Bistro gets vegetarian makeover

Dish of the week

When Cuba Street Bistro closed for strengthening after the 2016 earthquake, its owners seized the opportunity to realise an idea they’d been mulling over – to move to a plant-based menu. Newly reopened and renamed, Herbivore is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant that isn’t limited to one cuisine – it’s a mix of Kiwi, French, Italian, and Vietnamese cuisines.

‘‘We’re new to vegan, so we’re adjusting all the time and listening to the customers,’’ says manager Daisy Nguyen. ‘‘Try our specialty dish, a pea and mushroom ravioli with mozzarella in a lemongrass and coconut broth.’’

The menu offers small and large plates, alongside a brunch offering. Classics such as tagines and savoury crepes are reinterpreted with bright, fresh flavours and textures.

The old bistro is still recognisable with its brick walls and earthy charm but with a few more exposed structural beams and obvious engineering work – reassuring and effortlessly industrial. 203-205 Cuba St, Te Aro

Brewtown Upper Hutt

Upper Hutt’s craft beer spot Brewtown will expand in the next few months when Wildkiwi Distillery and Panhead Custom Ales open beer gardens.

With craft beer breweries Panhead, Kereru, Boneface, and Te Aro within walking distance of each other, plus Wildkiwi on the way, it’s well worth a ride to the Hutt for a look. The drinks companies have created a haven of crafty enterprise. Brewtown is a few minutes’ walk from the station within the South Pacific Industrial Park.

The beer garden is a sweet summer local, and you can round out the evening with a dram of Wildkiwi’s new whiskies (check its Facebook page for updates for when it’s up and running).

23 Blenheim St, Maidstone, Upper Hutt

Sun Spots

Now the sun is finally showing its face, let us help A self-proclaimed purist, Betsy’s owner and baker-in-chief Jessica Donaldson has high standards when it comes to bagels.

Having baked her own for so long, she knows when she bites into a good

narrow down the best city suntraps for eating and drinking.

Start at Customs for coffee and toast, perched streetside on Ghuznee St. St John’s is always a stalwart on a sunny day, with its bean bags beside the Boatshed.

Dirty Little Secret is a classic rooftop bar if you’re heading up Courtenay Place for a night out, or walk a little further and park yourself on the rooftop of Basque with a beer and patatas bravas.

Livin’ the Cream

one. It must be chewy, doughy and slightly salty.

Betsy’s bagels are hand-rolled, boiled, and baked on site, and topped with Zany Zeus Organic Cream Cheese and basil pesto, or Fix and Fogg Super Crunchy Peanut Butter with Provisions Many Berry jam. The ultimate in warm weather collaborations is on its way – a bike hire company is teaming up with a boutique icecream shop.

The Enormous Crocodile Company’s Crocshake bar will have a summer resident, hosting

Dive into a seasonal favourite such as Nutella with fresh strawberries, which is available over summer.

The cream cheese, blue cheese and caramelised balsamic onion is a mustscoff for the savoury lover.

Pair with a cup of black coffee or a cold brew.

‘‘boutique freezery’’ Wooden Spoon.

A Maupuia classic, Wooden Spoon makes tub loads of deliciously naughty icecreams, including Chocolate and Sea Salt, Birthday Cake, and Hot Fudge Sundae.

As if the icecream wasn’t tempting enough, the freezery will pop up at the Herd St Crocshake bar on the marina until February 28.

Croc Shakes serves what can only be described as freakshakes, such as the Unicorn raspberry and white chocolate shake with rainbow icecream, meringue, candy floss, rainbow bacon, and cream and sprinkles.

The Wooden Spoon-Crocshake pop-up, dubbed Livin’ the Cream, will no doubt do some serious damage to your waistline. Get down there and see for yourself.

20 Herd St, Wellington waterfront