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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 imposing exterior and classical interior of this former bank building showcase the fact that this Wellington stalwart delivers exceptional dining in an unpretentious way. The menu highlights New Zealand's produce and exemplary wines; knowledgeable and friendly staff talk you through each dish, and there’s an early bistro menu or a longer degustation menu if you want to make a night of it.
Adorned with its 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. With their famously daily-evolving menu, brunches typically begin with smoothies and spritzers, waffles, and crumpets, each served with seasonal fruits. Lunch and dinner follow a similar seasonal theme with salads, wood-fired pizzas, savory pies, and hearty servings of seasoned meats to share.
Tucked away in a nook of suburban Newtown, the deceptive frontage suggests Mason offers little else beyond a trendy wine bar. However, once you look beyond the local and organic wine and beer lists, you'll also find a celebration of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Though a succinct menu of small plates and indulgent desserts, there is a generous rotation of specials and salatim (Israeli-style side dishes), all likely to be re-ordered immediately after you finish the first plate.
Reveling in the lively waterfront atmosphere, Master Kong has a vibrant, fun, and sometimes spicy personality, both in its cuisine and its decor. The menu covers the most-beloved Asian street foods, ranging from fresh sake-cured salmon bites, to flavorful fusion-style dumplings, to Korean barbecue banquets. The menu is equally complemented by a large list of elaborate cocktails and mocktails. The varied and comprehensive menu, friendly service, and large tables make this an enjoyable spot for families and groups.
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