Guidebook for Wellington
Food Scene
Favourite quick-food & takeaway spot in Wellington - & it's 2 blocks from us! Somalian kebabs, best falafel in the city, & amazing plate meals with chicken & lamb. Cheap & delicious.
Caltex
Favourite quick-food & takeaway spot in Wellington - & it's 2 blocks from us! Somalian kebabs, best falafel in the city, & amazing plate meals with chicken & lamb. Cheap & delicious.
Great $10 lunch special M-F, & great Indian food all the time. Tasty mango lassis.
9 abantu bendawo batusa
Planet Spice
128 Riddiford StGreat $10 lunch special M-F, & great Indian food all the time. Tasty mango lassis.
A great local cafe with a relaxed vibe & great food. Lots of veggie & gluten-free options, good coffee, Friday night music & tapas, & an AMAZING courtyard out the back.
27 abantu bendawo batusa
Baobab Cafe
152 Riddiford StA great local cafe with a relaxed vibe & great food. Lots of veggie & gluten-free options, good coffee, Friday night music & tapas, & an AMAZING courtyard out the back.
One of Wellington's coffee hotspots, a must for the coffee tourist! Generally serve quite strong brews so popular with Wellington's African community,
Peoples Coffee Roastery
275 Newtown AveOne of Wellington's coffee hotspots, a must for the coffee tourist! Generally serve quite strong brews so popular with Wellington's African community,
Very very hip, but a must for a Wellington coffee tour - and right opposite Leeds St which is a fast-growing gourmet hub.
18 abantu bendawo batusa
Customs by Coffee Supreme
39 Ghuznee StVery very hip, but a must for a Wellington coffee tour - and right opposite Leeds St which is a fast-growing gourmet hub.
Heading out to the Weta Cave? Make sure you stop here for lunch or dinner (open Wed-Sun). Great ambience, staff, food & drink. A few doors down from the charming Roxy cinema.
36 abantu bendawo batusa
La Boca Loca
23 Kent TerraceHeading out to the Weta Cave? Make sure you stop here for lunch or dinner (open Wed-Sun). Great ambience, staff, food & drink. A few doors down from the charming Roxy cinema.
Wellington's first and only Ethiopian restaurant. Great vegan options & all-round tasty food. Something different for the city.
Harvey Norman Tory Street (Computers & Electrical Only)
87 Tory StWellington's first and only Ethiopian restaurant. Great vegan options & all-round tasty food. Something different for the city.
Really nice vegetarian cafe with sugar free options, gluten free, wholefoods etc.
8 abantu bendawo batusa
Pranah Cafe
120 Riddiford StReally nice vegetarian cafe with sugar free options, gluten free, wholefoods etc.
Wellington favourite, 2-4-1 food on Mon, 2-4-1 cocktails & mocktails on Wed & Sat.
39 abantu bendawo batusa
Chow Tory
45 Tory StWellington favourite, 2-4-1 food on Mon, 2-4-1 cocktails & mocktails on Wed & Sat.
A classic establishment open to all hours. Great coffee & snacks/cafe food (nachos, wedges, cakes, pies, sandwiches etc). Lots of vegan options.
31 abantu bendawo batusa
Midnight Espresso
178 Cuba StA classic establishment open to all hours. Great coffee & snacks/cafe food (nachos, wedges, cakes, pies, sandwiches etc). Lots of vegan options.
One of Wellington's top restaurants with inventive food and seafood as a specialty.
57 abantu bendawo batusa
Ortega
16 Majoribanks StOne of Wellington's top restaurants with inventive food and seafood as a specialty.
Capitol Restaurant
10 Kent TerraceA nice civilised top restaurant in the inner city.
Stellar gourmet fish'n'chips. Get them to take away and walk up to the Mt Vic park or down to the sea side.
34 abantu bendawo batusa
Mt Vic Chippery
5 Majoribanks StStellar gourmet fish'n'chips. Get them to take away and walk up to the Mt Vic park or down to the sea side.
The Hangar
119 Dixon StAnother classic Wellington establishment for serious coffee!
Tapas restaurant with interesting, sophisticated plates, great wines, and good atmosphere.
30 abantu bendawo batusa
Ombra
199 Cuba StTapas restaurant with interesting, sophisticated plates, great wines, and good atmosphere.
A must to soak up the Wellington vibe. Great coffee from one of the city's main roasteries (Havana), & fun cosmopolitan atmosphere with good cafe food.
73 abantu bendawo batusa
Fidel's Cafe
234 Cuba StA must to soak up the Wellington vibe. Great coffee from one of the city's main roasteries (Havana), & fun cosmopolitan atmosphere with good cafe food.
Great breakfast/brunch spot. Has a magical courtyard, grills on certain nights, and a really nice romantic nighttime vibe too.
38 abantu bendawo batusa
Olive Restaurant
170-172 Cuba StGreat breakfast/brunch spot. Has a magical courtyard, grills on certain nights, and a really nice romantic nighttime vibe too.
Baker Gramercy
465 Adelaide RdFabulous artisan bakery a short walk from our house.
Goose Shack HQ
461 Adelaide RdA foodie haven a short walk from us.
Essentials
Great supermarket two blocks from our house, including beer and wine sales.
22 abantu bendawo batusa
New World Newtown
195 Riddiford StGreat supermarket two blocks from our house, including beer and wine sales.
The Saturday Market at Newtown Primary School is a community staple. Get the freshest produce, check out the locals, & find rare & interesting food.
Riddiford Street at Hall Street station
The Saturday Market at Newtown Primary School is a community staple. Get the freshest produce, check out the locals, & find rare & interesting food.
Great place for organic and allergy-aware groceries, plus tasty lunches during the week. They have the BEST afghan cookies, which are a must for Kiwi experience.
20 abantu bendawo batusa
Commonsense Wellington City
147 Tory StGreat place for organic and allergy-aware groceries, plus tasty lunches during the week. They have the BEST afghan cookies, which are a must for Kiwi experience.
Countdown Newtown
3 John StA new very large supermarket near our house.
Have a very large range of gourmet Italian groceries including wine, plus a popular eat-in (or take-out) area with gelato, pizza, pasta and salads. Plus some fine Italian espresso coffee!
22 abantu bendawo batusa
Mediterranean Foods Trattoria and Deli
42 Constable StHave a very large range of gourmet Italian groceries including wine, plus a popular eat-in (or take-out) area with gelato, pizza, pasta and salads. Plus some fine Italian espresso coffee!
Shopping
One of those great book stores where the owner brings in his dog and books are piled to the ceiling.
Rainbow Books
242 Riddiford StOne of those great book stores where the owner brings in his dog and books are piled to the ceiling.
Book Haven
160 Riddiford StAnother great local book store.
Walk into town from our house or catch a bus, and explore Cuba St! Full of cafes, clothes stores, music stores and more. You can spend the better part of a day wandering & people watching.
170 abantu bendawo batusa
Cuba Street
151 Cuba StWalk into town from our house or catch a bus, and explore Cuba St! Full of cafes, clothes stores, music stores and more. You can spend the better part of a day wandering & people watching.
Entertainment & Activities
A lovely cosy spot with a good range of books and magazines. Stop off to use the wifi, rest your feet, or escape from the rain.
Newtown Public Library
13 Constable StA lovely cosy spot with a good range of books and magazines. Stop off to use the wifi, rest your feet, or escape from the rain.
Te Papa is an amazing museum & one of the best free, indoor, kid-friendly things to do. You can easily spend two days going through here.
38 abantu bendawo batusa
Te Papa Museum station
Te Papa is an amazing museum & one of the best free, indoor, kid-friendly things to do. You can easily spend two days going through here.
Two blocks up from our house is the awesome Wellington Zoo. It's the first carbon-zero zoo in the world, & they're always working to improve the homes and environments for their animals.
115 abantu bendawo batusa
Izoo yaseWellington
200 Daniell StTwo blocks up from our house is the awesome Wellington Zoo. It's the first carbon-zero zoo in the world, & they're always working to improve the homes and environments for their animals.
Lovely suburb with a lovely piece of coastline and a fabulous big playground right by the sea. A great spot for families.
21 abantu bendawo batusa
Island Bay
Lovely suburb with a lovely piece of coastline and a fabulous big playground right by the sea. A great spot for families.
Arts & Culture
A 30s cinema still going, mostly showing art films and approachable foreign films. They have a lovely cafe to relax in with nice food & amazing coffee.
40 abantu bendawo batusa
Penthouse Cinema & Cafe
205 Ohiro RdA 30s cinema still going, mostly showing art films and approachable foreign films. They have a lovely cafe to relax in with nice food & amazing coffee.
A fun & historic cinema in the filmmaking district of Wellington. Features a great cafe too.
84 abantu bendawo batusa
The Roxy Cinema
5 Park RdA fun & historic cinema in the filmmaking district of Wellington. Features a great cafe too.
A must see, completely remodelled by Peter Jackson for premieres of the Lord of the Rings films. The best sound system in town!
79 abantu bendawo batusa
BATS Theatre
1 Kent TerraceA must see, completely remodelled by Peter Jackson for premieres of the Lord of the Rings films. The best sound system in town!
Everything Else
Leeds St is the hottest new gourmet area: Leeds St Bakery; Wellington Chocolate Factory (Google for tours); Goldings Free Dive Bar (craft beer); Pizza Pomodoro; Six Barrel Soda (funky gourmet sodas).
Leeds St
Leeds St is the hottest new gourmet area: Leeds St Bakery; Wellington Chocolate Factory (Google for tours); Goldings Free Dive Bar (craft beer); Pizza Pomodoro; Six Barrel Soda (funky gourmet sodas).
Drinks & Nightlife
Foxglove Bar & Kitchen
33 Queens WharfGorgeous interiors & fine drinks & eats.
A great local hang out famous for burgers, gourmet sodas and drinks. They host the occasional gig too.
12 abantu bendawo batusa
Monterey
4 Rintoul StA great local hang out famous for burgers, gourmet sodas and drinks. They host the occasional gig too.
A funky restaurant/bar with South American food & a range of tasty drinks.
19 abantu bendawo batusa
Bebemos
88 Riddiford StA funky restaurant/bar with South American food & a range of tasty drinks.
A charming small-town style pub with tasty food and home-brewed beers. Right by the botanic gardens in historic Tinakori village.
21 abantu bendawo batusa
Sprig & Fern Tavern - Tinakori Rd
342 Tinakori RdA charming small-town style pub with tasty food and home-brewed beers. Right by the botanic gardens in historic Tinakori village.