Francis Loughran’s projects and study tours take him far and wide in search of the best food and the best brands when it comes to food. Over the past few weeks Francis has been reviewing some of New Zealand’s newest and hippest new food destinations; The Press Hall in Wellington’s CBD (80 Willis Street) and Queen’s Rise in Queen Street, central Auckland. Today, the focus here is on Wellington.

The Press Hall is best described as a modern New York Style food hall as It is a carefully curated mix of 11 modern non-fast food major cuisines. The design is great with high, industrial ceilings with some of the operators externalising their offer to the laneway beside.

The whole food philosophy behind the Press Hall appears to be of “Taste”, and the mix of cuisines include Italian, Japanese in many versions, Mexican, Greek and many more including a new vegan offer at Aroha Cuisine that taps into Maori culture.

The quality of the food throughout The Press Hall overall is very good, service was quick and the design of the space was very Wellingtonian: Modern, welcoming and urban. This new hot spot is well worth a visit, if for no other reason than to taste the delicious VEGETABAO from BAO BOY - a freshly made to order bao filled with crispy organic tofu, Asian slaw, pickled shitake, white miso mayonnaise and shredded nori all for NZ$6.50.

The Press Hall is the perfect breakfast, lunch and early dinner venue offering counter and table service, a wide selection of great coffee and café food. The venue is licensed and stays open to 7pm daily, with Teppan Hayashi Japanese opening to 9pm offering full table service and a simple but sufficient wine and beer list.

Cover Image - Located in the space previously occupied by the Evening Post's printing presses Source: Viva

PRESSED FOR TIME?…Visit 'THE PRESS HALL', where service is fast and the food is good.

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