Glou Glou

Located inside Wellington’s iconic Exchange Building on Allen Street, Glou Glou is an upmarket casual cafe that is ultra sleek yet laid-back enough to warrant a daily visit. Which is good, because you’ll be wanting to come here all the time.

The magic begins as soon as you walk in. At the entrance, a large living plant wall bursts with layers of ferns and vibrant red anthurium flowers. Beneath the greenery sits a long rounded bar leaner with a fluted base coated in glossy green tiles. It’s evident that every design choice was carefully considered, continuing up the concrete stairs into an expansive dining area. Here, rich polished walnut furnishings and soft green suede contrast magnificently with the moody black steel beams and distressed industrial flooring. 

Beyond its captivating aesthetic, the menu provides endless excuses to gather with your friends for morning brews, sweet treats, breakfast, or lunch. Glou Glou draws inspiration from abroad, looking to see what hospo joints around the world are doing well, in an effort to bring something new to the Wellington scene while supporting local growers and artisans. 

Coffee Supreme is the local bean of choice, but you’ll also find a rainbow of lattes made from golden turmeric, earthy matcha, and royal purple ube (a Filipino root vegetable traditionally used in desserts). House-made crumpets are loaded with sweet and savoury combinations, and sandwiches are packed with hearty fillings between slices sourdough. The star of the show, however, is returning after a short hiatus that may have felt like forever for flaky croissant fiends. The production kitchen has spent months perfecting the full pastry menu which will finally return to Glou Glou – and stick around for good this time.

The phrase "glou glou" is the French equivalent of “glug glug”, referring to wine that rapidly flows out of the bottle and disappears quickly down the throat. So, it makes sense that there are plans to seamlessly transition the daytime café into an evening wine bar with tapas-style bites.

We get the feeling that this isn’t a place that sits still for too long, with exciting additions in the pipeline and a calendar of collaborations and events that showcase the best of Wellington in a welcoming space. We can’t wait to see what comes next.