Took a bit of finding as it's upstairs in a nondescript office building via a staircase that feels…read morelike the emergency exit and a blank door leading to an amazing, down at heel speakeasy joint. Booths and tables scattered around the room so we planted ourselves strategically to watch the world and listen to the fabulous jazzy music which, apparently was a playlist compiled by one of the team but not to be shared with mere plebes like us. It was only 6 in the evening and still bright and this is most definitely a place that needs to be experienced after dark. A pity our time in Welly didn't allow a repeat visit. Oh yes, the cocktails were amazing so just as well we had a dinner date elsewhere or I would have been poured into the street at an ungodly hour. Would love to be back. After dark. Recommended

This is one of the neatest themed bars I've been to, and from how packed it was, it's apparent that…read moreeveryone else is in agreement. We were here on a weekend night and waiting to get into the adjacent restaurant. Hooowww convenient that right next to the tiny cramped waiting room there happens to be this awesome lounge. Well played. We were joined by mobs of other hungry waitlisters as well as many others just there and craving a little study juice. The bar is adorably designed to look like a library with the cutest nerds demonstrating their well studied mixology and putting together some elegantly designed cocktails. The theme is brought to life with walls of books cutting into the space and creating perfect little study nooks. Tables and chairs line the sides and are tucked away here and there in the rooms. The long bar was pretty packed but also had seating. Drink menus were worth a study session for sure and prices comparable to the Wellington area. With clever beverage names like Whiskey Business, The Sipster, and Netflix & Chill you're bound to find something as tantalizing as the geek with glasses mixing your drink. Whether your jam is alcohol pyrotechnics, drinking your beverage from a chemistry flask, or enjoying a saucy little shake and toss, these bartenders both brew up fantastic concoctions while putting on a show. As much of the rest of NZ is, I found their knowledge, attention to, and tolerance of gluten allergy to be far beyond anywhere in The States. I prompted the very busy geek with taped glasses about a few of the unfamiliar syrups and like any good student, what he didn't know he looked up for me before recommending a drink. If saffron and vanilla meringue, popcorn infused rum, and marshmallow and malt biscuit crumble don't sound like deliciously epicurious combinations to you, then good, stay home, and let me have the lounge to myself for a much needed libation study session.

Nice environment. Buzzy cafe. Food is good although coffee could have been stronger. Friendly staff…read morecalling out a greeting as we walked in the door

I was so excited to see black sesame in the case! Black sesame is an unusual flavor when made…read morecorrectly is surprisingly good. Well, don't get your sesame fix here, it was terrible. This cone was the only flavor I tried so i can't be sure there aren't others that might be good but this BS was like a black sugar sorbet. Hard pass.

The coffee shop that launched a hundred copies in New Zealand, Midnight Espresso was the beginning…read moreof the "coffee revolution" by the Kiwis. It opened in 1988 and while the neighborhood has changed (and calmed down a bit) and the patrons have changed (and are a bit more mainstream), it's a lively little spot with a fun vibe. Food is served around the clock starting with pastries and pancakes in the morning and moving to burgers and nachos later in the day. What's awesome about Midnight Espresso is that they are open late. Way late. 7:30 am weekdays and 8:00 on weekends, closing at 1:00 am. There's music, there's a fun vibe, there's some history. Five stars. This was the best flat white I had all week across five cities of New Zealand. [Review 468 of 2024 - 119 in New Zealand - round number 21500 overall]

Only place open at like 7:30am on a weekday. I was walking around Cuba street searching for food…read moreand found this place open with a friend. This place was cozy and eclectic with a chalkboard menu, displays of food and pastries, and people coming in and out for breakfast. My friend and I were impressed with the selection of food, lots of vegetarian and vegan options. My Midnight Big Brekky was really good and perfect for the day. Note: they don't have almond milk, but they do have oat and soy milk options.

The yogurt tasted watery and possibly no longer good. The vanilla was nearly clear :/…read more The fruit topping choices were still frozen and the sauces were not well kept and dirty.

Self serve yogurt spot with lots of toppings. My favorite ice cream flavor was the coconut, very…read morestrong coconut taste! French vanilla was also yummy.

We were walking in the CBD after dinner and decided to go for gelato. Our local friends picked…read moreKaffee Eis, a coffee and gelato shop, which has three other locations in the city. There were 28 flavours to choose from. The workers were friendly, patient and gave out massive samples. Prices are very reasonable: $4.80 NZD single, $6.50 double, $7.50 triple and $3.80 kiddie cone. The litres were the cheapest I've seen: $10.00 NZD for 0.5L and $18.00 for 1L. - 0.5L ($10.00 NZD) - you get four flavours to put in your box! That's the most in any gelato shop we've been to. We went with black Doris plum, boysenberry, passionfruit and white chocolate raspberry. The fruit flavours were all fantastic; the white chocolate raspberry not so much. My favourite was the boysenberry. It just narrowly beat out the passionfruit. Great spot for a late dessert. Stick with the fruit flavours.

Relaxing environment -…read more Nice ice-cream coffee :) Give this place a try - Friendly, and professional Recommended -

Best burgers we had in New Zealand and I'm sure the most delicious in Wellington. We had a…read morewonderful time at Egmont St Eatery.

The staff here are what makes the place. They were quick to greet and seat me when I arrived,…read morepromptly offered coffee, and the entire 2 hours I was there my water glass did not get left empty. Everyone felt super professional, attending to us enough that we wanted for nothing, but giving us enough space to enjoy our conversation. The food was nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain about either. The chai was one of the better I've had in NZ. Price wise, the menu does well to accommodate a range of budgets with brunch options ranging from $13-30 ball park.

My husband and I went here on a Saturday without a reservation. It is not a large space and the…read morewait was going to be about 30-40 min, but 2 seats opened up and the server said we can have the seats! The service was really good - attentive, efficient, and explained each coffee selections, etc. It was very busy inside, and the noise level was loud, but manageable. This was my first time doing coffee tasting and it was really enjoyable. I highly recommend it. We also got there waffles which was very delicious! We loved one variety of coffee a lot so we purchased a bag. Would love to come back here again.

The Hangar was a nice surprise. It actually wasn't on my original list of places to try, but with…read moreeverything practically closed for the New Year's holiday, my husband stumbled upon it so we gave it a shot and we're both pleasantly surprised. As far as food is concerned, we both ordered the burritos and loved it especially with the barbecue hot sauce that they provided upon request and the aioli that was served to compliment it. The service was great. We didn't have a long wait to get seated and our waitress was very polite. My husband ordered the coffee flight and we both enjoyed the variety presented. We also enjoyed the ambiance. It was cute with a lot of nice eye candy and artwork to keep customers amused. Good job Hangar!

Floriditas was a place I found on google reviews when traveling to New Zealand. It looked delicious…read morefor brunch so we arrived on a weekday morning and were seated properly. When checking out the menu I ordered the green smoothie and the French toast. When our food arrived, they actually brought out a different dish however I told them I ordered the French toast they were extremely apologetic. It seemed to be a little of language barrier with accents. The French toast was delicious- it was warm and comforting, the topping was crunchy but strawberry mousse was smooth. We went up the pay and the man apologized again and removed my Smoothie from the bill. Highly recommend! Sweet people and friendly atmosphere.

Great brunch stop on Cuba Street with coffees, scrambled eggs on toast and smoked fish hash with…read morelime crema. Visiting from the US and we really enjoyed this stop while shopping and walking the area.