Classic Wellington cafes map


View Classic Wellington Cafes on Google maps

Map showing the location of some of Wellington's classic milk bars, coffee houses and cafés. Click on an icon to find out more.

Today Wellington has hundreds of cafés. The only present-day ones that are featured on this map are those that have been in business for at least 15 years.

Cafés listed on the map

Click on links below to find out more about these places.

Added to map following community recommendations:

  • The Beachcomber
  • Woodward Buttery café
  • Chez Paree

If you would like to nominate others, please leave a community contribution below or email [email protected] . If you can provide location information we'll add them to the map. Note the milk bars and cafés don't have to still be standing, but those that are should have been around for 15 years or more.

Community contributions

10 comments have been posted about Classic Wellington cafes map

What do you know?

Penny

Posted: 25 Apr 2020

I'm trying to find out where my grandfather's cafe was in Central Wellington....... His name was Walter Cash, his wife Edna. I know they were there from at least the late 1930s until 1957 when Walter passed away suddenly.

Lise Archbold

Posted: 12 May 2019

The Casa Fontana was on the corner of Victoria St and Willeston Street where the BNZ building is now. It was below street level, all the walls were lined with bamboo

Jackie

Posted: 08 Nov 2018

You have missed one well known coffee bar. Casa Fontana in Victoria Street
Very well known in 60s.

John Galbraith

Posted: 15 Oct 2016

Back in the 60s-70s was a coffee house called the Casa Fontana which was located downstairs, situated in what is known today as Victoria Street. A truly night spot icon that deserves a mention of great coffee houses now gone, but full of memories for who those who frequented.

John Shearer

Posted: 08 Sep 2011

Hi...On Monday the 5th of September 2011 I bought an old Wellington Calendar - it was a giveaway from SUNSHINE MILK BAR 94 Manners Street WELLINGTON Phone 46220 The calendar is dated 1949 - It is headed SOUVENIR CALENDAR of the Royal Visitors to New Zealand followed by a picture of the King And Queen and Princess Margaret It also has a depiction of a Battle Ship .. I think it may an American Battleship, but not sure. To date I have tracked the existence of the Milk Bar from 1933 to 1957. It was origianally called the TIFFEN, with the registered business being called G.GEORGE & CO. LTD . and G. George was the proprietor. He lived at 9 Edge Hill Wellington (Edge Hill was off Kent terrace.) G. George was still shown as the registered owner of the company in 1957 SUNSHINE MILK BAR , according to WISES DIRECTORIES, was a trading name and the registered name of the business was TIFFEN & CO. LIMITED from around 1938 - 40 . This milk bar would have been very popular with the U.S. troops stationed in the Wellington region in 1942-43, as it was right in the middle of the area, Manners Street / Courtney Place, that the U.S. forces made their main off duty recreation area. I Hope that this information is of use to you.

Ant Freeman

Posted: 18 Jun 2010

Hello,I owned and operated the Woodward Buttery from 1986-1999.It was a real institution .We served freshly roasted Belaroma Coffee in Royal Grafton china to the Karori blue rinse set,politicians,captains of industry and anyone who enjoyed great coffee.Our sandwiches were famous, cream cheese date and ginger,egg and herb being the favourites.All with their crusts cut off of course.Rgds Ant

Barbara Lyon

Posted: 17 Aug 2009

Hi, I look after the Ephemera Collection here, and have recently come across menus for the Montmartre Coffee House at 44 Molesworth Street in the late 1950s. Maybe more of a cafe/restaurant. Have a look on our TAPUHI site at http://tapuhi.natlib.govt.nz Yours sincerely Barbara Lyon Ephemera Curator Alexander Turnbull Library

admin

Posted: 14 Jul 2009

Thanks, Dianna and Feijoa - I'll do some more digging on these and add them if they fit the criteria.

Dianna

Posted: 13 Jul 2009

Another classic cafe in the 1960s was The Beachcomber in Oriental Bay, now occupied by Beach Babylon. It had wonderful semi-circular booths in brown leather and served great sugar-coated donuts.

feijoa

Posted: 13 Jul 2009

The Woodward Buttery in Woodward Street (opp Midland Park): 1980s-1990's. Best known for serving good coffee in bone china cups.