New local eats
There's always something new to try in Wellington with new eateries and bars regularly opening up. Here are some of the most recent and recommended
Burger Liquor pop-up
18 Majoribanks Street
Check out Burger Liquor's temporary home away from home in Mt Victoria. They were the first burger bar in Wellington, so they know a thing or two about a good burger. While their permanent restaurant is being worked on you can find them perched on Majoribanks Street alongside popular foodie destinations Ortega and Mt Vic Chippery.
LUCKY pop-up
Press Hall
If a chicken burger is what you want, then you’re in luck! This hole-in-the-wall takeaway joint is now also the newest member to Press Hall finally giving us the dine-in experience we needed. They serve up some of the best chicken in Wellington so get your hand on it fast! Simply choose between a burgers or chicken bites then add fries and your off on way to becoming a true local.
Winner Winner
46 Courtenay Place
The newest member on the block, Winner Winner from Hamilton has graced us with its presence. Their style of chicken specialises in fire-roasted and fried chicken using only natural and free-range ingredients. Pumping their passion into the community, they source everything locally. Their fried mushrooms are a winning dish for vegetarians and meat eaters. This is a must try spot if you are wanting an easy option for healthy, fast and fresh dinners.
Café Gemini
Shop3/100 Tory Street
Serving up Wellingtons cutest coffee Café Gemini is a must go if you’ve wanting a great snap to show off to your friends.
Their signature iced coffee has teddy bear shaped ice block that will steal your heart and keep you coming back for more.
Located on the top of Tory Street, this cosy spot provides a classic café feed, that specialises in unique drinks, Asian-inspired innovative food, serving an creative menu that caters to many different dietary needs.
Everyday Wine
177 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Just down the road from Loretta, Everyday Wine is the place to head for a bottle to take along to dinner, a gift for a friend or a treat for yourself on the way home from work. Cuba Street’s first specialty wine store, Everyday Wine want to make natural and organic wines an everyday thing. Forget the idea that natural wine isn’t for you as Everyday Wines stocks natural wine across the taste spectrum from wild to refined.
Grace Patisserie
6/100 Tory Street, Te Aro, Wellington
This Tory Street patisserie is the place for the freshest, crispiest hand-rolled croissants and deliciously delicate house-made French pastries and desserts with a slight Asian influence.
Try the freshly baked croissants, pain au chocolat and canelé – all created daily on-site, and literally by hand – or choose from a selection of sweet treats, including macarons, tarts, choux pastry and petit gâteau. The culmination of a life-long dream for husband and wife team, Mariah and Andrew Grace, this is the perfect little spot for a date or a catch-up with a friend over tea and cake.
BambuchiSan
31a Waitoa Road, Hataitai, Wellington
With a fresh new makeover, new furniture and the addition of ‘san’ to its name, Hataitai eatery Bambuchi is entering a new phase. And that phase is Japanese. Expect delicious small plates that are perfect for sharing with Japanese favourites like gyoza, sushi and yakitori and a drinks menu that features sake along with wine and craft beer - they make a pretty good cocktail as well.
BambuchiSan will retain its focus on catering for dietary requirements – their must-try dish of tempura avocado is coated with deliciously crispy gluten-free batter.
The Puffin
60 Ghuznee Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Low-fi meets luxury at this new hideaway bar on the ground floor of a boutique hotel on Ghuznee Street. The interior glows with emerald green velvet, brass fittings and chandeliers in contrast to the exposed concrete walls. The Puffin focuses on organic and minimal intervention wines, alongside a thoughtful menu of charcuterie and cheese, oysters and small plates.
Zelati Dessert Café
Left Bank, Cuba Street, Wellington
Zelati made their bespoke flavours for top restaurants across Wellington for many years before opening a dessert café on Left Bank. Using only real, premium ingredients including fresh milk and cream and fresh fruit, Zelati pasteurise, age, infuse and churn each delightful batch of their gelato from scratch.
The seasonal gelato menu includes favourites like rhubarb cinnamon gelato (it tastes just like rhubarb crumble), saffron rose, malted milk plus vegan flavours like pineapple plum sorbet, Fix & Fogg peanut butter and coconut and purple kumara - a Kiwi twist based on the Philippine ‘Ube’ or purple yam.
Highwater
54 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Hand-churned butter, homemade bread, and bacon and sausages lovingly produced in-house – this is just a small hint at the care and passion that goes into every forkful of food at this sustainable Cuba Street eatery where nearly every item on the menu is pickled, cured, smoked, fermented and made from scratch.
There’s a strong commitment to sustainability across their menu, their treatment of food waste and the renewable electricity that powers the restaurant. With a sleek architecturally-designed fitout, Highwater has an easy-going elegance that’s enjoyable anytime of the day.
Squirrel
4 Blair Street, Te Aro, Wellington
A sleek and simple café showcasing a small but perfectly curated collection of Wellington’s best counter food from favourite bakers and producers around town including vibrant salads by Queen Sally’s Diamond Deli and a seasonal toast menu starring Wellington Sourdough. After an Acme coffee and a Tomboy doughnut, take a walk through to Small Acorns for a browse around one of Wellington’s top home interior stores.
Los Banditos
19 Blair Street, Te Aro, Wellington
For Southern Latin cuisine and a bright and cheerful space perfect for dining with friends, head to Blair Street's newest addition. You'll find punchy atypical tacos, quesadillas and meat plates that can be paired with fresh and fruity margaritas or pitchers of sangria.