Egmont Street Eatery

Serving all three courses, in the sleekest of fit-outs by Foundation Architects and Cassels Design, the Egmont Street Eatery is the product of two years' graft from owner Simon Pepping, who's pulled it together all while running a successful catering business.

Bearing a chef's knife set against sharpening steel, a simple wooden sign is all you’ll see from the street. The build itself is almost subterranean. Light streams in through windows that run the full length of the premises and the tables set along them sit slightly below street level, offering a novel perspective on foot traffic. Lush terrariums offset the monochrome of dark wooden tables and pressed white tiles, which are easy on the eyes all the same.

Head chef Rob Essenburg brings a philosophy of ‘fresh, simple, and seasonal’ when it comes to the eats on offer with his Italian roots playing a big part in the tasty meals. Expect cool classics with tasty twists – Parker House rolls with chicken fat butter, dirty rice with braised paua and shiitake and house-made stracciatella with artichoke, oregano and sourdough.

Leeds Street may be leading Wellington's hidden heritage revival, but brick-lined Egmont might be in line to carve a niche for itself, if this elegant eatery is anything to go by.