn.

Coucou (pronounced ‘ku ku’) is French for ‘hi’. Next time you’re in Island Bay say ‘coucou’ to the baristas at Coucou. The Island Bay café focuses on providing a fresh ambience and delicious cabinet food. Staying true to the French influence it serves fresh and flaky croissants and quiches. There are also pies, sandwiches, and sausage rolls for those looking for something hearty. The owners of Coucou also run Sixes and Sevens Deli in the city so there is a sweet array of their famous doughnuts too.

Skunkworks Coffee supplies the beans, and you’ll find a light, bright espresso blend on offer. There’s also a rotation of delicious juicy single origins on filter. The Ethiopian Guji is recommended by staff.