The Oatery began after founder Anna visited a porridge café while travelling through Europe and knew she wanted to bring the idea home to New Zealand. What started as a gazebo stall at Thorndon Market grew into a caravan at the Harbourside Market, and since December 2021 has had its own shop and commercial kitchen in Wellington.
The menu has grown well beyond porridge over the years, now including daily banana bread, weekly batches of granola, soups, salads, homemade preserves, and a savoury toast menu that changes with the seasons while keeping a few year-round classics. The Oatery's approach is built on the idea that people shouldn't have to choose between nutrition and flavour, so the menu follows the seasons and ingredients are sourced mindfully.
The Oatery's story starts far from Wellington, on a trip through Europe where founder Anna was taken to a porridge café by a friend. She describes it as an 'aha' moment, and knew straight away she wanted to bring the concept home to New Zealand.
The business grew slowly and organically. It began as a gazebo stall at Thorndon Market, before moving into a beloved caravan at the Harbourside Market. As of December 2021, The Oatery has had its own shop and commercial kitchen in Wellington, giving the business a permanent home after years of market trading.
What began as simply porridge has expanded considerably. The Oatery now bakes banana bread daily and produces weekly batches of granola, alongside soups, salads and homemade preserves. A savoury toast menu rounds out the offering, changing with the seasons while holding on to a handful of classics that stay on the menu year-round.
The Oatery's food philosophy is straightforward: people shouldn't have to choose between nutrition and flavour. That belief shapes a menu driven by the seasons, with ingredients sourced mindfully and recipes built with both nutrition and taste in mind — an approach that runs through everything from the porridge bowls to the daily bakes.
Beyond the shop itself, The Oatery now sells its granola online, so regulars further afield can get their favourite batch delivered rather than relying on a visit to the shop.
The Oatery is also available to hire for private or corporate events, with enquiries handled directly through the team via their contact form or email.
After years of market stalls and a caravan, The Oatery now welcomes visitors to its own shop and kitchen, inviting people to come and see how the menu, and the story, have grown since that first porridge café in Europe.