Madama Butterfly

The influence of Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand, and Korea set the tone at this central Wellington eatery. Madama Butterfly is a pan-Asian restaurant and bar where visitors can expect a welcoming atmosphere, modern versions of traditional dishes, and whimsical house-made drinks.

The menu offers fresh and vigorous flavour combinations in dishes designed to be shared. Owner and Chef Le Minh balances the five fundamental Asian flavours — spice, sour, bitter, salt, and sweet. Sustainable or organic ingredients are chosen with care, including free-range meats and eggs. 

Try Le’s Vietnamese gỏi cá raw fish salad. Think ceviche, with fresh lime juice, ginger palm sugar coconut and chilli. Another crowd-pleaser is the spicy and sweet Thai style Crying Tiger. This is a smoky grilled New Zealand wagyu porterhouse served with green papaya and cucumber salad.

When it comes to drinks there are a few standouts. The house-infused gin, featuring kaffir lime and lemongrass, is something special. Vietnamese coffee evokes the café culture of Hanoi. Madama Butterfly also has an exciting beer collaboration with local brewery Mean Doses. Sit beneath dark red wooden bird cages hanging from the ceiling while waiting for the bar staff to serve you something tasty.

Rich reds dominate the interior decorating along with black, and warm wood furniture. The inspiration for the restaurant's design comes from the depiction of war-time Vietnam in the musical 'Miss Saigon'. 'Miss Saigon' was inspired by Puccini’s 1904 opera 'Madama Butterfly' —hence the restaurant's name.  The layered motifs around name and decor create a setting that feels elegant while remaining approachable.

Le also owns the well-known Wellington restaurant Apache (named after a female sniper and interrogator for the Viet Cong). Le describes the restaurants as, "two sisters with distinct personalities." Both focus on quality ingredients, genuine hospitality, and creating a positive dining atmosphere. Where Apache centres on dinner service, Madama Butterfly offers a day-to-evening experience. Visit for lunch, afternoon drinks and nibbles, or dinner.