Espressoholic

Overview

With an interior that perfectly encapsulates the greatness of nineties grunge, and a status of royalty amongst Cuba Street cafes, and the best cabinet food in town (big call, but I’m making it), Espressoholic is an institution.

This iconic café has been has been keeping Wellingtonians well fed with one of the city’s most extensive menus and greatest (ramming that point home) range of cabinet food for 27 years. The café’s original owner, Leighton Dunlop said that the café was established at the time that ‘real coffee’ came to Wellington. "We opened at the same time as Midnight Espresso (another Cuba Street institution). I came back from overseas and you couldn't get espresso, there were no espresso machines in Wellington." Since then, coffee might have become slightly (a whole lot) more prevalent throughout the city, but people still come a’flocking to Espressoholic. "We've had everyone through our doors, from prime ministers to bums" says Dunlop.

The café’s grunge-chic interior and prison-yard smokers area are the perfect place for hordes of hungry city-dwellers to shelter and revive, and those dark, poster covered walls have seen many a famished Wellingtonian come back to life. Food is not their only strength though. Espressoholic also knows how to make one hell of a hot chocolate. Their mint hot chocolate ($5) is thick, rich, sweet, and warm. The mint flavour is not only delicious but adds a point of difference that takes this drop above standard hot chocolate offerings and into a whole new ball game.

If you haven’t been here yet, you’re already late to the party. Espressoholic is an absolute must-try.