A cosy new cafe with rescued kai on the menu
Saturday, 27 June 2026
As well as its flagship Wellington operation, Everybody Eats is about to launch a second kai‑rescue venture in the capital.
Called Hopper, the Mt Cook cafe is being set up under the Everybody Eats social-enterprise umbrella, and will re-purpose rescued kai into affordable snacks, plus drip coffee and tea, says operations manager Jack Rainey.
Unlike the “pay-what-you-can” model used at Everybody Eats’ dinner service, Hopper will run on fixed prices — but still at the lowest possible end, Rainey says. Expect $3 coffees and teas, baked goods around $5, and savoury goodies and toasties for $6.
“We're creating a really lovely, beautiful community space with accessible food. You can basically come here and have a good plate of food and a cup of coffee for $10.”
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Hopper will run on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am to 2pm. From Wednesday to Friday, bakery Onk will be using the space.
Onk owner Onkeo Banyadith said she was looking forward to sharing the cafe with Hopper. The baker is known for her breads and sweet treats, particularly her cardamom buns.
Hopper is planned to operate as a four-month pop-up, with its future dependent on how its received, Rainey said.
The cafe waspitched and created by Rainey and volunteer Ava Gorzeman, who will remain heavily involved in the site.
They said the space had been designed to be accessible to everyone, functioning primarily as a community hub with a rescued-food focus.
Because Everybody Eats receives large amounts of bread, the cafe’s menu is shaping up to be carb-heavy, with a focus on goodies like loaded toast and toasties.
“The menu is looking really good. We've got a partnership with Supreme up the road, so we've got a drip machine that we've got from them. They're going to be doing our coffee at a really great rate,” Rainey said.
Both Gorzeman and Rainey spoke highly of the Hopper St community the cafe would be operating alongside.
Hopper shares its space with food rescue organisation Kaibosh, and Cahoots Workshop - Wellington’s only workshop for women and gender-minorities - is next door.
The building has been renovated by owner Susie Brow, who said she had worked hard to create a warm, accommodating space.
The cafe has been fitted with sound insulation so it can serve as a quiet, comfortable spot for those who need it, and Hopper’s exterior has been completely transformed from a concrete driveway into an outdoor patio, complete with a chamomile-grass garden and seating area.
“It’s going to be a warm space, warm and welcoming. It's going to be really lovely,” Brow said.