Review Midnight Espresso Bar - Wellington

Such a cool vibe in this place. There is tons of quirky art to look at. I just got a hot chocolate which was really good, but want to go try the food as well since there looked like a whole lot of options including vegan and gluten free things (everything looked super yummy) The glow in the dark bathroom hall was amazing

What is not to love? Our breakfast experience was superb. Ordered one big brekkie and shared it with the two of us. The servings were big and the flavor was great. The coffee was also to our taste. The ambiance took me back to my days at the university as an undergrad and those hole in the wall places with staff that eventually becomes your friend. Felt very at home with this place. It was so good we had to come and have breakfast again the next day. That says a lot because when I travel I tend to eat and savor different places.

This came recommended from a Google search as a good place for breakfast. On arrival it wasn’t too busy so we thought this would be nice and quick to be served but we were wrong. Staff can only seem to be able to handle one order at a time, taking an order the proceeding to out that together, they ignore customers waiting and treat you like you aren’t even there. We were just about to walk out but finally got served after about 10 minutes of waiting at the counter. They don’t rely on table numbers, when our coffees were made they just yell your order out and don’t bring it to the table for you, not a big deal but just worth noting if you have a disability, use a walking aid or even just totally unaware. The other odd thing was when food is made they just come out shouting what they have In their hands, makes it confusing if a number of people have ordered the same thing! The food was what saves this place, it is fresh, tasty and very good portion sizes. I had the pancakes with banana and bacon, the pancake was huge and really thick, looking at it I thought it was going to be terribly stodgy but it was rather the opposite, really light and fluffy but dam filling, I could only eat half! I wouldn’t recommend this place on service as it has a heck of a lot to improve on but food wise it is a good spot.

Had scrambled tofu and stir fry vegies on Friday night and girlfriend had the chicken and stir fry veg. Generous serving /vegies cooked to perfection/prompt friendly service -great place to eat. Their cakes look amazing but we were so full we couldn't sample. Will be back 🤗😍

This place is simply superb! Awesome vibe with chill staff. The music is great and it’s clear every inch of the place has been crafted. Shout out to Brian the Plant 🌱

Wide variety in the menu, one of the few places that make café options late. Great vibes, not too loud, good music, strong coffee, polite staff and decent amount of space available.

Nacho flavor out of this world. Large size the move. Audible sighs from us both. Wowza. Two very happy vegans but there are options for all! Reasonable prices for lovely portions. Kitchen staff friendly and happy to hear it was thoroughly enjoyed. Up front staff kind and swift. Stellar music and ambiance adding to the Cuba street people watching.

Good food selection, quirky place. They didn't have table numbers and were relying on walking around calling food out which seemed a bit challenging with how loud the music is! Definitely decent music and a nice atmosphere

A great cafe, artsy and cute, helpful staff and there's a pinball machine! (Which unfortunately had an error while playing) The coffee and chips were excellent. I bought a vegan smoothie and added two shots of espresso to it which was absolutely horrible but that's my own fault for adding coffee to a perfectly good smoothie.

Love this cafe!. Always friendly, great vibe, good food, lots to choice from. Thank you for being dog friendly. It’s so nice to have a place to go to in the city where you can eat and not have to sit outside with your dog on a cold and rainy day in welly. So thanx again it meant a lot to us to be welcomed. 🙏 (Your Dog must on lead of course)

What can I say about midnight espresso? It's a Wellington classic been around for years. It's always nice to be able to grab a coffee at an odd hour in the evening and especially when you're feeling in need of perk up. You start off a really friendly, engaging, nice. Have a bit of a chat when it's been a while since it's been in town. Coffee was good food though. Most everything is vegan and I'm not particularly fond of that really. Bit dry and odd flavour but cool vibes in the cafe. Worth checking out nonetheless.

First food I try in wellington, very big portions.

Food was fantastic! It was slow to come out, however it was understandable. I could tell the staff were hustling to keep up with how busy the place was, and honestly. Seemed understaffed and run off their feet. In saying that though they took whatever opportunity presented itself to clean what they could, and keeping a friendly attitude despite the volume of customers. Awesome stuff, guys.

We landed in Wellington very late and needed something to eat. Midnight Espresso was still one of the few places open and pumping so we dropped to see what they had to offer and were pleased with the food offerings. They had food in the cabinet plus some limited kitchen offerings. The stuffed capsicum and kumera were both great and the kumera fries were yum. Definitely try their hot sauce!! Lovely staff and a great vibe.

Simply the best hot chocolate in town. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with beautiful artwork adorning the walls. The coffee was really good and the food was delicious. The staff were friendly and attentive, making me feel right at home. I highly recommend this cafe to anyone looking for a unique and enjoyable experience.

Every time we come to Wellington this is a compulsory visit. We love the caramel slice and the hash stack breakfast, such good value for money and the vibes are always so good. It’s a shame the line can get a bit long but that can be expected when a place is so popular! Always worth the wait and worth the money.

Very cheap coffee , only $3.5 for latte , flat white , cappuccino. Good environment.

This review is purely based on the atrocious unprofessionalism of the manager with the rat tattoos on her arm. I witnessed her treat a pregnant customer in an absolutely vile way in front of the whole cafe, all because this customer asked politely if she could swap a cookie she had just purchased moments before. The manager refused and spoke with a deliberately patronising and disrespectful tone, which the whole cafe could hear. She created such an unnecessary fuss over a cookie!<br/><br/>I also tried to call the cafe to let them know this was completely out of order but had no response. This manager needs to get some perspective and perhaps leave the hospitality industry.

I’m very disappointed with the cheesecake. It’s weirdly wet at the bottom (the cookie part). The cheesecake itself is not blended well. Everything just fell apart. Couldnt even finish it.

I LOVE how there are soo many vegan/veggie options! The space is eclectic and the food is diverse and pretty decent portion wise. I wish it was a little bigger as it can get quite loud and claustrophobic during busy times. Food was good, service was all right - not sure if it’s normal but they call out your order and I basically have to put up your hand so they know which ppl to serve. But I’d come again as the food options are great for someone who prefers to eat more veg.

the food is really well priced and tastes good, and so is the coffee! however, every time that i have been here, the staff have been seriously rude to not only myself but also my friends while the people in the line in front and behind us were given a completely different treatment. i have stood right in front of two girls serving me my food and drinks while i can blatantly hear them talking badly about customers and even my friends. think they are in serious need of a refresh of staff in there.

I ordered a massif cheese scone which was good value for money. That along with the passionfruit smoothie was a great brunch, and the place is interesting even to just observe because of the artwork and decor.

This is favourite breakfast place in Cuba street. I love the environment and quite like those setup. There are old game tables where you can play as well. Love their food, especially the Chicken burger. Must visit place👍🏻

I had really high hopes for this place, based on good reviews, but sadly I was disappointed. Staff all need an attitude check. Food was really tasteless. Bread was so dry that I choked on it. The bacon literally tasted of nothing. Hash brown was super salty and onion heavy. And tomato was under cooked and completely raw. Only good thing was the juice.

Very friendly staff and the ambiance is very welcoming.<br/>They have a good range of food available and my daughter loves this place as there is a good vegan selection especially in the sweet department.<br/>Love this place.<br/>

I had muesli and vienna coffee at midnight espresso, i was pretty much satisfied with what i got until i found a hair in the muesli.<br/>I just wanted to let the staffs know that the hair was found in the muesli so that they can be more careful so i brought it to the bar and told the staff who served me. I would have appreciated if she just told me sorry and thank you for letting me know or something like that. All i got was “but you were served like an hour ago.”<br/>My hair is bleached and like so long but the hair found was black and short so it wasnt definitely mine.<br/>She apologized later and made a refund when i called the other staff to complain. I get that it was crowded and she was busy, but she could have just simply apologized rather than being rude. :/ i hope its not because im asian.

One of the best places up Cuba to usually hide from the high winds or rain. Incredibly friendly staff, great coffee and open late. Win, win, win.

Great staff, welcoming and know what they are doing. Super affordable coffee just 3.50! Cakes and slices are great too. Lunch or snack spot. Open late, one of the best in wellington.

Situated on Cuba Street and has a hipster vibe. The coffee is silky, strong and a perfect temperature. I also tried the hot blackcurrent and this was sweet and soothing for my sore throat. On another occasion, i ordered the citrus twist juice and a cream cheese, salmon, wilted spinach bagel to takeaway. The juice had a good balance between the lemon, grapefruit and orange and was cheap at $4.50 for a small glass (probably would have to pay $9+elsewhere). The bagel on the other hand was disappointing - bread a little on the stale side and the spinach was quite greasy. Despite this, I would definitely recommend the drinks as they are amazing value for the quality that you get. Open for morning coffees and 2am snacks so Midnight is a cheap eat and drink all day long. The cabinet items looked lovely and I will be back to try these. My visits may have been 2 weeks ago but I am still amazed by the $2.50 (espressos) and $3.50 (white) barista coffees, hands down best coffee in Wellington. Update: been back and tried the nachos, portions were big and very filling. Perfect for a chilly Wellington day

Gluten free french toast was absolutely delicious 💞 Friendly staff, cool vibe, and great fried spuds too 😍 Very nice to see good gluten free options and would definitely recommend

Awesome place, love how it actually provides a menu online unlike other places, yummy yum in my tum....

We LOVE the potatoes with vegan aioli- we want the recipe for the aioli! However, the waitstaff has been rude and impatient with me. They are open late which is a plus but often run out of food (one Saturday night they didn't have potatoes which was devastating but other nights they understaff and serve nothing but potatoes).

Honestly don't know how this place is so highly rated. Service was shocking, food was shocking, I've never been more disappointed in late night nachos. Avoid it if you can

Had to wait long to get my vanilla thickshake for 8$NZ which was the most disgusting shake I have ever had. It is nothing more than milk with vanilla powder. Never going there again.

Felt out of place not having dreadlocks, piercings or tattoos. Too hipster for my liking. Cafe was full and you have to fight off other customers to get a table. Cakes and sweets looked to die for but not a good vibe so I won’t come back.

Went in here for a quick coffee and bite. The service was slow there was only one person operating the front service of such a busy Cafe which was disappointing and I had to wait for the people in front of me to get there coffee before I was served she seemed quite disinterested too. The vibe was cool enough if you like that young arty kind of feel. The coffee was the bomb though. Had a nice punch to it, they have that part nailed.

Good coffee and pretty quick service. Planned to get some treats and coffee, ended up by coffee only, since the sweets were looking dry and old

Really good vegetarian/vegan options- sweet and savoury! Quite long waits to be served due to popularity but worth it. Not as busy at midnight 😏

Was quite disappointed with the food and service here. I ordered cake and a THICKshake with the intention to satisfy my cravings. However, the cake was dry, and the thickshake (that I paid extra for) was extremely runny (thinner than any milkshake, let alone thickshake I’ve ever had before). I politely mentioned my displeasure to a staff member, but the response I received was disinterest. Unfortunate.

Went here based on reviews and as they have vegan/vegetarian options. <br/><br/>Went on a Monday around 6pm. Pretty dead, which suited me as I was pretty hungry. <br/><br/>Asked about vegan/vegetarian options. Bit of confusion briefly but in the end realised there was one option; vegan samosa. They did offered to make me a guacamole ‘something’ dish but I decided on the samosa with sweet chilli sauce and yoghurt. <br/><br/>Bit disappointed they didn’t have more options, but hey!<br/><br/>It wasn’t what I fancied, but I did enjoy it. Full of veg. Peas, pumpkin etc. it was enjoyable. Not huge and came just on its own but it wasn’t expensive; $7.50.<br/><br/>Staff were fun and friendly.

Had breakfast here today. The place is doped it reminds me the cafes in Melbourne really cool and hippy vibe here. I have a GF slice of chocolate tart with boysenberry it was really nice. I didn't like much the Creamy Garlic Mushroom that I've ordered but really I'm impressed with the place really popular with the locals. 🤘🤘🤘

Let's start with the good:<br/>Portions are grand.<br/>Coffee and brownies, scones were great! <br/><br/>The not good enough:<br/>Completely let down was Chai latte (syrup) rather than from scratch , <br/><br/>The bad:<br/>Eggs Benedict, all of them way overcooked the inside was solid and the hollandaise out of a jar, considering prices are $17 is way better in any other cafe. <br/><br/>Not coming back to eat here, only for a coffee and muffin or brownie I am afraid.

My absolute favourite cafe in Wellington. This place has the best hot chocolate ever! The atmosphere is cool, with a big window at the front where you can look out onto the street. Food is always great (and vegan friendly), the vege nachos are great, with avocado, olives, and jalapeños.

My friend and I always love coming to this place. We used to come every Thursday or Sunday before our dance class and never really have any complaints, except for maybe once. <br/>I ordered the vegetarian nachos (which I always ordered) and the last time I came in they were not up to standard. I had to send them back twice (for adding things I had explicitly asked to have off and because it was cold) and would have needed to a third time if I could have been bothered. Other than that, I honestly have no complaints. <br/><br/>Would love to see a variety in the cake though, every time we come in it's always chocolate.. I've only seen a banana cake once since I started coming more than a year ago!<br/><br/>However, great place, nice atmosphere, good range of options, and pretty good service<br/><br/>

As newbies in Wellington, a bunch of hungry vegan/vegetarian/gluten free friends were hunting for a place to go to for dinner and I'm so happy we stumbled across this little gem. Such a warm and welcoming atmosphere with cosy vibes. The food was delicious - truly 'comfort' food. We came here three nights in a row. Highly recommend the vegan pasta as it was the definitive favourite amongst all of us!

Got stepped out by some random delinquent drunkard who kicked over the chair I was sitting in and confronted my friend who - mind you - shouldn't have laughed at him, but all in all; coffee was made with care and delicacy, food was prepared with speed and accuracy, and the overall ambience was pleasant and delightful.

A very funky cafe with lots of food options! (caters WELL for veges/vegans) Quite small and busy, but service is always fast. Apart from having good flavours, they have largeish portion sizes so great value for money. Give it a go!

Came here as a group of 5 for brunch. Finding a seat can be tricky even just for 2 people as this place is very popular, but the table turnover seems to be rather quick, so you shouldn't need to wait long. <br/>Fortunately we found a place to sit. Coffee was perfect (and cheap!). Menu food is fairly priced and you get a large portion. <br/>There is a large selection of cabinet food, lots of which is vegan and vegetarian, wouldn't be able to tell just by the taste though.<br/>If you're in upper Cuba, stop by for sure!

Came here for breakfast over the weekend! The cafe was super busy and they were possibly short staffed but regardless, the staff were on top of everything and service was prompt! <br/><br/>I ordered a strawberry milkshake. It was HUGE! What's with Wellington and their massive milkshakes! Very impressed. For a meal I ordered the corn fritters with haloumi and bacon. This was amazing. It had a sticky balsamic dressing over everything which was a great addition. <br/><br/>Would definitely come here again :)

We always visit this place when we're in Wellington! A wonderful place for an early morning, daytime, late night, anytime visit.<br/><br/>They serve cakes with cream or zany zeus yoghurt here, this is where I first discovered their yummy yoghurt.<br/><br/>Good food, good coffee, good service, good location, a happy space.

This cafe has such a cool vibe. Amazing coming in for a 2am salmon and cream cheese bagel 😍 they were so yummy my partner came back for another one the next day. We need more places like this around

Can't go wrong with the vegan nachos!!!! Always a hit, reasonable price and soooo much food! Incredibly impressed, ups to you midnight! Will def be coming back soon

My favorite place in town to grab a quick coffee, and at a super reasonable price! The Mochas are great (complete with marshmallows and cream), and the make a mean cappuccino. They have a great selection of food, with the cabinet changing depending on the day - a little overpriced if I may say, but at least it always tastes good! Heaps of veggie and gluten-free options too if you're so inclined.<br/>The atmosphere is really vibrant and cosy, though I must say the store itself is very small with few tables, and with its popularity I feel bad if I stay for too long.

Love, love, love! Everything I have eaten here has been amazing. The vibe is great, staff are super friendly, attentive and efficient. It also accommodates vegans/vegetarians very well.

Excellent punchy coffee, prompt  friendly service. A jewel on Cuba St. I like the fit out and the vibe of this place. Though I don't head here much I know it's a reliable place to get a decent coffee on Cuba.

Great tasting cabinet food and a perfectly made long black. There have been many a night when my coffee craving just needed to be satiated. I am just so glad that Midnight Espresso is always coming to the rescue!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. People with tatts make better coffee. Long black was bang on. Want to try the nachos they look good!

Really interesting cabinet food and served food and at a very good price. I use to come here for late night cakes which were really good. This time I had the vegetarian nachos which were tasty (maybe lacking a little bit of a kick, lemon perhaps?) and my friend had the avocado croissant and vegan lasagne which they said was also good. No table numbers which means staff walk around calling out your food so you have to pay attention. Also they don't give you cutlery you have to go grab it yourself

Really nice place to catch up with friends! It does not actually carry the same vibe as other inner city cafes.It's cozy and inviting.Really good food and good place to be. And I was loving my burger! It was seriously tasty and so generous with ingredients!However, the bread was kind of hard and too thick.My friend enjoyed her chilli as well. Will definitely be back! Grad some healthy vegetarian stuff!

Great coffee!!! Was the best we had during our time in Wellington & we are out the whole four days so tried a variety of cafes & restaurants.<br/><br/>Bacon hash for brunch was delicious! Nice crispy hash, good size for price & cooked well.<br/><br/>Funky art on the walls & great place to read the local current events for Wellington for music & art. <br/>

The food was amazing and at a really good price. Lots of vegan/vegetarian options so anyone can dine here. The environment was great and the staff were super friendly. Would definitely visit again!

This is my favourite cafe to go to in the CBD. Great selection of counter food including many vegan options! The vegan chocolate cake is 100% worth getting and they have really nice yoghurt too. The hot chocolate and chai latte are great - not too sweet. Also the tofu curry is super tasty. The chilli is a massive portion and definitely feels just like a home cooked dish. Vegan nachos were also very tasty. <br/>Definitely recommend, have been out to eat for dinner then come here for dessert due to how late it's open!

Great vegan/vegetarian cafe with friendly service. Really delicious food especially nachos. The only thing is that often the water jugs are empty. Sill, highly recommend

I have one of their keep cups which is a cylindrical plastic tribute to Fidel Castro with a lid but hey hipsters United? Just kidding this place is really good, coffee and food is great it's open late too and their service is usually quite friendly. It's all part of the experience. These guys are great.

One of our best finds in Wellington!<br/><br/>This place really embodies what Wellington is all about - the arts, the hippy vibe, and the coffee culture. The best part is that it is open from 7am - 3am, great place to grab your midnight feed!<br/><br/>Huge selection of vegan and vegetarian food. Our croissant sandwiches were super generous with ingredients such as brie, tomato, and avocado. They were super crispy and buttery, soft on the inside.<br/><br/>My mother really enjoyed their creamy mushroom, the sauce was super thick and flavourful, served on ciabatta.<br/><br/>The vegetarian cheesy pasta, and the blueberry & white chocolate scones were very well made too.<br/><br/>The coffee was perfection, you could tell they use really quality coffee beans. Could not recommend this place more!

My partner and i came here at 10:30pm to just get some quick desserts to take back home. The wait to order was annoying- they make everyone's coffee before they pay. Personally I would rather tell them what I want then sit down and wait. Waiting in line is a big no no (I wasn't the only one complaining in the line either). Took us awhile to decide what to get because there weren't many options so we settled with the berry choc brownie- which was dry and crumbly. Tbh it did look like it had been sitting on the counter for awhile. Not impressed, next time I'd rather walk to enigma to get some dessert

This is my favorite coffee shop in Welligton! Always great coffee and a rotating bevy of sweets if you're in the mood to treat yourself. Great atmosphere. It's easy to see why it's such a popular spot, it's sometimes a bit difficult to get a seat!

Great vegetarian and vegan selection of foods. I have mainly tried over the counter items other than the tofu pasta(which wasn't to my liking)<br/><br/>In terms of counter foods: their vegan cakes are amazing.<br/><br/>I am also a fan of their tofu burger which is a decent size and has really fresh fillings<br/><br/>The selection seems to change daily, other than a few key staples such as scones and cakes<br/><br/>I personally don't plan to order the coffee there again any time soon, though it might just be because I am too picky with this. I haven't really found any good coffee places in Wellington<br/><br/>Overall, I would recommend Midnight Espresso for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike

Excellent. Ambience is superb, lovely artwork on the walls. Cheap and great selection of drinks. Best nachos in town.. keep doing what you're doing!

Hot summer day, asked for an ice coffee, served with ice cream and marshmallow, no cream, tasty cooling drink! Could have easily downed more. Before the coffee, had a very tasty rice slice. Service was warm and friendly. Recommended!

Wow this place is awesome! amazing food that tastes great and is also vegan / gluten free. Fast service too. Couldn't be happier with our 2 recent visits

Yum- food, hot chocolate and latte were great. We will return. Quite reasonably priced. We had the cheese scone and the avocado Brie croissant.

The coffee here is always really good and very reasonably priced. There is a wide range of food with lots of options for both vegans and vegetarians. The only downside for me is that although there is atmosphere and seating, during the weekend it's packed and very loud.

Came here for dessert; I love that it is open late at night. Cakes were good with a wide range available for those with food intolerances. Loved the atmosphere and the decor.

Quite a magical place, I've ventured here sporadically for over a decade.<br/>The quality and consistency seems to be intact with most visits.<br/>Great chilled vibe and caters for vegetarians and vegans alike.

Pretty decent food here, the nachos are incredible. It's really convenient for a late night feed after drinking considering it's like the only place open. The staff here suck I don't know how they got hired but they're straight up rude and up themselves, at least that's my experience with them but I could've just got some rotten eggs. Overall it's pretty average if you're into looking trendy

Another one of these iconic Wellington cafés that is a great place for a coffee or meal. <br/><br/>It's a bit dark inside but that's part of the character, and also part of the name

I Came here most days the last four years that I have spent in Wellington. Great value, great food, and at great prices. Love this place and absolutely recommend it.

I did like that place. They make a nice and decent hot chocolate that goes well with their (a bit pricy) cakes. Perfect location, weird place though and slightly too hipstery for me. ( although the pacman playing table is quite cool). I just find the service really slow.. that was a place to go to once, and maybe renew the experience once more but will definitely not be a place where I'll be a loyal customer. <br/>Sorry.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy my time at this place. Now don't get me wrong the food was quite tasty, even though the toast was like granite, and there was a little too much hollandaise sauce making it rather overpowering. But the food isn't what cost this place points in my eyes, it was the general ambience of the establishment. All hardwood floors, rather bare walls and tall ceilings make for a rather echoey room. Throw kitchen noise, people's conversations and the loud pinball machine into the mix and you get a rather overbearing noise level. There is just nothing to absorb the din that this place creates. <br/><br/>Overall this place just wasn't my scene, and as I said, while I enjoyed the food the experience was rather flustering and I couldn't wait to finish my food and leave.

This place has been a staple for me for about 5 years. High quality food and coffee at reasonable prices (long black = $2.50) Plenty of great vegan/vegetarian options such as scrambled tofu, nachos and the vege stack. Always got good stuff on the counter ready to eat too. It's usually pretty busy but that's cos it's good and everyone knows it

Midnight espresso is the quintessential Wellington coffee shop. I've been here many a time and will continue to return! <br/><br/>Their cakes and tarts are always so delicious, and there's always such a variety! So many vegan, gluten free options as well. I had the Orange almond and chocolate tart yesterday which was soooo yum! Came with a generous amount of cream as well which I liked. I also had the spud chunks which were so good but literally came fresh out the oven and burnt my mouth pretty bad. <br/><br/>Other than that, I love midnight espresso and it will continue to remain my first choice for a coffee and cake.

Love midnight espresso!! So far I have only tried the sweet cakes and tarts but would love to try a meal from the menu one day. Tonight I got the banoffee pie which was delicious, just the right about of sweetness and not too big. The chocolate cake is one of my favourite desserts and love how large the slices are and the option of cream or yogurt.

Midnight espresso is the goods. Fits into the buzz of Cuba street perfectly, and it's so different to any other café i've ever been to. Firstly, there are a number of seating options, from open window stool seats to a table that doubles as a pac-man machine. It's easy to spend most of your time at midnight in the glow in the dark bathrooms. Their coffees are consistently incredible and also pretty cheap. The amount of cabinet food is overflowing and it tastes even better than it looks, with a vast amount of GF, vegan, raw and vegetarian options available. All the food they offer comes in portion sizes fit for a king and it all tastes so good. My favs would have to be the Nachos, the potatoes and the snickers milkshake. The staff are always super lovely and have choice recommendations to offer. The best thing about midnight is that it's open till 3am! The amount of times i've come in at 1am, day of hand-ins, for a quick pick me up, is probably unhealthy, but it certainly makes midnight special.

Midnight Espresso is the shining jewel in the crown that is Wellington's glorious café culture. The staff are friendly, efficient and awesome. The selection is so vast it is almost overwhelming, especially given that vegans are so often relegated to the vege-option-sans-cheese/egg route (vegans you must try the nachos and chocolate cake.) Furthermore, the fact that it is still only $2.50 for an espresso is fanfreakingtastic.

I always go here when I'm in Wellington. It's a great little place. The food and drink is always good. I can't give it a 5.0 because sometimes you just can't get a table. It's just so popular. It is worth getting a take way coffee and having a wander down Cuba street.

It is your average Tuesday afternoon and maybe you’re a little parched and feel like eating food despite not being hungry (story of my life, bored eating, woopsie). My flatmates and I were fully intending to go to the supermarket, but decided the trek home feat. 64 shopping bags which feel as though they are filled with heavy rocks, didn’t really appeal (understandably) online food shopping prevails. Instead we opted for a coffee outing to none other than the iconic Midnight Espresso – Cuba Street, Wellington. You can never go wrong with this choice. <br/><br/>Now if we are friends, you will know I absolutely LOVE this place. And if we aren’t friends, then hello, I LOVE this place (well deserving of the capitalization). There are several reasons why I love this joint. <br/>1. The food is awesome, dominantly vegan/vegetarian/just good. <br/>2. Coffee is good and super duper fast! They literally make it right then and there, and besides, who does not love Havana coffee?!<br/>3. The place is hectically decorated. I am talking incredible art work, posters, and the whole ambience is just very casual and easy going. It’s like one big chill pot. <br/>4. Whilst you are eating/drinking/people-watching/playing on the pinball machine, there is always guaranteed tunes to be playing. I could sit in there all day and just listen to the absolute quality music they play. I spend 80% of my time there shazaming, I shit you not. <br/>5. There is a pinball table – need I say more?!<br/><br/>So today Pugs and I had an aubergine, tomato and feta quiche, and Emsy had a bacon, cream cheese and spinach toastie. Just describing it does it absolute justice. I don’t have one single negative thing to say about the food. It was just the goooods! They have a cabinet on display with a selection of savory and sweet items. It is one of those places where you stand and gaze (maybe drool) for a while whilst you dabble on what one thing you are going to choose. It really is an almost heartbreaking experience having to disregard all the other goodies but HEY! That is why we pretty much visit every week ha! There really is something for every person. They also do wicked milkshakes (and theyre huuuge, so that’s kind of a meal in itself).<br/><br/>I don’t really have much more to say about this place but if you are from Wellington/You are visiting/you will one day – in which case you definitely should!!!! Then Midnight Espresso is one place you 100% cannot miss out on. Definitely try out the Nachos. They have vegan and vegetarian options (we normally get vegetarian because no cheese, cheese = life) and they beat out any other nachos I think I have ever had – despite the lack of meat/dairy!<br/><br/>Bottom line, visit it, go. Just do it. You will absolutely not regret it. Ever. And if you do, sorry but we shouldn’t really be friends. Epitome of Wellington. When in doubt, peace and pout... and go to Midnight Espresso. <br/><br/>Would give it 6 points if I could. <br/> <br/>

The chicken salad said "tossed garden salad with smoked chicken" so I expected it to be a basic salad but I was super stoked when they bought it out as it was not basic at all!! It had avocado and pesto which are 2 of my faves. Definitely will be getting this again, it was so satisfying!! I asked if they had bliss balls but they did not but pointed out this raw chocolate brownie which was made from similar base. It looked amazing so I got one and it tastes even better than it looks. Very happy Student

Perfect little boutique coffee shop and food spot to grab a brunch, happy staff and fast service keeps you happy, the coffee is divine and the food is equally

Midnight Espresso is probably the best coffee in Wellington. Which means, really, that it's the best coffee in New Zealand. Good cakes and milkshakes too, and open really late for those late night, wandering-the-street munchies.

So I've heard various opinions about ME, usually good, which made me curious and I decided to go and try it with my sister. First thing I noticed was the amazing cabinet food, I mean that caramel slice and vegan chocolate cake almost looked too good to eat. As we were in for breakfast we took the slightly less sweet route and went for the eggs midnight, the French toast and a couple of soy coffees. The soy coffees were great, although the latte was a lot stronger than the cappuccino. It wasn't until the meal came out that I realised there had been two options for the French toast (hard to read on the board) and you either got berries or bacon. I wish my choice had been confirmed by the waitress when I ordered, rather than going for the default bacon. The meals were pretty good, but I'm not sure I'd give them as high acclaim as others would. I enjoyed the French toast and thought there was just the right amount of sweetness, although my sister thought the bread was too stodgy. The egg midnight's eggs were slightly over cooked, which meant there wasn't enough yolk to counteract the dryness of the black bean patty, The hollandaise was also a bit bland (I love hollandaise, give me more of a kick!!). However, the spinach and tomatoes were a great accompaniment to the dish. I'm determined to go back and try the caramel slice and nachos that I have heard so much about. Perhaps my next experience will be better.

I miss this place. I want to visit Wellington again, solely for this beautiful cafe that stole my heart. Desserts + tea at a late hour in the night is pretty much everything I want and need.<br/><br/>A beautiful ambiance in the evening with a wide array of desserts, cheap teas and coffees, quirky inside setting all combine to make this 5/5 for me!<br/><br/>I'm seriously coming back to Welly so I can have play dates with my girlfriends here.

Good vibes, and good prices and good food. Great juices ! Especially for morning healthy boost, only cafe open at 7am when I arrived that looked busy and cosy. Really chilled out nothing fancy, but authentic and great. Good vegan stuff, they change food menu to suit you and they do it well 👌🏽 desert (chocolate cake, you definitely get your money's worth too) delish- Bathroom wasn't as clean as you would hope but otherwise everything else was good.

Such a special little place! Lots of breakfast options for my Omni husband as well as delicious vegan options for me!! The biggest bonus was all the vegan sweet treats and milkshakes!! Yum!!!

Always good coffee, hot chocolate and friendly staff, actually, the small bowl of nachos is massive , only for $11!. Sometimes good music, sometimes not. Good variety of cakes (maybe a bit overpriced for this place, my cake wasn't fresh). Is not the cleanest place of Cuba but hey, at least the staff is friendly and they have an arcade machine and a pinball. Cool.

I still dream about their chocolate cake with yoghurt. So delicious. Coffee is great also (and we have high standards in Wellington).

I can die happy after eating a slice/giant hunk of blondie cake from here. I can't get over how moist and good this cake is. Peaches and chocolate doesn't even make sense to my head but good grief. So good.

Great brunch spot. Very hipster vibe with the old school furniture and interior decor. Veggie hash stack is a must try dish and true value for $$. Coffee strong and fragrant.

An unique cafe with an arty gothic vibe. I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast. The black bean patty was nicely seasoned and paired really well with the poached eggs and the wilted spinach. I felt that the salsa sauce could have been a bit more boldsy with big flavours and a bit of kick. That would have cut thru the creaminess of the black beans. <br/><br/>Patric had their pancakes and found it to be too doughey. Loved the cheesecake however the base could have been more crunchy.

The ambience is just inviting you to sit down and enjoy your midnight with a good coffee and a slice of pie or whatever you are longing for. It is quite with a great music in the background. Something different like a hidden café in a side street of Paris but at the same time it reminds me somehow of New York e.g. like in the video of Sting. So sit down and enjoy your coffee read a book the staff won't bother you.

Midnight Espresso is one of my favourite cafes in Wellington. Located on Cuba St and open until late, this funky cafe has a variety of delicious food and great, tasty hot drinks. The music is a bit too loud at times and because it's always full of customers it can be a little hard to carry on a conversation but if you're after a quick meals (huge portions of nachos!) or a caffeine/sugar fix, this is the place.

Best counter food in the city!. Delicious vegetarian and vegan counter food in a fun alternative setting. Great people watching!

Owner seemed lovely and the food was ok, however, the staff member who served me was unnecessarily rude. I have worked in hospitality for 3 years and retail for 4 so I definitely know what it feels like to get a bit frustrated with people...though I would never dream of saying to someone: " you need to ASK for 'take-away' when you order, i'm not a psychic" in a humourless and condescending way....

Went there on Friday with my boyfriend at about 1am, staff gave us an Unwelcome look. Guy working the counter didn't bother to say hello or anything. Coffee was average and table we sat at was dirty and uncleaned. Sugar pot didn't have a spoon or anything, had to ask. Probably not going again

Fun, funky spot with loads of options to choose from. They have a full case of baking with a ton of vegan options. The choices change often enough to make you come back frequently. It's always nice walking in not knowing what you'll walk out with. <br/><br/>They also have a lot to offer in their set menu from breakfast food like eggs benedict (eggs montreal - my favorite!!) to lunch to midnight snacks. Also nice that they're open late!<br/><br/>Service is quick and most of the people working there are pretty chill and cool. Except for one girl who acts like it's the end of the world when customers order from her.

I felt so out of place here and rather intimidated. It's like if you don't fit the hipster dress code then everyone looks at you strange. I wasn't a fan of the food I tried, the only positive was the vegan hot chocolate.

I went to the Midnight when it first opened. ... still going to this day. Hasn't changed much, no need to.Great for us vegan eaters. Staff have been fine but very busy. If the music is too loud then ask them to turn it down - they do. This place will be going after I am six feet under.

Cramped, dirty particularly the toilets, bad service and bad coffee.The bearded manager was very rude and smug frastøtende,I later found out my friend got food poisoning from this place I would stay away.

I love Midnight I used to come here as a vegan and now still come to eat EVERYTHING on the menu. Affordable and always something new and tasty in the cabinet food definitely a must visit!

So nice to see an original menu. Really impressed with the great range of food. Delicious coffee. Very reasonable prices. Friendly and helpful staff. Surprised at how relaxed customers look and how staff seem to know most of them. Lots of regulars is a good sign. Really like the artwork painted on the walls that connects to the tables and fixtures.

Favourite Cafe in Wellington at the moment. Always give me good vibes as soon as I get in. Paulie and Adam always good for a yarn while making coffee (Long black with a dash of milk is the way to go).

Midnight is an absolute institution here in Wellington and for good reason - the food caters to a variety of palettes and the counter offerings are changed up on a daily basis. Always something tempting to choose from here.  Funky atmosphere, friendly staff, and yummy food. Consistency is something Midnight Espresso have mastered to a tee.

I have been going to midnight occasionally for many years and I have always enjoyed the food.  I went there the other night at around 08.30 and just wanted a coffee. The guy who served me couldn't have looked more miserable and after sighing " what do I want" rolled his eyes at me when he made me a coffee. Quite a standard request I though. I went there the next day in the afternoon and ordered tofu scramble and it was disgusting. The bread was the cheapest white bread you could imagine and the sauce was black and thick and tasted like crap. What happened here? it used to be a great place to visit.

I kinda thought Wellington was aboring city when I arrived here.. until we want down walking through the city's busy lanes in the night. Especially Te Aro; and Midnight Espresso was a superb find!! We walked in here at about half past 12 in the night and it was pretty crowded..Its open till 3am! what else can one ask for?! I'd recommend this place to EVERYONE!! Vegan or Not, this place is a must visit in Wellington. The menu options here are plenty..Especially their baked foods.. Amazing!! There's a superb selection of vegan foods.. and DESSERTTSS.. OMG I wanted to have almost every colourful dessert in that super funky display! What I Love about the place is how it reflects the personalities of the owners. Its amazing this place.. And their food tastes great. All of what we tried atleast was awesome. By far the best vegan place I've been to. And believe me I can get back here ANYTIME for more dessert or coffee.. Oh The ambience also beckons me back.. and as I write this I realise.. I miss Midnight Espresso and I miss NZ :(

I generally enjoy going to Midnight as the coffee is fairly priced, and quick. However, went in to get a coffee and a customer several ahead of me asked for her coffee in a takeout cup, but that she would stay for a couple of minutes to sit with a friend. She received her coffee and left to sit in a quiet corner of the cafe, the staff then proceeded to complain and make a fuss about said customer for making the request in front of me once she had left. Very unprofessional. Coffee was good however.

Have been to this café a few times and loved the laid back vibe. The food and the coffee were also excellent. <br/><br/>However, the service provided by the female barista was the worst that I have ever experienced. She was rude, stand offish, and thought she was far to cool. <br/><br/>The expression on her face (as said below) was 'what do you want', not helpful, and not in the slightest bit friendly. <br/><br/>After rudely taking my order she made my latte and slid it over the counter at me as if to say "here, now disappear". <br/><br/>Ruined the whole experience. Won't be going back.

This is a fantastic place to get delicious vegan food.<br/>The coffee is great, and the staff are friendly, love it.

By far my favourite coffee shop in the city. Great thing is it's close to the university Campus too! I always come here for my fix of Mocha + whipped cream and marshmallows and it's always amazing! <br/><br/>Depends on which ones of the staff you get to serve you though, as one or two do seem cold and uninterested which is a shame as it's such a lovely place! <br/><br/>Service is quick and the only thing that takes long is the line you're in. <br/>The bacon Bagels there look absolutely heavenly and their scones are quite tasty for those on a budget! In my opinion, they do the Mochaccino, hot chocolate and Mocha shakes very well in my opinion! <br/>Try their chips when you have the chance also, they're not your usual kind. You get them more chunky and cut into cubes here. <br/>The one thing I wasn't fond of was the vegan chocolate chip cookie, rather dry and not very tasty (couldn't even taste the chocolate) but I guess I can't judge until I become vegan myself, which won't be any time soon.

I've found the food has always been great and they have an especially good catering for Vegan eaters comparative to other diners in Wellington. Music used to be consistently awesome and was the second-to-main reason I went there, usually a lot of drum'n'bass and decent hiphop(not like the trashy stuff they play at goodluck these days), however last few times I've been they were playing weird depressing stuff which has discouraged me from going there as often, the food still is really good though. <br/><br/>Service varies like mad, sometimes awesome sometimes awkward and well off what should be expected normally, seems like it would be one of the most stressful places to work though with the pace they often take on food that is cooked to order is almost always there within good time.

Stopped by to catch up with a mate. Food was all very nicely displayed and tasted great. Didn't actually order any drinks but my friend mentioned that his coffee was good. Would definitely consider going back for a place to catch up with a mate

I went this place for coffee as someone strongly recommended. The coffee was fine, but the staff was terrible. It was Sun 17th Feb at around 3.30-4ish. <br/><br/>Firstly, the staff who served me on the counter didn't say anything to me when I was going to order, but facial expression was like 'what do you want'. She was saying hi friendly to others (my observation of her attitude afterwards).<br/><br/>I ordered apple crumble cake for take away, when she cut the piece, the cake was crumbled so much that I have never taken such cake, but i didn't ask for another piece. There was no offer for another piece or apology. <br/><br/>Another one that I ordered was 'red capsicum filled with rice'. My daughter specifically told the 'red' one, but she picked the 'green' one. I asked her to change to red one and she made a face like we are making all other customers waiting as if we are a nuisance. <br/><br/>I thought she would give me a receipt or at least would ask me whether I want like in any other places. She simply went on to the next customer. So, I asked the receipt and got it. <br/><br/>The food presentation at the counter looked good and taste was fine, the coffee was not top, but fine. <br/><br/>The service - standoffish, cold and rude. I won't go back.

We are vegan and we loved the food! The staff were amazing and the premises has a cool and laid back vibe - big love &lt;3 :) xx

Midnight Espresso is my default go-to whenever I'm in the mood for a late-night cup of coffee. The drinks are always delicious, and the staff are friendly and professional, but would it kill them to turn down that damn music? It's the only thing preventing me from giving Midnight Espresso five stars/an 'excellent' rating; it's just. Too. LOUD! For that reason, I'll always have my order made to go; I don't need to risk damaging my hearing any more by listening to the Hipster Top 100 at 50,000 decibels.

Always get my coffee fix here and the caramel slice is devine :)

This place has become my local, I turn up in the later hours of the night at least once a week even though it's about twenty minutes' walk from my house.<br/><br/>I love the food, especially the fact the delicious all-day breakfast goes on until the kitchen closes at midnight. The person who complained about chips earlier clearly came on a bad day, because I've always enjoyed them a lot.<br/><br/>Tasty and varied counter food is also available, and their coffee is some of my favourite in the city.<br/><br/>The staff always seem very chatty and friendly to me, though them shouting out the orders can get a little annoying.<br/><br/>The main drawback with this place is the music choices, which vary and can be occasionally annoying (once sat through my cake and coffee at 2.30am tensed up at awful dubstep.)

Awesome place for vegan, vegetarian food! Of course there are meat varieties available for the rest too..<br/><br/>Funky paintings, sporting waiters/waitresses, cool music (too loud at times) and a great selection of snacks, meals, drinks and dessert. It can take a long wait as one person handles everything from taking orders to serving food at this cafe.<br/><br/>Would recommend the vegan/ vegetarian who find it hard to get egg-less cakes to try this place.

Usually my favourite late night cafe in Wellington, but tonight I left feeling severely disappointed. There was a measly selection of cakes and the chocolate cake I did select was dry and tasteless. <br/><br/>I also ordered the chips, which are new on the menu. This was quite possibly one of the worst things I have (half) eaten. They were so greasy and oily, I had to pat the oil out with my napkin only to discover more oil. They were soggy and the potato was not cooked properly. The kumara chips were even worse, they were soaked in oil and left a very disgusting aftertaste. I would definitely not recommend. <br/>The cook tonight needs to know how to operate a deep fryer, I would think that chips would be a relatively easy thing to make.

Fantastic selection of food and a great vibe. As a vegan there is a wide range to choose from! The vegan chocolate cake and the veg. nachos are absolute favorites. They also make brilliant soy shakes!

I love this place, it has a groovy vibe. Great for a quick bite. Lots of simple snacky food. It can get too busy.

I was very excited to visit this "famous" NZ espresso bar, especially because I'm a night-owl and their hours are so amazing! Unfortunately I didn't even get to sample any of their food or coffee. My partner and I went in at about 11pm one night, and stood waiting behind 3 slightly drunk individuals. The women behind the counter didn't even acknowledge us or apologise for the wait... and we waited rather a long time! She was chatting away to them and having a great time - didn't look at us once. So we just left. I hate that kind of rudeness.

Lots of fantastic tasty options for Vegetarians and Omnivores alike, one of the few places that serve great vegan food that isn't limited to limp salads or stir fries. Very 'hipstery' and loud, a great environment for some, but not so much for a quiet chat or for kids.

The pancakes are amazing for brinner (brunch at dinner time) but the smoothies have absolutely no taste. Also, the experience is quite variable; good some days and disappointing in some others. But the old school milkshakes in the silver cup is a nice touch.

Easily my fave cafe in Wellington! Such a cool atmosphere matched by unique and delicious fresh food. As a vegetarian there's so many options, and so good they keep my meat loving friends happy too. The staff are friendly and prices very reasonable. Also the best place for a late night coffee before heading home from a night out.

The paintings on the wall and the history of this cafe make it as epic as it is! although I'm not sure i like the waitress coming out from the back screaming out whats in her hand!! maybe the good ole'number system would work better.Other than that a large fresh selection of counter food and drinks.

I love this funky place. It has lots of style and class. They serve Havana coffee and it is never weak here. It is mostly a vege and vegan cafe, but if you look hard you can find a bit of meat. <br/><br/>The problem with this cafe is how they serve and make your drink. Instead of one person serving and one person making coffee, the person who serves you is also the person who does everything else (if you want counter food, then this person heats it up too, same for coffee etc.) this can lead to big queues and lots of waiting. The other problem with this place is that although they play good music, it is often too loud.<br/><br/>Staff are usually friendly and is a reason why I go back so often.

Cool atmosphere and cosy set up. Quirky staff and interesting food lay out. Love the deserts and front window for watching the world go by.<br/><br/>Coffee can be variable but it is never bad. Fairly priced and not as pretentious as some of the surrounding cafe's in the area.

A Wgtn icon - great for late coffee or snak on Cuba Street - funky atmos &amp; always unique food presentation. Great for people watching in the front window seats ;P <br/>Try the chocy caramel slice, its to die for........

Midnight Espresso is, in my opinion, the most consistently good cafe in Wellington. I've had coffee there over 20 times and have never had a bad one, ever. They are also still $3.50 which is a welcoming change to some of the prices charged in Wellington for a simple flat white. The cabinet food is always mouth watering including all the vegan and glutton free choices on offer. Lemon honey and ginger tea - best in town. Jam packed ham rolls for $8 is the most filling roll in town. The nachos - on a par with the mighty Fidel's & Sweet Mother's Kitchen. Always good music pumping and a range of all the characters that Wellington has to offer enjoying the best cup in town. If you haven't been yet, you must. I promise you that despite the quirky decor and atmosphere you will nver go back to espressoholic again.

I've been to Midnight Espresso a few times, but this was the first time they had cabinet food that was both vegan and gluten free. On previous occasions, I'd ordered nachos which were $11 and good value for money. On this trip, I ordered a slice of the satay rice bake from the cabinet, which was $7 and quite tasty. My one suggestion to Midnight Espresso would be to use gluten free soy milk in the coffees. Despite the good food and friendly staff, I do find the loud music and the way the waiters shout out orders quite stressful. Perhaps this is part of Midnight Espresso's charm, but it won't deter me from coming for the great gluten free vegan options.

Met a friend here yesterday for a catch up. The hot drinks and food are all very reasonably priced for what you get, my drink and scone together cost $6! There was a big range of cabinet food to choose from, heaps of different kinds of baking - cakes, scones, savoury muffins. The music was a bit loud for my liking but I think for the prices, the quick service, the funky ambiance and the convenient Cuba street location, you should definitely give this place a try,

With delicious cakes and great drinks, Midnight Espresso is also one of the only places in Wellington you can get a decent coffee at 2am.<br/>The service is quick and the music is pumped out at the perfect volume. <br/>All things considered, Midnight Espresso is possibly the best cafe in Wellington.

One of the most venerable coffee joints in Wellington, Midnight Espresso has been cranking out consistently great coffee for ever. If there is a coffee heaven, I suspect it starts on Cuba St at Midnight. <br/><br/>Great coffee is matched with good cafe food and for vegetarians there's also plenty of options. The ambience is edgy and fun and there's always great music going. If caffeine is your poison of choice, this is one of the places in Wellington to get your fix.

Situated in the heat of the bustling Cuba Street, this cafe is a typical Wellington Cafe. The walls of the cafe are full of graphetti and music played here is very soothing to the ears. The Omelette is totally worth the price and so is the Hot Chocolate. The Staff here are very friendly. One can enjoy playing Mario on one of the Tables. The Cafe is generally is jammed to rafters during winter evenings. This place is totally worth going to.

Legendary Wellington establishment, Midnight Espresso, is one of the bastions of the Wellngton café scene and a source of much goodness over the years... somehow i have managed to wander past it without going in but my curiosity was sparked the other day when i overhead two girls working in a nearby cuba st shop obsessing about their caramel slice... 10 days later I gave in and tried the caramel slice and I now totally get it. It is TO DIE FOR ... the other food also looks amazing in a grunge meets Portland kind of way so I will definitely be working my way through their menu ...