Katie's coastal delight
Maranui Café co-owner Katie loves nothing more than heading out for fresh air and views with her pooches on the Southern Walkway
The call of the coast
Maranui Café and Queen Sally’s Diamond Deli co-owner and chef Katie loves the people, the culture and Wellington’s beautiful south coast.
Having lived on the south coast for the last 25 years, the nearby Southern Walkway and coastal walkways are her happy place.
“Nothing beats a walk by the coast, always with my dogs Luna and Otto – I love how you get a 360 degree view of Pōneke at the top.
“I feel refreshed and grounded. Being away from phone calls and work emails, just me, my dogs and sometimes a friend (or two), I walk the coastal trails every day."
The Southern Walkway runs all the way from Oriental Bay to Island Bay on the south coast, the track meandering along the Town Belt through forest, parks, suburbs and finally exits at the rugged coast. There are multiple entry and exit points along the way.
Wild and free
Katie often follows the coastal path from Lyall Bay to Ōwhiro Bay, where in places she can let her border terriers run around the rocks.
She’s also partial to the Eastern Walkway trail, which runs above the southern end of Miramar Peninsula. There you can walk through spectacular native bush and along the ridgeline soak in sweeping views of the coast. It’s an easy loop from Breaker Bay to Tarakena Bay or vice versa, with a stop at Ataturk Memorial a must.
Fit for a queen
Katie may be a bit biased but an oat flattie from Queen Sally's Diamond Deli never misses after a jaunt around the south coast with her dogs.
The colourful deli café sits back from Lyall Bay Beach on Queens Drive and has a big emphasis on vegan and vegetarian options.
Expect to see samosas, salads, sandwiches and filled wraps, all without animal protein.
There are also plenty of sweet treats and raw slices but you can’t go past Queen Sally’s special pink Chelsea buns.
The deli also stocks an array of local creations to take home, or try Queen Sally’s very own specialty sauces, chutneys and jams.
What's your wild?
The Wellington region is full of trails for all walks of life. Discover some of these, and where to treat yourself after, through the eyes of locals.