Restaurants in Wellington
Wellington Restaurants
New Zealand goes to Europe in our pick of Wellington restaurants. Regulars of Boulcott Street Bistro swear by the French-style eatery's braised lamb shanks. Rush to Russian-themed Pravda. Or try 'coastal cuisine' at Martin Bosley's, where the list of awards is longer than the menu.
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17 Results
- Cafe
Arabica
This is one of my favorite Wellington stops. It’s always packed with an interesting crowd of businesspeople, the service is slick, and the coffee and cabinet food (sandwiches and salads mostly) are excellent.$$Central City - Modern NZ
Boulcott Street Bistro
When the good folks of Wellington have a special ocassion to celebrate, this is where they come. Set inside the little Victorian Plimmer House this intimate restaurant is an institution....and one that shows no signs of dimming with age. The menu is concise, but covers the best of…$$Central City - Burgers
Burger Fuel
This New Zealand burger chain was founded in Auckland in 1995 and now dispatches its great-value burgers (including vegetarian and vegan options) around the country. Prepared and cooked while you wait and served with sauces made in-house, they're convenient for a fast meal.$Courtenay place - Cafe
Caffe Astoria
This massive, bustling cafe is a top spot for a quick snack or a coffee. In fact, the java here may be the best in the city: it's roasted on-site in a 1950's gas powered roaster and contains beans from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil and Colombia. if you need more than a quick…$$ - Asian
Chow
Groovy 70's-style decor, killer cocktails and Asian-inspired tapas are the inspired formula behind Chow, one of the city's most popular eateries. The three together make this a prime spot for birthday parties and the dinner that starts of many bachelor and bachelorette parties. But…$$Central City - European
Floriditas
Though it serves all three meals a day, Floriditas gets its biggest crowds at brunch, drawn here by its home-baked goods and its way with hollandaise sauce (the "almost" eggs benedict feature sausage, bacon, poached eggs, toast and the creamy, lemony topping). The cute decor (think…$$Cuba Street - Pacific Rim
Hummingbird
Though it's not as "red hot" as it was when it first opened, this handsome eatery (all dark brown timber and leather here—a wonderfully moody interior crafted from a former butchery) is still a pleasant place to stop by for a cocktail or a meal. The menu takes classics and gives them…$$Courtenay Place - Cafe
Lido Café
The Lido is a Wellington institution. No matter what time of the day you visit, you’ll find a relaxed crowd of locals picking their plates clean of light meals like scrambled eggs and corn fritters, steak salad, or lamb burgers, chosen from an all-day menu. Save room for dessert:…$$Central City - Modern NZ
Logan Brown
Set in a 1920's era, former bank, with soaring ceilings and massive windows, Logan Brown is a majestic place to dine. But its appeal goes well beyond the architecture. Named for owners Al Brown and Steven Logan, and helmed by chef Shaun Clouston, the restaurant has an award-winning…$$$Cuba Street - European
Matterhorn
What started as a ho hum Swiss cafe in 1963 has morphed over the years. Today we'd call it mellow, modernist, and mouthwatering. It's a cool, stylish den of the hip crowd who, once they’ve finished dinner, party well into the night at the bar. And why wouldn't they? The mixologists…$$Cuba Street - Southeast Asian
Monsoon Poon
Sit and watch Southeast Asian chefs whisk up a myriad of divine dishes from Vietnam, India, Malaysia, China, Thailand, and Indonesia. You’ll be spoilt for choice. Firecracker chicken rubbed in Malay chili paste and wok-fried is just one tongue-tingling example; or consider Bangkok…$$ - Courtenay place area
Monsoon Poon
We'd have to descirbe Monsoon Poon as an Asian cantina (and a very popular one at that: it has now opened a second restaurant in Auckland). The atmosphere is festive, with hanging lanterns, Buddha sculptures and Japanese parasols hanging here and there. And the menu covers most of…$$Courtenay Place area - Pizza
One Red Dog
With a setting right on the waterfront, and some of the best pizzas in town, this is a favorite of hungry families and groups of co-workers out for a night on the town. The pizzas are wood fired and come with a wide-variety of toppings, there's also a good children's menu. Those who…$$Courtenay Place area - Italian
Scopa
There are few better places in Wellington to be than sitting by the window at Scopa, munching on delicious thin-crust pizza, a tasty risotto, or handmade gnocchi, watching the crowds go by on Cuba Street. This is truly one of the most pleasant and authentic Italian restaurants in…$Cuba Street - Modern NZ
Shed 5
Occupying one of the oldest wharf sheds on the waterfront, this restaurant has ambiance and views to spare. But happily Shed 5 doesn't let its good looks do all the heavy lifting. The staff here prides itself on serving some the of the freshest, tastiest seafood—they even have an…$$Waterfront - Cafè
Te Papa Ground Floor Café
This big, bright, family-friendly eatery is an unusually decent (scratch that and make it: very good) museum cafe. They offer a wide range of sandwiches and other reviving snacks. You may have to wait in line, but it will still be faster than exiting the museum and coming back, so…$Inside Te Papa - Italian
Zico Cucina
Franco Zanotto, formerly of Il Casino, is the chef/owner here and he brings the same level of expertise (and perhaps even more attentiveness) to Zico Cucina. The menu is a hit parade of Italian classics—wood-fired pizza, veal marsala, risotto with squid ink, bruschetta, tiramisa—with…$$Courtenay Place
