Food establishment in Wellington

“Makara Beach Cafe (Wharekai) is a special place. It’s in one of the wildest parts of New Zealand. The cafe is open Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays (subject to management’s discretion) from 11am till 5pm (again… it can change!!). It’s actually a really hard place to run a cafe because of its location. You either drive through Takarau Gorge (a narrow, winding road through an active fault from Johnsonville), or Makara Road via Karori (more friendly for inexperienced drivers). While only 15-20 minutes from the city, it is considered remote. There is very little infrastructure out there. No town water services exist, there is a public toilet block with 2 loos and a change room. They are connected to a septic system and there is no drinkable public water supply (byo or buy one at the cafe). Everyone working here is a local resident. The current proprietors have dedicated their lives to serving their community. They are the local posties, working 7 days a week…. Ronnie and Mark decided to take up the lease of the cafe post-covid. There is nothing else anywhere nearby. The nearby Makara Beach walkway is the busiest public recreational walking track in the whole Wellington Region! Ronnie, once the catering manager with Cook Strait ferries, brings her epic culinary skills to creating and cooking everything on the menu personally, in a very small kitchen. She batters the fish as ordered, making some of the freshest and most delicious fish and chips you will ever have. Her Lasagne is legendary, Toasties are a very popular mainstay (if you are Coeliac, you can even have a Gluten Free toastie!!!). The Big Beefy Burger is always a winner after doing an epic walk to the gun emplacements. I personally can’t get enough of the Bacon and Egg Butties! Ronnie has an extensive menu, catering for all tastes and levels of hunger, including those of our most precious Tamariki (children). The cafe’s busy-ness is directly linked to weather conditions and time of the year. On a sunny day with little wind, you can guarantee the Makara Beach area will be very busy. It is advisable to take this into consideration when trying to park, use the bathrooms and the cafe. Obviously, you may need to wait for services.. including the toilets!!! Perhaps consider whether you should visit the area on such days if you are likely to be frustrated by waiting in queues. The services here are provided by Wellington Council. It is almost impossible to consistently predict the numbers of visitors to the area and visitors need to plan accordingly. This can result in the cafe being closed with little warning if the weather is terrible. There is very little shelter outside the cafe. During summer’s hot days please ensure you have sufficient water, sun cream, hats and shelters. Also respect the residents and the animals (including the recently released Kiwi) who reside there. Park in allocated spaces along Makara Road or in the carpark behind the toilets. Don’t block driveways or the boat ramp access or park on septic tanks and planted areas. Don’t use people’s homes as a urinal and please dispose of your rubbish in the bins provided. Ronnie, Mark and staff do everything they can to make the best food and drinks, and provide the best experience possible for visitors. Their hearts are in everything they do, stop by for a chat and say hi!”

“Nice selection of Hemp clothes, crystals, salt lamps & knick-knacks.”

“Simple, down to earth, best coffee at a good price. I not only get my coffee in their shops , I get their beans so that I can enjoy their coffee when I’m working from home too”

“Highly rate. Great food selection. Coffee excellent. Friendly people to serve you:-) They’ve even got T-Shirt merch!! Had Frittata with Homemade Chutney, coffee and Afghan biscuit. Excellent.”

“Very good spot for our spontaneous WOAP burger pick for the night, welcoming staff who were easy going and inviting & yummy food & drinks! We tried the adult mango-lime drink there will definitely be back to try another flavour ☺️”

“This is an interesting place to others an amazing vibe, it has the choices I am generally interested in and of course it has a hint of southern African quinine, whether you come for a coffee, or a breakfast with boerewors or you lunch with a bunny chow can you really go wrong in a place like this, I think not! It is definitely a great place to eat and you should give it a go!”

“they've been around in the valley since I've been born, their pies are incredibly good and I always urge people visiting me in the valley to swing by. Great donuts, apple turnovers and cheesecake too! and their pizza bread is a must try. staff has always been incredibly welcoming and lovely :-)”

“Place goes hard $16 for regular kebab which is still very decent size. Lamb + falafel was delicious.”

“Saturday lunchtime was an awesome quiet chill vibe for us to have a Japanese Meetup event. Karaage Tofu Poke bowl was delicious! And one of the servers was vegan so she helped with some recommendations. Tried the Umeshu Plum wine tasting platter and it was oishiiiiii desu! Worth a visit anytime for lunch or dinner during the week, weekend. Highly recommended.”

“Best place in Wellington for Saturday morning breakfast. I starts at 10 am and they only serve Chole bhature and chhole kulche and tea. Food is really tasty and authentic Punjabi taste.”

“The surroundings are austere, but the food is outstanding - if you are a meat eater (they also have a wide rage of vegetarian dishes) I would recommend the Brisket, it has a touch of aniseed, and would be my personal favourite if it wasn't for the Spicy Ribs, they make my jaw lock just thinking about them. The Orange Beef is good and the deep fried Squid is to die for. There wouldn't be a food establishment in Wellington or probably NZ where you can get great food and great service for $20 a dish. I recommend you go with a few friends, select a dish each and share - you won't be disappointed.”

“One of the best takeaways in Wellington fresh food outstanding taste clean oil tasty chips! Great customer service☺️ The Honey chicken honestly just melts in your mouth the rice is fresh and just a high quality takeaway dish very sweet and just perfect couldn’t find any faults. 1/4 chicken and chips and hotdog and potato fritters I would really recommend cooked to perfection oil was clean and fresh deep fried food outstanding portions Areas of improvement - Menu is quite confusing the design needs a reflect the quality and the price your paying for. - shop advertising is outdated. - prices are average now but as long as the quality and quantity stays the same it’s okay. Overall the negatives do not out way the positive amazing food great customer service great quality great food.”

“What a fantastic cafe! Friendly, efficient staff, incredible food and great views. Love the decor, highly recommended to all!”

“Great coffee, service and pre made food. The chicken cranberry Panini is excellent”

“"I recently dined at Curry 2 Go in Petone, and despite the lengthy wait (understandable for a one-man operation), the experience was well worth it! The Kiwi butter chicken was delectable and succulent. I also tried the tandoori prawn for the first time, which was incredibly tasty. However, my delight quickly turned to discomfort due to a sudden and urgent need for a bathroom break. Overall, I highly recommend Curry 2 Go - 10/10! The quality and flavor of the food outweighed any minor inconvenience. I'll definitely return soon."”

“best sushi in Wellington. Made fresh to order! Takeaway only though.”

“Great service and yummy Pizza and we got a Mango viral ice cream complimentary. We definitely dine in next time.”

“The food is outstanding, felt grateful to finally have been able to get to this spot, hidden gem for primo Island food! 100 out of 10!!! This is a takeaway ONLY spot.”

“Everything was amazing, service just great, everyone was kind to me, old school place, I’m very happy about this place, thanks!”

“A delightful brunch. Had the lady breakfast which was the perfect size and verything was cooked to perfection. Lovely piano music to accompany the ambient din of people catching up over coffee and brunch.”

“Vegetarians and Vegans rejoice, this place gives you real choice for lunch or dinner. No longer restricted by salads and cooked veges, this place provides burgers, stir frys and proper meals that are filling and most importantly delicious. Within the Press Hall food centre, this place establishes a refreshing alternative to other more regular options in the hall. The service is fast and efficient, the staff are friendly and there is allot of aroha that had gone into the dishes. The Smoky Seitan burger is fantastic with a bean curd based patty that is a great alternative to the usual beef patty. It is also packed with fresh vegetables which makes the burger very satisfying yet not stodgy at all. It's quite possibly my new favourite place for lunch in Wellington and yes I am not vegetarian or vegan. Just "Keep Calm and Eat Plant-Strong".”

“Really, really good chicken Katsu at a reasonable price! Probably more suited for takeaway than eating in which is good. I ate in but it's not a restaurant.”

“Really friendly people with great service, their vegetable fry rice was delicious and their vegetarian noodles were amazing, they make tasty burgers as well , their prices are very good, you get value off money that you spend here, Only problem is people with that drive there it’s hard to find parking ,”

“Fantastic food, the pizza was top notch, just the right blend of flavours and a decent size. Quality base used, likely made fresh. Staff were fantastic, attentive and great service. Will definitely be back.”

“Best coffee in town, and tasty snacks for a good price. Always speedy service and good banter from the crew. Can't wait for them to return from Christmas break....”

“Always got a good range, nicely presented, good quality & good price & they have watercress! Lovely shop, clean, tidy, nice staff...”

“What a hidden gem!! Super tender and crispy chicken and yummy sauces, also very reasonably low price for the portion you get! You can also order online and it only took 5min for my order to be ready :) Just an FYI I got the kimchi bowl which is the only bowl that doesn’t include steamed rice which I didn’t notice.”

“Despite the looks is a very clean nice place, the menu do not exceed the 20 nzd and the service is veery kind an polite. I order a burguer was all meat, chicken very Juicy and of quality I was surprised to be a honest. I think will eat more here. Very affordable but is mostly sandwiches and burgers. Oh and breakfast. Coffee looks very well done. The burguer was 12nzd and you can add for 7 nzd the can and the chips. I think I enter one time and just didn't though much for the looks so I tho hmm may be not. But now that I actually eat here all looks lovely and fresh. Looks like a very vintage Cafe. I'm very happy to give this place an opportunity.”

“Great little Cafe. Dog friendly. Had an excellent mocha and almond croissant. Also taste of beautifully made scone. Lots of regulars. Very clean. Highly recommend”