Your knead to know list of Wellington bakeries

The volcanic heat from an imported Italian pizza oven gave rise to the name Volco. The pizza oven is the centrepiece of a hot little bakery in Kelburn Village. It produces flatbread pizza during the day and Napoli-style pizzas in the evening. Of course, being a bakery there’s other dough-related things on the menu. You’ll find French-inspired pastries, doughnuts, sandwiches, and pies in the cabinets. An array of bread includes a great range of sourdoughs through to milk buns, and baguettes. Inside, the interior is chic and simple. Concrete rendered walls and seaweed green dominate. There’s room for a few window seats to sit and enjoy a coffee but otherwise, grab your fresh treat to go.   

Marjoribanks Street in Mount Victoria is home to Tomboy. The sweet petite cake shop is bursting with pillowy doughnuts, feather-light sponges, cheesy scones, and tasty sandwiches.

And the cakes! Owner Kate Marinkovich creates cakes galore. They’re often piled high with flowers, fresh berries and cream. You can order a whole cake for a special occasion, or pop in for a sample of the delicious sweets in the cabinet. Get in early to try Kate’s famous pillow doughnuts, they sell out fast.

This long-standing bakery, nestled in the heart of Aro Valley, has been baking up a storm since it first opened in 1989. Arobake is an artisan bakery with Swiss roots.

It sells cakes, biscuits, tarts and gift boxes from its Aro shop, as well as supplying many cafés around the region. It has an extensive range of fresh bread made on-site. Hot pies and sweet treats are staples, perfect with a coffee on the outside seating.

Since opening, Arobake has developed recipes that have become local favourites. Try the rhubarb and custard tart, lemon sour cake, sunflower sourdough, chilli and lime cookies, or the vegan chocolate cake.

At Belén Bakery, vegans never have to miss out on the magic of a fresh-baked croissant or a light, fluffy doughnut.

Since starting out as a stall at Newtown Market in 2021, the popular vegan bakery has upgraded to its central-city store on Lambton Quay. It sells everything a good bakery should. From doughnuts and brioche to “mince” pies and sandwiches. All without any animal products. The menu changes monthly and always includes delicious sweets and savoury treats.

Belén translates to “Bethlehem”, or “house of bread”, and it also happens to be the middle name of the bakery’s Argentinean-born owner and head pastry chef Mica. Sounds like it was meant to be.

Dough Bakery has perfected the craft of artisan bread making using the best local and seasonal ingredients. The bins are full of crusty sourdough, soft focaccia, and aromatic rye bread. The bagels, milk buns and brioche have all been lovingly kneaded and proved overnight. Take a loaf home, or linger in the café with a coffee and something from the cabinet. There are doughnuts, fresh sandwiches, and crispy house-made pies to choose from, along with decadent sweet treats. The menu champions bread, with eggs on sourdough, toasted sandwiches, and more. Set inside Whirinaki Whare Taonga, the huge light and bright gallery space is one of community and connection.

Quality handcrafted bread on the city fringe. Berhampore’s Baker Gramercy has made a name for itself by making simple, honest breads. The sourdough is slowly fermented and contains only flour, water, and salt (seeds and oats are added for specific varieties). It’s the croissant selection that keeps people returning. You can try plain, almond, ham and gruyere, jalapeño cheddar, or chocolate almond. The café, with its high-gabled ceiling, is uncluttered and fresh. 

Hidden away at Waikanae Beach, Olde Beach Bakery is a small bakery and coffee shop. A favourite with the locals, it’s well worth hunting out.

Olde Beach Bakery sells a range of French and Kiwi-inspired baked goods. From traditional French breads, croissants, and danishes, to filling pies, scones, and sandwiches. Wash your selection down with a hot drink or milkshake. There are loaves of all shapes and sizes for you to take home.

There’s space to sit in the cosy outdoor courtyard. However, it can fill up quickly with hungry locals. Grab your food to go and enjoy while walking along Waikanae Beach.

Shelly Bay Baker has been quietly loafing around Miramar since 2017. It has been supplying cafés with bagels, baguettes, and other fresh bread creations and takeaway baked goods from its Miramar store. You can now visit it in its inner-city café.

Owner Sam Forbes has taken over the space of the former Leeds Street Bakery, so the lure of fresh bread will continue to hang over Hannah’s Laneway. Shelly Bay Baker ships its bread to the Leeds Street spot every morning, fresh out of the ovens of its Miramar warehouse and bakery (complete with its own flour mill). Sam is keeping several old favourites on the menu, including the beloved salted caramel cookies and polenta cake. There’s a fresh sandwich menu and of course, you’ll be able to pick up your favourite Shelly Bay sourdough.