On a recent trip to Wellington, I stayed at the newly renovated Trinity Hotel, which also holds The…read moreArborist. I was thankful to have this place right in my hotel, as the weather was still on the cold side at night. It's located conveniently in downtown Wellington and ended up being a popular spot, especially on weekends. This is two places in one: the rooftop bar has cozy seating both outdoors with great views of the city, and bar area inside kept warm and away from the elements; downstairs is the morning/daytime cafe with a full breakfast and coffee menu, that also turns into a bar and lounge in the evening and at night. The staff both upstairs and downstairs was efficient and friendly; it made me want to keep coming back. For hotel guests: if you don't need your room cleaned each day, you can waive that service and get a NZ$10 voucher to use at The Arborist. I mostly put that toward coffee and breakfast.

Excellent menu, it looks like the ingredients are sourced fresh and local. And properly cooked,…read morenot from a freezer bag. Excellent fresh squid. Since it's right next to the Trinity Hotel, it's really easy, with the a-joining door, to nip in for breakfast and dinner. The roof balcony is also the place to be for drinks on Friday night

Arrived in Wellington from Taupo around 3 pm. Checked into the hotel and researched dinner spots…read more Charley Noble came up so we took a short walk. Arrived right at opening. Seated quickly. We ordered a cider and beer. Dinner was delivered. Absolutely delicious. Perfect dinner. Perfect service.

This was my family and I's last meal in Wellington and this restaurant was a great way to end our…read moretrip here. It is beautiful inside and the staff are all very friendly. It is great for a nice dinner to sit down and enjoy a meal. We ordered quite a few appetizers and entrees to share as this was our last night here. We started with some raw oysters, smoke fish croquette ($9.50 each), focaccia bread ($9) with artichoke dip ($12), seafood chowder ($30), and the beef tartare ($28). Our favorites were probably the oysters and the focaccia bread with the spread. The oysters were fresh and we enjoyed trying them all. The focaccia bread went great with the spread as the bread was warm and the spinach dip was a nice cool dip to match. The bread was also perfect to dip in the chowder. For the entrees, we ordered a side of green beans ($14), fettuccine ($27|$37), Lumina Lamb Backstrap ($19 per 100g), and the Japanese wagyu ($85 per 100g). Our favorite out of everything was the wagyu. The lamb was delicious but it's not comparison after you have a bite of the wagyu. The Wagyu was cooked perfectly. The meat was not too thick of a piece to cut. The green beans were a great side to go along with the meal. The almonds added a nice crunch to the green beans. Overall, we enjoyed our meal very much. We felt that this restaurant was a perfect way to end our stay in Wellington!

We had a very pleasurable meal here, and I'd return in a heartbeat…read more We arrived for an early dinner and had nearly any table of our choice, save for a few near the fireplace that were reserved. Large selection of Speight's, naturally, but many other beer, wine, and cocktails available. I was satisfied with my choice (the Speight's red one... I forget the exact name now) and it was very reasonably priced. I had the pie of the day (mince and cheese) and enjoyed it. Nice and cheesy. Brown gravy over top, plus thick cut fries, and a salad (a bit overdressed). Several other daily offerings, including entrée, fish, and soup. Staff were friendly and kind to my son (2yo) when he was starting to get a bit fussy. Restrooms were tidy. Dining room was spacious so we didn't feel like we were right on top of the next table. Large bar plus bar seating and televisions on the opposite side. Close to a bus stop, so it's accessible from the city centre by public transport.

This restaurant gets a lot of buzz and it is all deserving. The service is spot on, the atmosphere…read moreis lively, and the food is fantastic (large portions)!

If you only go to one restaurant in Wellington, let it be this. We loved their food so much that we…read morecame back a second time during our short stay in Wellington because we couldn't stop thinking about it. Things you MUST get: - Mango Lotus cocktail was gorgeous and divine - Crispy pork spring rolls - the vision in our dreams that we had to get seconds of - they were that good - Chicken and shittake dumplings - never had anything like that bean and hoisin chili sauce! Honestly I'd trust anything on that menu. Service was quick and friendly - and we loved sitting out on their patio, though their inside is darling too. You just cannot go wrong here!

This was by far our favorite meal in Wellington and the service was super attentive and friendly…read more We never went without food or drink or the staff asking how things were going. To start with the appetizers the Oysters with the vinaigrette were the best I had in New Zealand we ended up ordering more because they were that good and the ceviche was excellent as well. Our daughters lemon prawn pappardelle pasta was fantastic she soaked up every last bit with the delicious bread. Both my wife and I ordered fish which were both prepared well and delicious. If I had to pick one restaurant to go back and visit in the North Island this would be it. The ambiance was quaint and comfortable with a fun vibe. We would highly recommend Ortega and hope to visit again.

We were a group of 3 with hunger in our eyes and jet lag in our spirit…read more They took us in, and let us know we couldn't sit longer than 90 minutes due to the busy night, and sat us at the bar. We ate fabulously and deliciously. Everything I read the description of and assumed wouldn't be as good as it sounded proved me wrong. cocktails were divine. They let us stay long enough for dessert and smiles, and a lil chit-chat with the bartender. All the staff seemed to love their jobs, the environment was warm and inviting, and I always look forward to going again when in Wellington. Go! You won't regret it.

Eclectic on the inside, the Honey Badger is a great place for a long lunch or after work escape…read more They've got a variety of really really good burgers on offer, with vegetarian and vegan options too. Best of all, they are the only place in Wellington that offers authentic tater tots as a side. Nothing pairs better than one of their cocktails on tap, with the El Diablo being a crowd favourite in my camp. A cold beer or cider is fine too! Great atmosphere, great food and drinks, and friendly staff keep me coming back!

Visiting from California and I gotta say this is the most aesthetically pleasing bar I've been to…read morein New Zealand. The service is great, drinks are amazing. Definitely stop in!

BW is my go-to burger joint for takeaway when I don't feel like cooking. The limited edition…read moreburgers they have are always fun to try, as are the chicken sandwiches on offer. The Great American Burger is near and dear to my heart, and is easily the best burger I've had here yet. Fries and garlic aioli make it a complete package. Tip: order ahead online from your phone so you don't have to wait to get your burger and go!

Burger lovers will not be disappointed by the fabulous treats on offer at Burger Wisconsin. This is…read moreno MacBland eatery - be warned! This popular chain boasts plenty of flavours and tastes, my favourite being the gorgeous vegeburger with blue cheese mayo. YUMOLA! The rocket fuel sauce will make your head explode! I also hear from the meat-eaters that the chicken, camembert and cranberry and chicken, cream cheese and apricot burgers are fantastic. The gourmet burgers are grilled and come served on a humongous sour dough bun. You will not be leaving this venue hungry - especially if you order some beer battered wedges to go with. Look, this is how good this place is. I introduced a New Yorker to her first BW experience - and she was blown away! She said it was even better than any of the burgers she'd tried back home. It doesn't come any better than this

Delhi 7 has become the gold standard by which all other Indian restaurants in Wellington are…read morejudged. So far, it has no competition - it is THE best Indian restaurant around! Their curry and naan are particularly good. The staff are great, and calling ahead to book a table or order takeaway has always been a quick, easy, and friendly experience. Their prices offer excellent value for money too!

Nice place. Vibrant. Busy. Good food. The side salad which was large enough to share and…read moredeliciously dressed. The charred vegetables were not charred but more steamed. Still very good. Onion rings good. Accompaniment of Coriander sauce tasted like pesto. Yummy. Pigs in blankets were nicely prepared sausages wrapped in lightly cooked bacon.

It's one of the few places open in the evening in this neighborhood! Please note, there are stairs…read morein front, and no accessible entrance. However, there are a few tables on the sidewalk, so that is,an alternative if the weather allows. There are handrails but large potted plants were used to hold the doors open, and while they were lovely, they blocked access to the handrails. There's not a huge food menu, but most people should be able to find something to suit them. There seemed to be a hearty selection of alcohol. Seating was a mixture of regular tables and chairs and bar-height tables and stools. I got the burger and chips (fries). It was a good-sized patty with bacon and cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. There was also ketchup and mustard and something else in the sauce. I enjoyed it. The fries were a larger size (not shoestring). They were seasoned and tasted good, but I would have liked them to be a bit more crispy. A good option, especially if you're drinking, and a,welcome one at night if you're in the neighborhood.