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10 Essential Eats in Wellington

Wellington, New Zealand, is all about coffee, character and community with a giant helping of cool (voted by Lonely Planet as the world’s coolest little capital in 2011). Community is strong in how they eat, where they eat, and how their artisans and providers support each other. Visit Leeds Street to see hand made peanut butter in use at the bean-to-bar chocolate factory next door, or Prefab to see roasters, bakers and chefs working together.
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a piece of pie and ice cream on a white plate at a table with a book
Coffee Character
Peanut Butter Apple
Chef Work
New Orleans Homes
Wellington New Zealand
Sweet Pie
Weekend Warrior
Support Each Other
Chocolate Factory
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Ice cream is not compulsory, but house-made sweet pie is – pumpkin, key lime, peanut butter, apple, or pecan and bourbon. SMK is right among the action on Courtenay Place, bar and weekend warrior central. Renowned for more kitsch than you can poke a stick at, groovy staff, Mexican and New Orleans home-style cooking day and night, and never leaving hungry, this is the place to come the morning after, or on the way to the night before.
a plate topped with pancakes covered in syrup
Banana Crispy
About Coffee
Crispy Bacon
Buttermilk
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Smack bang in the middle of Wellington’s eclectic and bohemien quarter, there’s no better place to get your Cuba groove on than Plum Café. There’s usually a classic or decadent version of pancake at Plum, this one being the classic buttermilk with fresh banana, crispy bacon and maple.
an assortment of food on a cutting board including bread, butter, jam and crackers
Food Products
Working Together
Next Door
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Founded in 1918 and still run by the Moore family today, Moore Wilson Fresh is a gourmet superstore showcasing the best local, regional and national food products.
there is a chocolate chip cookie on the plate next to a cup of cappuccino
Salted Caramel Cookie
Salted Caramel Cookies
Red Rabbit
New Zealand Adventure
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Red Rabbit is a partnership with the Leeds Street Bakery next door and roast right there in their tiny café. Their coffee should be accompanied by the legendary Leeds Street chewy salted caramel cookie, which also comes in gluten free and chocolate.
a white plate topped with pasta covered in sauce
Chilli Salad
Freshwater Fish
Leeds
Wellington
Peanut Butter
Peanut
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
NZ whitebait are the silvery-white young of small freshwater fish. Considered a delicacy, and most commonly found in fritters, Whitebait showcase them differently, for example this semolina noodle, whitebait, garlic and chilli salad
a wooden cutting board topped with different types of food and dipping sauces on top of it
Free Range
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Ti Kouka is a busy daytime café tucked away upstairs with a focus on fresh, seasonal and regional. With brothers from the coffee and fine dining worlds, there’s magic in every mouthful here. A favourite ingredient is local sustainably and ethically farmed Longbush free-range black pork, so anything with this meat is a must.
a white plate topped with rice and veggies on top of a wooden table
City Gallery
House Made
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Tucked around the end of the City Gallery in Civic Square, and named for the native palm adorning the Wellington hillsides in days gone by, Nikau has many long-time followers. With owners who are gardeners and lovers of fresh, seasonal and house-made, you can’t go wrong here.
a black plate topped with food on top of a wooden table
Rotisserie Lamb
Grilled Foods
Lamb Shoulder
10 Essentials
The Lamb
Pumpkin Puree
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Charley Noble focus on fresh, seasonal and woodfired grilled foods, so you get a tender, flavourful experience here.
a plate with oysters, lemon wedges and some bread on it next to a bottle of wine
Oysters And Champagne
Stewart Island
Pacific Salmon
Coffee World
Caramel Cookies
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Shed 5 is a long-time seafood stalwart on the Wellington waterfront, and the traditional place in the city for NZ oysters and champagne. The oyster varietals change through the seasons from robust Bluff oysters to sweeter Stewart Island Southern Glories to creamy Kaipara Pacific rock oysters.
a white plate topped with ravioli and cheese
Ravioli Alfredo
Cheese Melt
Mushroom Ravioli
Shell Fish
Wonton Wrappers
Sauteed Mushrooms
Cajun Recipes
10 Essential Eats in Wellington
Set in a beautiful old bank building, Logan Brown is all about ‘relaxed’ fine dining. Founded by two hunter-gatherer kiwi blokes, the food leans towards animal, wild if possible, and is smartly done with quality ingredients.