Twenty Eight is an independent eatery on Cornwall Street in central Lower Hutt, serving coffee, breakfast, lunch and snacks from a team that describes itself as being 'in the business of people'. Its stated mission is to give every customer a day-changing experience, delivered through interesting cabinet food, a thoughtfully crafted brunch and lunch menu and a solid coffee programme — all proudly contributing to Aotearoa's iconic cafe culture.
The kitchen is led by owner Joshua Ross, whose career spans Logan Brown in Wellington, Le Cordon Bleu, and the role of Head Chef at Bellamys, the iconic restaurant of New Zealand's Parliament, where he earned and retained one hat. A two-time San Pellegrino Young Chef semi-finalist who represented New Zealand and placed third in the world at the Jeunes Chefs Rotisseurs competition in Mexico City, Josh was also named Young Business Person of the Year 2022 by the Lower Hutt Chamber of Commerce and was the inaugural recipient of the Visa Hospitality Scholarship, cooking at Saint Peter in Sydney and three-Michelin-star Moor Hall in the UK. That fine-dining pedigree now lands in a relaxed cafe setting.
The menu runs from all-day favourites like Eggs Benedict, Smashed Avocado with hazelnut dukkah and a fire-roasted shakshuka, to a before-11am Big Breakfast and after-11am plates such as the house cheese burger and slow-roasted lamb shoulder flatbread. Coffee is the Hodsen blend from Ozone Coffee Roasters, combining beans from Colombia, Nicaragua and Ethiopia. Products are sourced ethically with a focus on sustainability and quality, the menu is clearly marked for vegetarian, vegan-friendly, dairy-free and gluten-friendly diets, and bookings, online ordering and gift vouchers are all available through the website.
On Cornwall Street in the middle of Hutt Central, Twenty Eight has set out to do something deceptively simple: give Lower Hutt a cafe worth planning a day around. The team call themselves an independent eatery that is 'in the business of people', and their stated mission is to send every customer back out the door with what they describe as a day-changing experience. It is a bold promise for a breakfast venue, but there is real kitchen pedigree behind it.
Twenty Eight is the project of owner Joshua Ross, and his CV reads like a tour of New Zealand's top kitchens. Josh began his career at the esteemed Logan Brown Restaurant while studying at the Le Cordon Bleu campus in Wellington. In 2018 he stepped up as Head Chef at Bellamys, the iconic restaurant of New Zealand's Parliament, where he earned and retained one hat during his tenure.
The accolades kept coming. Josh has twice been a semi-finalist in the San Pellegrino Young Chef Competition, represented New Zealand and placed third in the world at the Jeunes Chefs Rotisseurs competition in Mexico City, and was named Young Business Person of the Year in 2022 by the Lower Hutt Chamber of Commerce. He was also the inaugural recipient of the Visa Hospitality Scholarship, which took him overseas to cook at Saint Peter in Sydney and at Moor Hall in the United Kingdom, a three-Michelin-star restaurant. All of that experience now lands on a sourdough slice in the Hutt, with a stated vision to build a high-standard cafe that values its team, its customers and the quality of what it serves.
The menu splits neatly into three acts. The All Day list covers the brunch greatest hits, each with a twist: Eggs Benedict with streaky bacon or mushrooms, spinach and lemon hollandaise; Smashed Avocado lifted with hazelnut dukkah, rocket, pickled red onion, sriracha and yuzu olive oil; and a Fire-Roasted Capsicum & Tomato Shakshuka with poached eggs, feta and focaccia for mopping.
Two plates have quietly become signatures. The Masala Hash Potatoes pile spiced hash with greek yoghurt, lime pickle, fried eggs, pickled onion and tamarind & mint chutney — a dish that looks as good as it eats. The Banana Buttermilk Pancake, crowned with cinnamon salted caramel, pecans and whipped mascarpone, is the sweet order regulars circle.
Timing matters for the rest. Before 11:00am only, there is the Big Breakfast: Pestell's streaky bacon, venison sausage, hash brown, halloumi, mushrooms, spinach, eggs and sourdough. After 11:00am the kitchen pivots to lunch, including the Smashed Beef Patty Cheese Burger with the house Twenty Eight Burger Sauce, and a Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Flatbread with smoked eggplant puree, harissa, cos salad and cumin yogurt. Vegetarians are well looked after too — the Garlic & Thyme Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with feta whip and beetroot relish is a proper main, not an afterthought. Alongside the printed menu, the cabinet offers what the team describe as interesting rotating snacks, with everything sourced ethically and a menu that changes with the seasons.
The house coffee is the Hodsen blend from Ozone Coffee Roasters, combining beans from Colombia, Nicaragua and Ethiopia — a roaster chosen for its drive to lead enduring change in how coffee is valued, grown, produced and enjoyed. Pair a cup with chunky fries and aioli if your brunch leans savoury.
Behind the bench, the team works to their C-U-P-S values: collective respect, a unique experience delivering unsurpassed quality, being proud as punch, and a superb, synchronised team. In practice, that is what Twenty Eight says it wants to be known for — consistency, quality and great service in a welcoming atmosphere.
Twenty Eight opens Monday to Friday from 7:00am and Saturdays from 8:00am, serving through until 3:00pm. You can book online, order ahead for pickup through their ordering site, or pick up a gift voucher for the brunch lover in your life. Hours can differ on public holidays — the cafe posted special Matariki Friday hours of 8:30am to 2:00pm — so check the website banner or Instagram before a long-weekend mission. Whether you are after a pre-work flat white or a leisurely shakshuka, this Cornwall Street corner aims to make your day.