The Ram

About The Ram

The Ram is a walk-in bar and restaurant on Cuba Street in the heart of Te Aro, Wellington, built around a simple promise: good food, good drinks, good times. There are no bookings of any size — you simply turn up, find a seat and settle in, whether that's for after-work snacks and cocktails or a long dinner that runs until late.

The kitchen covers serious ground. Snacks run from warm olives, fresh-baked focaccia with house cultured butter, and oysters with raspberry mignonette or bloody mary vinaigrette, through to kingfish crudo, sticky glazed lamb ribs and ham hock croquettes. Mains step up with green-lipped mussels in housemade nduja butter, baked rigatoni alla vodka, a cheeseburger with the house RAM sauce, market fish, chicken schnitzel, a 300g grilled pork chop and a 250g Conscious Valley ribeye with your choice of cafe de paris, peppercorn or chimichurri. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are clearly marked, with many dishes adaptable on request.

Drinks are where The Ram really shows off. The wine list spans New Zealand, Italy, France, Australia, Spain, Germany, Georgia, Armenia, South Africa and Chile — from Prosecco and Premier Cru Champagne to pét-nat, orange wine, Beaujolais and dessert pours. Two pours even come off tap: Black Estate's 'Treble' rosé and a chilled Bryterlater pinot noir, both available by the glass, half carafe or carafe. There's a proper cocktail list (including an on-tap Negroni), a deep craft beer fridge featuring Garage Project, Parrotdog, Boneface and Guinness, plus a thoughtful alcohol-free line-up.

Open Wednesday to Thursday from 3:30pm and Friday to Sunday from midday, both until late, The Ram fits everything from a late-week lunch to a weekend session. Full venue hire and other non-booking enquiries can be made via the website contact form.

The Ram, Wellington: Cuba Street's Walk-In Bar for Good Food, Wine & Late Nights

On one of Wellington's most loved strips, The Ram keeps its promise simple: good food, good drinks, good times. You'll find it at 103 Cuba Street in Te Aro, where it runs as a walk-in only venue — no bookings of any size — so the whole experience is refreshingly spontaneous. Turn up, take a seat, and let the kitchen and bar take it from there. Doors open Wednesday to Thursday from 3:30pm and Friday through Sunday from midday, staying open late every night.

That no-bookings format suits the neighbourhood perfectly. Cuba Street hums with foot traffic, and The Ram is the kind of place where an after-work drink can easily become dinner, and dinner can easily become a nightcap. It's built for both — a proper restaurant kitchen behind the bar, and a drinks list that rewards staying a while.

The food: from oysters to ribeye

The menu travels from light bites to serious plates. At the start there are warm olives, fresh-baked focaccia with house cultured butter, and half a dozen oysters with a choice of natural, raspberry mignonette or bloody mary vinaigrette. Kingfish crudo with kiwifruit, togarashi and olive oil crème fraîche shows the kitchen's finer touch, while salt 'n vinegar fried oyster mushroom and sticky glazed lamb ribs with hazelnut dukkah cover the craveable end.

Mains are generously scoped. Green-lipped mussels arrive in housemade nduja butter with confit cherry tomatoes and focaccia for mopping. There's baked rigatoni alla vodka under stracciatella, a cauliflower steak with smoked tahini yoghurt and chilli crisp, chicken schnitzel with lemon and caper brown butter, and a daily market fish with kawakawa gremolata. The cheeseburger — beef, brisket and bacon patty, American cheddar and the house RAM sauce — is the crowd-pleaser, upgradeable to a double. At the top end sit a 250g Conscious Valley ribeye with your choice of cafe de paris, peppercorn or chimichurri, and a 300g grilled pork chop with black garlic soy glaze and bourbon Dijon cream. Dietary needs are well handled too: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free dishes are marked, and many can be adapted on request.

The drinks: a wine list with range

The wine list is a genuine drawcard, running from Marlborough sauvignon blanc and Hawkes Bay chardonnay to Chablis, Assyrtiko, Beaujolais, Georgian amber wine and Armenian whites, with Premier Cru Champagne at the top. Standouts include two wines on tap — Black Estate's 'Treble' rosé and Bryterlater's chilled pinot noir 'Ernie', both poured by the glass, half carafe or carafe — plus organic lambrusco, Provence rosé and a rotating Fruit Cru cider. Dessert pours like Noble One botrytis semillon round it out.

Cocktails hold their own: an on-tap Negroni, a Smoked Paloma with mezcal and tequila, a sesame cucumber sour, and a properly loaded Bloody Mary (or Maria). Beer lovers get Garage Project, Parrotdog, Boneface and Guinness alongside a considered alcohol-free list, including seedlip-based AF cocktails and Heaps Normal XPA.

Plan your visit

Because it's walk-in only, timing matters — early evening on Fridays and weekends is the smart play if you want a table without a wait. A couple of practical notes: there's a 2% surcharge on paywave and credit payments and a 15% surcharge on public holidays. If you're after full venue hire or have a non-booking enquiry, The Ram takes those through the contact form on its website.

Whether it's a late-week snack and a glass of tap rosé or a full run from crudo to tiramisu, The Ram delivers exactly what its sign says — and on Cuba Street, that's a very good thing indeed.

Signature items

• The RAM cheeseburger
• Green-lipped mussels
• Kingfish crudo
• Sticky glazed lamb ribs
• 250g Conscious Valley ribeye
• On-tap Negroni

Menu

Beer

• Garage Project 'Swifty' (on tap) — Wellington NZ draft, 4.2%.
• Sawmill Hazy Pale Ale (on tap) — Matakana hazy pale ale, 5.0%.
• Brave Brewing 'Tigermilk' IPA (on tap) — Hastings IPA, 6.6%.
• VB — Classic Australian lager, 4.9%.
• Parrotdog 'Greyhound' — Wellington low carb hazy, 4.3%.
• Altitude Brewing 'Zen Shiro Sake' pilsner — Queenstown rice pilsner, 4.9%.
• Boneface Brewing Co. 'Spinal Hop' — Upper Hutt APA, 5.7%.
• Parrotdog alcoholic ginger beer — Wellington ginger beer, 4.5%.
• Guinness — 440ml Irish stout, 4.2%.
• Abandoned Brewery oatmeal stout — 440ml Lower Hutt stout, 5.0%.
• Garage Project 'Wildflower Blackberry' — Wellington sour, 8.1%.

Mains

• Green-lipped mussels — Housemade nduja butter, confit cherry tomatoes, white wine, lemon, focaccia.
• Cauliflower steak — Smoked tahini yoghurt, Campari & blood orange gel, chilli crisp, mint, roast peanuts.
• Baked rigatoni alla vodka — Stracciatella, grana padano, smoked olives, rosemary pangrattato, basil.
• Cheeseburger — Beef, brisket & bacon patty, American cheddar, onion, pickles, RAM sauce, fries; make it a double.
• Chicken schnitzel — Remoulade slaw, lemon & caper brown butter.
• Market fish — Leek velouté, new potatoes, ponzu daikon, kawakawa gremolata.
• 250g Conscious Valley ribeye steak — Fries, dressed salad; cafe de paris, peppercorn sauce or chimichurri.
• 300g grilled pork chop — Black garlic soy glaze, braised leek, pickled apple, bourbon Dijon cream.

Sides

• Fries — With aioli.
• Rocket salad — Confit pear, parmesan, balsamic.
• Broccolini — Herb oil, charred lemon, sesame.
• Heirloom carrots — Citrus labneh, harissa hot honey, candied walnut pangrattato.

Snacks

• Warm olives — Vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free bowl of warmed olives.
• 1/2 dozen oysters — Natural, raspberry mignonette or bloody mary vinaigrette.
• Fresh baked focaccia — With house cultured butter and chive.
• Kingfish crudo — Citrus oil, kiwifruit, olive oil crème fraîche, togarashi, dill.
• Salt 'n vinegar fried oyster mushroom — With house tonkatsu; vegan-friendly.
• Ham hock & gruyere croquette — Kimchi ketchup and pecorino, two pieces.
• Sticky glazed lamb ribs — With hazelnut dukkah, two pieces.

Red Wine

• 2024 Chilled Pinot Noir 'Ernie' - Bryterlater (on tap) — Waipara; cherry, salty licorice, soft tannins; glass, half carafe or carafe.
• 2021 Chilled Pinotage - Testalonga — Swartland, South Africa; light, juicy red fruits, easy drinking.
• 2023 Pinot Noir 'Test Pots' - 15 Minute Bottles — Central Otago; fragrant, bright, crunchy, tangy cranberry.
• 2019 Vino Rosso 'Trebbiolo' - La Stoppa — Emilia-Romagna barbera & bonarda; chocolate cherry, rich and syrupy.
• 2023 Dolcetto 'Jungle Jungle' - Unico Zelo — Clare Valley; juicy blueberries, black cherry, crushed herbs.
• 2022 Beaujolais - Domaine des Moriers — Beaujolais Villages gamay; cherry, raspberry, elegant and crunchy.
• 2023 Carmenere - De Martino Estate — Maipo Valley, Chile; black cherries, vanilla, coffee, very friendly.
• 2021 Primitivo 'Riserva' - Fatalone — Puglia; dark cherry, plum, clove, cacao, rich and youthful.
• 2023 GSC 'Et Cetera' - Terres Georges — Languedoc grenache, syrah, carignan; rich, robust black cherry.
• 2024 Syrah 'Bridge Pa' - Herringbone — Hawkes Bay; black doris plum, blueberry, silky and spicy.

Cocktails

• Negroni (on tap) — Gin, Campari, vermouth rosso, poured from the tap.
• L'Opera Spritz — L'Opera aperitif, prosecco, soda, peach bitters.
• Silver Bullet — Te Kouka gin, Humdinger cherry liqueur, blue curacao, hibiscus.
• Flight Risk — Stoli vodka, Capaletti aperitif, rhubarb vermouth, Montenegro, Amaro Averna.
• Smoked Paloma — Los Siete Misterios mezcal, Espolon Blanco tequila, grapefruit, honey, lime.
• Rio Grande — Buffalo Trace bourbon, mezcal, white flowers vermouth, brown sugar, thyme oil.
• Sesame Cucumber Sour — Sesame-washed Plantation dark rum, cucumber syrup, lemon.
• Bloody Mary (or Maria) — Stoli vodka, tomato juice, worcestershire, balsamic, olive, pickle, Kaitaia Fire, lemon.

Sparkling

• 2023 Prosecco Brut - Bortolin Angelo — Valdobbiadene, Italy; off-dry, apple & green pear, velvety soft.
• 2024 Pét-Nat 'Damsteep' - Black Estate — Pinot noir & riesling, Waipara; honeysuckle, pear blossom, round mid-palate.
• NV Lambrusco Grasparossa '7 Bio' - Settecani — Emilia-Romagna; raspberry, red cherry, red plum; organic.
• NV Brut Champagne 'Premier Cru Sélection' - Marc Hébrart — Clean, tight apple freshness, good mousse, strong bubbles.

White Wine

• 2022 Sauvignon Blanc - Clos Henri — Marlborough; juicy, mineral, refreshing.
• 2023 Assyrtiko - Jim Barry — Clare Valley; electric, dried lemon, pink grapefruit, saline finish.
• 2023 Chablis - Domaine Seguinot et Filles — Bourgogne; expressive, spring blossoms, lime, honeydew.
• 2022 Scheurebe - Stepp — Pfalz; crisp, nectarine, spring blossom, grapefruit.
• 2024 Chardonnay 'Turama' - Huntress — Hawkes Bay; creamy, smooth, white peach, macadamia.
• 2022 Garan Dmak 'Norapat Village' - Zulal Wines — Armenia; full bodied, green apple, white cherry, lemon zest.
• 2021 Godello 'Fraga do Corvo' - Granges Pagos Gallegos — Monterrei, Spain; creamy, fresh, white peach, pear.

Dessert Wine

• 2019 Botrytis Semillon 'Noble One' - De Bortoli — 375ml; citrus, honeyed stone fruits, vanilla bean, mouth-filling.
• 2020 Fortified Syrah 'Hellburner' - Man O' War — 375ml, Waiheke Island; dark fruits, vibrant sweetness, robust tannins.

Dessert & Cheese

• Miso caramel tiramisu — The classic Italian dessert with a miso caramel twist.
• Orange, olive oil & cardamom cake — Tart peach curd and crème fraîche; gluten-free.
• Cheese selection — Hard, soft or blue, with grilled focaccia and confit pear.

Orange, Rosé & Cider

• 2025 Rosé 'Treble' - Black Estate (on tap) — Waipara blend by glass, half carafe or carafe; rhubarb & cream, apricots, sea breeze.
• 2024 Rosé - AIX — Provence grenache, syrah, cinsault; strawberries, watermelon, crisp and lively.
• 2025 Rosé 'Pakipaki' - Aard — Hawkes Bay; rhubarb, strawberries, dry; organic.
• 2022 Orange 'Salty White' - The Hermit Ram — Canterbury; bone dry, saline, lemon — an ode to NZ's coast.
• 2018 Orange 'Chinuri Amber Skin' - Pheasant's Tears — Georgia; lean, fresh, mineral, pear, preserved lemon.
• 2023 Cider - Fruit Cru — Rotating Wellington cider pours, 6.4% ABV.

Alcohol-Free & Low ABV

• Quiet XPA - Heaps Normal — Non-alcoholic XPA, under 0.5%.
• Fugazi - Garage Project — Wellington low-ABV beer, 2.1%.
• PETITE Pét Nat Cider - Fruit Cru — 750ml Wellington low-ABV cider, 1.7%.
• AF Southside — Seedlip gin, blanc verjus, lime, mint, sugar.
• AF Campari Spitz — Lyres Italian orange, orange bitters, soda.
• AF Amaretti Sour — Lyres amaretti, lemon, sugar.
• San Pellegrino — Grapefruit or pomegranate soda.
• Bundaberg ginger beer — Classic Australian ginger beer.
• Coke / Sprite / Coke Zero — Soft drink staples.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a booking at The Ram?

No — The Ram is walk-in only and does not take bookings of any size. Just come along on the day and grab a table.

What are The Ram's opening hours?

Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30pm until late, and Friday through Sunday from 12pm until late.

Where is The Ram located?

103 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington.

Can you cater to dietary requirements?

Yes. The menu marks vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, many of which can be adapted on request — just let the team know of any dietary requirements.

Can I hire the venue or make a group enquiry?

The Ram doesn't take bookings, but full venue hire and other non-booking enquiries can be made via the contact form on their website.

Is there anything to drink besides alcohol?

Yes — there's an alcohol-free cocktail list (Southside, Campari Spitz, Amaretti Sour), low-ABV beers like Heaps Normal XPA and Garage Project Fugazi, plus soda, ginger beer and soft drinks.

Can I order wine by the glass?

Yes, many wines are available by the glass, and the on-tap rosé and chilled pinot noir are offered by the glass, half carafe or carafe.

Tips

• {"body":"The Ram takes no bookings of any size, so arrive early — especially Friday and Saturday evenings — if you want to be seated quickly.","title":"Walk in, no bookings"}
• {"body":"Black Estate's 'Treble' rosé and Bryterlater's chilled pinot noir 'Ernie' pour on tap, available by the glass, half carafe or carafe.","title":"Try the tap wines"}
• {"body":"The kitchen opens at midday Friday through Sunday — a good window for a relaxed lunch before the evening rush.","title":"Weekend lunches"}
• {"body":"Card payments carry a 2% surcharge, and a 15% surcharge applies on public holidays.","title":"Mind the surcharges"}
• {"body":"The Ram's hours run Wednesday to Sunday only, so plan your visit around Thursday 'til late or a weekend session.","title":"Closed early in the week"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"V, VG, GF and DF options marked on the menu; many dishes adaptable on request. Deepfryer contains gluten.","payments":"2% surcharge on paywave & credit; 15% surcharge on public holidays."}