Wellington Chinese History Wiki

Located at 120-126 Courtenay Place, The Shanghai Restaurant was considered to be a Wellington institution[1], being the first Chinese restaurant in Wellington to cater for non-Chinese members of the community.[2] [3] It was famous for its Ching dynasty decor and extensive menu, which included well tried Chinese dishes, as well as European foods, such as steaks and chips.[2][3]

Cornelis Van Kranen 120-126 Courtenay Place

Cornelis Van Kranen. (1985). 120-126 Courtenay Place [Photograph]. Wellington City Libraries. https://wellington.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/5911

Shanghai Café sign, October 2021
Shanghai Café sign, October 2021

Opened in 1948 by Ng Soon Wah, his son Thomas Carr Yam Ng, and Joe Lai Choy, it was popular with local Chinese as a meeting place and the restaurant was also used as a venue to play mahjong.[2][4]

In 1956 when it was sold to a cousin Humphrey Ng, who ran it until 1972 when it passed into the hands of in-laws of the family KK and Kit Har Yen.[2]

Mp.natlib.govt.nz

National Library of New Zealand, & Murphy, N. (1989). Object 83793 Detail - Shanghai Restaurant, Courtenay Place, Wellington, 1989. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?f=&id=83793&recordNum=0&u=0&t=pictorial&s=a&tc=0&q=chinese&p=0&numResults=20&l=en

Mp.natlib.govt.nz.2jpg

Murphy, N., & National Library of New Zealand. (1989). Object 83794 Detail - Shanghai Restaurant, Courtenay Place, Wellington, 1989. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=83794&recordNum=1&f=corpnameid%241139184&l=en

Shanghai Cafe Chinese New Zealanders (Book)

Shanghai Café advertisement reproduction in Chinese New Zealanders (Book)

A reproduction of a newspaper advertisement was printed on page 26 of the 1990 book Chinese New Zealanders, which said that the Shanghai Café was a Chinese restaurant, featuring Chinese & European dishes, at a moderate price. It was located at 124-126 Courtenay Place.[5]

Chinese New Zealanders (Book)

Chinese New Zealanders (Book)


  1. Wellington City Council. (2017). Wellington Heritage - 120 Courtenay Place, 122 Courtenay Place, 124 Courtenay Place. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from http://www.wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz/buildings/1-150/68-commercial-building-120-126-courtenay-place?q=
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Chinese Voice 6 February 1997 issue http://www.stevenyoung.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=29
  3. 3.0 3.1 Young, S. (1997, February 5). Chinese Voice. City Voice, 4. https://wellington.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7346
  4. Julie Iles. (2019, April 15). Capital Cuisine: A potted history of popular Wellington restaurants through the decades. Retrieved 15 April 2019, from Stuff website: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/111927319/capital-cuisine-a-potted-history-of-popular-wellington-restaurants-through-the-decades
  5. Beatson, D., & Beatson, P. (1990). Chinese New Zealanders =: Hsin Hsi-lan Huajen. Heinemann Education.

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