Glou Glou changes character as Allen Street moves from morning into evening. By day it is a relaxed Te Aro cafe, with high tables and banquette seating set up for coffee, pastries and a proper brunch. From Wednesday to Saturday, wine and shared plates take over more of the room, turning the same address into a small wine bar without abandoning the food-led approach. That split personality gives diners a clear choice between a daytime catch-up and a later, more leisurely gathering around several plates.
The cafe menu takes familiar brunch ideas in detailed directions. Brûléed French toast is paired with vanilla yoghurt, tamarillo, pistachio and chocolate sauce, while folded eggs arrive with caviar and dill crème fraîche. Smashed peas on sourdough gain avocado, parmesan and a poached egg; a sausage-and-chorizo hash brings crisp potatoes, smoked-paprika onions and salsa rossa. Granola with seasonal fruit provides a simpler start, leaving the menu balanced between indulgent combinations and lighter daytime choices.
Later service favours dishes that can move around the table. Smoked warehou beignets, lamb tonnato and kedgeree croquettes offer three different expressions of fish, meat and spice. Mushroom rigatoni with porcini cream gives vegetarians a rich option, while chicken-and-tarragon vol-au-vent and pork belly widen the spread. Diners who prefer not to compose every course can choose the Feed Me format, which places the chef's selection of sharing plates at the centre of the meal.
The drinks and sweets reinforce the venue's day-to-night rhythm. Supreme coffee sits beside tea, matcha and ube latte during cafe hours, then wine becomes the natural partner for the savoury plates. Basque cheesecake with lemon curd and a crème brûlée Danish provide concise ways to finish. Glou Glou suits guests who enjoy watching one hospitality style flow into another: begin with coffee and brunch, or arrive later for wine, a sequence of small dishes and dessert.
Address: 17A Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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