Ordered the Spicy Chicken Cartilage with Salt and Pepper, Braised Beef Casserole, Cucumber with Garlic, Combination Fried Rice & Chicken & Corn Soup.
No disappointments at all.
The Beef was AMAZING!! So tasty, so tender. Chicken Cartilage could’ve done with a bit more chilli, but it was still really good.
Will definitely go back when we’re back in Wellington!!
I have now been to Jeff Cafe twice over the last couple of weeks and on both occasions the food was delicious.
The entrance and restaurant look is very unassuming and on both occasions it was quiet inside - it gave no clue that the food would be so good.
On the second occasion we had king prawn with special sauce, kun-po chicken and plain rice. We have had the prawns on both occasions as they are so good - they are coated in a sweet sticky spicy sauce. A little pricey but you do get a few. They are messy to eat but they are good. The kun-po chicken also was very good - a spicy sauce - could have done with more peanuts in the dish would be my only criticism.
Jeff Cafe is close to where I now work so am picking I will become a regular customer. This place is a real find.
A nice little tidy chinese place hidden in ground floor of one of the Oxygen apartment on The Terrace. It is so easy to miss out this restaurant. I had dinner with my friend and we ordered 4 dishes as per the photos and the bill was around $55. Excellent food and service. I would highly recommend this place due to the food.
Another hidden gem. It's on the Terrace and next to Oxygen apartments. If you didn't see the sign or menu outside, it's easy to miss (in fact, the humble restaurant is located in the lobby/foyer space of an apartment). But my rule of eating Chinese is it doesn't matter what the restaurant looks like or the quality if the service (though service here is great) - it comes down to how authentic the food is.
You can pay a lot for a meal at some of the bigger Chinese restaurants in town, usually catered to Western customers so it loses it's authentic flavour. Jeff Cafe stays absolutely true and loyal to it's Chinese roots, serving dishes that may be a bit stranger or daring to try, but the flavours and ingredients remind me of China (having taught English there). The food is on the greasy side - but it's superb and very affordable (most mains are $13 - $16).
Try the cumin lamb, spicy pork ribs, the beef brisket clay pot, and satay beef.
The times when I am here to eat, service is good.
They are polite and quick with the food.
Their mains are delicious and well presented, my favourite would be the egg foo yong.
I just have a little problem with snacks - the buns.
The ones I had didn't taste very good (I tried them twice).
They were like those frozen ones from the supermarket, dry if not steamed properly.
Best food in Wellington and by far the best value for money. Yes its Chinese but the Beef Brisket is an international winner.
Try the Sizzling Ginger Chicken or the Deep Fried Sea Salt Squid if you want great memories of good food.
Go as a group of 4 to 8 good friends, share your dishes and experience a banquet.
Its at the top of the Terrace and looks like a lobby but Jeff will look after you and you will experience great food simply served.
Have eaten at Jeffs on a couple of occasions and found the food is authentic Chinese. If you like Beef Brisket with Loh Bak try it. It is possible the most authentic Chinese style of cooking you will find in Wellington for this particular dish. Jeff's northern China spicy dishes are also very good. Parking after 5pm is usually good and the atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxing and Jeff is very welcoming and friendly
Great fresh food, inexpensive, superb black beans, ribs are fabulous, great way to construct a meal for two with the various dishes, lovely china tea, we eat here a lot on meal breaks in the evening and there's usually parking after hours. Great service, uncomplicated, maybe could use a liquor licence but that doesn't really matter. Many people use it for work meal breaks which is a sure sign of service, speed and value for money. The chefs are the real article.
It's in a weird location, but the food was very tasty and the space inside is much larger and pleasant than it appears from the outside. I'll be returning to try the multitude of dishes. I didn't notice whether Jeff sold carbonated drinks or not. Maybe that's a good thing.
Have eaten in at Jeffs mutliple times, food is always fresh and tates awesome. Probably the best Chinese i've eaten in Wellington
Jeff is also extremely friendly and polite, makes the atmopshere great..
Going there for lunch again today!
This is our regular for work lunches and the food is sublime. The price is extremely reasonable and we usually share dishes on the table to get a taste of all the great dishes.
Can't recommend this enough!
At first glance Jeff Café looks like a restaurant in an apartment block lobby; at second glance, this first observation turns out to be true. Don’t let the lobby decor or Asians peasant frequenters put you off as the quality of food and service is extraordinary.
I have danced my way around the entire menu, even the pork fried rice, with all being bursts of the orient at the finest.
The owner, Jeff, greets all customers with a friendly smile and a pleasant hello. Jeff speaks in a mild mannered tone which is soothing to the ears and sole. If eating in, Jeff always direct you to the finest available set and make you comfortable by providing water and clean cutlery. Jeff does encourage the whiter of his patrons to some standard dishes, such as chicken fried rice; however, after insisting that you can handle spicy foods, Jeff will wink and accept you as a fellow friend.
This has to be the top Asian restaurant on the Terrace, and possibly the lower North Island.
Nice bold Szechuan style Chinese food. The price is very cheap and the portion sizes large. Approx $8 - $15 for meals, most either $10 or $12.
I have had a few dishes there now. I have loved them all but the orange beef. Found this a little greasy and flavourless.
Loved the coriander pork, the dumplings and the hot and spicy soup. Wasn't such a huge fan of the Kung Pao chicken.
A lot of native Chinese people eat here. If you are white the owner will often suggest that you will not like a particular dish and try and talk you out of anything but orange beef and lemon chicken! But I have found that exploring the more varied things on the menu has been very rewarding.
We haven't dined in, but we've had takeaway there a few times now...
Great food - good portion sizes, plenty and variety of veges, decent meat, yummy flavours.
Good fast service. Totally recommended.
Glad we found this cafe just next to our hotel (James Cook Grand Chancellor). Their dishes are so amazing and yummy. Prices are so reasonable. Highly recommended 👍
It was great food and great service. I would highly recommend. I had the sweet and sour nuggets and the sauce was perfectly balanced and Soo delicious
Winnie Felicia Gunawan
+5
One of the best Chinese restaurants here in Welly! All the food taste really good and feel like home. Reasonable price and decent portion. Quick service. Very clean. Really recommended this place
I discovered Jeff's Cafe yesterday and have eaten there twice since. The menu is varied, authentically Chinese, well priced and positively delicious. The chef is a true master and clearly devoted to his craft. 10/10
This is a hidden gem. Although the setting isn’t great, and it’s small, the food was fantastic at a really good price. We overwhelmed them with a surprise 16 person table, but they were very friendly and the food was great!
Beautiful food, lovely service, close to James Cook hotel :)
Having dined here for several years, I was pleasantly surprised they hadn't changed on a recent visit. Consistantly great food and very reasonably priced. An absolute hidden gem.
Good food and value for money. A terrific place to eat.
Excellent location, delicious deep fried squid
Absolutely delicious. Best sweet and sour pork I have eaten in years. Just like I like it. And prices very reasonable too for large servings. Thoroughly enjoyed.
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