August Eatery

August is a Mediterranean-inspired café and restaurant in central Wellington. Housed in a hospitality space at the front of a heritage-listed Methodist church and dotted with pink stools outside, it’s sure to catch your eye. With a moody colour palette and an intriguing menu, it’s not your run-of-the-mill brunch spot. Owners and friends Lisa and Tanase have infused a personal touch into every aspect of the business. Dining at August is an experience that’s warm, welcoming, and polished.

For Lisa and Tanase the name ‘August’ was a no-brainer. “There were a lot of eights floating around when we discussed names. We first decided to pursue the idea in August. It took eight months between discussing and opening, and the search for the right venue took eight weeks,” says Lisa.

Tanase’s Greek heritage, along with his Romanian roots, influences the menu. Instead of French toast, August serves tsoureki, a Greek brioche made at Easter. Instead of halloumi as a side dish, you’ll find mititei. The Romanian skinless sausages made from ground beef, pork, garlic, and paprika.

Lisa distils the Greek flavour at August down to three ingredients: olive oil, dill, and Aleppo. Aleppo comes from a burgundy chilli also known as the Halaby pepper and is akin to a mixture of sweet paprika and cayenne. The kitchen goes through 5kg of spice per week. Aleppo chilli butter is a main ingredient for August’s famous Istanbul eggs. It has become a signature dish, with more than 400 portions a week coming out of the kitchen.

By definition, ‘august’ means respected and impressive. Lisa and Tanase hadn’t considered that angle when choosing the name. But walking into the Taranaki Street space, you’d think it had informed their decoration brief. The walls and ceiling are uniformly one colour — a deep brick red. The serving counter is tiled in a complementing dark terracotta. From the high vaulted ceiling, three neat rows of white orb light fittings hang over the tables. The whole space glows with a burgundy-hued warmth.

The colour and tiles also serve as a reference to Tanese’s Greek background. The rustic reds are common in the towns Tanase grew up in. It’s seen on crockery, buildings, and the dust whipped up on country roads.