Where is The Library located?

Upstairs, 53 Courtenay Place, Wellington.

Does The Library have live music?

Yes, every Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?

Yes, many dishes are marked gf, df, v, vv or nf, with some options available on request.

Is there a dessert special?

Yes, all desserts are 2-for-1 every Tuesday.

Does The Library do catering and functions?

Yes, with a dedicated catering menu (minimum order of 20 units per item) and a functions offering for private events.

How do I make a booking?

Bookings can be made via the website, or by phone or email.

The Library

bar — Te Aro · Wellington

About The Library

The Library is a cocktail bar and lounge located upstairs at 53 Courtenay Place in Wellington, known for an extensive, inventive cocktail list alongside small plates, cheeseboards and desserts. Open every evening from 5pm until late, the bar has built a loyal following over many years, with at least one house cocktail having held a spot on the menu for 18 years.

The drinks list ranges from house favourites and non-alcoholic cocktails to a 'Luxury Cocktails' section featuring more avant-garde creations, backed by a deep selection of champagne, wine, whisky (including a showcase of up-and-coming New Zealand distilleries), gin, and beer and cider. The food menu covers small plates and snacks, a cheese selection, and desserts, all clearly marked for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan and nut-free options where available.

Beyond the everyday bar experience, The Library hosts live music every Thursday, Friday and Sunday, runs a 2-for-1 dessert special every Tuesday, and offers functions and a dedicated catering menu of canapés, platters and sweets for private events, alongside gift vouchers and a mailing list membership.

The Library: Wellington's Late-Night Cocktail Bar on Courtenay Place

Tucked upstairs at 53 Courtenay Place, The Library has become a fixture of Wellington's late-night scene, open every day from 5pm until late. With one house cocktail having held its spot on the menu for a full 18 years, the bar has clearly built something customers keep coming back for.

An Ever-Evolving Cocktail List

The drinks menu is where The Library really shows its personality, split between House Favourites, more avant-garde Luxury Cocktails, dessert-inspired creations, and a dedicated Non-Alcoholic Cocktails list for those wanting all the flavour without the alcohol. Playful, pop-culture-referencing names run throughout the menu, from The Old Testament and Old Tom Bombadill Martini to Smaug & Mirror-mars, each paired with genuinely inventive ingredient combinations spanning gingernut whisky, olive oil, feijoa, and Manuka-smoked spirits. Regulars are also invited to ask one of the bar's 'Librarians' about past creations no longer on the printed list.

Small Plates, Cheese and Dessert

Alongside the drinks, The Library serves a compact food menu built around shareable small plates and snacks, including Kaarage Chicken, Fish Goujons and a Spiced Hummus with char-grilled sourdough. A dedicated cheese section lets guests build their own board from Delice de Bourgogne, Comte and Saint Agur, each paired with a suggested drink. Desserts run from a Spiced Orange Créme Brûlée to Churros and a Rocky Road, and every Tuesday the full dessert menu is available on a 2-for-1 basis.

A Serious Drinks List Beyond Cocktails

Beyond its cocktail menu, The Library carries a substantial wine and champagne list, including fine and rare wines from Marlborough, Rioja and the Northern Rhône, plus dessert wines and ports for after dinner. Spirit lovers are well catered for too, with a showcase of up-and-coming New Zealand whiskey distilleries sitting alongside single malt Scotch and international blended whiskeys, a broad seasonal gin selection, and a solid beer and cider list featuring Wellington favourites like Parrotdog and Fortune Favours.

More Than Just a Bar

The Library also functions as an events venue, with a functions offering and a dedicated catering menu covering canapés, breads and dips, platters, and sweet cakes and tarts, all designed for private events (with a minimum order of 20 units per catering item). Live music plays every Thursday, Friday and Sunday, adding another reason to book a table beyond the drinks and food alone. Gift vouchers and a mailing list membership are also available for regulars who want to stay connected to what's new on the menu.

Visiting The Library

The Library is open seven days a week from 5pm until late, located upstairs at 53 Courtenay Place in central Wellington. Bookings can be made directly through the website, and the bar can be reached by phone or email for functions, catering or general enquiries.

Signature items

The Last Golddigger
Smaug & Mirror-mars
Old Tom Bombadill Martini
Deluxe Cheeseboard
Library Signature Hot Chocolate
Kaarage Chicken

Fortune Favours 'Adventurer' Pilsner, Te Aro, ABV 5% — 428ml / 285ml
Fortune Favours 'the Wellingtonian' IPA, Te Aro, ABV 6%
Parrotdog 'Birdseye' Hazy IPA, Lyall Bay, Wellington, ABV 5.8% — 428ml / 285ml
Kereru 'Toasted Coconut' Porter, Wellington, ABV 4.5%
Guest Tap — Rotating favourite local brew
Croucher 'Low Rider' (low alcohol), Rotorua, ABV 2.5%
Peroni, Italy, ABV 5.1% — Bottle
Peroni 0%, Italy, ABV 0%
Fortune Favours Sunchaser Cider, blueberry, Te Aro, ABV 4.5%

Luxury Cocktails

Fire & Blood — Mezcal, blood orange, pomegranate, grapefruit liqueur, hellfire bitters, kings ginger saffron cordial
Falling Holy Water — Elderflower & tangelo liqueur, yellow chartreuse, feijoa, lemonade & dry sparkling wine
Malibu Barbie Princess — Housemade pineapple rum, chambord raspberry & coconut syrup, lemon & pineapple juice, bubbles
Old Tom Bombadill Martini — Southward Old Tom Gin, Goldberry Liqueur, splash of Brandywine River, fresh dill
The Old Testament — Rye whiskey, fig syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, benedictine, pedro ximenez sherry, egg white
Smaug & Mirror-mars — Ratu dark rum, del maguey mezcal vida, maple syrup, creme de cacao & bitters
Upper Hutt Lime Custard Tart — Golden rum, lime juice, vanilla brulee syrup, advocaat liqueur, elderflower meringue
To Rome with Love — Vanilla vodka, savoiardi syrup, Mr Black coffee liqueur, mascarpone & Italian meringue
Ginger Kiss — Whittakers dark Ghana infused vodka, ginger & maple syrup, soy milk, cinnamon sugar rim

Catering - Sweets

Mini Lemon Meringue Pie
Mini Chocolate Mousse Tart
Chocolate Truffles
'Fill Your Own' Warm Doughnuts — Chocolate fudge, peanut butter dulce de leche, or raspberry jam
Mini Creme Brulee Spoons
Chocolate Dipped Passionfruit Shortbread
Cake/Tart Platter (Small, 6-8 portions) — Chocolate apricot tart, Baileys cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake or fruit tart
Cake/Tart Platter (Medium, 10-12 portions) — Chocolate apricot tart, Baileys cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake or fruit tart
Cake/Tart Platter (Large, 14-16 portions) — Chocolate apricot tart, Baileys cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake or fruit tart

Catering - CanapéS

Mini Bruschetta — Cherry tomato, red onion, roasted capsicum, basil
Mini Quiche — Ham & cheese, or tomato & spinach
Pork Rillettes Crostini — Dijon mustard, cornichon
Ceviche — Lime marinated fresh fish, cucumber, chilli
Beef Carpaccio Spoons — Tabasco jelly, black olive, parmesan
Cauliflower Tempura — Curry mayonnaise
Prawn & Chorizo Skewers — Preserved lemon aioli
Panko Crumbed Fish Fingers — Jalapeno tartare sauce
Apple Glazed Smoked Salmon — Caper salsa, wasabi cream
Kransky Sausage Rolls — Spicy tomato ketchup
Salt Roasted Baby Beet — Fresh cheese, spiced walnut, balsamic glaze
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Pieces — Chipotle mayonnaise
Mini Brioche Toasted Sandwiches — Chorizo, mozzarella, truffle

After Dinner Spirits

Remy Martin XO Cognac — Voluptuous & juicy
Ron Santissima Trinidad, Cuba 15yr Rum — Raisins & oak
The Reid Single Malt Vodka — Served clean over ice
Fortaleza Reposado Tequila — Grilled lime & honeyed sage
Le Tribute Mezcal — Fruity, warm & smoky
Naughty Coffee — Black coffee, choice of spirit/liqueur & fresh cream

New Zealand Whiskeys

Scapegrace Fortitude, Southern Alps 46% — Manuka smoked single malt, smoked pears, liquorice, dried cranberries
Thompson Rye & Barley, Auckland 46% — 100% NZ grown malted rye & barley, American & French oak casks
Waitui, Golden Bay 40% — Honey malt whiskey aged in Manuka Honey Mead barrels
Cardrona Full Flight, Cardrona 62.5% — Cask strength, dark fruits, treacle, toasted banana notes

Small Plates & Snacks

Salt, Sweet & Spicy Popcorn — Popcorn seasoned in house-made spices (vv/gf)
Chip & Dip — Tortilla chips with red pepper chipotle salsa (vv/gf*)
Parmesan Arancini — Tomato basil & chilli ketchup (v/gf/nf)
Kaarage Chicken — Sake & soy marinated chicken, crispy coating, honey soy chilli dip (nf/df)
Fish Goujons — Crispy crumbed fish with tartare sauce & lemon
Spiced Hummus — Pickled mushrooms, coriander chutney, char-grilled sourdough (v/vv/gf*/nf)
Triple Cooked Fries — Chilli herb seasoning, aioli, spiced ketchup (v/vv*/gf*/df)

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails

Blue Lady — Blueberry cordial, juniper & orange iced tea, lime & soda
Pre-Madonna — Elderflower cordial, lemon, spiced honey, elderflower foam & peach lemonade
She's Promiscuous — Pink grapefruit syrup, lime juice, mint & soda (virgin mojito)
No Golddigging Here — Watermelon & lemon, shaken with fresh cucumber
Figalicious — Spiced fig syrup, ginger, maple & cream
Library Signature Hot Chocolate — House spice blend, orange, vanilla & hibiscus; add a spirit shot for $9

Red Wine (Glass/Bottle)

Stoneweaver Pinot Noir, Marlborough, NZ — Red cherry, plum, vanilla & spice
Mt Edward Pinot Noir, Gibbston Valley, Central Otago, NZ — Dark berry, spice & dried herbs
Maravedi Tinto Tempranillo-Syrah, Uclés, ESP — Red fruit & blackberries, ground pepper
Frankland 'Rocky Gully' Cabernets, Frankland River, WA, AU — Plum, mulberries & tobacco leaf
Langmeil 'Hangin' Snakes' Shiraz, Barossa, AU — Raspberry compote, licorice, apricots, black tea

Champagne (Glass/Bottle)

Armand de Chambray Brut NV, Vin Mousseaux, FR — Glass / Bottle
Pierre Moncuit 'Grand Cru' Brut Rose NV, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, FR — Bottle only. Boysenberry & strawberry, mineral
Zonin 1821 Prosecco NV, Veneto, IT — Glass / Bottle
Collet Blanc de Blanc Premier Cru NV, Aÿ, FR — Bottle only. Lemon, candied orange peel, white pepper
Albert Lebrun Grd Cru Brut NV, Cote de Blancs, FR — Bottle only. Baked apple pie, orange rind, buttery finish
Drappier Carte d'Or Magnum 1.5L NV, Urville, FR — Bottle only. Stone fruit, quince jelly, spice
Bollinger 'Special Cuvée' Brut NV, Aÿ, FR — Glass / Bottle. Toasted caramel and honey, rich fruit

House Favourite Cocktails

Blueberry Hill Thrill — Orange infused vodka, blueberry switchel, bitters, lime & soda
The Secret Life of Bees — Gin, elderflower, spiced honey, lemon juice & egg white
Pink Wednesdays — Vanilla vodka, white chocolate liqueur, raspberry & oat milk
Bellina Gomez — Agave syrup, peach liqueur, orange bitters, lime & sparkling wine
Bobby Burns Smoko — Gingernut whisky, gumboot tea syrup, black walnut bitters & smoky gingernut
The Last Golddigger — Cucumber tequila, watermelon, lemon & soda - 18 years on the menu
There's No Place Like Home — Kiwifruit gin, lime & mint, lemonade, summer berry bitters, kiwifruit & kawakawa syrup
A Cautionary Note #2 — Pineapple rum, lemon juice, egg white, chocolate bitters & pink grapefruit syrup

White Wine (Glass/Bottle)

Wanaka Road Riesling, Central Otago, NZ — Dry, acidic, apple & pear
Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, NZ — Lemongrass, blackcurrant & ripe grapefruit
Opawa Pinot Gris, Marlborough, NZ — Nashi pear, lemon & white flowers
Pencarrow Chardonnay, Martinborough, NZ — Pineapple, mango, lemon tart & vanilla
Mt Beautiful Rosé, Canterbury, NZ — Fragrant wild strawberry & comice pear

Gin Selection (Glass/Bottle)

Champion, Golden Bay — Juniper style
Hendricks, Scotland — Juniper style
The Botanist, Scotland — Juniper style
Scapegrace Black, Southern Alps — Juniper style
Scapegrace, Southern Alps — Juniper style
Tanqueray 10, London — Juniper style
Reid & Reid Native, Martinborough — Juniper style
Roku, Japan — Herbaceous style
National Distillery Hemp Gin, Napier — Herbaceous style
Reid & Reid Zesty Lemon, Martinborough — Floral citrus style
Southward Wave, Te Aro — Other styles
The Source, Cardrona — Other styles
Hayman's Sloe, London — Other styles
Southward Tomboy, Te Aro — Other styles
National Distillery Adorn Rose, Napier — Other styles
Imagination Barrel Aged Syrah Gin, Kapiti — Seasonal selection
Imagination Plum & Blackberry Gin, Kapiti — Seasonal selection
Gracias a Dios Agave Gin, Oaxaca — Seasonal selection
Southward Blood Orange, Te Aro — Seasonal selection
Southward Coffee, Te Aro — Seasonal selection

Desserts (2-For-1 Every Tuesday)

Spiced Orange Créme Brûlée — Amaretto soaked figs and puff twist (v/gf*)
Baked Lemon Cheesecake — Lemon chello raspberry compote (v/gf/nf)
Mascarpone & Rhubarb Mille Feuille — Gin poached rhubarb & vanilla mascarpone (v/nf)
Churros — Tossed in cinnamon sugar with chocolate sauce (nf/vv)
Earl Grey Milk Chocolate Mousse — Orange creme fraiche and almond biscotti (v/nf*)
Eton Mess — Coconut cream, passion fruit curd, hazelnut crunch (vv/gf/nf*)
Rocky Road — Marshmallow, cherry & almond in dark chocolate, maraschino cranberry dip (vv/gf/df)

Fine & Rare Wines (Glass/Bottle)

Fromm 'Spätlese' Riesling '23, Marlborough, NZ — Sweet & crisp, granny smith apple, lemon sherbet, feijoa
The Wrekin Chardonnay '21, Marlborough, NZ — Peaches, fine French oak, red apple, citrus, quince
Bodegas Valdemar Conde Reserva '15, Rioja, SP — Black fruits, coffee, liquorice, full bodied
Guigal St Joseph Rouge Syrah '19, Northern Rhône, FR — Red berries, delicate oak, powerful, round tannins

After Dinner - Dessert Wine & Port

Château des Arroucats '17, Bordeaux (375ml) — Floral and lush, pairs with blue cheese
Saint Clair Noble Riesling '23, Marlborough, NZ (375ml) — Apricot, candied citrus & cocoa
Taylors Fine Ruby Port — Young, fruity & vibrant
Grant Burge 10yr Tawny — Rich, elegant & spiced

Catering - Breads, Dips & Platters

Warm Bread Selection — Lot 8 olive oil, butter
Romesco — Toasted baguette
White Bean Dip — Grilled flatbread
Selection of Cold Meats — Pickles & sourdough (gf*)
Cheeseboard — Artisan selection of cheeses & accompaniments (gf*)
Deluxe Cheeseboard — Larger version of the most popular cheeseboard (gf*)

Single Malt Scotch & International Whiskey

Talisker Port Ruighe, Skye
Ardnahmurchin A.D 04.22.02, Highland
Glenfiddich 12yr, Speyside
Bowmore 12yr, Islay
Bruichladdich - The Classic Laddie, Islay 50%
Laphroaig 10yr, Islay
Aberlour A'bunadh, Speyside
Benriach Batch 2 Peated, Speyside
Glenrothes Makers Cut, Speyside
The Chita, Japan
Hibiki Harmony, Japan
Jameson, County Cork
Jameson Black Label, County Cork

Frequently asked questions

What are The Library's opening hours?: Open every day from 5pm until late.
Where is The Library located?: Upstairs, 53 Courtenay Place, Wellington.
Does The Library have live music?: Yes, every Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?: Yes, many dishes are marked gf, df, v, vv or nf, with some options available on request.
Is there a dessert special?: Yes, all desserts are 2-for-1 every Tuesday.
Does The Library do catering and functions?: Yes, with a dedicated catering menu (minimum order of 20 units per item) and a functions offering for private events.
How do I make a booking?: Bookings can be made via the website, or by phone or email.

Tips

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{"body":"Live music plays every Thursday, Friday and Sunday.","title":"Catch the live music"}
{"body":"Librarians can recreate past menu creations not currently listed.","title":"Ask about past cocktails"}
{"body":"Catering orders require a minimum of 20 units per item.","title":"Plan ahead for catering"}

Good to know

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