Green Parrot Cafe

Since 1926, Green Parrot Cafe has been part of Wellington’s fabric, a beacon of old-school charm at 16 Taranaki St in Te Aro. Its story traces back to Richard Alfred Leckner and maritime adventures that lend the room a seafarer’s romance, lit by distinctive Green Parrot lampshades found in San Francisco. Heritage here is not museum-still; it hums through the dining room alongside warm hospitality and the steady comfort of tradition.

On the plate, premium steaks and seafood lead the line. From the char of a sirloin steak or a tender filet mignon to the coastal freshness of scallops, calamari, fish of the day and even a whole flounder, the kitchen deals in straight-talking flavour. Timeless favourites round things out, think bacon and eggs or a fluffy cheese omelette, a crisp Greek salad or classic ham salad, before a sweet finish of apple pie or hot chocolate fudge cake.

This is easy-going dining with a sense of occasion, the kind of place where a pot of tea or a simple coffee feels just right as the city drifts by outside. Pull up a chair, savour a slice of Wellington history, and let your evening take wing.