Review Martha's Pantry - Wellington

We did the high tea and thought all the food options were well selected and a good variety to cater to different preferences in a group. They were great about us bringing along a baby and were very friendly and accommodating. The one thing I'd have liked more was the option to try multiple teas. The place was beautiful aesthetic and brightly designed. They even took an excellent photo of us and gave us printed copies. A stand out experience.

My third visit, and expect to have many more. Absolutely LOVE everything about Martha's Pantry. Thank you so much to all the hard working staff. You are amazing

Very beautiful presentation of High Tea. Fresh bakes scones, pastries, savory sandwiches, all were delicious. The decor of the cafe is very nice and inviting. Antique tea cups with small dessert spoons were very cute to be served. I think this place is popular. Might be! I have made a reservation to have a High Tea ceremony and while we were there all tables were reserved. I definitely recommend this place to anyone! Its a great spot for birthday celebration, night out, weekend brunch, friends meet-up, you name it. Service was outstanding! Lots of tea to choose from! Impressed !

Terrific service and atmosphere. The team happily catered for two people with different food allergies and were still able to provide us with a variety of delicious savoury and sweet treats.

We had an amazing high tea experience today at Martha’s pantry! Sean, the owner, was very welcoming, attentive and provided all the great little touches that made us feel well taken care of. The high tea was delicious, all the food was great quality and you can order any drinks from the menu as part of the high tea. I had the ice latte which was great and one of my daughters had the cutest little fluffy ever. There is a great selection of tea, coffee and other drinks like smoothies if tea or coffee isnt your thing. The food portion was generous; we didnt even finish everything and everything was delicious. Sean even took a photo of our group and printed them for us as kind mementos. Excellent service, food and drinks, plus cute ambiance. Highly recommend this cafe whether for high tea or just for food and drinks 😀

Great spot for tea. I was able to get high tea, but typically you have to call the day before. The tea was real leaves and not tea bags. The scones were amazing, light and airy, and they warm them before serving. Definitely recommend.

What a delightful experience to enjoy High Tea at Martha's Pantry! We were warmly welcomed and invited to sit at a table prepared for us. The menu of teas is extensive and we relaxed after a long day of walking around Wellington while the food was being prepared. I loved the pastel colors, the artwork on the walls, the colorful hats, tea sets, and table chairs in the warm, welcoming atmosphere. And then the wide variety of savory sandwiches, cheese with sauerkraut (what a great combination!) homemade pickles and avocado filled the lower of 3 tiers; topped with delicious warm scones with whipped cream and jam on the 2nd tier; with the topping on the cake on the first tier including a variety of delicious sweets (strawberry cake, macaroon, filled cookie, and an amazing passion fruit pudding). When we thought there could not be more, we were surprised with a taste of shaved ice like I've never had before that left our mouths fresh and our souls quenched. I can't recommend Matha's Pantry highly enough - I know you'll love the vibes, the great variety and delicious food and tea, and the wonderful, welcoming, and friendly service with a smile. And you might also be surprised with a printed photo of your visit!

Great atmosphere and food! Drink price is very reasonable and they have unique bingsu and ice flake drinks I loved the fancy pretty cup decorations

Had a lovely high tea with my daughter. The shop is warm and welcoming and the food and tea were delicious. The staff were fantastic as well. Overall a highly enjoyable experience.

Just had a beautiful experience at Martha’s Pantry! Such an awesome feel to this place. INCREDIBLE freshly baked cheesy puff with caramelised onion, and great coffees too. Martha is really friendly and hospitable :)

I think this is one the best brekkie/ High Tea place in Wellington. I loved their arrangement and had a really good time. They have do many variety of teas to choose from but honestly you can try 2 or 3 while having a chit chat with friends. Thumbs up for the staff. Would really recommend this place👍🏻

I went here for the first time with a group of friends, and it was lovely! I had a great coffee, a sublime slice of sticky toffee pudding cake, and the decor was delightful. I’m keen to try a High Tea next time! It is quite small, so I’m glad my friend made a booking for us ahead of time :)

Very beautiful scenery. Food was is small portions but adequately filling and tasted amazing. Staff were very accomodating of a large group of five at short notice but as it is small you should book in advance. Lovely day. I disagree with bad reviews as they clearly did not read the website properly although we opted for afternoon tea rather than the high tea. Definitely recommended

A sweet little place for a treat but doesn't earn repeat visits. I tried the white chocolate mudcake which was fine and my friend went for the jelly tip slice which she enjoyed. The cabinet was difficult to look into as it was covered in condensation.

Really disappointed with my experience - booked a high tea for my sister and myself two months in advance as we came to Wellington for a celebratory weekend. Received an email two weeks before asking if we could change the time booked. Replied this wasn't possible as had other activities organised. Did not hear back so contacted Martha's Pantry the day before due to go and told that they still expected us to change our time booked and were quite rude! Cancelled booking as felt attitude and service was appalling - not impressed at all.

Best opera cake in town. Test just amazing. <br/>Walnut slice are sooooo good as well. <br/>Will definitely come back next time. <br/>The opera cake is layer by layer test like ice cream are melting. And the rich chocolate mix with other flavor. Just amazing. <br/>Walnut slice are good as well. Carmel with lots of walnut mix are on point.

We had read a number of reviews about the various places offering high-tea. They were all rated about the same. So it was up to us, and we chose Martha’s.<br/><br/>Limited parking but it's great they have it there.<br/><br/>Martha’s is a nice space, old fashioned style and cozy. The staff are super friendly and helpful.<br/><br/>I ordered a strong tea and my partner a white tea. While was really cool. It came a closed flower bud which opens in the water. Both teas were very refreshing and satisfying.<br/><br/>The sweet and savoury pieces were delicious. Satisfying fresh and tasty. Each piece carefully put together and with its own flavour; so it didn't feel like everything tasted the same. Good selection.<br/><br/>The only thing that wasn't perfect was the ration of sweet and savoury. We found there to be too many sweet items (as tasty as they were) - so we just took them home and ate them later on that day.<br/><br/>A nice change. Will visit again for sure.

Martha's Pantry is easy to miss if you're not looking for it, but once you've been there, it's hard to forget. <br/><br/>The space is slightly cramped but acceptable. Its decor is eclectic and cosy, and the counter is filled with sweet and savoury treats ready to be eaten. <br/><br/>We ordered a carrot cake and vanilla cupcake to take away. The service was less than perfect, as many on Zomato have already noted. The waitress answered our questions with a tone of slight condescension, and made our short visit an unpleasant one. <br/><br/>The cakes themselves were good but overpriced, especially the cupcake. The cupcake was fragrant with a whiff of vanilla, and the icing tasted as nice as it looked. Despite this, I know I can get comparable cupcakes at other places for a lower price. <br/><br/>The carrot cake, on the other hand, was moist and not overly sweet. The cream cheese icing was also a perfect complement to the cake, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. <br/><br/>Showstopper: Carrot cake was chock full of ingredients and the portion size was good.<br/><br/>Overall grade: C+. Would be higher if price goes down and service was better.

Had heard about this spot from a friend a few years ago & was keen to try it - well I really enjoyed my visit, particularly all of the details. It really reminded me of a tea room & of the good old fashioned baking.<br/>Service was a 5/5 - very engaging & friendly. Nice conversation. Asked if I wanted a magazine, and then popped out to grab a newspaper for me to read as they didn't yet have one. I always believe that service makes or breaks a business. Service today made the experience.<br/>They do have high tea, but I didn't have room or time so tried the sponge drop which was perfection. Slightly crispy shell from the sugar, soft on the inside with cream & jam that gave the perfect balance. Not too sweet.<br/>I had already had coffee so was keen to try something from their tea selection. Decided on a Japanese white rose tea which was delicious - not overpoweringly fragrant like some are. Also had a bit of 'theatre' involved with a dried rosebud which you put into your cup before pouring the tea - the bud then opens. <br/>Great location - almost at the top of Cuba street (location is really more on the side-street than Cuba St) but this makes it more peaceful. The details in the fit out with things your grandmother would have owned were great too.<br/>Good to see & hear real baking happening on site - eggs being cracked & mixer going. You know it's fresh when that happens!<br/>Have already recommended to friends & will be back. I have rated 4/5 only trying one item, but I am confident that the high tea would make this a 4.5/5 at least.

Unfortunately my experience wasn't great. We arrived at 11am, we weren't even asked for our tea order until 11.30am, and our food didn't arrive until almost 12pm. It was very cramped. Our food was lovely, but not that big, and quite expensive for what you get. Considering the place isn't very large at all, I thought the service could have been much better.

Came here today (Friday 12th Dec 2014) for high tea with 9 friends. We booked our table in advance. It cost $30 a head. And was worth every cent.<br/>When we arrived we were shown to our table by a very friendly lady and was shown the menu along with some advice on the different tea's they have. <br/>I ordered a special of the day which was a Paris tea. I think it had vanilla in it. It was so tasty, it came in a large pot, so I had 3 cups. Hmmm yum. <br/>Then they brought the tiny sandwiches and savoury tarts and cakes and sweet tarts on a beautiful cake stand. It was so tasty, all of them. My favourite were the scones with cream and jam.<br/>The service was great and the food was delicious. The only thing I should mention is that there is limited parking places, only a few, but I mananged to get one as a customer was just on his way out. Lucky. But being in Wellington central (almost) you could park in Wellington somewhere, there's lots of carparks around. <br/>We will be back.

Only popped in for tea and sandwiches and found us wanting to come back again. <br/><br/>There were now available tables but within a minute they had rustled up a table for us and the service was quick and friendly. <br/><br/>The food was fresh and the tea selection wide.<br/><br/>Will definitely come back.

Took my mum along for high tea for her 86th birthday. Gorgeous setting, delightful food, fantastic service. Been before and will definately go again. The high tea for two was more than adequate in quantity, presented well and tasted divine. Didn't feel rushed by staff so was lovely to have the time to enjoy and chat.

I took my mum to Martha's Pantry this weekend for her birthday and it was just amazing. The atmosphere is delightful, the food (we got high tea) is delicious, and the staff are lovely. It was well worth every cent, and more! I've never written one of these reviews before but we had such an amazing time that I felt like I should! We spent two hours chatting, eating treats, and drinking tea - what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon! And the lovely girl who served us asked if it was a special occasion, and upon learning that it was mums birthday she organised for the little cupcake with the high tea to have a candle in it - cute! Would recommend to anyone and would go back in a heartbeat!

I attended a high tea with some friends, and was really impressed with the stunning food, professional service, and beautiful surroundings. The savoury treats were delicious, and the sweets decadent! My only grumble is that the children were served an adorable pink drink in tiny milk bottles, with blueberries, I had a little sip, and it was clearly made with a diet drink of some kind. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not cool with my kid drinking aspartame. Despite that, the entire experience was delightful.

Took my sister in law here for a treat. She was visiting from San Francisco. First time I went here a while ago I also was shocked at the price, too, thought you got one of those cake stands -each- for $25, not so, its now $28pp and we got the one cake stand for three of us! However this time I knew exactly what the cost structure was. In saying that the food is exquisite, the experience unique and if you want to treat someone special for an unforgettable experience, then go for Martha's high tea.

7 Dec 2012. Myself and a friend flew in from Auckland on a well deserved long weekend away. We had just arrived in Wellington and went to Martha's Pantry with our suitcases. We were greeted with big smiles from Henry and the female staff and nothing seemed to be a problem. What can I say about Martha's Pantry food except for YUM YUM YUM! We had a traditional high tea and it was absolutely delicious and too die for! Not only did it look mouth watering but it also tasted...Oh so good! Price wise I thought it was cheap compared to Auckland prices. And the lovely chat with the owner just added to the attentive touch, We were made to feel so welcome. Would I return to Martha's Pantry again? Yes definitely in a heartbeat A+. Would I recommend it to others? Certainly and If you don't go and check it out for yourself then you're missing out!

Met the sassiest guy ever at Martha's!<br/><br/>He was so sassy and cool, it made our 9am visit to Martha's so worthwhile! Brought such a smile to our faces when he greeted us!<br/><br/>Had the passionfruit melting moment and it was pretty good.<br/>Lemon meringue pie was pretty average but Henry's awesome service made up for it :) <br/><br/>Cupcake was pretty alright but $5 a pop is kinda overpriced. It was pretty and good but it could be priced cheaper to be kind to the wallet.

Martha's is gorgeous and a definite must do on a sunny afternoon with the girls. We had the high tea and is was dainty and delicious. The staff are lovely and very accommodating. Will definitely be going back!

This is a great place for an outing with the girls. On a sunny Wellington afternoon there is nothing better than sitting outside at Martha's enjoying a rose milkshake and a scone. The food, tea and other drinks are always fantastic and the decor is so cute. I have never tried the high tea but it always looks fantastic, and I'm sure it would be lovely.

Our party of 3 had High Tea at Martha's Pantry yesterday (2 October 2012). The whole experience was divine. The beautiful crockery, the absolutely gorgeous food and the wonderful service. We could not fault a thing. We had a wonderful time and were made to feel very special. Thank you for making our day a day to remember.

I am amazed at these unfair reviews of Marthas. I didn't even notice how much I paid..who cares. It is simply a special place, I loved everything about it, the baking and food generally is equal to my mums. This is the highest compliment as she was a brilliant old fashioned cook. They are recreating with integrity and authenticity a bye gone age. The staff are sweet and accommodating..nothing is too much trouble. I love old stuff as well, embroidery, china etc but Martha's is not just about nostalgia, they have created a haven with excellent food.

I had my hens party at Martha's pantry and we had a lovely afternoon. As soon as we walked in we were looked after. There was a large group of us but Martha's pantry were very accommodating. The food, service and atmosphere was amazing! Am looking forward to going again.

This place is one of my favorite restaurants in Wellington. I have been there many times now for both high tea and just for a nice afternoon tea. The staff were so lovely and the experience is one of the nicest. The place is beautiful and quaint and its just a fun and happy atmosphere. Cudos to the owners who have done such a great job with the place.

I've had high tea at Martha's Pantry and it was delightful. I think the main misunderstanding below was that the cost was $25 per person, not per 3 tiered plate. This is pretty reasonable for a high tea in Wellington (Kirks is $25, The Museum Hotel is $30 and Finc is $26.50 with bubbles) and really cheap internationally (The Windsor Hotel Melbourne $AU59, The Ritz London from 42 pounds).<br/><br/>Compared to coffee and a muffin, it's a luxury, but compared to lunch out it's quite reasonable. And far more charming.

My daughter booked a table for her birthday high tea. She ascertained at the time of making the booking that the cost would be $25.00 per tiered plate of food plus cost of drinks. <br/>We (seven adults) had two three tier plates of nice food, two pots of tea (topped up once) and two half sized hot chocolates for my grand daughter (5 years old) and her friend.<br/>The service could not be faulted and the setting was lovely, but when I came to pay the account I was shocked as the account was $180.00. I was expecting it to be less than $100.00 - given the prices my daughter was quoted at the time of booking.<br/>In order not to not embarrass my daughter and her friends (we were seated right in front of the counter) I decided to pay the account without disputing it. I thought I would pay the difference by credit card, as I only had $120.00 cash on me. Unfortunately they did not offer credit card payment. Staff were most helpful when I asked if I could use their telephone to transfer money into my eftpos account, but by this time my daughter and her friends had heard all of the conversation and decided to contribute what they could. So piece meal we paid cash by collecting donations from our guests and also topping up the final difference by one of the girls money cards.<br/>A totally embarrassing experience, especially for my daughter who had made the booking, and was quite clear re the cost of the service from her discussion with the cafe at the time of the booking. My daughter is a mature student, spent a number years as a retail manager overseeing a large staff, so is organised, professional and pays attention to detail. I therefore do not see the discrepancy in the cost as a mistake or misunderstanding on her behalf. <br/>While we all enjoyed ourselves, the celebration was certainly marred by the exorbitant cost, and the embarrassing experience re payment at the end of the high tea. <br/>An experience not for the faint hearted (fiscally)!!

We went to Martha's Pantry for a birthday high tea, and were charged $181 for two pots of tea, two children's hot chocolates and two trays of small nibbles. We enquired about prices when we made the booking, and were told that the trays of nibbles were $25 each, so the price tag after our meal came as a hugely embarrassing shock. We were mortified, then broke, and left feeling like we had been robbed.

After my experience at Martha's Pantry I was surprised to see the volume of poor reviews here - this does not match my experience at all. <br/>To be fair, my colleagues (all female) and I did not partake in the 'High Tea' which seems to be attracting most of the disappointment. A couple of elderly women next to us appeared to be enjoying their experience with what I assume was the high tea, and didn't even finish their tiered plates of nibbles - perhaps it's a generation thing from when men were men and women were ladies. I suggest save the high tea as a treat to compliment a day out shopping with your mum or gran, not as lunch with your male friends.<br/><br/>In terms of atmosphere; very relaxing, we were spellbound by the beauty of the interior and the pretty nic-nacs and art everywhere. Perfectly mature-girly.<br/><br/>Only cabinet food on offer; the usual slightly-gourmet fare and was tasty and fresh - no a la carte dining as far as I could tell, which was fine and suited our appetites and moods at the time. To be honest, seeing someone tucking into a plate of meat and eggs would have been way out of place in here and a bit of a put off. In terms of pricing, no bargains but also no shocks - the cabinet food was priced as you would find in any other slightly upmarket cafe.<br/><br/>The range of tea was impressive, but I settled for a flat white which was perfectly made (to my standards at least) in a delicate hand-painted china cup - the sort your gran would have.<br/>Overall a lovely experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a well made cuppa of anything hot, and a light lunch or afternoon tea. The standout for me was definitely the gorgeous decor and warm atmosphere.

Although the atmosphere was charming, you were left wanting more. The food, though delicious, was sadly insufficient. The tiered ensemble could benefit from more savoury treats, as opposed to sweet. <br/><br/>The tea itself is wonderful, perhaps the greatest asset. <br/><br/>My greatest qualm is how overpriced this experience is, and the additional charge for special dietary is completely unforgivable. I don't think persecuting those who are unfortunate enough to have this issue is necessary. <br/><br/>Appreciate the concept, but it failed to be very well executed. All in all,left feeling disappointed and unfufilled. Definitely will not be returning anytime soon.

Tasty morsels ( and I really mean morsels) with a variety of teas but very overpriced!! A great shame also that if you don't drink tea you have to pay extra for a different drink as was the case with a friend- rather mean when the high tea costs $25 per person. Left still hungry and won't be returning at those prices!

Traditional 'high tea' is a light bite (basically finger food) served late afternoon between lunch and dinner, Yes by kiwi portions they are small and its not cheap $25 PP, but you are paying for the experience the ambiance and i personally enjoyed it, perfect idea for birthdays and baby showers! <br/><br/>If you like 'piling on the food' type person this is not for you!

Recently we had an overseas guest and thought we would take her to Martha's Pantry. Unfortunately it was not the treat we were hoping for. We were all jammed into this small room - where the waitresses could barely movey round the tables. We were lucky if we had five portions of the minutest size, the food did not resemble the photo in advertising.<br/>For this my daughter paid $85.00, I have never felt so embarrassed, fortunately our guest had no idea. On top of that we were told in no uncertain terms by the owner we had to leave by a certain time, having made the reservation three weeks in advance I thought that was very poor.<br/>Unfortunately I am not recommending Martha's to anyone at all. We have so many delightful cafes in Wellington and the idea of Martha's is great but ......

In the UK high tea is a substantial meal late in the afternoon. This was not what I consider High Tea BUT it was a very pleasant Afternoon Tea experience.<br/>Reading some of the reviews I see that people were disappointed and I recommend that the owners change the description to Afternoon Tea. Then expectations will be met.<br/>My partner and I had a very pleasant experience. Friendly staff and pleasant atmosphere. It was a good way to while away an hour on a sunny Wellington afternoon.

Was a bit wary, what with all the negative reviews on here, but we had a great time. My partner and I and our 2 nieces had a great time. The girls really loved the high tea, especially the whole ceremony around pouring the tea and all the little cakes. The food was reasonable, but not great value for money, and the décor was pretty kitsch, but that's what you're looking for when it comes to a very English high tea. While the ladies all went for the high tea, I opted for a bagel and coffee - reasonable food, price was in the medium to high range; certainly not the bargain you would get at other cafés on Cuba Street, but it wasn't annoyingly high.<br/><br/>I would certainly recommend this to anyone wanting something a bit different for a special occasion (in our case, 2 nieces with birthdays close together), but I doubt I would make it a regular hangout.<br/><br/>P.S. Tell them you have a birthday girl and you get a candle on the top :)

What an absolute treat! Two friends and I had high tea at Martha's on the weekend. The booking was easy, in fact I had to change it and they were very accommodating. We were seated right away. We chose the all day tea blend and one of the specials, which was a cinnamon blend. Both teas were extremely nice. Then our 3 tiered treat stand came out, complete with a candle in a cupcake for the birthday girl, which was a lovely touch. There were two types of sandwiches, two savories, two scones and four sweet treats each. Everything was extremely fresh and prepared with care and attention.<br/><br/>Now I can eat like food will disappear tomorrow. So looking at the stand I thought that I could polish that off no trouble. But in the end even I was struggling. My friend had to leave 3 of her treats, which were doggy bagged for a grateful husband.<br/><br/>I definitely want to go back ... again and again!

The general definition of a High Tea is 'A fairly substantial meal that includes tea and is served in the late afternoon or early evening.' <br/><br/>My partner and I were completely disappointed with our 'High Tea' at Martha's Pantry. We paid $25 each - a price that we were completely prepared for, given our initial expectations. <br/>To the point... Was it substantial? Barely. The food itself was simple and the taste was average. Average in the sense that you were eating nothing that you couldn't whip up at home in half the time with what you already had in the fridge. <br/><br/>Eg. Half a scone cut into four pieces. A cucumber and creamed cheese sandwich that tasted like it had been left out all day. Desserts that didn't taste fresh at all.<br/><br/>My partner inquired about trading his tea for a coffee and paying the difference, but he was told that he had to buy the coffee separately. We ended up buying another scone because we were still hungry, then were told we had to pay more for the jam...<br/><br/>We have tried a few High Tea's in Wellington and have had a lot better. We felt completely ripped off and wouldn't recommend the experience or food to anyone.

Went for a girlie high tea afternoon...we were not disappointed! Lovely people, great atmosphere, lovely service and delicious nibbles. Great experience and will do it again. Make sure you have a booking

Unfortunately, I was never able to actually eat or drink anything at this restaurant, so my review is based solely on the service (or lack thereof) we received. <br/><br/>We came in and were completely ignored. Completely. We eventually just chose a random table and were still completely ignored. <br/><br/>A group of three young women came in and had a reservation. They were welcomed, seated and told of the specials and how it all works. <br/><br/>We were still ignored despite there being 5 employees standing about not really doing much. We sat there for 20ish minutes before we just got annoyed and walked out. <br/><br/>My recommendation? Make reservations - they'll then acknowledge your existence.

Such a beautiful little spot away from the ugly Bypass! Offering tea in teacups,with fresh club Sammie's, strong brewed coffee and the loveliest family you'll ever meet behind the counter,Martha's pantry is small so get in quick!

We nearly missed Martha's Pantry on our many walks around Cuba Street in the search for a breakfast cafe.<br/><br/>This little corner is best described as CUTE. The walls are pink, the decor is Victorian, the chairs are painted cream and floral, the Roman blinds blend in with the floor, creating an absolute treat for its customers. <br/><br/>Our hot chocolate came in cute china, with a very cute spoon, our milkshake came in a frosted glass, overflowing with ice cream and sprinkles - very cute; our opera cake came in a little golden plate with floral patterns. The Ham n Cheese croissant was fresh, flaky and yummy. <br/><br/>The servers at Martha's are warm and pleasant, just like their workplace. <br/><br/>We finished our meal and left with a heavy heart. Our insides squealed Martha's name. <br/><br/>I would go to any length to be able to sit in that corner, imagine the cat's portrait come to life, twirl and purr, whilst I eat my layered Opera cake, gazing at the rain splatters across Martha's pane.

Recently my friends took me to this place and i just fell in love with it. It is a quaint little place with just 4-5 tables and has a very homely feel. The artistic decor with the curtains, striped wall paper, small round tables with white table cloth make this place more than just an ordinary dining cafe. They have a mouth-watering menu of desserts and savouries which includes milkshakes, hot chocolate, ham and cheese croissants and the likes. My favourite was the chocolate shake. Apart from this my overall experience was good and its a must place to visit if you are looking around to hangout.