Reviews of Sweet Release. (Coffee Shop) in Wellington (Wellington).

Sweet Release

221 Reviews

157 Comments

Coffee shop

Cafe

99 Manners Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Description

Information of Sweet Release, Coffee shop in Wellington (Wellington)

Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.

This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!

Map

Open hours of Sweet Release

Popular times

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Reviews of Sweet Release

J.

Absolutely delicious! My favorite vegan restaurant in Wellington. We had the rib burger on fry bread, mac n cheese (with added ribs), pancit, cupcakes, cookies and the oreo cinnamon rolls were soooooo good.

E.

Got the Chicken and Cheese burger and a milkshake! Top notch food and top notch service! 100% recommend especially for nut-free vegans!

B.

Sweet Release is a treasure, both for vegans and for lovers of good food made by great people. During a weekend stay in Wellington, we had to visit each day–it's that good. It also pays a living wage and supports the local community.

J.

This place has come a long way from humble sweet shop beginnings to a full cafe experience with all their staff paid a living wage. It just keeps coming out with great new daring and innovative vegan eats, like their uniquely juicy not steak, which you won't experience anywhere else! The list of incredible things that have come out of this place are too long for a short review, and the ones that are no longer on the menu, I'll sorely miss.

R.

Their chocolate brownie is THE BEST and their customer service is AMAZING. Love the new salad menu too, and taking home the odd giant can of chickpeas when they're giving them away. The click and collect option is very useful too. Keep up the great work!

T.

The happiest place on earth 🥺 Sweet Release has never ever let me down, the staff are always so kind and the atmosphere of the cafe is wonderful. The chocolate brownies in the cabinet are my go-to and whenever I go I get as many cabinet treats as I think I can eat. But it’s not just the treats! Every menu item I have had has been mind blowing, the mac n’ cheese, bagels and the nachos are all some of the best vegan meals I have ever had. My non-vegan friends also love Sweet Release, it really is for everyone. Sweet Release value sustainability, you can use your own cup and containers, and if you do need to use their takeaway containers they’re not plastic. They also have pay it forward meals and free period products in the bathrooms, you can really tell they value their customers and will do anything to help people in need. (old photos but still relevant)

B.

Amazing experience, one of our favorite vegan places in Wellington, hands down. Absolutely outstanding and lovely team of humans and the food is absolutely superb!! Thanks for existing and making a lovely experience for all of us to enjoy.

M.

Incredible food and service. Not to mention the good they do for the community with their pay it forward meals and free sanitary products! food has impressed all the non-vegan folks in my life too!

R.

My favourite vegan restaurant in Wellington. I’ve been coming here since the old shop and I’ve only just posted a review (I’m sorry!!) Always love visiting and I love how caring the staff are. Their new ‘build your own salad’ is amazing! Everything from cakes to burgers! Really caring owner with a big heart and does lots for the community. I would come here every day for a coffee too if I worked closer to the city 💕 stay strong during these trying times, you’ve got so much support!!

H.

My partner and I got some cabinet food and a salad to share. Everything was absolutely delicious! The chocolate cake was the best cake I have had in my life :)

D.

Sweet Release is the best. The all vegan options are so good. I got loaded fries with vegan ribs and pickles, and they're amazeballs 😋 The service is great, and the vegan food is some of the best in Wellington. Comfortable grandma chairs too, I almost fell asleep in them the other day. Highly recommended. P.S if you use the bathroom, I painted the chickens, pigs and cows 😀

E.

FOH staff are always so incredibly friendly here and you can see that they have tried hard to create a welcoming atmosphere at the cafe! Cabinet is always well stocked with yummy treats and they don’t do takeaway cups which I think is really awesome!

C.

Awesome little cafe with vegan treats including gluten-free. I also really appreciate the staff and management here, they are always lovely and friendly and go above and beyond.

L.

Amazing food! Sometimes I feel though the staff could be a bit more friendly, one member often comes off as straight up rude. I Drove all the way across town the other night to get a milkshake when I asked for one I got a “hmmm nah we aren’t doing them” they weren’t out of any ingredients, Just simply couldn’t be bothered as it was near closing. I would recommend putting a time up advising what times they are available to save disappointment.

N.

GOOD EVENING KRIS I'VE JUST FINISHED READING YOUR ARTICLE IN THIS EVENINGS NEWS AND MY HEART ❤ TRULY GOES OUT TO YOU AND YOUR AWESOME TEAM FOR ALL GOOD AND GREAT THINGS 👍 THINGS THAT YOUS HAVE DONE AND SONEHOW STILL MANAGING TO DO SO FOR THE PEOPLE OF WELLINGTON , I'M FROM AUCKLAND AND I'LL BE DEFINITELY CALLING IN FOR A COFFEE & CAKE 🎂 WHEN THE DUST FINALLY SETTLES THAT'S 4 SURE YOU AND TEAM HAVE MY LOVE & SUPPORT ABSOLUTELY 💯 LIFE WILL GET BACK TO NORMAL KRIS ABSOLUTELY IT WILL BECAUSE IT JUST HAS TO SO UNTIL THEN MY OLD FRIEND , KEEP STRONG 💪 ** K I A K A H A ** REGARDS NEIL

F.

This place has got to be vegan heaven! We tried the cinnamon buns, oreo buns, fries and coffee, all of which were excellent. My non vegan friends reckoned they were some of the best cinnamon buns they’ve had and even went back for seconds. Safe to say we’ll be returning to work our way through the menu! I also really appreciate what a welcoming and inclusive space they’ve created. It means a lot to have spaces like this in the city.

S.

Wonderful food! Great place to meet and dine out! My first time visiting, but will come again for sure! Thank you!

E.

I remember the day that Sweet Release announced they were opening shop and after seeing the menu it has been a bucket list item of mine to try as much of the menu as I can. To my disappointment they are located in Wellington (not auckland) so we caught a flight and flew down from Auckland to try them. I have never had so many vegan options to choose from it was amazing. We ended up getting mac n cheese, chips and gravy, iced chocolate milkshakes and everything was out of this world amazing. Even my meat eating partner begged to go back. Looking forward to coming back when restrictions allow but for now I'll have to drool over the instagram pictures!

K.

Wonderful cafe, amazing staff, some of the best vegan food I’ve had the pleasure to try!

J.

This vegan only cafe is great - it's got a friendly relaxed vibe, with great staff and a simple but delicious menu. I ordered the BLT (with housemade facon) and peanut butter chocolate brownie. Both were delicious and it was quiet enough for me to get some work done too!

N.

One of the best cafes/bakeries I've ever been to! Truly amazing food and awesome staff! Huge fan of this place, it's always on my list whenever I'm in Wellington

k.

So delicious! I love finding beautiful vegan cafes like this.

P.

Not just a cake shop, this gem of a place can serve you some epic cuisine while you chill out on the comfortable couches. Everything on the menu is amazing, but for something truly special check out the specials. I did and it was legendary as it was the Pulled Pork and Banana Bagel. This intriguing dish had the perfect balance of sauce and pulled pork as well as a subtle sweetness that can only come from a chefs expert hand. Service was helpful, quick and efficient, while the cafe itself was clean and tidy. There is a nice urban casualness to the place. By all means check out the sweet cakes, they are fantastic, but for a more epic experience do stay and enjoy the whole menu. This could be your next favourite place.

S.

First time back since the move to the new location. Love the new spot, great seating area with a little box with toys to keep the little ones amused while food is being prepared. High chairs available if needed. Menu items all looked amazing and I just wanted to order it all. Finally choose the Not Cheesesteak, while my little one had the Mac n cheese. We were not disappointed at all, will be back to try the rest of the menu. Highly recommend 👌

L.

Great coffee, snacks and lovely staff. Surprisingly big inside! Love the owner's commitment for standing up for minorities and good moral responsibility.

B.

Great food, love a fully vegan location where I don’t have to worry about my allergies, love the staff being paid living wage (and you can tell they love working here) and love the consistent commitment to wellbeing for patrons ❤️

L.

Such an inviting, cozy, and safe environment. The food is super amazing, the staff are friendly and kind! Wish I could eat here everyday

M.

I’ve been to Sweet Release many times over the last few years and so I thought I’d better spread the word and not just keep this place to myself! Not that it’s much of a secret; Sweet Release has been a mainstay of Willis Street for years now, growing from strength to strength and the organisers behind monthly Wellington market, The Vegan Vault. I’m dairy-free and my partner is vegetarian. It’s so hard to find a place that makes treats without dairy. It also helps that these treats are frickin’ delicious. Oh, that sweet, sweet marshmallow fluff. The peanut butter brownies, Hershey's chocolate pie and lemon meringue are just a few of our favourites. Since going dairy-free I thought I’d have to give up thickshakes for good. No longer! I'm not a big vege eater myself but they've just started putting out frozen savoury pies which you can take home and cook for tea. The chilli cheese pie was superb. No dairy! No meat! We’ve been to a few of the baking classes and learned some valuable tips and recipes for baking vegan at home. Of course, it’s never as easy as it looks! For my 30th birthday, Sweet Release made one of their signature triple chocolate cakes. It was soooo good, so moist and demolished in seconds. The crew are always super friendly and helpful. The menu often changes and new treats are added constantly which always keeps things fresh. Reducing waste is important to me and the team offer a 50c discount if you bring in your own coffee cup or container. Top tip: keep an eye out for the weekly specials where they bring something fun to the table. So that’s Sweet Release. Whether you’re vegan or just an odd couple like my partner and me, you’re bound to find something you love.

S.

These guys are great. So friendly and helpful. Also very health and safety conscious

L.

My girlfriend and I had sweet releases at this cafe before our ferry. Lovely staff and that makes all the difference to me and my Sally girl.

N.

Amazing food and staff, serving our community and keeping Wellingtonians safe :)

C.

Its not always easy to find a vegan bakery, plus one that also offers gluten free options! I went with the vegan coffee cake, super yummy.

B.

Yummy food, good service!

C.

Delicious vegan food, lovely staff, AND they take COVID-19 compliance seriously, which is so reassuring!

G.

Love the community inclusive happy vibe this place has going. Pleased to see them looking after workers and guests alike during covid.

A.

Great tasting sweets. Good variety of vegan options.

S.

While some people may not wish to support a hospitality business which it believes it's their role in society to discriminate on the basis of personal health choices and encourages the coercion of others, I am one of those people.

K.

OH MY GOD So I’ve been a veggie for 5 years and have tried every meat alternative, but the not ribs burger here is actually insane. I am coming back to Wellington in a month and this place has just made it to me “come back” list. Please for your own sake, try this burger!

M.

Phenomenally delicious little treasures. Good decent people who deserve nothing but praise for their support for the community. Cant recommend enough.

T.

During the week when I'm at work I really need to hold myself back to not end up going to Sweet Release every single day. Absolutely amazing vegan cafe with the warmest, friendliest staff and the best treats (the dark ghana brownies are a dream!). It's great that it's not only a place for spoiling yourself with sweets but also with a wholesome lunch/dinner. I recommend you and the work you do a million times - our environment and my taste buds are thankful for it.

T.

There's no words to describe how perfect and invaluable this establishment is, that's how great Sweet Release are. There's any kind of food you could possibly want - it all tastes amazing. They even have store-made takeaway meals like ribs. This place is so focused on being environmentally friendly and sustainable, which is so nice to see. From their brownies, to their Buddha bowls, to their coffee, it's all so delicious and satisfying. I'd highly recommend anyone, non-vegans and vegans alike, buy your lunch or some food from here. Stop in and have a coffee, the atmosphere is lovely. The decor is amazing, and there's art displayed all around the sitting areas. They go above and beyond to cater to gluten free vegans like myself, and it's highly appreciated. Visit Sweet Release, and if you're wanting their coffee, don't forget your keep cup!

T.

We popped in for lunch (our first ever visit) and were looked after really well by Simone, who was absolutely fantastic! She was really friendly, helpful and happily answered my (many) queries :) This is an awesome vegan cafe with yummo food. They also have a 'Pay it forward' system where you can buy a voucher for someone that to use for a meal, which is a really nice service to set in these difficult times. We'll definitely be back!! Oh, and with veganism on the rise (yay), it'd be great to see them open another cafe in Christchurch! :)

J.

Amazing mac n cheese!!! Absolutely phenomenal! Lovely staff, lovely spot. Always great food here. So refreshing to go to a place and not have to ask “what’s vegan on the menu” we need more like it xo

W.

Fantastic place with fantastic treats and a fantastic treatment of people!

M.

Really good food! Ordered the cheesey pasta and I was surprised to find out it tasted like actual cheese.

R.

One of the best vegan food places in wellington. Staff is always friendly with pleasant service. Food is also nice with a good range of sweet and savory. They can get creative with what they come up with which is +1 for that little extra! Would recommend!

H.

Would have liked to see more creative dishes with more veges like eggplant. The burger I had was waaay too salty and the cinnamon bun, way to dry. They have a lot of hype online but dont really live up to it with the quality of food. Nice decor I guess, but decor isnt food. Sorry for the bad review. I hate doing this but idk how else to give you feedback on the quality of food.

B.

Wow what can I say. Absolutely amazing food, cake, coffee, ambience, staff.. as a meat eater who has chosen not to, vege and vegan options really do hit the spot.

P.

Excellent customer service! I organised with Courtney from Sweet Release to have some vegan Cinnabuns delivered to my sister in law in Wellington (I’m in AKL) and she made it all happen with a sweet little note and everything! I even put through the order on the website wrong (ordered brownies by mistake) and she contacted me to make sure that it was right as she remembered I enquired about the Cinnabuns. She was so understanding and amended the order for me, and had it ready to go and it was delivered in next to no time! My sister in law said the treats were DELISH by the way! I Will definitely be stopping by here in person next time I’m in Welly. Thanks again!!

K.

Delicious vegan food. Brilliant service. Love this place.

H.

The best vegan food in Wellington and Auckland, probably even New Zealand. Amazing. Get the "jacked up" burger, it is amazing. Great cakes as well!

l.

Had been before (around 2 years ago..?) and the staff wasn't very friendly and they had hardly anything in the cabinet even though it was lunchtime on a Saturday. However I decided to give it another try today and it was vastly different. More choice (highly recommend the oreo cheesecake!) and super nice staff!

K.

Kris and her team are an awesome bunch. I've experienced first hand their generosity and kindness - having won both a voucher and a cake from their delicious cafe. The food here is glorious - easy to find gluten free things here and everything is vegan! So great to have an all vegan cafe in Wellington. Highly recommend everyone check it out.

A.

Absolutely awesome little cafe! Entirely vegan as well as gluten free options really caters for everyone in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. Really impressed with the friendly service and quality of the food. Highly recommend! Keep up the good work Sweet Release!

J.

So happy that I stumbled upon this wonderful cafe/bakery last week! Having a dairy allergy can be such a daily struggle, and this wonderful gem of an establishment takes all of that struggle away. I have never been able to walk up to a food cabinet and pick anything I want. Thank you so much for creating treats for those of us that are often left out of the baking world. Your customer service was also spot on with your friendly and inviting staff. Thanks for being so awesome. We will be back soon!

C.

Cute wee place. Super friendly staff and the cinnabun is worth a visit on its own!

A.

The Beef was cooked to perfection, medium rare and a little juicy in the middle - just how I like it. I will be back!

C.

Had Sweet Release for a HUGE catering order and they smashed it :) Also so cosy and inviting if you're eating in too!

S.

Went here today for lunch at the request of my vegan friend. To say I was skeptical was an understatement but I was pleasantly surprised. It's nothing gourmet or fancy, but the BLT I had was actually very tasty. I also had the salted caramel thickshake. It was very tasty but more just caramel and not very thick, more a milkshake but still enjoyable. Would definitely recommend for vegans of Wellington and visitors.

P.

Friendly, fully vegan Cafe with comfy seating area, has good lunch menu and enticing cakes at the counter. Recomnended.

E.

Great place and friendly staff, highly recommended.

L.

The cakes they make here are a glorious and staff is fab. They literally saved me with a last minute purchase of a gluten-free cake that was a smashing success for the afternoon tea I was setting up catering for. The place is such a lovely spot for a tea break with friends and obviously have delicious treats! Definitely recommended and do order things in advance if you can, they cater for all dietary requirements and do everything from scratch but a bit of notice is always appreciated.

T.

Today I ordered my lunch from Sweet Release through Delivereasy. I had the tofu ribs, which were delicious! I loved that the ribs came with a wonderful potato salad and a nice green salad. I also got some cinnabuns for dessert, which were good, although I would have liked them to have icing on top like cinnabuns usually do but the cinnamon flavour was lovely and the bun itself was soft and delicious. I recently had surgery on my foot so I've been getting a lot of food delivered to work. It's often difficult to choose what to get but I decided after Sweet Release's Facebook post yesterday, they deserved my custom more than anyone and I think that was a great decision because the food was beautiful! Highly recommended and I will definitely be having the tofu ribs again!

J.

This is the perfect place for a cute date or a moment to treat yourself. Every time I try anything baked from here, it is the best version of that thing I have ever tried. Best banana cakes, cinnamon scrolls, buns etc, fantastic decor and lovely customer service.

P.

Great place, nice atmosphere, not too noisy, gender neutral restrooms. Very friendly staff, accomodating of all dietary requirements.

C.

The bacon egg bagel was delicious!!! That bacon.. Just wow!! It was hard but I got two sweet treats for the road and loving them later. Great cafe with so many amazing vegan options.

M.

Very nice food and hot chocolates. Lovely customer service. All vegan

G.

Decent selection of cabinet cakes and sweets available. Tried the salted caramel doof and it was good, but certainly sweet! Suspect a secret partnership is in play with the dental centre just a few metres down the road. The coffee was well made and went a way towards cancelling some of the sweetness. Friendly staff and quick service

A.

Great vegan food. Central location. Plenty of choice so long as you like burgers. And they make mean burgers!

S.

Just a great place to chill and eat. Even if you aren’t vegan, the sweet things, especially the brownie, are amazing.

D.

Excellent food, coffee, service, and values.

C.

Their food is absolutely amazing. I recommend the pork ribs, they are delicious!

C.

Go for the coffee, stay for the bagels. 100% plant based food and 100% delicious. Well done guys!

J.

The best vegan cafe in Wellington by far. The ‘milk’shakes are amazing every time, and the cakes and treats never fail to amaze. I can never go past a hot chocolate with toasted marshmallow on top! A must visit.

H.

Vegan friendly cafe. Daily specials available. Bagels and treats look mouthwatering. Bring your own cup and save 50c on coffee (unless you change into vegan latte).

S.

I had coffee and a brownie here. The coffee was okay, but not something to come back for. Brownie was way too sweet - it felt like I was eating pure sugar. Place looked cosy but was a bit smelly. Staff were friendly.

W.

The best vegan I've had in Wellingtion the BLT are to die for wait no one died for them because they are vegan !! The staff are super lovely also can be really busy at lunch so if your in a rush go on of Peak times also the new premises is super lush 💜

N.

Loved the brownie!!! It was grate to know that a vegan recipe works well for that kind of dessert. My boyfriend took the bannufi cupcake and said it was the perfect way to end a pampering day!

S.

I love their 'BLT' bagels, I haven't had fake bacon so good before!! Chairs

T.

Delicious vegan burgers, amazing house made mayo and wholesome, friendly service ❤ really enjoyed this cute place!

G.

I was underwhelmed with the options, but my goodness, my brownie was THE BEST VEGAN BROWNIE I’VE EVER HAD. Staff were super friendly too!

J.

Great place for anyone that has dairy allergies. My son who has bad dairy allergies went here and the staff were very patient with our examination about traces etc. Thanks to you all. Was great meal and excellent service.

L.

The yummiest food and the kindest staff!!

A.

Such a cute place, my cheese burger salad was out of this world and I loved my cake. Very small and moderately busy however the food is totally worth it

J.

Amazing baked goods and drinks! incredible cafe. I am kicking myself for forgetting to buy one of the cute pins they have! Highly recommend!

M.

The cookies are SO good!!! But I went a step too far with the cinnamon bun (too sweet) and my blood sugar sky rocket all afternoon lol

S.

AMAZING SCONES. OMG. Honestly vegan team, this is a goodie. Good seating, reasonable priced, friendly staff :)

D.

Amazing food, beautiful people, and such a wonderful experience tasting different cuisines today with the Ethiopian food on offer!

S.

A brilliant find and the most amazing vegan smashed avo bagel.

M.

ordered online during Level 3 - easy and friendly service! vegan ribs were also a treat :)

N.

Can't believe I work so close and only just visited today. Great stuff guys! Will be frequenting regularly from now on 💚

J.

Stunning food and cozy atmosphere ❤️

J.

Amazing food and wonderful service. Have tried some of their cakes which are fantastic and their meals are phenomenal too.

N.

Highly rate the cinnamon bun as well as the breakfast sandwich/burger. Fresh and yummy!

E.

Amazing staff and food! Highly recommend!

D.

Easily the best place in town for cakes and coffee! Amazing selection - all vegan and all absolutely delicious.

J.

Had the Not Steak for lunch, holy moly it was fantastic!!! We're lucky to have such a talented cafe in Wellington 🎉

C.

Lovely people, lovely cake. I accidentally destroyed a cake and they sorted me out with a new one in record time! Delicious and great value.

A.

Amazing vegan donuts!

R.

Love the inception cookies

l.

Came in for some cake, left with a smile 🤗 ( Great gluten free selection too 🍰 )

M.

Food was amazing... service all so very nice and friendly

A.

Very kid friendly cafe. The best fluffies in town. We love coming here every chance we get.

S.

Lovely service and best vegan lasagna I've ever had. Let's keep this place alive!

B.

Yum place to get treats! ✨💞

K.

Extremely friendly staff, cute decor, and great vegan baking including the best brownie I've ever tasted

O.

Burger was good but a bit pricey, the burger can still ve improved with regards to ingredients

A.

Delicious dark Ghana brownie :3 tysm!

D.

Everything was delicious with the extra benefit of being cruelty free. Best bacon imitation I ever had!

I.

Very nice nachos and iced coffee really appreciate it all being vegan, reccomend.

M.

Yum! Good selection of treats and lovely coffee. I also had a BLT sandwich, also Yum!

E.

Great food and service. Also really appreciate their many zero waste efforts ❤

M.

..choc brownie and peanut cheesecake with oreo base..loved!!!!..staff and food were great will definately be back next time im in Wellington ;)

N.

Delicious vegan treats! Always amazing food & lovely service.

Z.

Delicious cinnamon scrolls, just like mom used to make. Except vegan.

B.

Amazing sweets and treats! Also do a really good Nachos, perfect lunch in Wellington

t.

Delicious food and very friendly welcoming staff

t.

Nice staff but strange aversion to sugar

J.

Beautiful staff, beautiful food. Would recommend to anyone, pricing is so good too

T.

Always has a good food and the staff are lovely.

O.

Great vegan bacon.

A.

the people are very nice and the food is very good

A.

yummy vegan food!

F.

Always friendly staff and their dark ghana brownie is amazing 😍

S.

Tasty Eden Burger. Lovely staff.

e.

Always delicious both food and coffee

K.

Really friendly and patient staff; delicious food!!!

D.

Really nice gluten free brownies

c.

Peaceful environment, comfy seats

J.

Had the veggie power bagel, tasted amazing!!

j.

Great marmite swirls :-)

E.

100% vegan place with delicious deserts

J.

Great comstomer service and yummy comfort foods. Thank-you!

D.

Nice chips with ribs

G.

Fantastic options for the savory & sweet toothed alike.

A.

In a nutshell. Outstanding

J.

Love their banoffee pie 💜

S.

BEST BAGEL WE'VE EVER HAD!

C.

Sweet Release rock

D.

Changed my life

B.

Yummy!

C.

Everything about this place is amazing

M.

Cool

A.

Fantastic Food...

D.

Good food.

l.

Wonderful friendly cafe with pay it forward meals. The food is fantastic, highly recommended!

H.

(Translated) I usually eat meat, but the vegan food here, especially the french fries with "pork ribs" (in quotes because it's not real meat), is delicious! We will return here always. The meal was free because they have donated vouchers. As soon as we find a job we will also donate. (Original) Eu normalmente como carne, mas a comida vegana aqui, especialmente a batata frita com "costela de porco"(entre aspas pq não é carne de verdade), é uma delícia! Voltaremos aqui sempre. A refeição foi de graça pq eles tem sistema de vouchers doados. Assim que acharmos emprego também doaremos.

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