The Immigrant's Son is a coffee roastery and espresso business at 22 Kaiwharawhara Road, at the bottom of the Ngaio Gorge in Kaiwharawhara, Wellington. It was founded in 2005 by Andrew Meo, the son of Antonino Meo, who came to New Zealand from Italy. The business moved here in 2021 from a small roastery in the inner city, near Mount Victoria, to a purpose-built and larger site. Its legendary Radicato blend mixes four coffee origins, Brazil, Guatemala, Kenya and Tanzania, with Indian Cherry Robusta, and it is sold as Tesora. Beans can be bought whole or ground for a plunger, stovetop, espresso or Turkish brew.
The business takes its name and philosophy from Antonino, who brought a passion for good food and coffee to New Zealand, and the website describes its work as a modo di vivere, a way of life. Its head roaster follows the same approach, sourcing the world's best beans and roasting them in small batches. Our pick in Kaiwharawhara for espresso with a long roasting history behind it.