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]

Savory muffins were wonderful, good coffee, and a laid-back atmosphere. Much needed while…read morerecovering from a long flight.

Dropped in on a Sunday morning (actually was first customer of the day). Had coffee and the pandora…read moresmall breakfast - bacon, sausage, eggs, tomato etc. was spot on and very tasty. Great staff very friendly. Would have given 5 but for cold plates. Always like my food served on a warm plate - makes a big difference by keeping food hot longer. Free WiFi offered as well.

This cafe is great. The coffee is good and the service is quick. There's plenty of room and the…read morelocation is ideal for a business meeting. It's open all weekend too, which is a bonus for city dwellers. They have a range of options for food and often a daily salad, which I appreciate.

This cafe is a real Wellington institution. They roast their own coffee and it is excellent. In…read morefact many other cafes around the country use L'Affarie coffee. Always a buzzy vibrant hip atmosphere. Great generous portions of food and efficient friendly staff. There are many reasons why this place remains constantly a favourite.

Having had the L'Affare coffee in our hotel and loving it we made a special the trip to the Caffe…read more It was 2:45 and they were closing at 3pm- they had put away the menus, the coffee fixings, they were vacuuming and the employees were all focused on cleaning up and seemed annoyed we were ordering. They had us move out of the way so they could stack the signs at the counter where we were waiting for our coffees (at 2:50) Our coffees were fine, nothing special, as were our pastries. But the whole experience was not worth the trip. Maybe close at 2:30 and clean until 3pm? Or clean after you close? Probably nice if you come earlier...

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!

Don't let the dark moody look of this cafe put you off - during the day things look dim, but you…read morewill get nice food here. I dropped in for lunch and enjoyed a surprisingly good Beetroot and Falafel Salad. It was served nicely and came quickly. I added mushrooms too, which were good. It was enjoyable and I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Gotham - thank you.

Good cafe just too darkly de orated for me. Had and excellent eggs florentine. My hubby opted for…read morethe French toast. No coffee today but the other reviews look favorable.

We've had a number of New Zealand breakfasts on this trip and this was the best. In part I was…read morehappy because it was easy to find multiple dishes that would suit my vegan-gluten free daughter. I was also pleased because the vegan-gluten free dishes were interesting to a non- vegan and really good. Of course, I had mine with a side of sausage. There are plenty of omnivorous options as well. The service was friendly and the coffee was excellent.

This is a really nice cafe, right at the waterfront end of Cuba Street. It was one of the few open…read moreon Anzac Day, so my companion and I stopped in for lunch. Service is lovely - friendly, responsive, sensible and quick. We enjoyed omelette with a side of avocado, followed by really good coffee. They have no problems adjusting menu items for dietary requirements, which is appreciated. The location means you can sit either inside or out and watch the world pass by as you relax. It's a really welcoming, relaxing, good place. Thank you, I'll definitely come back.

I came here once when it was Espressoholic but it was a cold dark pit of a place. Since the…read morerebranding the name is now Samick cafe and bar. It is light but moody, really spacious as you know from previous reviews I hate bumping elbows with strangers while I'm eating my food. Eggs Benedict 10/10 yum! They buttered the muffins underneath which was a nice touch. And generous on the bacon which is a really nice change for Wellington. $18 Coffee great 8/10 personally was way to hot for me at the start and took ages to drink. $5.50 Sooo many options for food and drinks I wonder what they do with all the leftovers the cabinet food looks really yum and good pricing too. They have a liquor license too so you can have a cheeky drink. Service was great the wait staff were very pleasant, friendly and looked really happy to be there. Overall I'm really impressed. I'll be honest I was on my way to a different cafe that I love when I saw this place didn't have a lot of people in it. If you're reading this go support them they're doing great.

You cannot simply walk by Espressoholic and it not catch your attention. The cafe is split half…read morewith a dark side and light side for seating. The tiled floor makes this cafe loud and catchy. They have breakfast served all day with changing daily specials. The prices aren't too shabby either. Where they need improvement here is service. I ordered the Mexican bean slice from the pre-made window and it came out straight out from the oven. Soon after, the gingerbread latte came out (Very good -better than what Starbucks tries to sell.) In fact, I was able to finish my meal while we were still waiting for the corn fritters. So we sat and waited. It took forever. What finally came out was a big portion. The corn fritters are like savory pancakes. Served with four corn fritters and a side salad, it's a filling choice. The side order of fries/chips were enough to fill four people, it's a huge bowl. So make your choice. Eat something average from the window. Or wait forever for a big portion.

Excellent food, both counter and menu. Also sell artisan breads and coffee roasted on site…read more Buzzing atmosphere with lots of hipsters and business people socialising working or just hanging out. Great place for brunch. I expected to pay City prices for quality of food and service which was worth it. In fact the two excellent coffees and delicious date scone only $13. And the scone had yummy jam and cream served with it. Great value! Large separate function space also available.

We came here for breakfast. Good coffee, good sandwiches, the bowl of fries was good and huge. My…read morefavorite was the salted caramel cookie we got to go.