Where To Try The Best Desserts in Wellington, New Zealand

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Wellington has some genuinely magnificent restaurants, cake shops and bakeries, each serving quality desserts for those with a sweet tooth. Some desserts are the epitome of indulgence, while others are a refreshing end to a meal. Culture Trip concentrates on some Wellington eateries that offer some of the most memorable desserts on various budgets. One thing’s for certain – customers will be back for more of the sugary delights.

An Italian-inspired restaurant on Cuba Street, Ombra is open seven days a week from 11.30am until late and serves authentic fare at decent prices. All desserts are less than 13 New Zealand (£6.40), with four coming in at under the $10 (£4.90) mark. Quality and great value combine effortlessly at Ombra, which gains its imagination from the bacari (wine bars and eateries) of Venice. The traditional tiramisu is a staple for Wellingtonians looking for a taste of Italy, but opt for the Whittakers chocolate volcano with vanilla gelato for a pleasurable and satisfying end to the meal.

Not a restaurant, but that’s okay, because Sweet Bakery has two Wellington locations and the cakes at both are legendary. The Cake & Coffee shop is at 149 Karori Road two kilometres (1.25 miles) from the city centre, while the Cakes & Shakes venue is on 268 Cuba Street in Te Aro. They are both open all week except Mondays, and sell great drinks to accompany the delectable treats. This is the company to check out for anyone with a cake fetish. There are genuinely too many designs and flavours to whittle down, but the peanut butter chocolate cake and the classic raspberry and white chocolate cakes aren’t without legions of fans.

Kent Terrace runs from the Basin Reserve to the west of Te Aro in Mount Victoria. Here is the home of Capitol, a mid-high budget restaurant famed for its expert cooking of classic dishes. The desserts are no-nonsense and smack of satisfaction. Vanilla cheesecake with fresh cherries is always going to be a winner, and its competitors include boozy apricot and Sauternes cake with whipped coconut cream, and gooey chocolate pudding with crème fraîche. For something out of the ordinary, try the cheesy Mt Eliza Blue Monkey toast with quince paste.

Boutique hotel chain QT has venues across Australia and New Zealand, and Wellington’s Hippopotamus on Cable Street near the Harbourside Market is a great example of a restaurant that doesn’t follow the crowd. It has a flamboyant Parisian décor that just screams sophistication, complete with chandeliers and peacocks (not live). Their desserts are to die for; try the deconstructed ginger cheesecake, linseed and date pudding, or, if feeling extra extravagant, the ‘L’extraordinaire’ – pamu deer milk custard, otaki honeycomb, manuka honey jelly, sablé (shortbread cookie), kawakawa opaline (herbal plant), quince gel and thyme oil. Now there’s a mouthful that’ll live long in the memory.

Deriving its name for the smoke stack on a ship’s galley, Charley Noble is a class restaurant in Post Office Square. It’s headed up by head chef Philipp Doerr, and the menu speaks for itself. Though the mains are delectable, the dessert menu shines in its own right. For a luxurious end to a meal, opt for the dark chocolate and Kahula sponge – it’s accompanied with coconut anglaise and a hazelnut caramel tuile. Other delights include mixed berry pavlova, ginger and lemon cheesecake and a trio of fruit sorbets – delicious!

Floriditas is found on lively Cuba Street (number 161) and uses seasonal products to bring the very best in tasty light bites and scrumptious dinners. Go here to taste the fabled crostata – a type of Italian baked tart or pie, simply known as coppi in Naples and having several variations throughout Italy. At Floriditas, there may be a different flavour to try, but if the peach and lemon verbena crostata with vanilla bean ice cream is available, this is the one to go for.

A little leftfield, maybe, but the desserts at Monsoon Poon are simply awesome. Located off Courtenay Place on Blair Street in Te Aro, this spot has tempting puds on offer including lime, vanilla and coconut pannacotta, cardamom and flaming orange crème brûlée and smashed pavlova. For something a little more Asian-themed, try the Malaysian sago pudding, consisting of sago pearls set in coconut cream and finished off with palm sugar syrup. All desserts are just $10 (£4.90) and can be made gluten- and/or nut-free. Dessert cocktails are also available if sugar and alcohol hits are needed.

On Manners Street in Te Aro is Crepes a Go Go, specialising in – you guessed it – crepes. And they are sublime. With plenty of choice to satisfy even the most gluttonous dessert lovers out there, the most comes in at less than $10 (£4.90) for a seriously yummy bang for your buck. If feeling slightly guilty, go for the Sweet Tooth, consisting of bananas, salted caramel and whipped cream – at least it contains one of the essential five-a-day. They do have a great savoury menu, too, but it’s the deliciously sweet stuff that people flock here for. And there’s a sensational student 10 percent discount – can’t say fairer than that.