Shelter from the wind inside Sakura Restaurant and Bar – where it's spring all year long.

In English, Sakura translates to either “cherry blossoms” or “spring”, and so Sakura, the restaurant, has become something of an oasis for those wandering through the Wellington central city on a chilly, overcast day.

Sakura is one of Wellington's original Japanese restaurants. Over the 17 years since Sakura opened, many inner-city restaurants have come and gone, but Sakura remains; changing only its location (from Wakefield to Featherston Street), but not its authentic Japanese feel or fine Japanese cuisine.

Sakura is a popular lunching spot for inner city workers who are after something a little different for lunch. It's open for lunch from 11.30am-2pm and serves tasty bento boxes which can be enjoyed in the restaurant or taken back to the office.

The fully-licensed restaurant and bar re-opens for after work drinks at 5pm. So you can stop by for a few glasses of sake and Japanese beer with Japanese style tapas on your way home.

From 5.30pm enjoy reasonably priced dishes from the authentic Japanese menu on a traditional tatami mat in the meeting room.