I visited the new Volco on Egmont Street over Matariki weekend to celebrate with a few friends. While the layout is quite similar to the old Egmont Street Eatery, the refit looks great and appears to accommodate a few extra seats. The old bar has been replaced with a cabinet stocked with the familiar selection of Volco’s baked treats, just like those found at their other Wellington locations.

One of the perks of the Egmont Street location is that you can book a table in advance, which we did. Once we were seated, we took some time to look over the menu. I ended up ordering a flat white, the smash burger, and one of their cinnamon rolls.

We arrived early for kai, and when I spotted a good number of cinnamon scrolls in the cabinet, I couldn’t resist trying one. I had the option to get it warmed up, which, of course, I went for. When it arrived, it was perfectly warm, soft, sticky, and moist—everything you want in a cinnamon roll. And the taste? Honestly, it might just be the best cinnamon roll I’ve had in Wellington.

The smashed burger with pickles, mustard, ketchup arrived soon after, and as did my friend’s soft shell crab x milk bread x hot maple butter x pickles and pancake x plum x custard. I was really impressed with the Smash Burger. The pickles were punchy, and I especially loved the mustard. The balance between the pickles, mustard, ketchup, juicy patty, and soft bun was spot-on—simple ingredients, executed exceptionally well.

Interestingly, no one at the table realised the soft-shell crab dish was actually a burger, too—but it turned out to be incredibly tasty. As for the pancake, it was more like a cake in a pan, with a beautifully balanced mix of sweet sultanas, creamy custard, and the tart kick of plum. A creative and well-executed dish.

Overall, it’s an impressive addition to the Volco family. That said, the service could have been more attentive. There was some initial confusion upon our arrival, as it seemed they were unsure about our reservation. We also weren’t given any water, even though staff were topping up other tables nearby. Toward the end of our visit, it felt as though we were being subtly rushed, despite our booking clearly allowing for a 90-minute duration.

It’s the small things that can take away from the overall experience, but will that stop me from coming back? Probably not. The food was excellent, and I’ll definitely be returning.

Booking: Volco Egmont St

Instagram: Volco

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