WellingtonEat & Drink
The exterior of a busy wine bar and restaurant with patrons filling both interior and exterior seating.

Noble Rot Wine Bar

  • Location

    6 Swan Lane, Te Aro, Wellington

  • Website
    Noble Rot

Behind a distinctive red brick façade on Swan Lane, you’ll find exceptional cuisine and a vast wine collection. 

If you’re a wine enthusiast, then the nearly 1000-bottle menu at Noble Rot should interest you. Since opening in 2016, this cosy bistro and bar has offered an expertly curated wine list and exquisite food menu.

Wine and liquor bottles stored on wooden shelves lining the back wall of Noble Rot wine bar.
A group of young professionals do a wine tasting at Noble Rot wine bar.
A fine-dining appetizer dish with a cheese pastry and a beetroot salad.
Inside a bustling fancy wine bar.

The world’s top wine regions are well represented across the menu. You’ll find bottles from Burgundy to Barossa Valley plus an impeccable selection of New Zealand wines. Better still, almost 100 wines are available by the glass. “I really wanted to create a wine bar like I experienced in Europe,” says co-founder and sommelier Maciej Zimny. 

Great wine should be paired with great food, so on the menu, you’ll find seasonal dishes that showcase New Zealand’s finest and freshest produce. Well-trained and knowledgeable staff will help you choose the perfect wine to match your food. If you want something more relaxed the bar menu offers small plates, cheeses, and charcuterie boards. For the ultimate Noble Rot experience, enjoy a six-course degustation menu with wine matches. Whether you’re there for a casual or formal meal it’s an unforgettable tasting journey. 

Cuisine Magazine has declared Noble Rot the ‘Best Wine Experience in New Zealand’ many times. It’s also awarded the restaurant several ‘Hats’ over the years. ‘Hats’ are the New Zealand equivalent to Michelin Stars.  

A glass of red wine is being poured.

The restaurant at Noble Rot feels warm and cosy like a traditional bistro. It’s a place to settle in for a relaxed dinner with friends, family or colleagues. The wine bar area is adjacent to the dining space and is modern and vibrant. On both sides, you’ll see wine bottles everywhere you look. There are many large racks of wine and two wine bottle chandeliers hang from the ceiling. 

Maciej is proud of the high standard the eatery has set for itself but says it’s increasing people’s wine knowledge that excites him the most. “We’re here to educate and bring wine closer to the community. Every time you come here you’ll discover something new.”    

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