Havana Bar

About Havana Bar

Havana Bar & Restaurant sits in two charming 19th-century cottages on Wigan Street in Wellington's old Chinatown, Te Aro. What began as a speakeasy idea during espresso breaks at Havana Coffee Works in 1991 officially opened as Havana Bar in 2003, embracing all things Cuban - history, music, rum, cigars and coffee. In 2010, after Havana Coffee Works moved to Tory Street, the cottage transformed into an award-winning tapas restaurant.

Today Havana Bar serves modern tapas, internationally and seasonally inspired sharing plates, and a daytime brunch menu from Fidel's Pop Up, alongside an extensive drinks list of handcrafted cocktails, wine, craft beer and spirits sourced from around the world. Local and international musicians and DJs perform live twice a week, keeping the venue's original speakeasy energy alive.

The front-of-house team are hospitality professionals who help guide guests through the menu and drinks list, and the space is also available for private functions on any day, day or night. Havana Bar continues to celebrate Cuban culture through food, drinks and music in what its owners describe as a relaxed, spontaneous urban oasis.

Havana Bar & Restaurant: Cuban Cocktails and Tapas in Wellington's Old Chinatown

A Cottage With a Cuban Story

Havana Bar & Restaurant occupies two charming 19th-century cottages on Wigan Street, in what was once Wellington's old Chinatown. The venue's story starts in 1991 as a speakeasy idea dreamed up during espresso breaks at Havana Coffee Works, long before it officially opened as Havana Bar in 2003. From the start, the bar embraced all things Cuban - the history, the music, the rum, the cigars and the coffee.

The space kept evolving. In 2010, once Havana Coffee Works relocated to Tory Street, the cottage transformed into an award-winning tapas restaurant, expanding on the bar's original identity while keeping its Cuban soul intact.

Tapas, Sharing Plates and a Daytime Menu

Havana Bar's modern tapas are designed to complement the drinks being made bar-side, and are available from opening until close. For guests after a fuller meal, the adjoining restaurant serves an ever-changing, internationally and seasonally inspired sharing plate menu, with chefs working from an open kitchen. The food draws on the best local ingredients from artisan producers, aiming for dishes that feel distinctly of their place.

During the day, Fidel's Pop Up takes over with a daytime menu built around brunch classics with a Cuban twist - Huevos Rancheros, a Fidel's Burrito loaded with sofrito black beans and crispy jalapeños, and a Cubano sandwich stacked with mojo-marinated roast pork, ham and Swiss cheese. There's also a Hamburguesa brisket beef burger, mixed berry waffles, and a solid list of sides and extras for building out a plate.

A Serious Drinks List

What really sets Havana Bar apart is the depth of its drinks menu. The Cuban Classics section anchors things with a proper Mojito, a Hotel Nacional, an El Presidente and an Old Cuban, while the Curated Cocktails list pushes further with creations like the Golden Pornstar, Besos Del Diablo and Monkeys Midnight Snack. Guests who prefer the familiar can order from the Iconic Cocktails list - Caipirinha, Daiquiri, Margarita, Negroni and a Sangria Jug for sharing - and there's a solid non-alcoholic cocktail list too, including the Zen Garden and Cherry Cola Bomb.

Beyond cocktails, the bar carries an extensive selection of rum (fittingly, given the Cuban theme), whiskey and bourbon, gin, tequila and mezcal, plus a wine list spanning bubbles, whites, reds and dessert wines from New Zealand, France, Spain, Italy and beyond. A rotating tap selection from Wellington breweries like Parrotdog and Garage Project sits alongside international beers and ciders.

Music, Functions and the Havana Experience

Live music is central to the Havana Bar experience, with local and international musicians and DJs performing twice a week - a direct link back to the venue's speakeasy roots. The bar also hosts a Havana Happy Hour on beer, wine and cocktails, and is available for private functions for any occasion, any day of the week.

Havana Bar describes the venue as an urban oasis for a relaxed, spontaneous night out, built around Cuban food, drinks and music. Between the tapas, the sharing plates, the daytime brunch menu and one of Wellington's most extensive rum and cocktail lists, it's a spot built for lingering rather than rushing through.

Signature items

• Mojito
• Old Cuban
• Cubano
• Huevos Rancheros
• Hamburguesa
• Havana Bar Spiced Rum

Menu

Rum

• Havana Bar Spiced Rum — Cuba
• Havana 3yr — Cuba
• Havana Club Especial — Cuba
• Havana Club 7yr — Cuba
• Ron Zacapa 23yr — Guatemala
• El Dorado 12yr — Guyana
• Diplomatico Reserva — Venezuela
• Appleton Estate Signature Blend — Jamaica

Sides

• Fried Chicken — Crispy fried chicken side
• Chilli Prawns — Prawns in chilli sauce
• Shoestring Fries — Thin-cut fries
• Jalapeño Poppers — Three poppers served with cilantro sour cream
• Rocket & Shaved Fennel Salad — Rocket with shaved fennel

Extras

• Bacon — Add-on bacon
• House-made Hash — Add-on house-made hash
• Smoked Salmon — Add-on smoked salmon
• Egg — Add-on egg
• Greens — Add-on greens
• Chorizo — Add-on chorizo
• Avocado — Add-on avocado
• Toast — Add-on toast
• Hollandaise — Add-on hollandaise sauce

Brunch Mains

• Huevos Rancheros — Free-range eggs fried in tomato salsa, corn tortillas, feta, sofrito black beans
• Eggs Your Way — Free-range poached, fried or scrambled eggs, sourdough toast
• Creamy Mushrooms on Toast — Garlic, truffle oil, poached egg
• Avocado on Toast — Confit tomato, feta, dukkah, rocket
• Fidel's Bene — Bacon, smoked salmon or greens, house-made hash, poached eggs, hollandaise
• Fidel's Burrito — Sofrito black beans, scrambled eggs, mozzarella, pico de gallo, cilantro sour cream, crispy jalapeños
• Mixed Berry Waffles — Vanilla custard, maple syrup, candied cashews
• Hamburguesa — Brisket beef burger, pickles, Swiss cheese, mustard, ketchup, diced onions
• Cubano — Toasted Cuban sandwich, mojo-marinated roast pork, ham, dill pickles, Swiss cheese, mustard

NZ Craft Beer

• Rotating Guest Tap — New Zealand
• Parrotdog Rotating Tap — Wellington
• Garage Project Rotating Tap — Wellington
• Panhead Supercharger APA — Upper Hutt
• Moa Dry Hopped Pilsner — Marlborough
• Cassels Milk Stout — Christchurch

Cuban Classics

• Mojito — White rum, lime, simple syrup, mint
• Hotel Nacional — Gold rum, apricot liqueur, pineapple, lime
• El Presidente — White rum, dry vermouth, orange liqueur, grenadine
• Old Cuban — Dark rum, champagne, agave, lime, mint, Angostura bitters

Iconic Cocktails

• Caipirinha — Cachaca, lime, sugar
• Daiquiri — White rum, lime, simple syrup
• Margarita — Tequila, dry curacao, lime, simple syrup
• Sour — Mezcal, whiskey, pisco or amaretto, lemon, aquafaba, simple syrup
• Negroni — Gin, sweet vermouth, Campari
• Sangria Jug — Wine, fresh fruit, juice, red or white

Curated Cocktails

• Golden Pornstar — Aged rum, passionfruit, vanilla, pineapple, lime, Angostura bitters
• Basil & Thorn — Spiced rum, creme de mure, basil simple syrup, soda, lime
• Saint Royale — Gin, St Germain, grapefruit bitters, champagne
• Cantarito — Tequila, lime, orange, sea salt, grapefruit soda
• Besos Del Diablo — Charred chilli mezcal, dry curacao, lime, blood orange
• She's A Peach! — Bourbon, peach syrup, orange, spring bitters
• The Dark Room — Maraschino liqueur, amaretto, lemon, lime, aquafaba, chocolate bitters
• Monkeys Midnight Snack — Vanilla vodka, Kahlua, espresso, banana bread syrup

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails

• Nipped in the Bud — Cranberry, pineapple, lime, vanilla, passionfruit
• Zen Garden — Cucumber syrup, elderflower syrup, lime, ginger beer
• Dark and Strawby — Ginger beer, strawberry syrup, lime, mint
• Basilisk — Apple cider vinegar, basil syrup, lemon juice, soda water
• Cherry Cola Bomb — Coke, cherry syrup, lime, maraschino cherry

Frequently asked questions

What are Havana Bar's opening hours?

Tuesday to Saturday, from 9am until late (Autumn hours). The bar is closed Sunday and Monday.

Where is Havana Bar located?

32a-34 Wigan Street, Te Aro, Wellington, in two 19th-century cottages in the city's old Chinatown.

Does Havana Bar serve breakfast or brunch?

Yes, via Fidel's Pop Up daytime menu, featuring dishes like Huevos Rancheros, Eggs Your Way and the Cubano sandwich.

Is there a happy hour?

Yes, Havana Happy Hour runs Tuesday to Saturday, 4-6pm, on beer, wine and cocktails.

Does Havana Bar host live music?

Yes, local and international musicians and DJs perform twice a week.

Can I book Havana Bar for a private function?

Yes, the venue is available for private functions for any occasion, any day of the week.

Is there a surcharge for credit card payments?

Yes, credit cards incur a 2% surcharge.

Tips

• {"body":"Beer, wine and cocktails are discounted Tuesday to Saturday, 4-6pm.","title":"Catch the Havana Happy Hour"}
• {"body":"The Mojito, Hotel Nacional, El Presidente and Old Cuban reflect the bar's Cuban roots.","title":"Try the Cuban Classics"}
• {"body":"The venue is available for private functions any day, day or night.","title":"Book ahead for functions"}
• {"body":"Local and international musicians and DJs perform twice a week.","title":"Check the live music nights"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Several dishes are marked as dairy-free, gluten-free or vegan/vegetarian option available","payments":"Credit cards incur a 2% surcharge"}