Suggested Itineraries - Food and Wine

Wellington is home to more than 300 cafes, bars and restaurants, and it rivals the world’s top culinary destinations for flavour and variety. 


Day 1

  • To explore Wellington through your tummy, you cannot get past Zest Food Tours.
  • After all the indulgence, you may want to walk it off by checking out Wellington’s boutique shopping.
  • Wellington has a great café culture – be sure to sample Wellington’s roasts such as Fuel, Mojo and Caffe L’Affare, during one of your shopping breaks.
  • For dinner, you may want to consider dining at The Ambeli, Floriditas, Matterhorn, Juniper or Arbitrageur as they all have extensive wine lists and gorgeous food.

By the way, at the 2007 NZ Bartender Magazine Bar Awards, Matterhorn won Bar of the Year and also the award for Best Drinks Selection. Vivo won Wine Bar of the Year and Hawthorn Lounge won New Bar of the Year and Cocktail List of the Year.


Day 2

  • Spend some time tasting world-class wines in the Wairarapa region, an hour and a half outside Wellington, with Tranzit Gourmet Wine Escape, Flat Earth or Zest Food Tours.
  • Martinborough is renowned for its Pinot Noirs. You can also pick up any Martinborough wines from the Martinborough Wine Centre if you run out of time to sample it all.


If time permits, be sure to:  

  • Hop on the Interislander for a ferry ride across to Marlborough where you can spend the day tasting their world-renowned Sauvignon Blancs.
  • Visit gourmet food stores such as Moore Wilson's to sample some New Zealand flavours.
  • If you are a chocoholic, you have to visit Schoc Chocolates. Taste the different flavours such as Lime Chilli and Sea Salt, or purchase beautifully handcrafted chocolates that are almost too precious to eat.
  • If you love Italian food, you may want to see if La Bella Italia is putting on a cooking demonstration that you can sign up to.
  • In summer, take a drive to Otaki and look out for orchards that allow you to pick your own strawberries or the market gardens where you can pick up some produce at great prices.