Belén

When Mica and Chris first set eyes on the burgeoning vegan scene in Wellington, they didn’t just want to be a part of it - they wanted to pioneer it. Enter Belén. 

After testing the waters with a stall at the Newtown farmers market, their little bakery tucked away in Masons Lane, just off Lambton Quay, is the culmination of years of hard work. Next time you’re heading up the stairs towards the Terrace, pause, take a right, and check out the homely atmosphere Mica and Chris have cultivated at Belén. With bright splashes of teal set against neutral, wooden tones, and the bakery’s glorious creations proudly displayed across the counter, you’ll be tempted to linger awhile.

Mica and Chris started Belén with a simple vision: to prove there are no limits to what can be created with plants. The strategy they’re executing to get there is equally no-nonsense, taking everyone’s traditional baked favourites and finding the best plant-based alternatives to completely reinvent them.

And with a formidable line-up across the sweet and savoury spectrum, Belén offers everything from afternoon pick-me-ups to hearty lunches. Wellington's donut game is growing stronger and stronger, and Belén’s range is certainly competitive - the raspberry and vanilla creme brûlée donut is unsurprisingly popular. Mica and Chris’s creativity also shines through in the savoury options, with their vegan “ham and cheese” croissant consistently turning heads. And when it comes to the hot selection, there are few who would turn down their famous mac and cheese pie.

Slotting seamlessly into the capital’s vegan community, Belén was intent on blazing trails from the outset, and has rightfully staked a claim as a popular Lambton Quay spot.