Wellington has added yet another seaside café to its extensive lineup, thanks to the good folk who brought the city the famous Maranui Surf Lifesaving Café. Across the harbour and overlooking the city is Seashore Cabaret, a café housed in the Petone Rowing Club and that most definitely takes out the title for best view of the city. The café’s name comes from the space’s history – it once was a dance hall.

Much like its Maranui sibling, Seashore Cabaret is a cacophony of colour and sound and energy. The café is decked out with colourful tiled walls, vintage-style signage, industrial style lighting and booths that have been painted to look like rugged seaside bach walls. But best of all, the space is packed out with old school pinball machines. As if the harbour and city views weren’t enough…

The café space also plays host to coffee roaster Good Fortune Coffee Co. Ltd, and unsurprisingly it’s that coffee that’s on offer. The on-site roasting adds to the constant hum of activity that there is at this Cabaret.

On the food front, there’s a solid breakfast menu that caters well to vegetarians and vegans, an impressive line up of fresh cabinet food (the salads are superb) and come lunch time there’s a choice between a line up of classic old school hot dogs or lighter options such as burgers, butties and quesadillas. The café opens late into the evening on Fridays and Saturdays and has firmly cemented itself as the favourite spot for beers and shared plates this side of the city. There’s also a lineup of homemade sodas and ice cream sundae treats.

A café that certainly doesn’t do anything by halves, Seashore Cabaret is good fun and high octane. It’s constantly teeming with people, so do expect to wait for a table – though the staff are attentive and good at keeping things moving. Rumour has it that cabaret nights are soon to begin too, making this place all the more merrier. We’re picking it now – Seashore Cabaret will be a Wellington institution.