Laundry

Overview

When you step into Laundry for the first time, be prepared for anything — you could chance upon a room full of families and groups having burgers and beers, it might be a late night cocktail-heavy scene, or a raving dance club with haze and lights. The laundromat turned interpretive food and gig venue is an absolute gem waiting for you to visit.

Laundry was opened nearly four years ago by three friends looking to extend their lounge into a bar from which to host their family and friends for drinks, food and good gigs. They didn't come from hospo backgrounds, but they know the value of building a team who are passionate about hosting anyone and everyone in the space. Laundry prides itself on hospitality, that classic southern generosity that means you're highly likely to windup joking with your waiter and leaving feeling totally looked after.

In the time since it's popped up, it's become a hub for those who reject Courtenay Place nightlife for something a bit more under-the-radar interesting. Each month brings a bimonthly roster of gigs, DJ sets and dance nights. Laundry is famed for their fiesta nights, where the Latinx community of Wellington turns out for a night of mariachi and salsa at the bar. If you come on a Friday or Saturday around midnight, you'll find the manager and team hauling all of the furniture out of the dining area to create a dancefloor. The blinds come down, the haze and lasers get switched on, and a new DJ takes the booth.

Food and drinks wise, it's all soul food here. The offering is classic and reliable — the burgers are well-thought-out and you can hold them in one hand. They don't succumb to the normal 'let's just cram everything in' philosophy of a lot of burger places around town. This WOAP season, their final count was 3,309 of the things. They also have a sweet array of vegan and vegetarian southern creole/Mexican soul food on offer. Everyone is looked after here.

Put simply, Laundry is a community centre with smashing food and drinks.