Cafeography
Wellington · Kelburn & Aro Valley

Cafés in Kelburn & Aro Valley

The cable car top, the Botanic Garden, Victoria University's campus cafés and Aro Street.

Photo: Mitchell Henderson, Pexels License

Kelburn was laid out in 1896, after the Upland Estate Company bought farmland from William Moxham, and named after Viscount Kelburn, son of the governor of the day.1 The cable car has climbed 120 meters to it from Lambton Quay since 22 February 1902, stopping at Salamanca for Victoria University, whose main campus is here.21

Aro Valley, just south, was first built up around 1860 as a working-class suburb and has the largest collection of unaltered working-class homes in Wellington.3 It is a student neighborhood: in 2023, 49.5% of residents were aged 15 to 29.3 Cafés here split between the campus on Kelburn Parade, Upland Road's village shops and Aro Street.

Local tip: Ride the cable car up and walk down through the Botanic Garden; the bottom of the garden is only a few minutes on foot from Parliament and the Thorndon cafés.9

At a glance

13Cafés listed
4With opening hours
07:30Earliest opening
17:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Aro Cafe, from 07:30 (Tue–Fri 07:30–16:00 · Sat–Sun 08:00–16:00).
  • Closes latest: Rātā, until 17:00 (Mon–Fri 09:00–16:30 · Sat–Sun 09:00–17:00).
  • Most listed streets: Kelburn Parade (3), Upland Road (2).
  • Most common features: outdoor seating (23%), indoor seating (23%), vegetarian options (15%).

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Coffee chains in Kelburn & Aro Valley

Riding the cable car

Cars run every 10 minutes, 07:30–20:00 from Monday to Thursday, until 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and 08:30–19:00 on Sundays; the line closes only on Christmas Day.4 In 2026 a one-way adult fare was NZ$7, a return NZ$13 and a child's one-way NZ$3.50.5

The ride takes about five minutes, at up to 18 km/h on a gradient of almost 18%.2 At the top, the Cable Car Museum in the original winding house is free, and Space Place, with its planetarium and the historic Thomas Cooke telescope, is a two- to three-minute walk away.6

The Botanic Garden

The Wellington Botanic Garden dates from 1868 and covers 25 hectares of native forest, collections and lawns.7 The Lady Norwood Rose Garden has 110 beds that flower from November to April, and the Begonia House, opened in 1960, was kept after a council vote in May 2025.7

A tea kiosk opened at the top of the cable car in 1904.7 Today Cable Top Eatery stands next to the terminal, with indoor and outdoor tables and vegan dishes.6 The walk down to Bolton Street Cemetery takes about 40 minutes, and Botanic Garden Café is at 11 Glenmore Street.6

Kelburn Village and the campus

Kelburn Village on Upland Road has cafés, restaurants, a pub and shops, a 10- to 15-minute walk from the cable car terminal.14 Kelburn Cafe is at 87 Upland Road and Kind Wish, with outdoor tables, at 86a; Volco Kelburn at 90 bakes sourdough, milk buns and baguettes and fires flatbread pizzas in an Italian oven.8

On Kelburn Parade, The Lab opens 07:30–16:30 on weekdays and has Wi-Fi, Swimsuit Coffee opens 07:30–15:00 and Milk and Honey at number 21 opens 08:00–14:00. All three close at weekends. Rātā at 53 Waiapu Road, by contrast, opens every day, until 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Aro Street

Aro Street runs the length of the valley, from Willis Street to Raroa Road, and many of its shopfronts are heritage-listed.3 Aro Cafe at number 90 opens from 07:30 Tuesday to Friday and 08:00 at weekends, with outdoor tables and vegan dishes. Arobake, at 83 Aro Street, has baked since 1989, has Swiss roots and supplies cafés across the region.8

Sources

  1. Kelburn, New Zealand, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  2. Wellington Cable Car, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  3. Aro Valley, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  4. Wellington Cable Car, Wellington Cable Car, accessed October 2026
  5. Timetable and fares, Wellington Cable Car, accessed October 2026
  6. Things to do, Wellington Cable Car, accessed October 2026
  7. Wellington Botanic Garden, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  8. Wellington bakeries, WellingtonNZ, accessed October 2026
  9. Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekākā, WellingtonNZ, accessed October 2026
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In Kelburn & Aro Valley, also browse: Outdoor seating Vegetarian options Wi-Fi

FAQ

Kelburn & Aro Valley cafés: questions

How much is the Wellington Cable Car to Kelburn?

In 2026 a one-way adult ticket on the Wellington Cable Car cost NZ$7 and a return NZ$13; a child paid NZ$3.50 one way. Cars leave every 10 minutes from Cable Car Lane off Lambton Quay and climb 120 meters to Kelburn in about five minutes. The line runs every day except Christmas Day.

Is there a café at the top of the Wellington Cable Car in Kelburn?

Yes. Cable Top Eatery stands next to the Kelburn terminal, with indoor and outdoor tables and vegan dishes; a tea kiosk first opened at the top of the cable car in 1904. The free Cable Car Museum is beside it, and Kelburn Village's cafés on Upland Road are a 10- to 15-minute walk away.

Which cafés are near Victoria University's Kelburn campus in Wellington?

On Kelburn Parade, The Lab opens 07:30–16:30 on weekdays and has Wi-Fi, Swimsuit Coffee opens 07:30–15:00 and Milk and Honey 08:00–14:00; all three close at weekends. Kelburn Cafe and Kind Wish are on Upland Road, and Rātā on Waiapu Road opens every day.

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