3 Little Birds brings Jamaican cooking and culture to a casual dining room at Johnsonville's Waiora Sport and Community Hub. The restaurant traces its story to 2012 and builds the experience around bold island seasoning, a family-friendly mood and reggae on the soundtrack. Dinner runs from Thursday to Saturday, with a separate Saturday lunch that suits the relaxed suburban setting.
The smaller plates establish the kitchen's flavour range quickly. Salt-fish fritters come with sweet Scotch-bonnet mayonnaise, coconut-peppered prawns carry a Creole-style heat, and jerk wings are grilled with the house island-spice blend. Fried ripe plantain, creamy mac and cheese, loaded fries and rice with kidney beans cooked in coconut milk give the table plenty of ways to share.
Jerk cooking leads the main menu through marinated chicken thigh and pork belly, while country-style curry goat takes a slower, richly spiced direction. The same meats reappear in burgers and wraps with combinations of roasted capsicum, mango chutney and salad. A substantial burrito gathers jerk chicken or pork with rice and peas, fried plantain and sauce in one warm wrap.
Plant-based diners are not confined to side dishes: lentils, chickpeas and jackfruit each have their own coconut-based curry, supported by rice and peas or salad. Children can choose simpler mac and cheese, chicken tenders or fries, and desserts include sweet kumara and sticky ginger puddings. Dine-in, pickup, delivery and private catering make the food available well beyond one kind of visit.
Address: Waiora Sport and Community Hub, Alex Moore Park, 17 Bannister Avenue, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037, New Zealand
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