Best of Wellington 2026 — Top 10 Cafés, Restaurants, Hotels & Things to Do

Editorially ranked Top 10 lists for cafés, restaurants, bars, hotels and things to do across the creative capital — curated by locals, with every venue checked by hand. Ranking positions are not for sale; advertising is clearly labelled and sits outside the rankings.

Top Things to Do in Wellington

If you only do one thing in Wellington, make it Te Papa — the national museum is open daily 10am–6pm and general admission is complimentary for New Zealand residents. Pair it with the Cable Car ($7 one-way, $13 return) up to Kelburn and walk back down through the Botanic Garden, and you have covered the city's three signature experiences in a single day, all within about 2km of each other. Note for 2026: City Gallery Wellington is closed for access works and reopens on 10 October 2026.

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Te Papa Tongarewa — Aotearoa's national museum — six floors of Māori taonga, the Gallipoli giants and the colossal squid, right on the waterfront. General admission is complimen… Local tip: It is far too big for one visit — pick two floors rather than trying to see everything, and save it for the day the weather turns.
  2. Wellington Cable Car ($) — A five-minute climb from Lambton Quay to Kelburn — the city's most photographed view and the gateway to the Botanic Garden walk back down. Local tip: Adult fares are $7 one-way and $13 return, and the return ticket has no time limit — so ride up, walk the gardens, and come back down whenever you finish.
  3. Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne — The world's first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary — 225 hectares of regenerating native bush protecting more than 40 native bird species, minutes from the CBD. Local tip: Last entry is 4pm, so arrive by early afternoon if you want to walk the upper valley rather than just the lake loop.
  4. Mount Victoria Lookout ($) — The postcard panorama of the city, harbour and Hutt Valley, and the lookout WellingtonNZ puts on its own top-ten list of must-dos. Local tip: Free, open all hours, and reachable on foot or by road — walking up from Oriental Bay turns it into an hour rather than a ten-minute drive.
  5. Wellington Botanic Garden — Native bush, lookouts and the Lady Norwood Rose Garden on the hill above the CBD — around 3,200 roses across more than 300 varieties in roughly 110 beds. Local tip: The rose garden is at its best November to March. Ride the Cable Car up and walk down through the garden — it is downhill the whole way.
  6. Wētā Workshop Tours — Behind the scenes at the effects studio that built Middle-earth — how props, costumes, creatures and models are made for films like The Lord of the Rings and… Local tip: Tours start at the Wētā Cave store; the "There and Back Again" combo adds the miniature-effects tour if one workshop tour is not enough.
  7. Cuba Street — Wellington's bohemian heart — the Bucket Fountain, vintage stores, vinyl, vegan kai and the city's most photographed street art. Local tip: Costs nothing to wander, and it is the one part of town that is just as good in the evening as in the middle of the day.
  8. Wellington Waterfront Walk — From Oriental Bay to Te Papa to Frank Kitts — flat, scenic and dotted with the Writers Walk, ice cream and harbour swimmers. Local tip: It links most of this list together — Te Papa, Wellington Museum and Queens Wharf all sit on it, so use it as the spine of your day.
  9. Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre — The purpose-built exhibition centre directly across the road from Te Papa, hosting ticketed touring international exhibitions. Local tip: Check what is on before you go — the building is worth a look but the draw is whichever touring exhibition is in residence.
  10. Red Rocks Coastal Walk — A flat 7.4km return coastal track from Owhiro Bay to Sinclair Head, past wild surf, 200-million-year-old red rocks and a New Zealand fur seal colony. Local tip: The seal colony is a bachelor colony that hauls out May to October and peaks June to August — outside those months you may walk it and see none.

Top Cafes in Wellington

For the cup alone, go to Customs by Coffee Supreme on Ghuznee Street — Coffee Supreme's flagship since 2010, open Mon–Fri 7:30am–3pm and weekends 9am–3pm. If you want coffee with a proper meal, Hangar on Dixon Street and Loretta on Cuba Street are the reliable picks, and Maranui at Lyall Bay is the one worth leaving the CBD for. Two long-standing names have gone: Olive Cafe closed in January after two decades (the site is now Cuba Street Tavern) and Lamason Brew Bar has shut permanently.

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Customs by Coffee Supreme — Coffee Supreme's flagship cafe since 2010 — minimalist, exacting, and the espresso benchmark the rest of the city gets measured against. Local tip: It is a coffee bar, not a brunch kitchen — the food is toast, sandwiches and pastries, so come for the cup.
  2. Hangar by Flight Coffee — Flight Coffee's long-running Dixon Street cafe — batch brew on tap and a brunch menu with its own dedicated avo-toast section. Local tip: One of the few Wellington cafes that opens on public holidays — worth knowing on a long weekend.
  3. Loretta — Cuba Street favourite for daytime eating — house-baked goods, a serious wine list, and a room that has aged very well. Local tip: Order the Loretta waffles or the brown sugar porridge.
  4. Fidel's Cafe — The Cuba Street counter-culture legend, now running as a pop-up inside Havana Bar on Wigan Street — same Cuban memorabilia, same all-day breakfast. Local tip: Order the signature hash browns. Note it has left 234 Cuba Street — directions in older guides send you to the wrong address.
  5. Cuba Street Tavern — The Cuba Street corner that was Olive Cafe for two decades, taken over by Richard Walshe and Scott Benton and reopened as a tavern — the courtyard is still t… Local tip: Order the cultured custard with cornbread. Weekend brunch runs 11am–2pm only.
  6. Prefab Eatery — Roastery, brunch room and design landmark in a converted Jessie Street warehouse — the kind of big, bright space Wellington does not otherwise have much of. Local tip: The potato gratin is the thing regulars order.
  7. Astoria Espresso & Wine Bar — The Lambton Quay heavyweight, now running as an espresso and wine bar — house-extruded pasta and 48-hour sourdough pizzetta alongside the coffee window. Local tip: It is no longer just the corporate brunch canteen it used to be — the evening wine-bar side is the reason to go now.
  8. Midnight Espresso — The original late-night cafe on Cuba Street, trading since 1988 — vegetarian counter food and strong espresso until 3am, every day. Local tip: The only real answer to wanting coffee and food at 1am in this city.
  9. Caffe L'affare — The College Street original — one of New Zealand's first specialty roasters, still drawing a queue for the Italian-leaning espresso and the lunch counter. Local tip: Order eggs any way you like them with the house-roasted coffee.
  10. Maranui Cafe — The Lyall Bay surf-club legend — upstairs above the beach, with crashing waves through the windows and the best ocean view of any cafe in the city. Local tip: No reservations are taken. Go on a weekday before 2:30pm unless you want the full weekend queue.

Top Restaurants in Wellington

Logan Brown on Cuba Street is still the benchmark special-occasion dinner in the capital, in a 1920s banking chamber, with Friday lunch as the easier way in. For the best cooking without the formality, Capitol on Kent Terrace took two hats at the 2025 Cuisine Good Food Awards, and Rita in Aro Valley is the hardest and most rewarding table in the city. Several restaurants that top older Wellington lists have closed: Hiakai shut in March 2024, and Shepherd, Whitebait, Boulcott Street Bistro and Egmont St. Eatery are all gone.

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Logan Brown ($$) — The Cuba Street fine-dining institution, in a 1920s banking chamber with the marble columns still in place — the room alone is worth the booking. Local tip: Friday lunch is the way in if dinner is booked out — same kitchen, same room, easier table.
  2. Capitol Restaurant ($$) — Kent Terrace bistro with handmade pasta and one of the best wine programmes in the city — two hats at the 2025 Cuisine Good Food Awards. Local tip: Weekday lunch is the quiet time; dinner books out well ahead.
  3. Rita ($$) — Tiny Aro Valley set-menu restaurant — no choices, two staggered sittings a night, every detail considered. One of the hardest tables in the country to get. Local tip: Book well ahead. There are two staggered sittings a night and dessert is deliberately kept a surprise.
  4. Ortega Fish Shack ($$) — Mount Victoria seafood favourite — market fish, a wine list deep enough to spend an evening on, and walls covered in fish prints and portraits. Local tip: Order the grouper, or the snapper ceviche if it is on.
  5. Charley Noble Eatery ($$) — Wood-fire and live coals in the Huddart Parker Building on Post Office Square — bone marrow, dry-aged steak and a great-value set lunch. Local tip: Dinner is walk-in only — it takes no evening reservations, so go early or expect to wait.
  6. Highwater Eatery ($$) — Cuba Street restaurant and wine bar built around a charcoal oven, with fresh oysters at the front of the menu. Local tip: It takes both bookings and walk-ins, which makes it a useful fallback when the rest of Cuba Street is full.
  7. Field & Green ($$) — Wakefield Street European eatery — caraway sourdough, schnitzel, and the sort of cooking that does not chase trends. Local tip: The smoked fish kedgeree at weekend brunch is the order.
  8. Dragonfly ($$) — Courtenay Place modern South-East-Asian dining and cocktail bar — share plates in a rustic timber room that stays open later than most. Local tip: Order the red duck curry. Closed Sundays.
  9. Koji ($$) — Mount Victoria tasting-menu restaurant — a small, chef-led room doing one set progression a night. Local tip: Closed Sunday and Monday — and it is a tasting menu only, so go hungry and leave the evening free.
  10. Shed 5 ($$) — The big waterfront seafood room in a restored 1880s woolshed on Queens Wharf — open all day, every day. Local tip: Order the seafood risotto or the seared tuna. Open seven days, which is rare at this end of the market.

Top Indian Restaurants in Wellington

Baar Baar in Hannahs Laneway is the most interesting Indian cooking in the city right now — a modern gastro bar in the Eva Street site that was Shepherd until 2023. For the traditional version, Great India on Manners Street and Masala on Allen Street are the long-running CBD standards, and Masala's weekday lunch specials start at $13.99. If you want a region rather than a menu of greatest hits, Flavours of Rajasthan on Herd Street and Kitchen Manthra in Avalon are the two worth travelling for.

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Baar Baar — Modern Indian gastro bar in Hannahs Laneway — regional dishes paired with handcrafted cocktails, in the Eva Street site that was Shepherd until 2023. Local tip: The cocktail list is built to go with the food rather than sit beside it — order them together.
  2. Great India Restaurant ($) — Manners Street veteran — north Indian classics, generous portions and one of the more consistent kitchens in the CBD. Local tip: Order the lamb vindaloo with garlic naan.
  3. Masala Indian Restaurant ($) — Long-running Te Aro curry house with a proper tandoor and a lunch trade that fills the room on weekdays. Local tip: Weekday lunch specials start at $13.99 — one of the better value plates in the CBD.
  4. Chaat Street — North Indian street food on Willis Street — chaat, snacks and the sort of small plates the CBD was missing. Local tip: Lunch service is only Wednesday to Sunday, 12–2pm — a narrow window worth planning around.
  5. Tulsi — Cuba Street Indian restaurant with a long menu and a loyal following — the reliable Cuba Street curry option. Local tip: The butter chicken and the Tulsi Balti are the two dishes people order on repeat.
  6. Spice Valley ($) — Jackson Street curry house in Petone — biryani, korma and a menu that rewards ordering beyond the obvious. Local tip: Order the biryani or the fish korma. It opens later on Tuesdays — 5pm rather than 11:30am.
  7. Indian Alley — Wakefield Street restaurant running a casual buffet alongside the à la carte menu — whole-spice meat curries are the strength. Local tip: The buffet is the cheap way in, but the whole-spice curries off the main menu are the better food.
  8. Kitchen Manthra — South Indian kitchen in Avalon — the Hyderabadi end of the menu is what sets it apart from the city's north-Indian default. Local tip: Order the Hyderabadi dum chicken curry or the sheekh kebabs.
  9. Flavours of Rajasthan — Herd Street restaurant cooking from Rajasthani royal-kitchen recipes — a regional menu you will not find elsewhere in the city. Local tip: Closed Tuesdays. The regional dishes are the point — the standard curries are beside it.
  10. Riti Roti — Karori Road Indian kitchen doing lunch and dinner for the western suburbs — roti, curries and a short, well-run menu. Local tip: Lunch only runs Wednesday to Friday; dinner starts at 4:30pm, earlier than most.

Top Chinese Restaurants in Wellington

For yum cha, Dragons on Tory Street is the institution — trolleys, har gow, and a weekend service worth arriving before noon for. Regal on Wakefield Street is the other long-running banquet hall and handles big groups better than anywhere else. For dumplings specifically, House of Dumplings is the local name, handmade and available frozen if you are self-catering.

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Dragons Restaurant ($) — The Tory Street yum cha institution — trolleys, har gow, and the busiest weekend dim sum service in the city. Local tip: Go before noon at weekends — after that the wait for a table is the main event.
  2. House of Dumplings ($) — Wellington's best-known dumpling maker — handmade, ethically run, and a fixture at the markets as well as its own sites. Local tip: The frozen packs are the move if you are self-catering — same dumplings, cooked at home.
  3. Regal Chinese Restaurant ($) — Big Cantonese banquet hall on Wakefield Street — round tables, lazy Susans and a yum cha service that has fed Wellington for decades. Local tip: The room takes big groups better than anywhere else on this list — it is built for banquets.
  4. Kanton Restaurant ($) — Courtenay Place Cantonese kitchen doing roast meats and clay-pot dishes alongside the standards. Local tip: Order the roast duck — it is the reason to pick this over the neighbouring options.
  5. Chow ($) — Pan-Asian bar and eatery on Tory Street — share plates, a long cocktail list and a room that runs late. Local tip: More bar than banquet hall — good for a group that wants drinks with the food.
  6. Mr Go's ($) — Hannahs Laneway pan-Asian favourite — fast, punchy Taiwanese-leaning street food built to share. Local tip: It is a laneway spot — small, loud, and better for two than for eight.
  7. Grand Century Chinese Restaurant ($) — Tory Street Cantonese restaurant with a full banquet menu and weekend yum cha.
  8. Tian Yuan Chinese Restaurant ($) — Northern Chinese kitchen doing hand-pulled noodles and dumplings rather than the Cantonese standards. Local tip: Go for the hand-pulled noodles — that is what the kitchen is built around.
  9. Chef Wang Sichuan Cuisine ($) — Sichuan cooking with the numbing heat left in — a different proposition from the city's Cantonese default. Local tip: Ask for the heat level you actually want — the default is not toned down.
  10. Dynasty Chinese Restaurant ($) — Lower Hutt's long-running Cantonese heavyweight — full banquet menu and weekend yum cha for the Hutt Valley. Local tip: The reliable option on the Hutt side of the harbour when town is booked out.

Top Convenience in Wellington

  1. Night 'n Day Courtenay Place — Wellington's flagship 24/7 store on Courtenay Place — the late-night pie, slushie and energy-drink HQ for the entertainment strip.
  2. BP Connect Thorndon Quay — Big-format BP service station with Wild Bean Cafe — fresh coffee, hot food cabinet and the city's most reliable fuel-and-snacks combo.
  3. Z Taranaki Street — Z's Te Aro flagship — barista coffee, fresh food range and Pump+ EV chargers right on the edge of the CBD.
  4. Mobil Wellington Central — Vivian Street 24-hour stop — quick top-ups, snacks and a busy late-night queue from the Te Aro bar crowd.
  5. Cuba Mall Superette — Long-running Cuba Mall dairy — drinks, ice cream and the snacks you forgot, right in the middle of the action.
  6. Lambton Quay Convenience — CBD office-worker staple — sandwiches, lotto, Snapper top-ups and a fast morning queue.
  7. Newtown New World Express — Riddiford Street's go-to for fresh-yet-fast — small-format supermarket with the convenience hours and a hot food bar.
  8. Mt Victoria Dairy — Beloved hilltop corner dairy — the kind of friendly, no-frills shop where the owner knows every regular's order.
  9. Gull Aro Valley — Independent fuel + dairy in Aro Valley — cheap fuel, snacks and the place students actually use.
  10. Oriental Bay Superette — Tiny waterfront dairy near the beach — ice cream, sunscreen, beers for the seawall and the best location on the list.

Top Hotels in Wellington

  1. InterContinental Wellington — Five-star harbour-front benchmark — Chameleon restaurant, polished service and the best lobby bar in town.
  2. QT Wellington — Art-filled design hotel on Cable Street — Hippopotamus restaurant, Te Papa next door and the city's most interesting interiors.
  3. Sofitel Wellington — Boulcott Street luxury — French service polish, leafy heritage location and a strong club lounge.
  4. The Naumi Studio Wellington — Cuba Street boutique with maximalist design and a strong cocktail bar — the cool kid of Wellington hotels.
  5. Rydges Wellington Airport — Skybridge-connected airport hotel — perfect for early flights and the only literal in-airport stay in NZ.
  6. West Plaza Hotel — Mid-range CBD veteran — refurbished rooms, central location and arguably the best price-to-location ratio in the city.
  7. Rydges Wellington — Featherston Street stalwart — heated pool, harbour views from upper floors, easy walk to Te Papa.
  8. Travelodge Hotel Wellington — Reliable CBD value — Gilmer Terrace location, walking distance to the train station and Lambton Quay.
  9. Bolton Hotel — Independent 5-star with apartment-style rooms — kitchenettes, lap pool and a quiet Bolton Street setting.
  10. Trinity Hotel Wellington — Heritage former church and Catholic block on Boulcott — boutique, atmospheric and unlike anywhere else in town.

Top Bars in Wellington

  1. Hawthorn Lounge — Tory Street prohibition-era cocktail bar — leather, tableside service and serious classics. Long the city's best bar.
  2. Goldings Free Dive — Pastel-pink Leeds Street craft beer pioneer — 18 taps, pizza next door and the city's most photographed neon.
  3. Husk — Edward Street basement cocktail bar — long marble bar, perfect spritzes and one of Wellington's best wine-by-the-glass programs.
  4. Rogue & Vagabond — Garrett Street pub with the city's best beer garden — live music every weekend, woodfire pizza and 12 rotating taps.
  5. The Library — Courtenay Place upstairs cocktail bar with bookshelf walls — long the late-date go-to for cocktails and dessert.
  6. Fortune Favours Brewery — Leeds Street brewpub — the brewery is in the basement, four floors of taps and rooftop above.
  7. Library Bar at Hippopotamus — QT hotel's 3rd-floor cocktail room with an eight-metre champagne wall and a harbour view that beats most rooftops.
  8. Garage Project Wine Cellar — Aro Valley's tasting room from NZ's most adventurous brewery — 30 taps and the rarest small-batch beers in the country.
  9. Dirty Little Secret — Hannahs Laneway rooftop — open-air, palm-tree-flanked and the best summer drinks spot in town.
  10. Foxglove — Queens Wharf two-floor bar/restaurant — harbour-side balcony, late-night dancing upstairs and one of the biggest crowds in town on Fridays.

Top Brunch Spots in Wellington

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Floriditas — Beloved Cuba Street cafe-restaurant at 161 Cuba St, open since 2005 and famous for seasonal European-New Zealand cooking and walk-in weekend brunch.
  2. Maranui Cafe — Iconic surf-club cafe upstairs at Lyall Bay's 1911 lifesaving club, with sweeping beach views, legendary thick milkshakes and a cult Wellington brunch follow…
  3. Loretta — Light, bright Cuba Street favourite at 181 Cuba St serving Mediterranean-leaning brunch, wood-fired fare and generous Kiwi hospitality since 2014.
  4. The Botanist — Plant-based cafe and restaurant on Onepu Road in Lyall Bay with a sunny heated courtyard, known for creative vegan brunch and rotating craft beer on tap.
  5. Volco (Egmont Street) — Laneway sourdough bakery-cafe at 11 Egmont Street in the old Egmont Street Deli space, blending famous baked goods with an inventive brunch and dinner menu.
  6. The Arborist Rooftop Bar & Eatery — Sheltered CBD rooftop bar and eatery atop the Trinity Hotel on Willis Street, serving brunch and small plates with city views — a Wellington go-to for a sunn…
  7. Customs by Coffee Supreme — Coffee Supreme's Wellington flagship brew bar at 39 Ghuznee Street — serious coffee plus seasonal toast on Wellington Sourdough, just off Cuba Street.
  8. Tomboy — Boutique Mt Victoria cakery and cafe on Marjoribanks Street (est. 2016) with a daily-changing cabinet of house-made treats and excellent coffee.
  9. August Eatery — Taranaki Street brunch room doing the kind of cooking that justifies the queue — open early on weekdays and later at weekends. Local tip: Order the Istanbul eggs with Aleppo chilli butter.
  10. Beach Babylon — Oriental Parade all-day eatery a few steps from the beach — the closest thing Wellington has to a proper seaside brunch room. Local tip: Book for weekend brunch. The chocolate cake is also sold as a whole cake for $65.

Top Craft Breweries in Wellington

  1. Garage Project — Wellington's most celebrated craft brewery, born in an Aro Valley garage in 2011; its Aro taproom at 91 Aro Street pours 18 rotating taps, with a second 30-t…
  2. Fork & Brewer — Central-city brewpub on Bond Street with around 40 taps of in-house and guest beers brewed on-site, and a multi-award-winning beer range you can watch being…
  3. Parrotdog — Lyall Bay brewery and bar on Kingsford Smith Street, with 17 revolving taps, cosy booths, a pool table and views into the brewhouse near the surf.
  4. Heyday Beer Co — Dog-friendly upper Cuba Street brewpub at 264a Cuba Street, pairing bold, experimental brewing with a bright, inclusive taproom and a games court out front.
  5. Choice Bros — Small-batch brewery and bar-eatery down a private alley at 62 Ghuznee Street, with 20+ in-house taps of creative brews that bend traditional styles.
  6. Panhead Custom Ales — Cult Upper Hutt brewer at Brewtown, with a 16-tap bar and tasting room, a 600-litre pilot brewery and the Panhead Custom Kitchen famous for smoked-meat platt…
  7. Te Aro Brewing Co — Wellington-rooted brewery now based at Brewtown in Upper Hutt, with a cosy taproom-restaurant in the old art-deco Dunlop factory, a full food menu and a warm…
  8. Otto Champagneria & Beer Hall — Featherston Street gastropub (successor to The Champagneria) at 125 Featherston St, with 11 rotating craft taps alongside champagne and cocktails.
  9. Craft Beer Capital — Wellington's official craft beer trail and bar guide — the go-to map for planning a brewery-and-taproom crawl across the capital, with a souvenir-stamp passp…

Top Wine Bars in Wellington

  1. Noble Rot Wine Bar — European-inspired wine bar in an old brick bakehouse on Swan Lane, with one of NZ's largest lists — close to 1,000 wines and nearly 100 by the glass via Cora…
  2. Puffin Wine Bar — Stylish, low-lit bar on the ground floor of The Intrepid Hotel at 60 Ghuznee Street, focused on organic, biodynamic and minimal-intervention wines, with a bo…
  3. Bert's Bar — Intimate tavern up a laneway off Lambton Quay on Woodward Street, pouring handcrafted cocktails and a Beaujolais-led French wine list amid the CBD bustle.
  4. Hillside Kitchen & Cellar — Award-winning Thorndon restaurant and cellar on Tinakori Road with a thoughtfully built wine programme to match its seasonal vegetarian tasting menus.
  5. Otto Champagneria & Beer Hall — Featherston Street venue (successor to The Champagneria) serving champagne, wine and cocktails alongside 11 rotating craft taps, with a grand Parisian-cafe f…
  6. Loretta — Cuba Street cafe-restaurant with a strong local tap-wine and by-the-glass list, a relaxed spot for a Mediterranean-leaning wine evening with wood-fired food.
  7. The Botanist — Lyall Bay plant-based restaurant pairing local and organic wines (plus botanical cocktails) in a heated courtyard near the beach.
  8. Maranui Cafe — Lyall Bay surf-club institution offering boutique wines and local craft beer alongside its food, with unbeatable beachfront views.

Top Desserts & Gelato in Wellington

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Kaffee Eis — Wellington gelato institution since 2004, a multi-medal NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards winner with shops at Courtenay Place, Cuba Street and the waterfront.
  2. Gelissimo Gelateria — Waterfront gelateria at Odlins Plaza (11 Cable St) famous for 200+ rotating flavours made with local ingredients, and one of the country's most-awarded gelat…
  3. Zelati Dessert Cafe — Family-run Left Bank dessert cafe whose Maestro Gelatiere churns every batch from scratch with premium ingredients — think ube, matcha and purple kumara.
  4. Duck Island Ice Cream — Cult Hamilton-born ice creamery with a colourful pastel parlour at 168 Cuba Street, rotating dozens of creative, playful flavours daily.
  5. Tomboy — Boutique Mt Victoria cakery on Marjoribanks Street with a daily-changing cabinet of house-made cakes, brioche, doughnuts and sweet treats.
  6. The Enormous Crocodile & Shake Bar — Herd Street shake bar building the kind of over-the-top milkshakes that exist mainly to be photographed — and are genuinely good anyway. Local tip: Order a Crocshake — sculptural toppings with fresh fruit.
  7. Wellington Chocolate Factory ($) — Bean-to-bar chocolate maker on Eva Street — a working factory you can walk into, plus a booked chocolatier experience. Local tip: The Hawai'i 70% dark bar is $20 and the Chocolatier Experience is $65. Closed Mondays.

Top Day Trips & Tours in Wellington

Kapiti Island Nature Tours is the standout and the only accommodation provider on the island, but it books a long way ahead — the next round opens 4 September 2026. For something you can do on the day, the East by West ferry to Mātiu/Somes Island or Days Bay, Zealandia in Karori, and the Wētā Workshop tour in Miramar all work without weeks of planning. Staglands in the Akatarawa Valley takes no bookings at all: adult $29, child $12, family $82.

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Kapiti Island Nature Tours — The only accommodation provider on Kapiti Island — day walks plus overnight stays in glamping tents, cabins or a beach bungalow, with meals and a night kiwi-… Local tip: It books out a long way ahead — the next round of bookings opens 4 September 2026.
  2. Wētā Workshop Experiences — The Miramar workshop tour, starting at the Wētā Cave store — how props, costumes and creatures are made for films like The Lord of the Rings and Avatar. Local tip: The "There and Back Again" ticket combines the workshop tour with the miniature-effects tour in one visit.
  3. Mātiu/Somes Island — A predator-free island reserve in the middle of the harbour, reached by the East by West ferry from Queens Wharf — walking tracks, tuatara and harbour views… Local tip: Every visitor has to do a quarantine bag-check in the shelter on the wharf when they land — pack so you can open everything easily.
  4. Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne — A 225-hectare fenced valley 10 minutes from the CBD with more than 40 bird species, many found nowhere else in mainland New Zealand. Local tip: The by-night tour is the one to book if you want a realistic shot at seeing kiwi.
  5. East by West Ferries — Harbour ferry operator running since 1989 — Queens Wharf to Days Bay and Mātiu/Somes Island, aboard Ika Rere, the southern hemisphere's first electric ferry. Local tip: Days Bay makes an easy half-day: ferry over, walk the beach, eat, ferry back.
  6. Staglands Wildlife Reserve ($) — An Akatarawa Valley reserve where the animals roam free and visitors walk among and feed them — no pre-booking needed. Local tip: Adult $29, child (4–16) $12, family pass $82 — and you can just turn up, which is rare for a day trip this size.
  7. Ferg's Kayaks — Waterfront kayak, paddleboard and bike hire with an indoor climbing wall upstairs, right next to Switched On Bikes on Queens Wharf. Local tip: The harbour is calmest in the morning — by afternoon the northerly usually has an opinion.
  8. Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre — The exhibition centre across the road from Te Papa, hosting ticketed touring international exhibitions. Local tip: Worth checking whenever the weather kills an outdoor plan — it is a two-minute walk from Te Papa.
  9. Otari-Wilton's Bush — New Zealand's only public botanic garden devoted entirely to native plants — around 1,200 species, an 18-metre canopy walkway and an ~800-year-old rimu. Local tip: Free, and close enough to town to pair with a Karori or Kelburn stop rather than being a whole day on its own.
  10. Interislander Ferry — The 3.5-hour Cook Strait crossing to Picton — the biggest day trip on this list, and one of the more spectacular ferry routes anywhere. Local tip: As a day trip it only works on the early sailing out and the late one back — check the timetable before committing.

Top Hair & Beauty in Wellington

  1. Buoy Salon & Spa — New Zealand's most-awarded salon, with 35+ years of expertise; a full hair, colour, skin and spa destination in the Majestic Centre on Willis Street.
  2. Badaro Beautiful Hair — Wellington's first sustainable hair and beauty salon, a Davines concept salon partnered with Sustainable Salons NZ, known for balayage, colour and eco-friend…
  3. Matt Forsman Hair — One of the capital's coolest salons, a gallery-like Marion Street space (32 Marion St) focused on simple, classic, beautifully executed hair.
  4. Taboo Hair Salon — Boutique Karori hairdressing salon (est. 2009) on Karori Road, with experienced stylists offering cuts, colour, curly-cut and chemical-straightening expertis…
  5. Headstart Hair Design — Wellington's self-styled friendliest salon, creating hair in the eastern suburbs (Kilbirnie) for over 40 years using the Redken colour range.
  6. Buoy Spa — The spa arm of Buoy Salon & Spa, with skilled beauty therapists delivering facials, peels, LED and skin treatments using medical-grade cosmeceuticals in the…
  7. Badaro Beauty — The beauty side of Badaro's sustainable salon, offering eco-conscious beauty treatments alongside its award-winning hair team.

Top Dentists in Wellington

  1. Supreme Dental Concepts — Wellington's only Digital Smile Design-certified clinic, and one of just three in the country. Founded by Dr N. Vithal, it runs an in-house lab that mills cr…
  2. City Dentists — Right in the heart of the CBD, led by NZDA member Kamil Tinawi with 20 years in restorative work — implants, crown and bridge, cosmetic cases. NZSASD member…
  3. The Wellington Dental Practice — Wellington's oldest dental surgery, in business for close to a century. Lead dentist Jeff Annan has spent 40 years at the same practice — the kind of continu…
  4. Gentle Dental — Locally owned since 1992 by Mike and Sam, now four clinics deep across Te Aro, Lambton Quay, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt. Nine dentists and five hygienists, wi…
  5. Newtown Dental — Open seven days until 8:30pm with same-day emergency slots — rare hours for Wellington dentistry. Dr Salih's team offers both IV sedation and nitrous oxide,…
  6. Kapiti Dental — CEREC same-day crowns and IV sedation on the Kapiti Coast, run by Dr Kenny Kim with implant specialism and Dr Olivia Henzell affiliated with the NZ Society o…
  7. Tawa Dental Care — A neighbourhood fixture in the Tawa shops that families have stuck with for 20-plus years. Straightforward, friendly and unpretentious — the kind of practice…
  8. Karori Dental Centre — Based in Marsden Village and running since 1989 under principal dentist Kenneth Wong, now part of the Lumino network. A steady, established option for the we…
  9. Singleton Dental — An Otago University-graduate-run practice on Karori Road offering a more boutique, independent alternative to the chain clinics in the same suburb — worth cr…
  10. Real Dentistry — A five-dentist, one-hygienist team on Rongotai Road serving the eastern suburbs, with Saturday hours and two late nights by appointment. Patients single out…

Top Hairdressers & Barbers in Wellington

  1. JAM Hair Co. — Nearly two centuries of combined experience on the floor at this CBD favourite. No attitude, no upsell pressure — just technically sharp cuts and colour in a…
  2. Buoy Salon & Spa — Thirty-five-plus years mastering hair has made Buoy one of the most awarded salons in the country. Full spa-salon experience if you want to turn a cut into a…
  3. David's Hairstylists — Started by David himself back in 1971, this Wadestown institution is now a genuine neighbourhood icon. Old-school loyalty, easy street parking, and a team th…
  4. The French Barber — A Barbercraft NZ Master Section Shave winner running the tightest hot-towel shave and skin-fade game in the CBD. Book the shave if you've never had a proper…
  5. Cuba St Social — Master Barber Wayne Newman runs this Leftbank spot like Wellington's living room — sofas, coffee table, zero rush. Fades and cuts that hold, in the most laid…
  6. Stravinskij Barbershop — B-Corp certified and recycling every clipping toward coastal oil-spill cleanup — a barbershop that treats sustainability as seriously as the fade. Skin treat…
  7. Cuba Barbers — The Courtenay Barbers offshoot that kept the good chat and the sharp fades but moved into Cuba Street's chaos. Come for the haircut, stay because the shop it…
  8. Courtenay Barbers — Tucked into buzzy Courtenay Place, this is the pre-night-out trim of choice for half of Te Aro. Consistent fades, no-fuss booking, open right through the wee…
  9. Black Pearl & Co — A New York loft-style salon above Johnston and Featherston that doubles as an industry training centre — which shows in the finish. Approachable stylists in…
  10. Miss Fox Hairdressing — Cuba Street's go-to for vivid colour and blonding done properly — not a quick box-dye job. If you want a fantasy colour that actually holds its tone, this is…

Top Nail Salons & Beauty in Wellington

  1. Diamond Nails Salon — A CBD institution on Lambton Quay pulling in a huge, loyal following for a reason: acrylics, gel, SNS and Shellac done with proper OPI/CND product and none o…
  2. Rose's Nail & Spa — Tucked just off Lambton Quay, Rose's runs a calm, spotless operation covering everything from Gel-X and Polygel to spa pedicures and lash extensions — the ki…
  3. Bellagio Spa — A proper day-spa pedicure experience rather than a quick polish stop — think heated massage chairs, hot towels and mud treatments alongside manicures and fac…
  4. Cuba Nails — Over a decade on Cuba Street doing precise acrylics, classic manicures and detailed nail art, plus lash lifts and brow shaping — a genuine neighbourhood fixt…
  5. Urban Sanctuary Day Spa — Over 35 years operating in the capital gives Urban Sanctuary a different pedigree entirely — full-service facials, massage, waxing and brow work in a genuine…
  6. Beyond Skin Wellbeing Medical Spa — Blends Ayurvedic-influenced therapy with advanced skin tech — microneedling, laser hair removal, peels and microdermabrasion — for anyone after clinical resu…
  7. Beautique Skin & Body Therapy — Fiona Wilton's cottage-setting Thorndon salon has built a client base that sticks around for years, not visits — Dermalogica-based facials, electrolysis and…
  8. 4 Seasons Nails — A Kilbirnie Plaza mainstay with a big local following — reliable acrylics, gel fills and pedicures from technicians who've clearly been doing this a while, w…
  9. Platinum Nails — Fast, well-priced and smack in the middle of Newtown's busiest strip — a solid walk-in option for a same-day manicure or pedicure without sacrificing a tidy,…
  10. Pari Beauty — Newtown's go-to for eyebrow threading and waxing, alongside massages, facials and nail treatments — a smaller, personal-service salon rather than a volume mi…

Top Veterinary Clinics in Wellington

  1. Wellington Veterinary Hospital — One of the few BESTPRACTICE-accredited hospitals in the region, with round-the-clock emergency capability and the kind of surgical and diagnostic depth small…
  2. PETVET Lower Hutt — Wellington's referral animal hospital, home to specialist feline medicine consults, dermatology and dentistry referrals other clinics send their toughest cas…
  3. Central Vet Hospital — Open seven days including Sunday afternoons, this Brooklyn Road institution has been patching up Wellington's pets for decades with a senior-vets-only team,…
  4. Karori Veterinary Clinic — Fifty years deep in the same suburb, this family-feel practice runs long consults rather than rushing you out the door, with orthopaedic surgery and PennHIP…
  5. Rappaw Veterinary Care — The only NZVA BestPractice-accredited group covering Porirua and the northern suburbs, spread across four neighbourhood clinics so you're never far from a ve…
  6. Kelburn Vets — A small, deliberately un-overbooked clinic on Upland Road where three vets take the time to actually talk you through what's going on, plus a rare referral s…
  7. Crofton Downs Veterinary Clinic — The clinic exotic-pet owners actually seek out — rats, guinea pigs and other small mammals get treated as seriously here as cats and dogs, in a purpose-built…
  8. Wellington SPCA Veterinary Hospital — Housed in the old Fever Hospital on Mount Victoria's green belt, this community-minded hospital has been part of Wellington for over 130 years and keeps qual…
  9. CareVets Johnsonville — Full surgical, dental and laser-therapy services backed by evening and weekend hours that actually suit working pet owners in the northern suburbs, plus an i…
  10. CareVets Kilbirnie — The eastern suburbs' reliable everyday option, part of the CareVets network that's been operating in New Zealand since 2008, covering the essentials from vac…

Top Plumbers in Wellington

  1. Natoli Plumbing & Drainage — Anton Natoli's crew has covered Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua for over 14 years with upfront quotes and zero surprise charges. Reviewers consistent…
  2. PlumbSpec — Third-generation family firm (formerly Crofton Plumbing) with 40-plus years behind it, run by brothers Tony and Scott Witty. Covers everything from new-build…
  3. Straight Flush Plumbing — Jeremy and Ngaire Mansfield's outfit has run since 2004 across Wellington and the Wairarapa, picking up a past NZ Master Plumber of the Year title and Wellin…
  4. JLP Plumbing (John Leen Plumbing) — Founded in 1986, JLP now runs a 50-plus strong team of plumbers, drainlayers and gasfitters for commercial and industrial clients across greater Wellington,…
  5. Southern Plumbing & Gasfitting — Trading since 1982 (originally Brennan Plumbing) and a Master Plumber member for 25-plus years, Southern backs every job with a blunt 'your job on time or it…
  6. Central Plumbing Wellington — Owner Anthony Eden has run this husband-and-wife operation for over 20 years, leaning on old-school values and straight-talking problem solving for everythin…
  7. Harbour City Plumbing & Gasfitting — A locally owned, family-run team with 20-plus years' experience and fully stocked vans on genuine 24/7 rotation. Handles burst pipes and gas leaks across the…
  8. 4CET Plumbing & Gas — Tamaiti and Carly's family business, set up in 2011, brings over 85 years of combined trade experience and stays genuinely community-rooted, right down to sp…
  9. The Good Plumbing Co — A decade-plus-experienced outfit built on transparent, no-hidden-fee pricing, covering an unusually wide stretch of the region from Island Bay right out to T…
  10. Maxey Plumbing & Gas — A Master Plumbers member with over 40 years of combined team experience, Maxey has built a niche as an accredited Rheem service agent for hot water cylinder…

Top Electricians in Wellington

  1. Astral Electrical — Founded by Ben Alchin in 2019, this residential-only outfit has grown fast on a simple pitch: homeowner-focused systems, a $20,000 workmanship guarantee, and…
  2. Silver Fern Electrical (SFE) — Dean Skipsey launched SFE in 2014 and it's since become a go-to across Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt, covering everything from switchboard upgrades to sol…
  3. Fellow Electrical — Run by Matt Stewart out of Taita, Fellow set out to be Wellington's number-one residential electrician by prioritising the client experience over just tickin…
  4. Illuminex Electrical — Andy Morrison started Illuminex in 2021 and it's since built a loyal following across Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Wellington City for patient explanations and…
  5. A.J. Beck & Co — A genuine Wellington institution — trading for more than 60 years out of Kaiwharawhara, this Master Electricians and Site Safe-certified firm covers commerci…
  6. Stewart & Rogers Electrical — Established in 1988 by Iain Stewart and Simon Rogers, this Mount Cook team has three-decade-deep roots in Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt, pairing standard…
  7. Weka Electrical — A tight, responsive operation led by Alex, praised for squeezing in short-notice jobs — from ceiling light installs to heat pump swaps — with transparent quo…
  8. On To It Electrical — Led by Master Electrician Stu with 17-plus years under his belt, this outfit's whole ethos is in the name — old switchboard upgrades, lighting modernisation…
  9. Dave Brown Electrical Services (DBES) — Two decades in and based in Island Bay, DBES stands out for covering marine electrical work alongside the usual residential and commercial jobs — a rare spec…
  10. Marmoset Electrical — Shaun's decade-plus outfit covers CBD to Thorndon, Kelburn, Karori and Miramar, with a real specialty in outdoor and garden lighting alongside EV charger ins…

Top House Cleaning Services in Wellington

  1. Heaven Sent Cleaning — Operating out of Johnsonville with police-checked staff and eco-friendly products, Heaven Sent's angel cleaners are known for genuine attention to detail rat…
  2. Kleen Co — A small, locally owned outfit built around eco-conscious cleaning rather than a franchise script. Clients single out the deep cleans and move-out cleans spec…
  3. Wellington Professional House Cleaners — Cleaning Wellington homes since 2010, with an in-house NZQA-qualified trainer behind every staff member. Reviewers flag flawless carpets and windows on deep…
  4. Housecleaners Wellington — An independently owned business spanning Wellington City through to Lower Hutt and Kapiti, built on assigning the same trained cleaner to your home rather th…
  5. Home and Beyond — Covers Wellington City, Johnsonville and Lower Hutt with a reputation for turning around short-notice bookings without dropping quality. Reviewers keep comin…
  6. Premium Clean — The credentials do the talking here — IICRC, ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified, which is rare for a residential cleaner. Backed by a 72-hour issue-resolution…
  7. NortonBridge — Nine-plus years covering an unusually wide patch — Miramar, the CBD, Hutt Valley, Porirua, Eastbourne, Wainuiomata and out to Kapiti-Wairarapa. Worth calling…
  8. Urban Care — Runs a 24/7 customer line, which matters when you're chasing a same-week bond clean before a tenancy ends. Positions itself squarely on getting the full bond…
  9. An Extra Pair of Hands — Owner Jane Richardson has run this Hutt Valley cleaning and gardening service since 2003 — over two decades of security-checked, insured staff doing daily cl…
  10. House Cleaners Lower Hutt — Over a decade in the Hutt, with the owners visibly involved in local community work rather than running things from a call centre. Covers the smaller pockets…

Top Removalists & Movers in Wellington

  1. Big Camel Moving & Storage — The city's most-talked-about newer mover, built specifically around Wellington's brutal terrain — narrow streets, steep driveways, tight staircases. Piano sp…
  2. Swt Moves — Owner-operator Win runs a proper family outfit — four of the five crew are relatives — turning up 7 days a week for TradeMe pickups, tip runs and 1-3 bedroom…
  3. NZ Van Lines — Operating from what's arguably the biggest, most modern movers facility in the country, this Seaview veteran has quietly hauled Wellington for over 40 years…
  4. Conroy Removals — A Napier-born operator since 1972 that's grown into one of Australasia's biggest removal and logistics groups, with a dedicated Wellington/Porirua crew handl…
  5. Grace Removals — Tracing its lineage back to 1885, Grace is a FIDI-alliance, FAIM-accredited global mover now building a brand-new seismic-rated, climate-controlled Porirua w…
  6. Cameron Ryan Relocations & Storage — Covering the Kapiti Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa as well as the city itself, this crew has built a reputation for taking on the big, awkward jobs — inclu…
  7. Amoova — A Wellington outfit formed in 2010 but drawing on 40-plus years of combined trade experience, known for shrink-wrapping every drawer and blanket-wrapping eve…
  8. Capital City Movers Wellington — Owner-operator Wayne Harding is on every single job himself, 15-plus years deep into Wellington's TradeMe pickup and one-item delivery grind — antiques, whit…
  9. Cool Moves — Furniture-removal fixture since 1993, running out of Upper Hutt and covering Porirua, Kapiti, Petone and Newtown, with Wellington Airport storage and a sidel…
  10. 1Van Movers — Ivan and his small crew have built a following on same-day, urgent moves — customers repeatedly flag being trusted with fragile items and getting a genuinely…

Top Wedding Photographers in Wellington

  1. Patina Photo — A vintage-tinged eye for natural light and unposed detail has made Michelle and Hemi's studio one of the most-searched wedding names in the capital. Timeless…
  2. Woolf Photography — One of Wellington's longest-running studios, with a full bench of award-winning shooters and a classic, won't-date style. Packages stretch from consultation…
  3. Billie Brook Photography — A decade-plus of striking, editorial-leaning wedding work across the region, built on a knack for putting nervous couples at ease in front of the lens. Bold…
  4. Sarah McEvoy Photography — Photojournalism-trained and allergic to forced posing, Sarah has been quietly documenting real Lower North Island weddings and elopements for over a decade.…
  5. Paul Howell Photography — Twenty-plus years behind the camera and a first-class photography degree back it up, but it's the reams of glowing local testimonials that keep this editoria…
  6. Jaymee Photography — A relaxed, people-first approach and genuine ease with kids and nervous couples alike, backed by over a decade in the business. Photography and videography u…
  7. August & Vine — Sam shoots weddings like they're a lived moment, not a performance to be stage-managed, and pairs it with a full elopement-planning service out of a Whitiman…
  8. Modern Lovers (love, carissa) — Over a decade of film-inspired, emotion-first wedding photography from Carissa, who treats travel across the lower North Island as standard rather than a has…
  9. Jinal Govind Photography — Wellington-raised and now splitting his season between the capital and Queenstown, Jinal brings a fine-art eye and an outdoorsman's instinct for light to eve…
  10. Kee-Sue Creative — A husband-and-wife team, Ricky and Janelle, running genuinely affordable photo-and-video packages without the four-figure minimum most studios demand. Every…

Top Pizza Restaurants in Wellington

  1. La Bella Italia — The one with the international silverware: named among the world's best restaurants with a pizzeria, and its salmon-and-mascarpone Bravo Gubello was ranked a…
  2. Pizza Pomodoro — Certified by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, so the wood-fired margherita here follows the actual Neapolitan rulebook — real San Marzano-style tomato…
  3. Scopa Caffe Cucina — Cuba Street's original pizzeria and still one of its busiest — an eclectic pizza line-up alongside pastas, salads and a famously rich hot chocolate that regu…
  4. Cicio Cacio Osteria Newtown — A tiny, unpretentious osteria where a Roman chef turns out hand-crafted pizzas and fresh pasta with real Italian conviction — the kind of humble neighbourhoo…
  5. Nolita — New Zealand's first fully plant-based pizzeria: 48-hour fermented sourdough hand-stretched to order and topped with house-fermented cashew mozzarella — proof…
  6. Heaven Woodfire Pizza — Top-of-Cuba-Street favourite built around a wood-fired oven that takes centre stage in the room, turning out everything from a classic margherita to a bacon-…
  7. Slice — A neon-green laneway slice joint from the team behind Pickle & Pie and Dough Bakery — thick, generous slabs from around $9, rotating flavours like pork-and-f…
  8. Tommy Millions — A Wellington institution and certified late-night essential — grab-a-slice-or-a-whole-pie energy on Courtenay Place, plus multiple city outposts, with a cult…
  9. Pizzeria Napoli — No gimmicks, just classic woodfired pizza done properly — a straightforward Courtenay Place spot for people who want a well-charred base and honest toppings…
  10. Sal's Authentic NY Pizza — Big, foldable 18-inch New York pies served just up from the Bucket Fountain — pepperoni, cheese and a loaded 'Nonna' among the classics, backed by garlic kno…

Top Sushi & Japanese Restaurants in Wellington

  1. Tatsushi — Chef-owner Tatsushi Mikuni has hand-picked fish at the market every morning since 2012, and it shows in a sashimi selection locals still call the freshest in…
  2. Arashi Kushiyaki Bar — Wellington's first dedicated kushiyaki bar, grilling everything from wagyu skewers to chicken hearts over binchotan charcoal in a genuinely authentic izakaya…
  3. Kazaguruma Japanese Dining — A cosy Cuba Street room punching well above its size, pairing NZ kaimoana like Ora King salmon and Southern rock lobster with A5 Kagoshima wagyu on its premi…
  4. Miyabi Japanese Restaurant — Serving traditional Japanese cuisine from the same Willis Street Village spot since 1997, Miyabi is the elder statesman of Wellington sushi — sashimi, tempur…
  5. Origami — A Japanese-French fusion spot on iconic Cuba Street that's as known for its patisserie and blooming-tea weekend high tea as it is for beautifully plated sush…
  6. The Ramen Shop — Scratch-made broths simmered for hours and no-frills counters have made this small local chain Wellington's go-to ramen name since 2013. Three suburban outpo…
  7. TJ Katsu — Three central branches turning out crispy katsu, teriyaki and made-to-order sushi to a claimed 1,000-plus Wellingtonians a day since 2011. Fast, generous por…
  8. Yoshi Sushi & Bento — Started in 2010 by Japanese-Kiwi couple Yoshi and Helen Kono, this three-branch local operator is one of the few Japanese-run sushi shops in town — bento, su…
  9. Kazu Japanese Restaurant — An izakaya-style room with tatami seating and an open kitchen counter, running since 2002 as a sit-down alternative to Wellington's grab-and-go sushi scene.…
  10. Kazu Sushi-Go-Round — Wellington's conveyor-belt classic on Cuba Street, where colour-coded plates of sushi, sashimi and tempura loop past for office workers and families alike. G…

Top Bakeries & Patisseries in Wellington

Last reviewed: August 2026.

  1. Nada Bakery — A Wellington institution since 1975 — this family-owned bakery has been turning out pies, sandwiches and traditional baking staples across generations. Two s…
  2. Arobake — Swiss master-baker Max Fuhrer built this Aro Street fixture in 1989 and it's still the neighbourhood's daily bread run. European-style loaves, vegan cakes an…
  3. Baker Gramercy — A tiny four-day-a-week shopfront that pulls croissant pilgrims from across the whole city. Owner James Whyte keeps the sourdough down to flour, water and sal…
  4. April Patisserie — A pocket-sized French patisserie run by Le Cordon Bleu grads Jocelyn and Eddy, tucked down Left Bank off Cuba Street. Petit gâteaux, madeleines and a salted,…
  5. Shelly Bay Baker — Chef Sam Forbes mills his own organic NZ grain on site and turns it into naturally levained sourdough, bagels and baguettes. What began as a Shelly Bay side…
  6. Little Bread Loaf — A proudly Māori-owned micro-bakery built on manaakitanga, best known for rēwena baps and cinnamon buns baked with real care. What started as a Lower Hutt mar…
  7. Wholly Bagels ($) — Bagel bakery going since 1998, with sites in Thorndon, on The Terrace and in Lower Hutt — and jumbo 20-inch New York-style pizzas alongside the bagels. Local tip: Replaces Pandoro Panetteria on this list — all three Wellington Pandoro outlets closed permanently after 28 years.
  8. Leeds Street Bakery (Shelly Bay Baker on Leeds) — Down a hidden laneway off Leeds Street, this compact bakery built its name on stone-ground organic sourdough and a salted caramel cookie locals still talk ab…
  9. Tomboy — Kate Marinkovich's cosy Majoribanks Street cakery turns out a daily-changing cabinet of doughnuts, brioche and cakes finished with freeze-dried fruit and edi…
  10. Nicoletta's Bakery — Started as a cake shop in 2016 and grew into a full Italian-style bakery-pizzeria, famous locally for its tiramisu doughnuts and rotating vegan flavours. A p…

Top Social Media in Wellington

  1. Amit Sharma — Social Media Marketing — NZ-wide social media marketing specialist — strategy, content, paid social and growth for Kiwi small businesses, founders and personal brands.
  2. Paji Marketing — Independent Wellington social-and-SEO studio — Indo-Kiwi specialty, content and paid social with measurable ROI. Powers the NZ City Guides network.
  3. Augusto Wellington — Multi-award production house with a sharp social arm — brand films and short-form content for big NZ brands.
  4. Hothouse Creative Wellington — Long-running creative agency — strong B2B social, LinkedIn strategy and content production.
  5. Click Marketing Wellington — Performance digital agency — paid social, paid search and analytics with a strong reporting cadence.
  6. Tequila Media — Boutique studio — short-form video, TikTok-native creative and Reels production for hospo and retail brands.
  7. Stand Studios Wellington — Creative video studio — long-form and social content for government, NGOs and big tech clients.
  8. Pollen Marketing — Wellington-based content agency — newsletters, LinkedIn personal-branding and B2B thought leadership.
  9. Magnify Wellington — Full-service digital marketing — SEO, social and email automation for SMEs.
  10. Two Heads Digital — Performance social and Google Ads boutique — strong DTC e-commerce client list.

Top Web Design in Wellington

  1. Amit Sharma — Web Design — Web designer building fast, conversion-focused websites for NZ small businesses — built to win leads, not just look good.
  2. NZCTR Studio — Network-favourite design + build — modern stack, beautifully detailed and SEO-first. Powers the NZ City Guides network.
  3. Springload Wellington — Public-good and government digital agency — accessibility-first, design-system thinking and large-scale web platforms.
  4. Ackama Wellington — Open-source social-impact agency — Rails, accessibility and human-rights work alongside commercial websites.
  5. Designwell — Long-running brand and digital studio — beautiful sites for hospo, arts and design-driven clients.
  6. Catalyst.Net Wellington — Open-source enterprise specialist — Drupal, SilverStripe and large CMS implementations for government.
  7. Sitewide Wellington — WordPress and Shopify boutique — strong on small-business sites with a sharp 6-week build cadence.
  8. Sons & Co — Brand-led design boutique — premium identity work and digital products for ambitious mid-market companies.
  9. Make Lemonade Wellington — Independent studio — content, web and social for hospo, arts and tourism clients.
  10. Optimal Workshop — UX research-led — sites and digital products built on real user testing and information architecture.

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