Hillside Kitchen and Cellar: Vegetarian fine dining

Location
241 Tinakori Road, Thorndon, Wellington
Website
Hillside Kitchen

Hillside Kitchen is an award-winning fine-dining restaurant with a twist — it’s completely meat-free. Instead of animal products, the restaurant focuses on sustainable, locally-grown produce. It uses ingredients foraged from Wellington’s green areas and grown in its own garden, taking the concept of farm-to-table to another level.

Seasonality is key, which means the Hillside menu is constantly changing. Diners can choose between a five and seven-course tasting menu when they book. But the components of each course are a surprise until they’re seated at their table.

Although there’s no knowing in advance exactly what they’ll be serving up, there are a few things you can be sure of. The food will reflect modern multicultural New Zealand, and a few key seasonal ingredients will crop up several times in varying ways. And every plate will be jaw-droppingly beautiful (check out their Instagram for proof).

A hand holding up finger food served at Hillside Kitchen.

Capture Studios

The ever-changing wine list is small but varied, showcasing natural and organic wines. Refreshingly, non-alcoholic drinks aren’t an afterthought. Hillside makes a range of sodas and kombucha in-house, and you can even opt for non-alcoholic drink matches with your tasting menu.

Although it may seem daunting, don’t be intimidated by the multi-course format. At Hillside, the food is gourmet but the atmosphere is far from stuffy. As soon as you step into the quaint little building on Tinakori Road, you’ll get a friendly welcome from the staff. Warm lighting casts a soft glow over the stylish Scandi-inspired fit-out. Think warm timber and homely touches, rather than starched white tablecloths.

So leave your black-tie garb at home. Come with an appetite for culinary adventure, and you won’t leave disappointed.