This is one of my favourite place to spend my day off. I love the ambience of this cafe. Ordered fish and chips, fried chicken and hot chocolate! Fried chicken was bit undercooked. But fish n chips got my heart.
Beautiful views from this location
Friendly staff and and it’s also pet friendly
The breakfast was delicious the the coffee was what we needed
We will definitely come back
Who wouldn’t wanna eat a meal on a boat? Haha it was a great place to have a family dinner. We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. The staff are great too.
Had lunch there today. Great Service. Food was lovely and fresh. I had the buttermilk chicken burger with handcut fries. (which I requested). My friend had the buttermilk chicken snack size. Both meals were substantial and yummy. Loved the fresh slaw used which had lemon vinegarette through it. Waitress was great and kept an eye on us all the time. Great coffee too, came out nice and hot how I like it! Look forward to coming again. Thanks team. Great Work!
Absolutely loving the place ! Nice view nice location I guessed lol the food price i think was quite decent! Been here like twice and would come back again even im not a seafood person ;)
Dined here with a fairly big group. Staff were very accommodating considering a few of our guests were running late and our group grew from 8 to 10 pax. Although they made a few jokes to us about being late, but it was in a friendly manner and we enjoyed the banter. Coffee was pretty standard, a few of our group had smoothies which were apparently amazing. Meals were well presented and pretty tasty. Atmosphere was cool, we were in the sun room and the slight movement of the boat added to the uniqueness of the place. All in all, we enjoyed the experience.
I have been here couples of time and I always enjoy my time here. The view is nice and staffs are really friendly. Their ice Mocha is super big which I couldn't finish at the end. Food is nice. This is one of my favourite places to enjoy my Sunday morning :)
I enjoy this place. The food is good, fair price and staff are welcoming. I also used the event rom above which was excellent with great catering from the cafe. The event was a workshop and barrista cafe went down well
Been here a couple of times and even booked the place for a work seminar. Not bad food and not bad service. Outlook is interesting because you are on a boat! So has a little appeal just on that fact alone. Worth a try for the fun factor, my kids loved and requested a birthday lunch there too! Cool location too with a kids park and a beach right on the doorstep.
Wonderful summer day at an awesome beach catching up with an old mate after a dip for beers. Nothing more a couple of seadawgs can ask for than to have it on an old seagoing beauty of a tugboat. Amazing views, chilled beer and decent food. The hostesses were really warm too and gladly gave us a tour of the boat which is also a place you can host a party at, given it's under deck hall.
The name says cafe... Please don't go there expecting a restaurant and come out disappointed. Just go there for beers and finger food with a super fantastic view.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Absolutely loved the Boat Cafe! With a fantastic view and a different kind of seating, this cafe is a must try!
We tried the fish and chips, the Tandoori chicken sandwich, the chicken satay salad and the Strawberry and passion fruit smoothie.
The fish and chips were very good. The Tandoori chicken sandwich was delicious. The chicken satay salad was very very good. The smoothie was great too.
All in all, a very satisfying meal. I would definitely like to visit this place again.
This café is an absolute must if you are visiting Wellington!!!! From the moment you start walking down to the entrance to the beautiful blue coast to the boat styled seating, even the toilet doors were boat themed, I can still picture it now. The staff are super friendly and ready to provide you with anything that you need. I decided to go for the fish and chips and we were right by the sea and it was such a beautiful day, my friend went for the corn fritters. I must admit the fish and chips were the best I have ever had and the slight hit of chilli and lime in the corn fritters really made it special.I would highly recommend checking this café out if you are visiting Wellington, I would advise locals to check this out but you would have already visited just based on the beautiful boat and enticing entrance.
Our waiter gave us service that was 5/5 stars! He was attentive to our every want & need so I commend him for an excellent job. It was a Saturday night & surprisingly not very busy although I'm sure everyone was already at the LUX light show festival. We had a gorgeous view of the lights from the window where we sat. My partner ordered the fish & chips which he said were tasty. I ordered the quinoa salad with halloumi. It was delicious! We both agreed that more variety on the menu would be nice, however we were pleased with the options we did find on the menu.
Went here for a birthday dinner for 2. Had chowder to start with breads and a mixed platter for 2 with sides, really filling food and good value for what we got. Huge portions also and staff were very nice and friendly.
Had a really good time....it was a beautiful sunny moring. Made reservations and got an amazing table to sit at overlooking the water. Lovely friendly service, food was fantastic. What a lovely brunch with great friends. Will definitely be back for more :-)
Quick easy and friendly service. Cool venue. Inside is lovely, I had 2nd doubts from outside but walking in, it's like a whole different place. Love the idea. Ordered the corn fritters for brunch. Beautifully presented. Filling and worth every dollar. Not rating 5/5 because was a bit pricey for me and the dish didnt exactly wow me but was still Delicious. Thank you Boat cafe!
Always busy, so you need to wait a bit longer for the food and staff are so busy. Food is okay but love the super sized chocolate cake which is enough for two the easy parking and nice location. Good out door area so I can take my dog there too,
I didn't expect very much as I had been to the boat cafe a while back on a Saturday and it was super busy and took a while to be served. I was happy as going on a weekday proved the best idea as we had amazing a quick service as well as the lovely woman serving us going the extra mile giving us the wifi password etc. beautiful coffee and I ordered the French toast with bacon and banana, best I have had by far! Would go back in a heartbeat especially with the level or service we had :)
Went on a back holiday, it was pretty busy but the staff were friendly. Food was good, though there was a slight error but the staff corrected the error quickly.
Great service, amazing staff and the best food, great for everyone, spacious for families or intimate for couples. Has lovely views to top it off.
absolutely one of the best venues in town. food is always exceptional, especially the seafood and chocolate cake. i have taken many an overseas visitor here and have only ever had praise about the service and yummy food. we need more places like this where the staff care about the customer.
Julia Eats Melbourne
+4.5
Nice view, good cafe food and a relaxed atmosphere. The boat cafe is the perfect location for a relaxed bite to eat with a nice view over Wellington harbour (while actually sitting inside a tug boat!). I chose something from their cabinet display and was able to get a half-half serve of two salads, which were fresh, filling and reasonably priced. The waiters were very friendly and accommodating and I could see several families enjoying lunch. While the menu is nothing out of the ordinary I think the boat cafe is a lovely cafe for a spot of lunch and I may return next time I'm in Wellington.
Will always be one of my favorite places to eat. With a large menu and great location it is perfect for summer breakfast or lunch.
Staff are friendly and helpful.
Great for both indoor and outdoor seating. Although sometimes their is no seats left. If you want to sit outside sit on the deck facing out to the harbor as the entrance way bridge moves to much when people walk on it. Nothing worse than feeling sea sick while eating!
Must trys:
Ladies breakfast
Smoothies
Potato skins (so good and cheesy! Not for the faint hearted)
The food was delicious here and wonderfully presented. We especially loved their seafood chowder. The staff were also really nice and it was very good value for money.
We hired Boat Cafe for a wedding reception. Very easy to deal with and very accommodating to our needs.
There was plenty of food, a good variety and it was very well presented. The service was excellent and the staff very polite and helpful.
Thank you
On a wet wellington day i walked in to The Boat Cafe to find smiling faces & a friendly warm welcome. So refreshing! I ordered a Mojo coffee and wasn't disappointed. This was the best coffee I have had in a long time. Perfect temperature and smooth flavor. The whole cafe was warm and inviting. The food presentation is amazing with a great selection snack food & meals. Loved the Seafood chowder. I would highly recommend this cafe & recommend you visit the next time you are in Oriental Parade.
Thank you very much. She won't forget this birthday.
More than a month ago, I saw deal offer. Already back then I was going to use for her birthday (today - Aug 22). We just got home and I'm writing this review.
She will never forget today. FoH two waitresses were welcoming, friendly and attentive. They made our dinning experience enjoyable.
To start with, the seafood chowder combination of basil & pesto was delightful. Steak of Surf & Turf was cooked perfectly. Seafood was cooked nicely and sauce was delicious.
It was great birthday dinning and yes, we will recommend to people. And we look forward to visit Boat Cafe again
I am a regular customer of the Boat Cafe, coming in at least once a week for my takeaway coffee and muffin. I just wanted to let all your lovely staff know what an amazing job they do. We are always greeted with a smile, the coffee is consistently good and the amazing selection of food is always divine. As an ex cafe owner myself, I appreciate the importance of quality staff. They are after all what holds the place together! Keep up the amazing work you guys, I am sure your employers appreciate your hard work and great attitudes!
Came here for birthday dinner with my partner. Great food and service! Wonderful view of Wellington. I had the steak and it was cooked perfectly. Great place for a special occasion. Will definitely be back :)
Rue
I have been coming to " parade cafe / boat cafe" for 20 years and feel so at home here. The staff are very friendly and helpful which makes coming here a pleasure. The food is very well presented and tastes great and coffee nice & strong. Decor and setting is also very unique & pleasing .
A great place to hang out!
Boat cafe is one of my favorite places in Wellington. The coffee is excellent, the staff are friendly and efficient, and the new menu has something for everyone. With the fires raging during winter, great harbour views, and free parking at the door, I find I gravitate here most days. It's also the place we like to bring visitors for dinner or lunch, especially now that the music is more chill than boogie... (other cafes really need to get this right!). Highly recommended.
Good value. Wednesday 2 for one is good value.
We love this cafe. Great food, the waiters are attentive and friendly. My favourite dish is the fish the blue cod was excellent! Husband loved his burger. And the lovely staff are always smiling! We have come here regularly for the past 7 months and have never been disappointed. Whenever we bring friends they are always impressed. We have converted a few people. Keep up the great work.
I went to The Boat Cafe for lunch yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the venison pie - Osso Bucco I think it was called. It was delicious. Had a rich, satisfying gravy and was just what I felt like to warm up on a windy Wellington day! Coffee was great and the staff were very friendly. I have been before and like that they have a separate gluten free menu with lots of choices instead of the token one or two dishes. Love looking at that view too. Will be back.
First time visitor to the Boat Cafe on Saturday night. There was a need from me to impress and that I did. I had an Angus fillet with lobster mornay sauce which was a symphony of taste. No portion would have been enough. My partner had the Venison Osso Buco which she thought was excellent. With a bottle of wine , great table position and view accompanied with prompt and happy service by the team made it a very memorable evening. Just booked for mothers day.
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I booked 3 friends and myself in for a Sunday brunch having been recommended by my partner. I then happened to read the reviews of previous visitors on here and other review sites and was a little concerned about what to expect.
I needn't have worried, we all had a great time. I pre-booked and we got a booth next to a window. Staff were friendly and helpful (although I agree with some comments on here that they appeared a little rushed at times - but come on people, this is a cafe not a yoga studio!). Food arrived in good time, portions were large for what you pay and all in all was really good. I had a gluten free eggs bennie which was nice, however I was a little flummoxed by the side of hash brown it was a little unconnected, my only bug bear. There was a good gluten free menu for those that way inclined.
Me and my friends stayed chatting and ordering more tea/coffees for a few hours and didn't at all feel rushed to vacate the table.
I'm a little suprised therefore to read some of the reviews on here. Perhaps the owners have been reading them too and are now getting their staff into shape. Dunno, but in my opinion I thought was a great, so would definitely recommend to all- families, older and younger.
My partner and I visited on a Saturday morning and struggled to get a table the place was so busy! The views and location of this cafe are amazing!
Service was OK, I suspect not enough staff for the amount of customers that day! Staff looked a bit stressed but were very friendly.
We had a lovely Iced Mocha and hot chocolate and sat looking at the views in the sun! Bliss. The cabinet food looked devine and we can't wait to go back for a meal!!
Went here for a quite dinner with my partner about 2 months ago using a coupon.
Service: Really really good, we had booked in advance and had a table ready for us in the front of the ship with dim lights/candles overlooking the city, the servers were very very friendly.. they could do with more heaters in the front part thou, we had to wear our jackets it was very very cold with all the glass!!
Food: Good again, partner had the duck and I had the lamb rump, both were cooked perfect and tasted great. We also had chocolate fondants for dessert and they were done 100% perfect and yummy! , the wine was also very very good.
I have heard from people that breakfast/lunch here is rather average/not very good (Maybe they have another service/chef team for earlier in the day) so I cant comment on those, however dinner was fantastic and would go back in a heartbeat.
Great place to go for lunch, with very good pricing and a good view :)
Good yummy food served on a nicely decked out boat.
Staff were fairly lax but i went there for lunch time snack and so that actually suited me fine that it felt pretty chilled out.
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First off, I'm on a boat! Gotta love that, you get one star just for that.
Myself and two friends were drawn in by the two for one special and a friends recommendation of the chicken curry.
The Waitresses took awhile to seat us and eventually we got an average table in the main foyer, next to the kitchen door.
We waited a fair amount of time while wait staff walked past us before I took initiative and rustled up some menu's.
Eventually we were seen to by the manager on duty whose service was top notch, however as there was only three of us, he declined to let us get two 2 for 1 meals. Which is probably fair enough but since I was shouting and I am somewhat of a greedy guts I was keen to get two meals. But OK still.
My friends got the chicken curry which looked good, was tasty but was not spicy enough for my liking although I love the chilli so that is no mark against it.
I ordered a steak, which was prefectly cooked (med-rare) and the mushroom sauce was mmmmmm yum, the potatoes were a little under cooked and under-seasoned but good meal overall.
Our shared jug of pilsener complemented the beef perfectly.
Was a bit expensive but it was a treat night out to celebrate my new job. Would probably go back again.
Again big ups to the duty manager whose service was impeccable
this was the first time eating in a proper restaurant in wellington and i was very impressed the site was great, eating on a boat was a new experience and the views were romantic and the food was to die for! the prices also were outstanding as was the service. we started off with a bread plate and when it was brought to us we were so surprised it was a huge loaf amount of bread it which was lovely and fresh, it also had not one but two types of bread, the dips were also great. after that we had our meals mine was the chicken penne pasta which was delicious and my partner had a Vietnamese beef which he found very moist and delicious. we couldn't stay for dessert as we had run out of time but i sure will be going back. the staff were friendly and funny and had a very at ease vibe about them. we have been raving about this place for weeks to all our friends and can't wait to go back again.
This is the same place just in a better location. Lots of options for veges like me, and now with the lovely view of the harbour they are onto a winning formula.
Staff are lovely and helpful and the service is quick even with the long line that often exists (testimony to the goodness being served).
Also a great place to hold a function.
Great atmosphere, staff has always been efficient with their service and their smiles! I have been to Parade Cafe more than a dozen times, and have always came back for their desserts! However, our last brunch there was a bit of a let down; toast was chewy, burger was just flooded with too much sauce, and portion of the other stuff were slightly smaller than usual. BUT, I will still go back to give them another try.
Went there for lunch; Great cafe food; Nice and relaxed, outdoor area and great location; Quick service.
Passionfruit smoothie was excellent;
Wonderful service, great menu, mean as coffee. Consistently one of Wellingtons top cafes.
Best corn fritters I have found in NZ.
Excellent place for breakfast.Good variety and tasty, well presented food. Extremely efficient service; it was very busy and our meals were delivered quickly. Lovely atmosphere with the choice of indoor/outdoor dining.
My family and I came here for my mum's birthday and we loved it! Really great food, especially Jaffa shake, it's incredible! Love the atmosphere, as soon as I came in, Country roads started playing, one of my favorite songs! Definitely coming here again! The staff were so friendly too!
Staff, make sure to look out for a gremlin with over the top/weird makeup, hope to see you again soon!
Spent a few days in Wellington, stayed across the road from the boat cafe so far to go for breakfast, I loved the idea of breakfast on a boat. The decor was a bit rustic with a real need to fix the windows but the pancakes were delicious, will come again
Lovely dinner here. Good prices. Friendly staff. Cool being on the boat! I was super hungry so didn't take any pics but the lamb burger was nice. My partner got the seafood chowder and the chicken burger he enjoyed them a lot.
Not sure why this place is rated so low, but we had a great experience. Good food, quick and friendly service, and some good options on the menu for drinks and food.
The grilled fish was nice, good to see two decent portions of fish were served, with mash, and the potato skins were decent as well.
Enjoyed it, a bit wet and rainy when we visited, but im sure a winner when the weather is nicer!
Nothing fancy just just good food and a neat atmosphere. We had lamb and fish burgers which were very nice, the portion of fries was a little small, but the burger was a little large, so it works. Staff was friendly and helpful even on a quiet Monday evening.
My lil sis and I popped in for brunch as we hadn't had breakfast. We both ordered starters of garlic bread and spring rolls and steak meals with salad. It was quite tasty.
Both enjoyed our meal and the friendly informative service.
We do admit that we may have started to feel a little full after the starters and our large milkshakes!
Always enjoy the friendly and helpful service alongside the delicious food served.
Until we meet again Thanks 😁😁👍👍
It’s a nice place which doesn’t get noisy as most of the places in the area.
Neat and had some good all day meal options.
👍
Great haloumi salad, chocolate chip biscuits and ham and cheese croissant. Great friendly staff, and tasty food.
My first visit to this place. It was very exciting. The food serves was great. Fish and Chips was on point. So were the other dishes . The lady serving us was very nice and friendly.
A beautiful location, a cozy place for lunch or dinner and excellent choice of craft beer, not to mention the chef's Fish and Chips.
The Boat Cafe was created to make us want to come back. It is a one of a kind
I was so impressed. We stumbled upon the Boat Cafe because our usual spot was closed and I'm pleasantly surprised. Great views, great friendly service and delicious fish and chips. Coming here again!
Great view of the harbour. Fast service. Generous portions and reasonable priced.
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