Where to Eat in Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, on the southern tip of New Zealand Aotearoa’s North Island, sits within its own natural pantry: The ink-blue Cook Strait shimmers with seafood; the Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay wine regions to the east and north are known for their aromatic white wines and Bordeaux blends; and the fertile farmlands of Manawatū-Whanganui are home to many of the nation’s market gardens. All of it makes its way to the capital in one way or another, on small plates in tiny wine bars, filling the stoves and ovens of legacy restaurants in the city center, and through the re-creation or reinvention of traditional cuisines from dozens of migrant groups.

A visit to the world’s southernmost capital should begin with a stroll down Cuba Street. “It’s quite eclectic, a real mishmash, and really tells the story of Wellington,” says Sarah Miekle, director of Food and Drink New Zealand. Drop into The Ram, a retro-fabulous gastropub, named for a pub belonging to one of the owner’s grandparents in England, and do like the locals do: Order a chicken or eggplant parmigiana and a glass of stout from local brewers Parrotdog. All-day diner Floraditas is also worth a visit, especially for the breakfast avocado toast with peanut crumb and pickled onions, while Puffin is the place to try an ever-rotating list of organic and biodynamic wines.

Wellington is an easy city to walk and wander, so your next stop should be nearby Majoribanks Street, home to another Wellington classic beloved by locals: Ortega Fish Shack. Kiwi seafood is fished from some of the most pristine waters on earth: For the best local picks look out for snapper, hoki, or blue cod on menus. Not feeling fishy? No worries. “Ironically for a fish restaurant, I think Ortega Fish Shack serves one of the best steaks in town,” says Miekle. Right next door is wine bar Rosella, which screenwriter, filmmaker, and food fanatic Arty Papageorgiou says is his pick for grazing on pickled green lip mussels and lamb belly skewers.

The city is not all snacks, wines, and avocado-based antipodean breakfasts. Papageorgiou urges visitors to seek out international flavors that might not sound immediately Kiwi but are as much part of the tapestry of the city as Whittaker’s Chocolate or whitebait fritters (as an aside, buy both these things if you find them). “August and Damascus are two of my favourites,” he says. August’s brunches are legendary: the Istanbul eggs with Greek yogurt and Aleppo butter and the “yiayia-approved” spanikopita are both a solid order. At fine dining, Syrian restaurant Damascus, he says it’s nearly impossible not to order every mezze on the menu, like the kibbeh nayyeh made with lamb from nearby producers Conscious Valley. Auckland-based content creator Curry Concierge, also recommends kebab bakery Morteza in the creative southern suburb of Newtown, where the owner stretches her bread by hand, cooking it to order on the sides of a traditional cylindrical oven.

A warning to all visitors: If you don’t try a pie during your stay in New Zealand Aotearoa, they may not allow you back in the country again. Doubly so if you refuse to admit that Kiwi pies are better than those made by the other great pie-fanciers in the region: Australia. Salut Pies in the centre of the city puts up a strong fight against anything the Aussies could offer: They have a constant rotation of specials, and the knockout is the beef brisket with cheese, streaky bacon, and jalapeño relish.

To try a pie that the Australians couldn’t hope to replicate on any level, you have to head to one of the two locations of Puku Pies and Kai. “Puku” is a Māori term meaning ”belly” and if they have their pāua pies on the menu when you visit, your puku will thank you for putting one in it. Pāua are an endemic abalone species, with rich, elegant flesh, that have been eaten by Māori for hundreds of years. What sets this pie apart, says Curry Concierge, is the use of the shellfish’s hua, or liver, to flavor the sauce. “It’s so indulgent.”

Once you’ve explored the city at ground level, it’s time to see it from above. Join the locals catching the cable car up the hill to Kelburn for stunning views of the harbor and skyline. From there, you’re just a 10-minute walk to tiny wine bar Graze. Pull up a pew beneath the pickles and preserves, check out the menu scrawled on the walls, and, says Sarah Miekle, “order one of everything.”