Can one go to Wellington without going to Garage Project?! We'd heard so much about this well-known…read morebrewery - it was one of our good friend's favorite spots while she lived there. It's quite a hike up from the main area, and all uphill - we opted to taxi up and walk back down. First, the address took us to their production facility so we had to walk a block or so to their taproom. We were expecting it to be much bigger than it was! It's similar to the layout of most spots in Wellington: super long and skinny, with seating along the side of the walkway back, with bar in the far back. For how popular it is, we were so surprised it's this small. We grabbed a table by the entrance and ordered at the bar in back. The guy working the bar was wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes shirt?! It was so incredible, and we had a great chat with him about it. We really enjoyed our beer and seltzer, and liked people watching by the front door and inside. The ambiance is great, with cool edgy decor inside. It's a very hipster energy here - ambiance and guests! We asked about merch, and they pointed us to their brewery/production facility down the block. We went over and they had a good amount of beer and some stickers, but otherwise didn't have much at all for merch. We definitely would have bought something if they had more options!

Garage Project, boasted as one of NZ's most popular brews, true to their name, started in a garage,…read moremoving to a service station- offering lots of drink in and/or takeaway variety. We anticipated visiting, not just because of the sheer popularity, but because of the fabulous sounding ambiance of the locations-offering 'big brews with low-key vibes'- and this was exactly what we got (& loved). Visiting the brewery 'house' (not the service station)- I immediately fell in love with the artistic graffiti, the hanging beaker bottles of brews (displaying the colors of the beers), the creative beer label signs, and the friendly bartenders. Overwhelmed by taking it all in, the bartenders took the time to talk with me about the brewery, the history, and walked me through a few beer samples to explain their core beer flavors. We tried: -Pernicious Weed a hearty-dry hopped-dank double IPA with heavy but deliciously smooth quality -Fresh Oct 22-smooth, creamy, hazy-with an orange kick -Haze Daze-a blend of well balanced hops, with a nice citra mouthfeel Only woe-why not 5 stars?- no free wifi & the tap water is seltzer water-smoking allowed

During one of our Beervana breaks, my friend had the brilliant idea of going to another brewery so…read morewe made it this one. Garage Project is a famous NZ staple brewery, with the original spot and taproom on Te Aro a bit outside of downtown. Wild Workshop is it's own location nearby some other excellent breweries and bars, just off Cuba Street. They keep this separate due to the nature of the organisms and beer - they're wild and can easily taint other beer being made nearby. They also had a number of famous European and Australian wild beers on, which made it extra fun. Downstairs is the main brewing area, plus a small bar and tables, with coolships upstairs where the restrooms and more brewing area is. It's in a cool old building with exposed brick and high ceilings, definitely a unique experience. The bartenders were excellent, welcoming and friendly. They were also knowledgeable about their beers and able to help us choose a good tasting paddle. If you're a fan of Belgian beer and similar styles, this one is worth the visit.

During a recent visit I set up a private tour and tasting with the manager Adrian, who gave me more…read moreof his time than I expected. Black Dog is owned by DB Breweries, which means their beer can be found all over New Zealand on draught and in bottles. The benefit of visiting the brewery in Wellington is that it serves as an experimental bar with new and consistently rotating small batches. It's located on vibrant Cuba Street; the brewery is easy to spot along street level, but the main area to sit and drink including the full bar is upstairs. The bartenders are knowledgeable about their beer. Adrian led me through a tasting of everything on tap in an order that kept the palate fresh. We also split a savory meat pie, one a few snacks they have to order. If you're in Wellington and love beer, this is a stop worth your while!

When I was in Wellington a few years ago, this spot was another brewery and beer bar. I had great…read morememories of coming here, but enjoyed the new owners' beer even more. It still had that old urban vibe with cozy lights and colorful windows, the focus is on the kettles at the back. The bar is on the right, with very friendly bartenders and more selections than you can drink on one visit. This is nearby Cuba Street, easy to walk to in Wellington. It's set back down a long entry way, with outdoor tables. The beer was all excellent quality, with so many different styles making it something for everyone. Prices were also reasonable. I had met the brewer John a couple times that weekend and he was also super friendly; overall I have all positive memories of this spot.

Every Mojo I have been in is consistently excellent for coffee and this one is no good exception…read more Good array of pastries and muffins for morning fuel. And a good lunch menu for more substantial. Thanks excellent space inside to chill, have a meeting or work.

Lost your mojo? Unlikely. Mojo can practically be found on every corner of Wellington. This one is…read moreon the ground floor of an office building so there's a lot of people buzzing in and out. They make a great, strong flat white and have a great breakfast menu. I ordered the two free-range eggs on top of sourdough. The sourdough bread was soft on the inside with a light crunch on the outside. The poached eggs broke into a delicious orangey, yolky goodness all over the buttery bread. Delicious and just what I needed to start my day of exploration around Wellington!

It's amazing when you travel how sometimes your favorite stops are the ones you didn't know about…read morewhile planning, but that got recommended to you by locals. This was one of those spots. Hey Day had great beer and I felt like I was in the right place at the right time to have a great experience here. Bartenders Billy & Anthony were welcoming and helpful all night, their service stood out. The spot was modern, but with an 80s vibe of pastels on white. Because of Beervana, it was a busy place, but it was also trivia night so I found a team with an empty seat and joined them. We did mostly okay, definitely better than the other trivia night I joined on that trip. Their beers were all solid - a tasty array of styles that were well made. It's easy to get here walking around the city too. So if you're a beer fan in Wellington, it's worth a stop!

I was pleasantly surprised at the variety and quality of the brews. We had visited two other…read morebreweries on a rainy afternoon and went a few blocks more to try another with low expectations. The facility was clean and pretty new but the greetings were warm and inviting. The originality of the options struck me decided to stay and dry off. I liked the explanation of "cold ipa' and enjoyed the refreshing taste. The Riesling Pilsner was original and enjoyable. The Dopplerbock had rich and full flavor and a nice change from lagers and ipas. The qua d was a delightful flavor. If I lived anywhere near this place would be a very regular stop. Keep up the good work

The first time I was in Wellington, this was a brewery I only got to experience in the airport…read more(that location has since closed). I made it my mission to come here first on this trip and was thankful I did. Fortune Favours has gone through some ownership changes, but is once again independent and making great beer. This is a working brewery, taproom, and lounge. They have cozy booths, bar stools, plus an upstairs bar including outdoor seating. It's right off of Hannahs Laneway, which is a must-visit area of the city with other amazing art galleries, restaurants, cafes, and bars. The staff was super welcoming that day, thank you Phill and Grant for the fun conversation, a couple free beers, and gift of neckerchief for my pup! I ordered a flight and stuck with some of the rarer styles: thankfully I was there during their anniversary so they had a number of throwback kegs on tap. All the beer was delicious; I also ordered a Gorilla Burger from next door and really enjoyed it. One of the only souvenirs I bought for myself this trip was a pint glass with their signature font, it's a new favorite. If you're a beer fan in Wellington, this is a must-visit and part of the ale trail.

Ok. Stay with me, my review requires a bit of side-back-story. You see, my husband and I were on…read moreholiday in NZ; having only one free night in Wellington, after 20hours of flying, decided this was to be the night of the Wellington Beer Trail! Having started at Fork & Brewer, which was an old favorite spot from our previous visit in 2018- their fantastic brewer helped us circle must-try spots on the Beer Trail map, based on our preferences. Fortune Favours was not circled. Along our journey, in-between bars, we decided we wanted to stop and grab some grub and began our search for a recommended dumpling spot. Along our route, we smelled something absolutely delicious & also saw an amazing dinosaur graffiti down a long back alley..and bam! we found ourselves at Fortune Favours. Entering the bar, we asked, 'what smells so good?!' while perusing the menu-only to be told they were baking dog biscuits with the spent grains..whomp whomp. So we awkwardly decided to just leave & carry on our dumpling search, asking the friendly bartender if he could give us some better directions-to which he provided ample recommendations for eating. Arriving to our dumpling spot- we discovered a 'short staff closed sign' and decided to return to the friendly bartender at Fortune Favours. Glad for the misadventure, and friendliness, because the beers were quite delicious! I can understand why they weren't recommended to us, because the beers we ended up with weren't hazy citra ipas, so it was a veer from our normal enjoyments- but we were glad for the variety. I got the Rye Pale Ale- a piney, roasty, smooth malty hops- while my husband got a cold brut ipa-crisp and dank. We got to spend time with the bartender talking impact of shortages on the breweries, and learning more about the local area Beer Trail. Really glad we ended up here, if anyone asks us moving forward to circle spots on a Beer Trail map we will most certainly circle this location!!

My family and I did a chocolate making class, and it was honestly so worth it! You get to mold your…read moreown chocolate and put in your own toppings. Really easy and nice! The host/hostess also explains the history of chocolate very well and is incredibly friendly, especially as people who were out of country visitors. The chocolate itself is really delicious. This place knows a great combination of chocolates and fruits! I highly recommend trying this place!

My family and I had a great time coming here and making our own chocolate. The staff are all really…read morenice and had a great shop with making your own chocolates. This is a great place to do a little activity and have some sweets as well. Highly recommend and the chocolates are delicious! My coworkers really enjoyed the chocolates I brought back.