Mari T.'s
Best places to eat in Thorndon
- 113Bordeaux BakeryPipiteaYou're spoilt for choice when you go to Bordeaux Bakery but you can't go wrong with their macarons. In an assortment of flavours and sizes it might take a while to choose which to have but rest assured you'll be hard pressed to find a dud. If you're heading to a friend's for dinner, they make perfect little gifts for your host. How could anyone turn down somthing so adorable and delicious?
- 22La ClocheKaiwharawharaWe went here for a late lunch and it was lovely, the sun was streaming in and the place was buzzing. I have to say their pâté was some of the best I’ve ever had! We also decided to give their escargot a go and they were like chewy garlic mushrooms, delish! They also have a range of sweet treats in the counter and a little gift store to peruse on your way out. Don’t forget to try their pâté (totally worth two mentions)!
- 34Le Marche FrancaisPipiteaLocated in the Woolstore Building in Thorndon, this cute little shop stocks the best range of French cheeses in Wellington! They also stock all the good stuff like preserves, mustard and chocolate. The shop is conveniently across the hall from the Le Marche Francais cafe so you can pop in for a coffee and French treat on your way in or out!
- 44Tinakori BistroThorndonCosy and unpretentious but still a bit special. This bistro is located in a lovely old building on Tinakori Road. You’ll be sure to enjoy delicious food with great service to match!
- 52The Shepherd's Arms HotelThorndonThis place isn’t just a great place for drinks, but an excellent place for a good pub feed. The portions are generous and the service is friendly. They have quiz nights on Tuesdays as well which is always a (competitive) laugh.
Mari T.'s
Late Night Cakes
- 136Midnight EspressoWellington CentralThis place is open until the wee hours of the morning and it’s a great place to go if you’ve got a late night craving for something sweet and delicious. It’s always great people watching too.
- 25ChaTe AroSo many beautiful cakes here at the cosy Cha cafe you're bound to come back to try something else. Cha is open until late which suits me just fine and there is an even bigger range of teas to wash all the cake down.
- 319Not just a great place for drinks, they also do sensational sweet treats. They’ve got the classics like sticky date pudding as well as mini churros and strawberry pistachio tarts. If you’re struggling to choose, don’t fret, they’ve got you covered! Their tasting plates come with an array of adorable morsels!
- 427EspressoholicTe AroThey have a huge range of cabinet treats even late in to the night. They also have beers if you’re into that and a sassy looking pig that looks after one of the menu boards. A cool place to go, especially for their caramel slice, not for the faint hearted!
- 515Deluxe Espresso BarMount VictoriaCraving something sweet before a movie next door, I went to Deluxe knowing they’d have something to fill the void. I had big piece of gluten free chocolate cake with a huge dollop of yoghurt. I felt complete. They have a heap of gluten/dairy/meat free options to choose from that are delicious even for those who enjoy the odd steak and cheese pie. The cafe has a cool vibe and the staff are friendly and great at what they do. Go there!
Mari T.'s
Where to buy gourmet goods
- 16On Trays Food EmporiumPetoneYou will be greeted with a hot cup of coffee at this specialist food store. Know by some as the South African Store, they proudly display the SA flag and I’m told they stock the best biltong around. They also stock heaps of meats, cheeses and other goodies from all over the world - Mexican hot chocolate, Israeli couscous and local dairy products, it’s definitely worth a visit! If you drop by on a Saturday you might be lucky enough to sample a range of their products too. Yet another Petone gem!
- 233There’s so much good stuff here, I don’t know where to start! Their fresh produce is beautiful and you can find things here that you might struggle to get your hands on at the supermarket. They’ve got a lot of great organic and free range meat which is always good news and they sell delicious cakes and pastries from places like Aro Bake. Careful not to go when you’re too hungry or you might end up emptying your wallet!
- 316La Bella ItaliaPetoneThere’s so much to love about this family run restaurant. The service is excellent with great food to match. They also have an amazing deli where you can buy an array of cured meats and cheeses to recreate their tasty antipastos as home. They also do catering, classes and have a shop full of imported Italian foodstuffs. There’s so much to eat, drink and see, I could spend all day here!
- 44Le Marche FrancaisPipiteaLocated in the Woolstore Building in Thorndon, this cute little shop stocks the best range of French cheeses in Wellington! They also stock all the good stuff like preserves, mustard and chocolate. The shop is conveniently across the hall from the Le Marche Francais cafe so you can pop in for a coffee and French treat on your way in or out!
- 54I love the huge range of Indian spices they have here! The staff are also really helpful which is nice because their range can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t forget to try their samosas, massively delicious!
Mari T.'s
Cheap & cheerful dining
- 15ChaTe AroI love everything about this Taiwanese cafe; the friendly staff, awesome food, beautiful cakes and teas for everyone! I love the cosmopolitan feel of this place, it's open until late and there're always people enjoying a late dinner. I wish there were more places that you could have tea, cake and even dinner so late at night during the week. Try their jellyfish salad for something a bit interesting!
- 211KK Malaysian RestaurantTe AroI love KK's. So cheap and so tasty! My favourite is their deep fried tofu, but I've tried a lot of things on their menu and can't spot a dud anywhere. I don't think there's anything on the menu over $15. This place can get pretty busy so you might not always get a seat but they do take out so it's never a biggie!
- 36Satay VillageTe AroThis place is great for a casual BYO and because of Satay Village’s popularity as a take out shop, you mostly get to avoid large, rowdy groups of BYOers. The food is cheap and cheerful, I love their satay sticks and chicken wings!
- 41SingapuraTe AroCheap and cheerful indeed, with nothing over $14! Their Hainanese Chicken Rice is pretty tasty and their Asian Salad is fresh and delicious. They also do BYOs which is never a bad thing.
- 51Noah's Ark TeahouseTe AroNoah’s Ark Teahouse is serve predominantly Taiwanese food but they also do other Asian treats such as takoyaki (octopus dumplings) from Japan. The food is yum, it’s cheap and they have so many teas to choose from! The service is also great!
Mari T.'s
Sweet deals
- 132Chow ToryTe AroOn Mondays they have 2 for 1 plates, and on Wednesdays AND Saturdays they do 2 for 1 cocktails! What a delicious deal!
- 219This is an awesome place for a girly catch up. On Wednesdays they do 2 for 1 cocktails and on Thursdays, 2 for 1 desserts! Cocktails and desserts, two of my favourite things! And the Library has a really good vibe, with lots of old books strewn about, you’re sure to have some great convos. The lighting is flattering too!
- 340On Mondays they do 2 for 1 stonegrills! Pretty awesome! Especially when you’ve run out of food in your fridge or you just don’t feel like cooking, you don’t have to feel guilty because you’ve found such a deal!
- 46The GrandTe AroTwo for one nachos on Thursdays, which is the same night as their quiz. Too good!
- 50Martin Bosley'sOriental BayThis famous restaurant let’s those of us on a bit of a budget in on Sundays for $30. You get a beautiful serving of fresh fish and chips AND a glass of wine! Yummo!
Mari T.'s
Cool places to get a drink
- 119This is an awesome place for a girly catch up. On Wednesdays they do 2 for 1 cocktails and on Thursdays, 2 for 1 desserts! Cocktails and desserts, two of my favourite things! And the Library has a really good vibe, with lots of old books strewn about, you’re sure to have some great convos. The lighting is flattering too!
- 28Fork & BrewerWellington CentralThese folks have an awesome range of beers, including their own brew. I really love all the different tap handles they have! This is a great place for drinks with friends and if you get hungry, they do pretty awesome food too!
- 332Chow ToryTe Aro2 for 1 cocktails on a Wednesday AND Saturday! I love deals and I love cocktails so this place is pretty awesome. For those who aren’t too keen on cocktails, they have a good range of beers and sake too.
- 440This place has a great vibe and is a great place for drinks with mates. I especially love the fairy lights outside. Check them out on their website from ‘Stitch and Bitch’ to live bands, they’ve always got something on!
- 519FoxgloveWellington CentralThis stylish waterfront bar is another great place for drinks. They have a little Narnia-esque bar you can get to by going through a wardrobe and on a sunny day it’s great to be able to lounge out on the deck in their comfy hanging chairs.