Must-see restaurants in Wellington

Deservedly ranked among Wellington's best restaurants, Logan Brown oozes class without being overly formal. Its 1920s banking-chamber dining room is a…

A Cuba St institution for caffeine-craving rebels, Fidel's cranks out eggs any which way, pizzas, panini and fab salads, along with the city's best…

This warmly lit, atmospheric wine bar serves some of Wellington's best food. Euro influences pervade the menu, featuring the likes of charcuterie plates,…

Olive boldly attempts to be all things to all Wellingtonians: breakfast cafe, nocturnal bistro, wine bar, craft-beer joint and live-music venue...and…

Watch the top-knotted bakers baking through the big picture window, then head inside to taste some scones, biscuits, cakes and lovely loaves, plus simple…

Italian? Fusion? Wine bar? Loretta is a hard gal to categorise, but she's won leagues of fans with her classy, well-proportioned offerings served in…

Mounted trout, salty portraits, marine-blue walls and Egyptian floor tiles cast a Mediterranean spell over Ortega – a magical spot for a seafood dinner…

A big industrial-minimalist space houses the city's slickest espresso bar and roastery, owned by long-time Wellington caffeine fiends. Beautiful house…

An airy affair at the sophisticated end of Wellington's cafe spectrum, Nikau consistently dishes up simple but sublime stuff (pan-fried halloumi,…

This consistent culinary star – alongside the Embassy Theatre and perfect for a pre- or post-movie dinner – serves simple, seasonal fare using premium…

'European soul food' is their slogan, but it's the best of British that dominates here, including Red Leicester scones, Welsh rarebit, kedgeree, fish…

Wellington has a bunch of great Malaysian diners, but Little Penang, in a resolutely scrappy area near the bottom of Cuba St, steals the show with its…

Shepherd your dining companions up the pink-and-purple steps into Shepherd for on-trend fusion cuisine – just three entrées, three mains and three…

One of Wellington's pioneering coffee-roasting cafes (since 1990), L'affare's mod-industrial lines and backstreet vibes feel as fresh as ever. Aside from…

At the one-time Wholesale Boot Company, flavours from Thailand, China and Japan punctuate a menu filled with the best of NZ produce, including freshly…

If this stretch of Aro St – and this long-running licensed cafe in particular – were any more photogenic it'd be a crime. Order from the cabinet or take a…

Buzzing to the point of mild chaos once the after-work crowd descends, this cavernous establishment occupies the gloriously renovated Huddart Parker…

Continuing Wellington's unwavering obsession with all things Cuba, this fantastic retro-imaginative roastery and coffee lounge offers heart-jolting coffee…

Enigmatic Enigma is the pick of the late-night coffee haunts around Courtenay Pl – a grungy, weathered, lived-in and loved-in cafe serving bagels, lasagne…

Perpetually brimming with cool cats, Sweet Mother’s serves tasty takes on the Deep South, such as burritos, gumbo, pulled-pork po’boys, jambalaya, grilled…