Loretta is a lively Cuba Street restaurant where Mediterranean flavours meet a distinctly Wellington sense of ease. The wood-fired oven is central to the kitchen rather than reserved for pizza, bringing its smoky character to vegetables, proteins and the occasional dessert. That approach suits the restaurant's social rhythm: largely walk-in, with bookings for Friday lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. It can feel spontaneous without being casual about the food, making the Te Aro room a natural place for an unplanned meal or an evening arranged around the table.
The opening stretch of the menu is designed to encourage sharing. Wood-fired flatbread can be matched with carrot dip, ricotta and date-onion jam or chicken-liver parfait, before a compact pizza list takes over. Agria potato with thyme and gremolata is a confident vegetarian combination, while charred leek with smoked provolone and chorizo with prawns show how the oven can carry both savoury depth and sweetness. These dishes make it easy to begin with several plates instead of committing immediately to a conventional starter and main.
Beyond flatbreads and pizza, the menu ranges widely without losing its seasonal focus. Cauliflower with tahini and zhoug, or beans with fennel and Brussels sprouts, can form part of a vegetable-led meal. Market fish with spinach risotto sits alongside bavette, schnitzel, braised goat and lamb kofta for diners after something more substantial. The common thread is direct, robust cooking rather than elaborate presentation, with the wood fire and bright condiments giving very different ingredients a recognisable Loretta character.
Dessert continues the same mix of comfort and freshness through combinations such as custard cake with feijoa, apple crumble, lime parfait and dark chocolate mousse, while an affogato offers a shorter finish. A chef's menu is useful for tables that would rather let the kitchen shape the progression. Larger gatherings can use a semi-private communal area for shared set menus, reinforcing the restaurant's preference for food passed around the table. Weekend brunch and children's choices also make the venue practical for a broader range of occasions than dinner alone.
Address: 181 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
Moved or closed? Tell us: Moved·Temporarily closed·Permanently closed
Loretta Menu
Dinner to Share
Monday – Sunday, from 5pm
Wood fired flatbread
serves two; (v)
Sicilian green olives
garlic, persillade (v)
Roasted carrot dip
fried lentils, honey, sumac, fennel
Whipped ricotta
date and caramelised onion jam, pistachio
Chicken liver parfait
chai spiced maple, black pepper
Charred leek pizza
smoked provolone, white sauce, pinenuts, capers
Crispy chilli, chorizo & prawn pizza
mozzarella, tomato, chives
Agria potato pizza
thyme, gremolata, garlic, kalamata olives (v)
Broken pepperoni pizza
dill creme fraiche, fried shallots
Maple roasted butternut
feta yoghurt, hazelnut crumb, aleppo chilli
Woodfired cauliflower
tahini, coriander zhoug, ancient grains (v)
Cannellini beans
fennel a la greque, brussel sprouts & foccacia (v)
Market fish
spinach risotto, lemon mascarpone, charred spring onion, ginger Price: MP
Greenstone Creek bavette steak
whipped marrow, potato cream, confit shallots, mushroom jus
Panfried chicken schnitzel
roasted fennel buttermilk, horseradish, lemon
Braised goat
pickled onion, preserved lemon gremolata, nigella
Lamb kofta
walnut tarator, charred cavolo nero, pickled onion
Baby cos salad
capers, radish, fennel vinaigrette (v)
Woodfired potatoes
smoked chilli, confit garlic, parsley (v)
Dessert
Vanilla custard cake
poached feijoas, cinnamon
Speculoos apple crumble
housemade vanilla ice cream
Lime & vanilla parfait
passionfruit, macadamia praline
Dark chocolate mousse
red wine poached pears, pistachio (v)
Loretta Affogato
Frangelico, espresso, vanilla icecream
Chef's Menu
65pp; (v) vegan
Woodfired flatbread
(v)
Chicken liver parfait
chai spiced maple, black pepper
Roasted carrot dip
fried lentils, honey, sumac, fennel
Woodfired cauliflower
tahini yoghurt, coriander zhoug, grains (v)
Maple roasted butternut
feta yoghurt, hazelnut crumb, aleppo chilli
Greenstone Creek bavette steak
whipped marrow, mushroom jus
Baby cos salad
capers, radish, vinaigrette (v)
Woodfired potatoes
confit garlic, chilli, parsley (v)
Dark chocolate mousse
red wine poached pears, pistachio (v)
Weekend Brunch
Saturday – Sunday, from 9am; (V) vegan
Free range eggs your way
sourdough toast, gremolata; add bacon + 9 / add avocado + 6
3-egg omelette
crispy chilli, manchego cheese, rocket
Woodfired shakshuka
2 eggs, spiced braised lentils, red peppers, marinated feta, flatbread
Orange and black cocoa oat clusters
chia pudding, coconut, feijoa
Loretta waffles
passionfruit, mascarpone cream, toasted macadamia
Whipped avocado
seeded sourdough toast, pickled radish, coriander, dukkah (v)
Grilled lamb skewer flatbread
toum, pickled onions, tahini yoghurt, pomegranate
Housemade salmon gravlax flatbread
herbed creme fraiche, capers, mandarin dressing
Spiced chicken sandwich
red onion & fennel, mint mayo
Brunch pizza
mozzarella, bacon, caramelised onion, dijon mustard, fried egg
Agria potato pizza
thyme, gremolata, garlic confit, black olive (v)
Wood fired potatoes
smoked chilli, confit garlic, parsley (v)
Baby cos salad
capers, radish, fennel vinaigrette (v)
Friday Lunch
Fridays from 12pm
Wood fired flatbread
(v) serves two
Sicilian green olives
garlic, persillade (v)
Baba ghanoush
pomegranate, sesame (v)
Chicken liver parfait
chai spiced maple, black pepper
Lamb skewer
arbol chilli, fennel, skordalia
Caramelised fig pizza
red onion, marinated feta, mint
Crispy chilli, chorizo & prawn pizza
mozzarella, tomato, chives
Agria potato pizza
thyme, gremolata, garlic, kalamata olives (v)
Woodfired cauliflower
tahini, coriander zhoug, ancient grains (v)
Cannellini beans
fennel a la greque, brussel sprouts & foccacia (v)
Woodfired shakshuka
braised lentils, red peppers, marinated feta
Spiced chicken sandwich
red onion, fennel, mint mayo
Market fish
spinach risotto, mascarpone, spring onion, ginger Price: MP
Baby cos salad
capers, radish, fennel vinaigrette (v)
Crispy woodfired potatoes
smoked chilli, confit garlic, parsley (v)
Kid's Brunch Menu
A Fried Egg On Toast
Served with bacon
Kid's Avo on Toast
Avocado on sourdough
The Waffle
Passionfruit, mascarpone cream
Margherita Pizza
Tomato, mozzarella
Cheesy Pizza
Mozzarella
Wood fired Potatoes
Kid's Dinner Menu
Kid's Steak
Greenstone Creek bavette, woodfired potatoes & salad
Kid's fish
Market fish, woodfired potatoes & salad
Margherita Pizza
Tomato, mozzarella
Cheesy Pizza
Mozzarella
Woodfired potatoes
Chocolate Sundae
Vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, sprinkles
Cocktails
Boysenberry floradora
boysenberry, Hayman’s gin, ginger, lime
Green olive martini
fat washed vodka, vermouth, olive brine
Margarita
tequila, triple sec, lime
Black Doris plum daiquiri
peaches, lemon verbena, Malibu
Negroni
gin, Campari, sweet vermouth
Beer & Cider
400ml ON TAP; 330ml CAN
Garage Project 'Beer'
pale lager, Te Aro, 4.8%
Parrotdog 'Birdseye'
hazy IPA, Lyall Bay, 5.8%
Parrotdog 'Raptor'
APA, Lyall Bay, 5.7%
Duncans pilsner
Kapiti, 4.9%
Garage Project 'White Mischief'
peach sour, Te Aro, 2.9%
Wine by the glass, carafe, bottle
NV Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee 0%
AU
NV Da Luca Prosecco
IT
NV Jansz Premium Rosé
Tasmania, AU
NV Tivo Blood Orange Prosecco
AU
NV Nautilus Cuvée
Marlborough
Zero Percent
Kiwifruit & citrus housemade soda
Strawberry & mint housemade soda
Feijoa housemade soda
Boysenberry zero floradora
fresh lime & ginger ale
Lemonade
preserved lemons & limes
Drinks to Finish
Dean de Bortoli Botrytis Semillon 2021
Riverina, AU
Taylor's LBV Port 2019
Douro Valley, PT
Valdespino Pedro Ximénez El Candado
Jeres, SP
Il Convento Limoncello
IT
Bailey's hot chocolate
Hot Drinks
COFFEE BY COFFEE SUPREME
Black
White
Iced
Hakanoa Chai Latte
Mocha
From Happy Menu members
Reviews from locals: every member has confirmed a New Zealand mobile.
Been to Loretta? Be one of the first to rate it.
+ Log your visitHow prices compare
Against typical prices in Wellington
- Mocha Typical in Wellington: $6.50 $6.50
- Mexican H Hot Like A Mexican Willis Lane Wellington · 840 m ·$ Mexican · Street Food
- Middle Eastern K Kisa Wellington · 40 m ·$ Middle Eastern
-
Logan Brown
Wellington · 70 m ·$$
New Zealand · Fine Dining
-
Floriditas
Wellington · 50 m ·$
European · New Zealand
-
Prefab
Wellington · 310 m ·$
European · New Zealand
-
Havana Bar
Wellington · 170 m ·$
Latin American · Spanish
Around the corner
Within 1 km of Loretta
- New Zealand C Cuba Street Tavern Wellington · 30 m ·$ New Zealand
-
Origami Wellington
Wellington · 30 m ·$
Japanese · Ramen
-
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Wellington · 40 m ·$
Mexican · Tex-Mex
- Asian S Satay Palace Wellington · 50 m ·$$ Asian · Indonesian
-
Noble Rot Wine Bar
Wellington · 60 m ·$
European · Wine Bar
-
Ombra
Wellington · 70 m ·$$
Italian