Fidel's Cafe, Wellington

Forget smoking. Cool kids pack their knitting needles when they meet friends for coffee.

This is the sight that greets Billy and I when we stumble into the courtyard of Fidel's Cafe on our recent trip to Wellington, New Zealand. We'd been about to leave when we couldn't find a seat inside, until we notice someone coming in from the back. We follow the path to find a sunny courtyard that looks like a uni student's back garden, an eclectic mismatch of pot plants, an old dart board, pictures of Fidel Castro and a peeling backdrop of blue.


Fidel's Cafe



The menu has a Mexican influence with items including breakfast burritos, quesadillas, black bean and chipotle chilli, Cuban sofrito chicken and crumbed jalapenos.


Flat white coffee NZ$3.50

We only have time for a quick coffee before our scheduled lunch at Matterhorn, but we relish every minute - soaking up the casual atmosphere and deliberate quirkiness as we sip on deliciously strong and robust flat whites.


Fidel Castro print

The vibe is so addictive that we have no hesitation in returning at the next available opportunity, dragging Peter with us for a post-lunch dessert a couple of days later.


Fidel's Cafe courtyard


Banana smoothie NZ$5.00

Peter seems to choose the healthiest drink on the menu - a banana smoothie that is light and foamy, the tang of yoghurt sweetened with honey.


Snickers thick shake NZ$7.50

I have no such self-control, my attention immediately zeroing in one the promise of a Snickers thick shake on the menu. It arrives in a traditional milkshake metal tumbler, a foamy ice cream concoction that takes some effort to suck up through the narrow straw.

Our reactions are all the same. As that first hit of sugary goodness hits our tastebuds, we widen our eyes in turn, a smile flickering across our faces. Chocolate, peanut, caramel and ice cream, it's as though a liquefied Snickers Bar went for a party in the snow.


Lemon meringue pie NZ$5.50

I'm entrusted with ordering dessert from the overflowing display counter of cakes, slices and biscuits, each of them appealing with a rustic homemade appearance. There is so much to choose from, but I return with lemon meringue pie, a sticky rich dessert with a lemon and condensed milk filling topped with a caramelised cloud of fluffy meringue.

I'd originally ordered ice cream on the side but we receive an overflowing pot of yoghurt instead. It works out well in the end anyway, the tartness of the yoghurt providing a cleansing foil against the sweetness of the meringue.


Chocolate afghan $3.50

And we can't leave Wellington without having one of New Zealand's national biscuits, the chocolate afghan. The chocolate biscuit is a combination of soft and crunchy, with cornflakes embedded into the mixture. Chocolate icing and a walnut hat are the best parts.



The cheeky sense of humour of its owners are apparent on the cafe's website which says:

"Despite the popularity of their cafe, co-owners Roger Young and Chris "Potty" Wagstaff insist they are only in it for the money.

"Everyone says thay have a great time at Fidel's but I don't really care," says Mr Wagstaff, "as soon as I have enough cash I want to get out of the cafe business and start my own brothel."

View Larger Map

Grab Your Fork travelled to Wellington as a guest of Positively Wellington Tourism for Wellington on a Plate. Fidel's Cafe was visited and paid for independently.

Wellington on a Plate ran from August 14-29, 2010.

< Read the first Wellington on a Plate 2010 post [Te Papa Museum]

Fidel's Cafe
234 Cuba Street, Te Aro 6011
Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (04) 801 6868

Opening hours:
Monday 11.30am-10pm
Tuesday to Friday 11.30am-11pm
Saturday 9am-11pm
Sunday 9am-10pm

Related Grab Your Fork posts:

Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Boulcott Street Bistro
Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Devour Gala Dinner

Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Logan Brown
Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Matterhorn
Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Osteria Del Toro
Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Petone Food Tour

Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Te Papa Museum

Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Wellington Pop-Up Restaurant
Wellington on a Plate 2010 - Wellington Pop-Up Restaurant in Sydney

Wellington on a Plate 2009

Wellington Eats 2007