Category Archives: Wellington

Best Rated Restaurants in Wellington, New Zealand

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The capital of New Zealand, Wellington is famed for promising delicious gastronomic adventures to the patrons. Here’s a list of most popular restaurants located in the city.

Hippopotamus Restaurant & Cocktail Bar

Redefining your dining experience with its sophisticated decor, romantic ambience and spectacular location, Hippopotamus Restaurant & Cocktail Bar is a fabulous restaurant in Wellington.

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Featuring a classic food and exclusive drinks’ menu, this place is perfect for those willing to enjoy a quiet dinner with their loved ones. La Citrouille, Le Poisson Du J, La Tarte Tatin Revisitée, Le Choux Fleur and Le Potiron are few of the must try dishes here. Also, the vegan menu is quite an attraction at the restaurant.
Location: 90 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington

One80° Restaurant

Best to enjoy the amazing views of the city and its surrounding landscape, One80° Restaurant is one of the finest restaurants in Wellington. Offering a dedicated menu prepared using finest seasonal ingredients and authentic spices, food here is a big hit. Oyster Kilpatrick, Ora King Salmon, Slow Cooked Free Range Pork Belly, Preston’s Local Lamb, French Croque Monsieur, Kiwi Fresh Fush & Chups, Kapiti Kikorangi Blue, Japanese Tempura Prawns, and Wedges /with Bacon & Cheese and Italian Garlic Ciabatta are few of the specialities here.
Location: 100 Oriental Parade, Oriental Bay, New Zealand

Ortega

Famed for its range of fish dishes and steaks, Ortega is a popular upscale restaurant in Wellington. Owing to its love for great food and wine, dining here is truly a special experience. Offering the rich taste of traditional flavours are popular dishes such as House Baked Sourdough Baguette, Twice Baked Three Cheese Soufflé, Honey-Roasted Courgettes, Organic Mixed Leaf Salad and Fennel and Mascarpone Risotto.
Location: 16 Majoribanks Street, Mt Victoria, Wellington

Boulcott Street Bistro Restaurant

Standing as a symbol of the city’s exceptional fine dining scene, Boulcott Street Bistro Restaurant is a must visit place for food lovers in Wellington. Famed for its traditional bistro dishes, amazing wines and a classic menu, this place is perfect to enjoy a lovely evening with your friends or family. Free Range Chicken Pot Pie, Char Grilled Reserve Range Sirloin, Ora King Salmon Gravlax & Rillette, Pan Fried Lambs Liver, Red Wine Braised Lamb Shank and Falafel Croquettes are few of the must try dishes here.
Location: 99 Boulcott Street, Wellington

Dragonfly

An ideal place to enjoy sumptuous range of gastronomic delicacies, Dragonfly is a popular Pan-Asian lounge in Wellington. Featuring a specialised menu comprising of different dishes prepared by chefs from across the world, food here is among the best in the city. Duck and Shiitake Spring Rolls, Smoked Organic Beancurd, Twice Cooked Pork Belly, Red Duck Curry, Ginger Chicken Dumplings, San Choi Bao and Steamed Prawn Shumai are few of the well-known dishes at the restaurant.
Location: 70 Courtenay Place, Wellington

Chameleon Restaurant

Offering the rich taste of traditional New Zealand cuisine, Chameleon Restaurant is yet another well-known fine dining site in Wellington. Featuring a dedicated menu packed with traditional dishes prepared by talented chefs like Paul Limacher and Edmond Weicherding, food served at Chameleon Restaurant is loved by all. Sour Dough Rolls, Chameleon Soup, Chicken Consommé, Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, Ponzu Cucumber Granite, Aged Beef Tenderloin W/ Black Garlic Mash and Provenance Lamb Rack are among the most served dishes at the restaurant. Also, there’s a special children’s menu available at the restaurant.
Location: 2 Grey Street Wellington

Monsoon Poon Wellington Restaurant

Spicing up Wellington’s culinary scene since 2001, Monsoon Poon Wellington Restaurant is a beautiful spot to enjoy the wonders of fine dining. Boasting a flavourful blend of different cuisines from across the world including Thai, Indian, Chinese and Indonesian, food here is truly diversified. Kung Pao Chicken Wings, Firecracker Sliders, Salmon Tartare, Peppered Squid, Thai Gulf Jumbo Prawns, Spice Grill Chicken Satay, Wok Lobster and Sticky Pork Belly are must try dishes at the restaurant. The restaurant has an ‘allergic menu’ as well.
Location: 12 Blair Street, Te Aro, Wellington

The Larder

A beautifully decorated restaurant serving a range of local gourmet delicacies, The Larder is surely a paradise for food lovers in Wellington. Known for its classic decor, dreamy ambience and a terrific menu, this place is perfect to savour both traditional and contemporary dishes in the city. We recommend Buttermilk Crepes with Poached Peach, Portobello Mushrooms on Toast, and Gremolata Crumbed Lamb’s Brain with Radicchio. Do check out the place’s wine collection.
Location: 133 Darlington Rd, Miramar, Wellington

Logan Brown Restaurant

Known for its classic decor and speciality dishes, Logan Brown restaurant is an attraction in itself among the food lovers. Opened in 1996, this place has evolved over the years in terms of style, food and dining trends. Besides the traditional delicacies, you will love the cocktails served here. A special menu is available on occasions and festivals.
Location: 192 Cuba Street, Corner of Cuba & Vivian Streets, Wellington

Some of the Most Popular Towns around Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is one of the most interesting holiday destinations in the world. Located in the southern end of North Island, this popular capital city is known for its arts, heritage and culture.

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Moreover, some of the city’s neighbouring towns are big tourist draws as well. Each of these towns offers its visitors numerous things to do along with other attractions. For those of you heading to Wellington, here is a list of popular towns around the capital.

Wairarapa

Located in the north of Wellington, Wairarapa is a certainly a popular holiday destination. Featuring a spectacular coastline and wide valleys and nestled in the heart of the classic New Zealand Wine Trail, the town is best loved for wine tasting tours. Moreover, there’s the famous Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre, which is home to one of New Zealand’s most rare and endangered species, White Kiwi’s. Don’t forget to enjoy an extensive range of authentic delicacies at the nearby restaurants.

Levin

Nestled between the Tasman Coast and Tararua ranges, Levin is a secondary urban centre in New Zealand. Featuring a long beautiful coastline and the giant mountain range, the town is perfect for adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers. Visitors here can indulge in numerous water sports and other adventure activities including mountain climbing.

Kapiti Island

Located 50 kilometres north of Wellington, Kapiti Island, off the coast of the city, is home to a number of native birds and numerous endangered species including takahe, brown teal, stitchbird, tomtit, fantail, morepork and weka. Visitors can also spot a brown kiwi and little spotted kiwi on the island.

Martinborough

Located in the South, Martinborough is a famous wine town in New Zealand. Known for its 20 odd vineyards, the city is popular among wine lovers from across the world. The popular town features numerous vineyards producing world class wines including Pinot Noir. On your next trip to the city, don’t forget to pair up your meal with world class wine for a perfect holiday experience.

Paraparaumu

A small town in the north, Paraparaumu is a major commercial and residential centre of New Zealand. Known for its urban culture and metropolitian character, it is among the most visited towns in the country. Paraparaumu beach is the most popular holiday attraction in the town, where visitors can enjoy swimming and water sports.

Greytown

Located just an hour from Wellington, Greytown is one of the most beautiful towns in New Zealand. Featuring some of the restored Victorian buildings and ancient shops, the town is popular among historians and archaeologists. Established in 1854 by early settlers of Wellington, the town is perfect to take a walk back in time and experience the rich history of the country.

Cape Palliser

Situated on the southern coast, Cape Palliser is a coastal city much loved by the tourists. Popularly referred to as a seaside village, the settlement features some of the most beautiful beaches and ancient structures. Cape Palliser Lighthouse is extremely popular with travellers.

Paekakariki

Located in the north western end, Paekakariki is another popular town in New Zealand. Featuring black sand and a beautiful coastline, the town has numerous bars and restaurants spread across the beach, serving authentic delicacies to the guests.

Best Cultural Festivals of New Zealand

New Zealand is a country of beautiful natural landscapes and a rich culture. It’s a popular travel destination for many reasons – snowy winters, beautiful mountain peaks, pristine waters, amazing flora and fauna and fantastic people are just some of the elements.

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JAZZOf late, the country is also becoming popular for the various types of amazing cultural festivals it hosts, which give visitors a sneak peek into its rich and fabulous culture. New Zealand attracts tourists with its food festivals, wine festivals, music festivals, arts festivals, fashion festivals, family fun events, sports festivals, and various other events and festivals. At these festivals, one often witnesses collaborations between local and international artists.

Wellington Jazz Festival

Wellington Jazz Festival is a music festival celebrating the music genre of Jazz by big international as well local musicians. As the name suggests, the musical extravaganza is held at Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand.The fest sees around 100 acts by world class musicians, for three to five days. There is lots of great food and drinks.

F.A.W.C! – Hawke’s Bay (Food & Wine Classic)

F.A.W.C! (Food & Wine Classic) is a popular food and wine festival that is organized twice every year amidst the stunning surroundings of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. The festival is well attended by notable food and wine personalities. One gets to sample delectable local lambs and venison to the accompaniment of rich wines and fine music. The festival is held once in summers and once in winters.

American Express Queenstown Winter Festival

The American Express Queenstown Winter Festival is an annual event that is held to mark the beginning of winters in Queenstown, New Zealand. The 10-day festival includes many fun-filled activities, great music, street parties, international and local stage acts, comedy acts, family fun activities, food and wine and electrifying fireworks. The festival is visited by around 45,000 foreign and local visitors.

Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival

The Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival is a chocolate carnival held in July every year at Dunedin, New Zealand. The famous festival is attended by thousands of chocolate lovers – not just for the chocolates – but for the many family-friendly events. The carnival holds chocolate factory tours, food classes, cookery competitions, chocolate facials, chocolate decorating, chocolate painting and its famous Gold Rush train ride and treasure hunt.

Visa Wellington On A Plate

The Visa Wellington On A Plate is another food festival organised in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington. This is the largest and the most popular food festival in the country, which witnesses the participation of a large number of renowned chefs.

Driftwood & Sand Sculpture Festival

The Driftwood & Sand Sculpture Festival is a community beach sculpture festival held every year at New Zealand’s Hokitika beach. Thousands of beach sculpture enthusiasts, young and old, participate in this festival to create marvellous sculptures using just driftwood and sand on the stunning scenic background of the West Coast. The festival ends with prize distribution to the winners who make the best sculptures.

Wellington Jazz Festival 2016 is Round the Corner

The yearly Wellington Jazz Festival is extremely popular. After all, world renowned jazz artists belt out memorable performances. The mood of the festival is all the more elevated by great food, craft beer and exquisite wine.

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This year, the festival will be held from 8th to 12th June and will offer the privilege of experiencing the music of the likes of Wayne Shorter Quartet and Lisa Fischer.

Performances to Look Forward to

Soak in the mesmerizing music of Wayne Shorter Quartet, the multi-Grammy winner. Of course, you will see lead members of his orchestra. They are none other than Danilo Perez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade. Lisa Fischer, the academy award winner brings to the audience her enigmatic fusion of rock and soulful compositions. Snarky Puppy from USA, with a contemporary mix of jazz and synthesizers is bound to enthral the audience.

Venues

Opera House, Wellington is the nerve centre of the festival and lures the best of Jazz artists. Matterhorn, a venue with historical significance lets you enjoy music as well as heady cocktails and food. Some of the other venues are The Rogue and Vagabond, CQ Bar, The Realm, Basque, Havana, The Lido Cafe, Meow, Hotel Bristol, New Zealand School of music, The Third Eye and Cin Cin among others.

Bookings

Visitors can book tickets online, in person and also over phone for events at the Opera House. Tickets can be booked by logging on to the official website. For phone bookings, call 0800 842 538. Tickets can also be booked by visiting any of the Ticketek agencies across the country. Free events at many of the venues can be enjoyed on a first-come first-serve basis. So it is advisable to reach such venues well in advance.

How to reach?

The nearest airport to Wellington is Wellington International Airport. It caters to both domestic and international flights. Another major airport is the Kapiti Coast Airport which is about 55 kms from Wellington.

Transport and Accommodation during the Festival

Going around the city is pretty easy and the popular places are easily accessible by public transport. Hiring a bike is also another good way of moving around the city. There are different cabs and taxi shuttles which provide excellent commuting facilities and can be hired on an hourly basis.

Wellington, the third most populous city in New Zealand offers a wide range of accommodation facilities. Budget hotels come with a tariff of about 100 NZD while dorm rooms come with a pretty cheap tariff of about 25 NZD.