Three weeks in New Zealand - 4/12 - 5/4/2024

Day 11-Breakfast, Wellington- 4/21/2024

Our hotel is located right in the center of town and walkable to the old town.  We woke up early this morning and walk around in search for a good place to have breakfast.

Bank of New Zealand, Te Aro Branch was designed by prominent architect William Turnbull in 1912, this building has architectural value for its richly-ornamented facade designed in the Edwardian Baroque style, and an impressive banking chamber, largely intact.

 The building has historic significance as the second oldest surviving BNZ building in Wellington after the former BNZ Head Office buildings. It served as a BNZ branch for over 80 years and played a significant role in the commercial life of Te Aro in that time. The building has considerable townscape significance, occupying a prominent corner site in what is a major focal point within the city.

a

Cuba street, early in the morning.

Cuba Street in Wellington features a mix of architectural styles, reflecting its vibrant cultural scene.

Many buildings showcase Victorian and Edwardian styles, with ornate facades and decorative details.

We are headed to the Best Ugly Bagels for breakfast.

Best Ugly Bagels is owned by Al Brown and when he brought his Montreal‑style bagels to Te Aro (Swan Lane), he chose a former workshop that was once a storage site for second‑hand books. It wasn’t pretty: sparse décor, a garage‑style toilet, raw walls—but that rugged aesthetic became the brand’s charm

Store front.

The Wellington Best Ugly Bagels sits in a converted workshop, built around an authentic Canadian stone oven.

The interior is actually really big with a massive 12‑tonne wood‑fired stone oven now dominates the space. The behemoth wood‑fired stone oven, imported from Canada, is the heart of the operation.

The menu

Al trained with bakers at St‑Viateur in Montreal to master the art. Their bagels are hand‑rolled, boiled in honey water, then baked in manuka wood, yielding a crispier crust and slightly sweeter, chewy but airy interior typical of Montreal‑style.

Locals call the bagels "not perfectly circular or the prettiest"—hence "Ugly"—but flavor always wins

Putting the bagels in the oven

Massive oven.

Locals call the bagels "not perfectly circular or the prettiest"—hence "Ugly"—but flavor always wins

The space retains its industrial edge, raw finishes and minimal decoration, reflecting its history. It’s functional, atmospheric, and utterly Brooklyn‑cool meets Kiwi ingenuity

We ordered a cappuccino, regular coffee and a King Salmon Bagel with smoked King Salmon, Cream cheese, red onion, capers, dill, and lemon juice.

What this is really delicious with a squeeze of lemon juice on top.

We also ordered a T-A-B (Tomato, Avocado, Basil) with lemon, fennel, and olive oil.

OMG, this is so fresh and so delicious!  We definitely pick a great place to have breakfast.

NEXT... Wine tasting tour in Martinborough