Cosy restaurants for winter dining

A local favourite since 2002, Capitol is a vibrant, family-run restaurant. Its bistro-style menu takes full advantage of seasonal local produce. Consistently ranked as one of Wellington’s top restaurants, Capitol has operated from its busy corner next to Embassy Theatre for more than 20 years. Chef Tom Hutchison has a particular strength in cooking seafood. The menu usually has several featured fish dishes. Capitol’s most popular dishes are parmesan crumbed lambs’ liver, fried squid, and chocolate pudding. They are now so beloved by locals that they are available year-round. Removing them would probably cause a riot.

Charming and intimate, Graze is a village wine bar in city fringe suburb Kelburn. What was once a neighbourhood butcher shop is now largely a meat-free restaurant. It has a pescatarian menu serving small plates in a warm and welcoming space. Using only sustainably-caught fish and seafood means dishes are fresh and bursting with flavour. 

The 22-seater bar and relaxed restaurant is the perfect mix of casual, quirky, and cosy. Perch up at the bar or in a window-side seat to enjoy a meal filled with love for both food and the planet.

Located down an unassuming alley in suburban Newtown is the rustically magical osteria, Cicio Cacio.

The cosy restaurant serves up deeply authentic and regional Italian food. Cicio Cacio’s menu is in Italian, but the staff are happy to take you through the items (and patiently field questions when you immediately forget what everything was).

With a homely wooden interior and brown paper-covered tables, this is a place to relax and order up an Italian feast. Make sure you save room for the panna cotta.

At 1154, the concept is simple: fresh handmade pasta topped with classic Italian sauces to order. It’s fast, fresh, fun, and incredibly popular. There are gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options available too. 

The restaurant has a relaxed and comforting feel, with a long central table for communal dining. The menu is small and selective. It offers comforting Italian pasta classics with a few sides and greens to keep it interesting. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a front-row seat to bustling Cuba Street and make for some of the best people-watching in town.

Intimate and relaxed, Supra focuses on food over fanfare. Come for some quick shared plates or a serious dive into beautifully considered cuisine. The wine list has a wide selection of low-intervention and natural wines. Music is courtesy of a hand-picked vinyl collection. Owner and head chef Thom Millott has one mission — to give you the best dining experience without all the frilly bits. 

Located on Tory Street, Supra is just around the corner from the Courtenay Place buzz. Its pared-back decor, wooden tables, and low lighting allow the food to do all the talking. 

Prepare for plenty of flavours and plenty of fire at El Matador, Cuba Street’s taste of Argentina. Walking into El Matador is like walking into 1950s Buenos Aires. You’re met with the smokey smell and sizzling sound of asado. Asado is the Argentinian practice of barbecuing large cuts of meat on an open-fire grill. You won’t find this sort of cooking anywhere else in Wellington. “We’re all about good food without being overly pretentious,” says owner Mike Marsland. “It’s about being real and giving people what they want.” 

Opened in 1991, Boulcott Street Bistro is widely regarded as one of Wellington’s finest restaurants.

The restaurant is in Plimmer House, a charming 1870s Victorian cottage. Surrounded by high-rises, it’s a time capsule in the middle of the city.

Boulcott Street Bistro serves classic bistro dishes with modern twists. The ‘BSB Classic’ has been consistently popular since day one. Comprised of an aged fillet of beef with Béarnaise sauce, red wine jus and hand-cut, double-cooked fries, it’s an example of simple done well.

You’ll feel right at home at this cosy Newtown spot that’s part restaurant, part wine bar. 

Down a side street in Newtown, you’ll find Margot. With a striking red awning, big open windows, and a warm atmosphere Margot is like a welcoming aunt. Behind a bright red front door, the friendly and intimate space is configured to seat up to 26. The chefs focus on seasonal produce, so the menus change regularly. Flavour combinations are inspired by rustic European cuisine but there’s usually an exotic twist. Cashew cream, roast cabbage, chopped raw beef, and celeriac ‘steak’ have made menu appearances in the past.

There’s a healthy serving of Cuban pizzazz a block from Cuba Street. Award-winning cocktail bar and eatery Havana Bar and Restaurant serves a diverse range of tapas and seasonal plates. Think beef skewers, confit cabbage, and venison carpaccio. It’s tucked away on Wigan Street in two colonial cottages. The old wooden floors and colourful decor create a warm Cuban atmosphere. Grab yourself some tapas, a cocktail from the extensive list, and enjoy the atmosphere.