Words by Ethan Rogacion (he/him)
I don’t really eat breakfast. I find it dull, boring, and insubstantial compared to the excitement that comes with lunch. Really, who cares about cereal and yoghurt or whatever, if just a few hours later I know that I’ll be rewarding myself for not falling asleep in lectures by buying a 6-inch sub of the day from Subway! Stuffed, of course, with every vegetable other than the clearly objectionable tomatoes and cucumbers (sorry, I am a hater through and through).
Obviously, I know that I really SHOULD be eating breakfast: I always feel less like death in a 9:30am tort law lecture if I've at least had some toast beforehand. Shocking, I know.
But because of my opposition to breakfast, I’ve come to really deeply enjoy a good morning tea—a little pastry and a little cup of coffee. Some amongst you might say, “But Ethan, you’ve literally just described breakfast, maybe just a couple hours later.” To that I’d reply, with the utmost respect: shut your mouth.
King amongst the cafe cabinet staples is the cheese scone. Hearty, buttery, and with a sharp kick of toasted cheese, I truly don’t think there’s a more quintessentially Wellingtonian Little Treat than a cheese scone. If you’ve just made the unfortunate connection and realised that I’m the guy that occasionally reviews cheese scones on TikTok for fun, because apparently I have nothing better to be doing, my sincerest condolences.
Because of this, though, I’ve developed a talent (curse?) for sniffing out this city’s best cheese scone offerings. Here are some of my favourites.
Arobake
Have I ever mentioned that I flat in Aro Valley? I simply don’t think that I talk about it enough—because I do. In my view, Arobake is undoubtedly the Valley’s premier export; no offence intended to Garage Project, the makers of the finest pickle flavoured beer in the country. From the best sausage rolls in the city, to their really good cakes and pastries, having Arobake down the road from me has helped me forget that I live in an objective shithole of a flat.
Enter the Arobake cheese scone, a cheap, reliable and accessible alternative to the seemingly inescapable infatuation that places in this city have for gigantic, accoutremented-up scones. Ringing up at just $3.50, this is definitely one of the most affordable Little Treats you can get—great for this student’s wallet and stomach. Served alongside a heaping helping of butter, this scone has a rich, savoury cheesy flavour that I found incredibly satisfying. The thing that I really enjoy about the Arobake scone is its simplicity: it really ought to be a staple of any freezing uni student’s diet.
Te Awe Library
As a recovering Aucklander, the thing that I miss the most about the city of sails (and of getting stuck in traffic… and of people with no sidewalk courtesy) is its wealth of Korean-fusion food. Just about any cafe or bistro worth its salt in Tāmaki Makaurau is bound to have kimchi or gochujang somewhere on its menu. I’ve found Pōneke, for its love of gourmet sandwiches and other such brunch foods, seriously lacking in that respect.
The cafe at Te Awe Library on Brandon St makes up for it. Nestled in a warmly decorated corner of the library, away from screaming toddlers, the cafe is home to a brilliant kimchi cheese scone. With a pleasant cheese flavour, just the right amount of butteriness, underscored by the tart and spice of the kimchi, this scone is bound to sit well with anyone. Even if you still haven’t come around to kimchi (which, if so, you really should), I’m certain you’ll find this scone hard to hate.
New World Willis St
Okay hear me out—I know it might seem a bit goofy to include a grocery cheese scone in my definitive list of Pōneke’s best but… goddamn. You simply have to try this, I tell you. One of the best parts of this scone, I think, is the fact that it forces you to prepare it yourself. I mean, at least I assume so: I am much too scared to even ask the lovely bakery folks if they would heat it for me.
Personally, I buy a couple scones, take them back to my shitty little flat, and heat one up in the air fryer for a couple of minutes. There’s something at least a little bit amusing about biting into the luxuriously crisp and decadence of the New World cheese scone, in a room full of furniture that is falling apart at the seams, where the warmest thing present is the scone. A bit of faux decadence never hurt anyone.
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