Our capital city has more restaurants and cafes per capita than New York. Delaney Mes tries as many ...

1. Wellington: Eat your heart out
Our capital city has more restaurants and cafes per capita than New York. Delaney Mes tries as
many of them as she can.
I spent close to eight years living in the capital, as a student and waitress and then a graduate.
Wellington still holds a piece of my heart, so I was delighted to go back to investigate how the food
scene is looking a few years on. It is one of the best destinations for a weekend, especially if you love
food.
An early-morning flight meant I arrived in time for multiple coffees and, after the sweeping drive in
from the airport along the sculpture-dotted waterfront towards town, I parked on Cuba St. My first
coffee of many was at the iconic Floriditas, which still serves some of the best eggs in town and has
just celebrated its 10th birthday.
I was more excited about its new sister restaurant a few doors up, Loretta on Cuba. Loretta is larger
and offers a fresh, inventive, seasonal menu.
The green eggs came under a pile of beautiful fresh herbs, and underneath sat two fried eggs on
house-baked sourdough, with bacon on the side. It is simple - just put the best-quality ingredients
you can find on a plate - and it works. There's also beautiful crockery, an impressive array of baked
goods, and near-perfect coffee, although I'd expect nothing less from a city with more cafes and
restaurants per capita than New York.
I spent the afternoon just around the corner from Cuba St at the Hannah Factory Laneway precinct.
It has slowly evolved over the past few years into an inner-city hub of artisan producers and
factories: from soda to coffee, peanut butter, beer, pizza and bread. I began with chocolate.
Wellington Chocolate Factory is co-owned by Rochelle Harrison, a pastry chef of 18 years
(coincidentally, I worked with her many years ago in my university waitressing days). She began
playing around with making chocolates a few years ago, but was increasingly concerned about not
knowing where her ingredients were coming from. So began her journey to create New Zealand's
first open bean-to-bar chocolate factory.
The factory has direct relationships with its cocoa bean farmers, from Madagascar to Bougainville.
When it comes to the the taste-testing I'm told to just let it melt on your tongue, so the flavours can
come out. It reminds me of single-origin coffee tastings or craft beer or wine. The salted caramel
brittle is the most popular and I can attest to its incredible flavour.
Next was a man after my own heart. In a small factory, which slightly resembles a bunker, some of
the best peanut butter I've ever tasted is being churned out by former lawyer Roman Jewell.
Fix and Fogg peanut butter began as a hobby, grew to a market stall, then Jewell branched out into
the factory on Leeds St.
We discussed the trials and tribulations of a hobby-turned-obsession growing into a fulltime
business. He said giving up your safe salary and day job sounds romantic, but in reality it's
incredibly hard work. He said it's worth it, of course, because the rewards are infinite.

2. The peanut butter is excellent - they roast Queensland peanuts with just the right amount of sea salt
and have capacity for about 250 jars a day. Available in crunchy or smooth, they've also done two
special releases: smoke and fire, flavoured with chilli and paprika, and dark chocolate.
I think it's fair to say Jewell is obsessed, right down to the perfect bevel on the jar to enable scraping
out every last inch. The peanut butter is available through its website and a few select stockists
around New Zealand. At the factory window it's cash sales only.

3. Roman
Jewell of Fix and Fogg sources his peanuts from Queensland.
Between chocolate and peanut butter, there are a few stops within a few metres to cleanse your

4. palate.
Six Barrel Soda was one of the first artisan producers to be in the Hannah's Lane area. Co-owner
Joseph Slater has a cafe-style soda tasting room, where you can sit and have a soda before taking a
bottle home. As well as natural flavours such as celery tonic, hibiscus, and kola nut, it offers
seasonal specials like pine at Christmas, and has released a blueberry and fennel.
In need of a beer, I paid Sean Golding a visit at Golding's Free Dive, a bar tucked between the soda
joint and the coffee place. With a rotating array of interesting beers, this is Wellington's craft beer
culture at its best. It's the kind of place you want to be your local.
Amazing toasted Reuben sandwiches are on offer, complete with homemade sauerkraut, but
woodfired pizzas from neighbouring Pizza Pomodoro are also available to complement your pint.
Free
Dive, a bar in Wellington run by Sean Golding. Photo / Supplied
If you find yourself (a few beers later) a block or so up Courtenay Place, or if you're a pizza
aficionado, call in at Tommy Millions. Lawyer-turned-pizza-maker Tom Kirton has perfected New
York-style pizza. At $5 a slice, it's one of the best bargain feeds around.
Back in the Laneway area, the Leeds St Bakery is worth a look. It shares a wall with the Red Rabbit
Coffee Company.
The bakery's famed salted caramel cookie is for sale alongside some of the most "super
unpretentious and accessible" coffee in the city, according to owner Steve Barrett.
He's a full-blown coffee nerd who cares more about quality than many coffee companies. From
training passionate staff who can offer tasting notes to an unparalleled focus on quality, taste, and
ethical and transparent production, it's one of the best spots to throw back an espresso before
continuing to eat.

5. Leeds
Street bakery in Wellington. Photo / Supplied
When you're just there for a weekend, dinner is an important choice. Dixon St's Little Penang is an
authentic, utterly delicious Malaysian at a reasonable price. It sources its herbs and spices from
Penang, frozen when fresh and vacuum packed, and you can taste the difference. The spicy tangy
assam laksa is a comforting bowl, especially when the city's signature wind is up.
For something different, the new offering from Wellington hospitality royalty the Bresolin brothers is
on Willis St and worth a look. Aptly named The Bresolin, it has perfected fried chicken and has three
excellent burgers. It has taken everything that's great about a takeaway burger and fine-tuned it
with the best ingredients. There's rotating local craft beer on tap which, much to my delight, is just
about a given in this city.
The
Bresolin. Photo / Supplied
Brunch is big, but more important on Sunday mornings is a visit to the City Market inside the
Chaffers Dock Building. There you will find everything from walnut pesto, Vietnamese spring rolls to
visiting restaurants serving dishes, plus bacon butties, fresh oysters, and chocolate chunk cookies
served warm out of a pie warmer. Take some cash, meander around and fill your belly among the

6. hustle and bustle.
It was the best way to while away the morning, moseying around talking to producers and taste-
testing before it was time for the airport.
Wellington is incredibly easy to get around and the wind just gives it character. I left with a full belly
and plenty of treats to bring home - the perfect weekend of food and inspiration.
Delaney travelled courtesy of Positively Wellington Tourism.
- Herald on Sunday
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=11428097&ref=rss