Arabica Cafe in Wellington

Unlike many of the other guests at Arabica in Grey St I had not just staggered out of an office building, lurched along the Quay and burst into this busy coffee cafe opposite the Intercontinental Hotel. No, I had strolled along with grace and presence past the Embassy of Mexico on Featherston Street in search of full strength espresso  wizardry when the sight, or was it the aroma, of Arabica stopped me in my tracks. Whilst I may not go so far as to suggest I was in mid-step when this occurred it would be fair to state I was in full possession of my high velocity feet at this point.....hence my ability to stop quickly and appraise the landscape, as urban as it was, and see past the mill &  throng of Wellington dominatrixes, gigilos, public servants carrying magnums of champagne, Courier drivers wearing Speedos and middle-aged church ministers with wet comb-overs. Bizarre you might think but we live in unusual times....

Everything is so concentrated in Wellington! In the space of a hundred metres you can see it all and, fortunately, there must be more cafes and restaurants per square kilometre than anywhere else in this outstanding country. What this means is that you are never far from the sustenance needed to get you from one meeting to the next, never far from a decent cut of steak, a chilled SB or, God Be Praised, a room temp Cab Sauv from.......well, you're all so wine savvy you'll know......

Anyway, back to Arabica. Great little bolthole in the heart of the city that has a loyal following. The brightly lit food cabinet batted its soulful, sensual  eyes at me as soon as I walked up to the counter, the chocolate caramel slice showing more than enough of itself in public! What was a man to do? Succumb of course  -  don't we always when confronted by the pleasures of the flesh?

Espresso, choc caramel slice, an ounce of conversation, a pound of observation and a tonne of satisfaction.

Sums it up really. If you're in Wellington and are prepared to make your way through the gauntlet of Pollies, pimps, prostitutes and priests then go for it. Enjoy coffee, cake and conviviality at Arabica.