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Story: Restaurants and food outlets

Burlington Arcade tearooms, Wellington, around 1932

In the 1920s and 1930s tearooms specialised in 'dainty' food – smaller, delicate dishes often eaten by hand. Here, the Burlington Arcade tearooms in Wellington await a rush of customers. The tables have been set with tea cups, cake stands and folded napkins.

Using this item

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Reference: C.002470

by Gordon Burt

Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Perrin Rowland, Restaurants and food outlets – Liquor licensing and dining out, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/39591/burlington-arcade-tearooms-wellington-around-1932 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Perrin Rowland, published 30 November 2012.