Street food, street art and street entertainment
Find Hannahs Laneway, Eva Street, Egmont Street and Te Aro corners for a free public street art display. There are over 80 street art murals and counting in the City centre with suburbs like Johnsonville rapidly joining the street art party. Eat Leeds St bakery goods from crispy pastries to divine cakes, taste a thick slice of organic bread with lashings of raspberry jam and peanut butter or sample a soda with a burst of lemon energy while enjoying the image of David Bowie as the signature signpost for Wellington’s most well known laneway.
VISIT EVA STREET
Visit Eva St — Wellington Chocolate Factory • Bean to Bar as part of a 750 metre mini foodie and art trail. Home to a backpacker, tucked behind the architecture school and Soho apartments. Look at the use of bright colours on functional buildings to create a sense of security and impression of safety for visitors. Wellington has numerous quirky interesting locations for alternative photo moments. The lighting and atmosphere of some of the alleyways and graffiti walls always make for good portraits.
In Eva street there is a permanent overhead light show, giant novelty bulbs and nearby a machine shooting bubbles in the air from the Six Barrel Soda Company.
Route map
Te Aro laneways, Hannahs Laneway
Let’s get your bearing where you are
Eva Street to Hannah’s Laneway to Egmont Street and Te Aro Park
HANNAHS LANEWAY
Hannahs Laneway, Wellington is found at the signature David Bowie mural where indulgence is part of the feast. Eva and Leeds street are part of the laneway Te Aro hub. The now revitalised area was a functional industrial hub for the growing city with a timber yard, a shoe factory (Hannahs) and clothing manufacturers.
The area bordered the now almost disappeared China quarter of Wellington with its notorious opium dens conjuring up visions of seedy dens of iniquity.
6 THINGS TO DO:
- Six Barrel Soda Factory is the perfect accompaniment for sparkling or still water. Pop in and be prepared for a taste experience with ingredients such as strawberries and ginger.
- Peanut Butter Factory, Fix and Fogg is located in the original shoe factory laundry. Small batch peanut butter is sold directly from the factory window.
- Wellington Chocolate Factory watches the roasted beans being converted into salty caramel chocolate bars and orders a cup of hot chocolate while you wait for your favourite treat. Wellington Chocolate Factory offers visitors samples, perhaps knowing that once tasted, definitely purchased policy is a likely outcome.
- Golding’s is a craft beer bar designed with the neighbourhood bars of Europe as its model.
- Leeds Street Bakery is a star with crispy baguettes, crunchy ginger nuts and organic breads.
- Red Rabbit Coffee Co shares a site with Leeds Street Bakery creating the perfect combo, beautifully prepared coffee with fresh pastries. The coffee is single origin and each cup is carefully identified where the beans have originated.
Take a careful look at Wellingtonians with boots to climb the many hills and not an umbrella in sight. Wind does play havoc with umbrellas, invest in a sturdy waterproof coat instead.
OPERA LANEWAY
Take a peek what a difference vibrant street art can make to a seedy, slightly smelly lane. Johnson Witehira’s artwork on the wall of Opera House Lane has created a well lit place where the shortcut between Manners and Wakefield Street is a joy.
EGMONT STREET
Egmont street is another laneway link between Ghuznee and Dixon Street. There are cafes and stores with Egmont Street Eatery Restaurant a highlight with its cheese scones. Look for a local favourite, the cheerful unicorn celebrating the life and rebirth of a dead horse as a unicorn. Try out Husk Bar and Eatery as a craft beer outlet together with coffee and brunch.
For more ideas about things to do in Wellington check out Wellington city guide.
TRAVEL PACK INFORMATION
- China town Wellington. Haining Street was considered a notorious slum with opium dens and gambling rooms where former gold miners hung out. In 1905 the street’s appalling reputation was confirmed with the murder of an elderly resident Joe Kum Yung. The murder was committed by Englishman Lionel Terry to draw attention to his anti-Asian views.
Read more about things to do in Wellington in our Wellington travel guide.
