The breakfast experience at The Wellesley Club was so good that perhaps our search for the Wellington CBD’s best breakfast could be called off, and we could just go to the Wellesley Club every Friday, however the enjoyment of the process of searching and trying new places will probably result in the Wellesley being selected once a month to remind us of the standard others must aspire to.

The service really is exceptionally good. It is attentive, caring, pleasant, humorous and genuine. This perfectly augments the very comfortable environs, complete with the CBD’s best flower boxes and easily the best mounted Buffalo head. The classical violin music is a very welcome departure from the normal cafe background music. It is soothing and uplifting, and perfectly accompanies the stellar service and setting.

At the Wellesley it’s all about the details. The tea, for example, was excellent. Other cafes seem quite readily prepared to spend thousands of dollars on the provision of quality coffee but think that tea can either be sold in tea bags, or limited to English Breakfast, Earl Grey and a range of herbal teas. Not at the Wellesley… the Darjeeling was excellent, with a nice proportion of flowery leafy tips in the leaves too. The tea arrived in a white china pot, not a stainless tea pot, which added to the quality experience. The strainer was already in my cup, with a strainer drip tray provided to the side, and the milk in a matching white china milk jug. The sugar bowl had lumps of sugar, which was of no interest to me as I do not put sugar in my tea, but was deeply pleasing for my breakfast companion for his coffee. On our last breakfast at the Wellesley Club the coffee had been average – but this time the coffee was very good, with a second cup ordered to complete breakfast.

I had what must be close to the perfect porridge experience. Smooth porridge with almonds, bananas, fresh cream and brown sugar (a must with porridge) which came in its own small bowl, allowing me to tune the amount of brown sugar to my tastes, and reapply more after the top most layer of porridge had been eaten. Splendid. And at just $6.50 it would have to be a podium finisher for best value breakfast too.

Our second diner had 2 free range eggs, poached, on toast with sides of fried potatoes, and bacon. Again the value proposition was outstanding, with the two free range eggs on toast being just $6.50, and the sides $4.00 – $5.00 each. In line with the excellent standard of the place our table had it’s own pepper grinder and salt shaker, and the fried potatoes were indeed fried potatoes and not potato bites out of a frozen packet.

A close to flawless breakfast experience that really is the standard by which all other CBD Breakfasts are to be judged. And at $36.00 for the two of us including tea and coffee, who can complain about the value for money?

I went to Maginnity’s for lunch last week with some girls from the office.

What a great experience, not “boys clubby” at all. Had a nice private table booked, service and food was excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed my stuffed mushrooms and dessert was “yum” – summer berry pudding.

All in all a great lunch – I’ll definitely be back!