Tomboy
Part café, part cakery, Tomboy is a great spot to grab a sandwich, scone, or pastry, or some delicious breakfast fare. For refreshment, try one of the freshly made juices, coffees, or the famous beetroot-based latte.
7 Best Restaurants in Wellington and the Wairarapa, New Zealand
In Wellington, restaurants, cafés, and sports bars spring up overnight like mushrooms. Although you'll never be without the classic meal of steak, fries, and ale, city eateries have also embraced more adventurous fare. Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Malaysian, Mexican, and Italian cuisines are increasingly common. Indigenous food, too, is appearing in restaurants around the city—native plants might be paired with traditional seafood or made into sauces to accompany meat or sweet-potato dishes.
In rural areas outside Wellington, the wine industry has revolutionized local tables, with excellent dining and wine-tasting spots. In the Wairarapa, restaurants are winning a reputation for creative cuisine.
Generally, lunch runs from noon until 2, and most restaurants close for a few hours before opening for dinner around 6. On Monday, many restaurants are shuttered. Dress codes are still really relaxed; jeans would be frowned on only in the top restaurants.
The Botanist
Though right at home among the seaside cottages of Lyall Bay, this plant-based haven is anything but traditional. The Botanist offers tasty and innovative takes on traditionally meat-centered meals in a seasonally evolving menu, and it's open for brunch and then runs to late-night cocktail hours (well, 10 pm) every day. The menu is also complemented with appropriately botanical teas, kombuchas, and cocktails.
Duck Island Ice Cream
Duck's pink and yellow pastels feel like a warm, cheeky smile between its "cool" Cuba Street counterparts. With 40 ice creams on rotation and 24 on show, you'll struggle to pick between your nostalgic favorites and their experimental flavors. A must-try is Duck's twist on the Australasian party staple, fairy bread (white bread with butter, topped with sprinkles). There's another location on Willis Lane.
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The Farriers Bar & Eatery
At The Farriers, you can watch the chefs in the open kitchen while waiting for your order to arrive. Much of the large menu is devoted to pub fare and wood-fired pizzas, all made from scratch, but some interesting main courses including lamb shanks and meat pies tempt those with more ambitious appetites.
La Bella Italia
On the otherwise sleepy Petone Wharf is a vibrant Italian trattoria, where prestigious awards, relics of family history, and shelves of the finest Italian ingredients cover the walls. This spot with a welcoming family atmosphere was awarded the prestigious Ospitalità Italiana quality-approved seal and is recognized as one of the top 70 Restaurants with Pizzeria in the World by Ristorazione Italiana.
Loretta
Adorned with earthy-chic accents and wide wooden tables, Loretta makes a daily but effortless transformation from a relaxed brunch spot to a bustling candle-lit restaurant. Menus follow a seasonal theme with salads, wood-fired pizzas, savory pies, and hearty servings of seasoned meats to share. With a famously evolving menu, brunches typically begin with smoothies and spritzers, waffles, and crumpets, each served with seasonal fruits.
Union Square Bistro and Bar
Located and independently operated within the historic Martinborough Hotel, the decor here is understated yet comfortable. The classic bistro menu offers updated versions of European favorites for lunch and dinner, and creative brunch options are avaiable daily; there's a nice menu for kids, too.
