No trip to Wellington would be a good trip without experiencing the best eateries that Wellington has to offer.
We took a look at the options available to you and selected several options as people will have a different choice of food that they prefer to eat.
Our restaurant list has come directly from Google and restaurant listings on review websites, so there might have been some manipulation in the rankings for ‘best restaurants in Wellington’. The websites in question might have used a Wellington SEO agency to raise themselves to the top of the rankings.
We also looked at the best way restaurants according to reviews left by patrons to give you, the reader, a better overview of the restaurants for your trip to windy Wellington.
So, without further delay, let’s dive in and look at what options you must eat out in Wellington…
Six Restaurants to Choose From in Wellington
Great India - Wellington
Suppose you love Indian cuisine and want to experience the best that Wellington offers. In that case, we suggest that you take a walk along Manners Street, Te Aro and visit Great India in the Courtenay Precinct and experience this iconic restaurant.
Great India opened its doors in 1983 and is now developing its spices in its kitchen, offering guests over 60 different main dishes to choose from. The 60 dishes aren’t the run of the mill Indian mains that you might expect; Great India has developed their bespoke mains that are cannot be found anywhere else.
How unique is that!
Food From Great India, Wellington
Top Maori-Samoan Restaurant Hiakai, Wellington
If you’re seeking authentic Maori-Samoan delicacies, we recommend that you take a trip to 40 Wallace Street, Mount Cook in Wellington, to a restaurant called Hiakai.
Top chef Monique runs the restaurant, and her goal is to showcase Maori and Polynesian ingredients in modern and innovative ways. Monique and one of her leading chefs take a weekly walk among the local hillsides and seek ingredients to add to her leading set of dishes.
Monique has worked and learnt from the best chefs in the world, including Gordon Ramsay, Colombian chef Charles Michel and Australia’s Mark Best.
Images from Hiakai, Wellington
Top French Restaurant – Hippopotamus
It can be said that the best restaurants can be in one city – Paris and French cuisine is often considered to be the most flavoursome anywhere on the planet. But what if French cuisine takes a pit-stop in Wellington, with people wanting to experience French flavours, where should they go?
Hippopotamus in Wellington is your head to experience French dining in Wellington.
It is located in one of the premium hotels we mentioned on our top hotel page in Wellington – QT Wellington. The head chef here is Jiwon Do, where he provides an award-winning approach to fine dining.
During the day, the restaurant offers a high tea service to observe a special occasion or someone birthday.
But, by night, the menu at Hippopotamus provides their guests with an experience of fine French dining along with unique cocktails. In contrast, diners experience the stunning views of the Wellington Harbour.
Images From Hippopotamus
Classical Italian Food at Capitol, Wellington
Kent Terrace, Mount Victoria, Wellington is home to Wellingtons most famous Italian restaurant – ‘Capitol’.
The classical style of Capitol is to bring fresh ingredients to the plate of patrons in a pure and uncluttered design.
Head chef and owner Tom Hutchinson has created a seasonal Bistro-style menu by making the most of locally produced ethically made.
The restaurant creates an intimate feel for diners, permitting them to sit by the windows and watch the world go by.
Italian Food At Capitol, Wellington
Authentic Chinese Restaurant - Dragons
Located at 25 Tory Street in the Courtenay District, Wellington is an authentic Chinese restaurant called Dragons.
Dragons was set up in 2007 by Belle Wang, who wanted to bring authentic Cantonese food to Wellington to encourage people of all races and backgrounds to try and experience first-hand how the food is shared when eaten.
For those that haven’t experienced their ‘yum cha’ before, we recommend that you take Belle’s advice and take your time and explore the restaurants' tea.
Visit Dragon’s website for full details of the food available.
Images From Dragons, Wellington
Shepherds – Kiwi Style Dining in the Heart of Wellington
For those wanting to experience a top ‘New Zealand Restaurant’ then consider Shepherds in Hannahs Laneway in Wellington.
Head Chef and co-owner Shepherd Elliott delights patrons with a mixture of plain and odd food culture derived from locally sourced ingredients to create an experience that is unforgettable and different each time you enter his restaurant.
Nine diners are even permitted to watch the chefs in action and has dedicated reserved space that permits diners to watch their food being created.
Images From Shepherds
Locations of Recommended Restaurants in Wellington
There are many more restaurants to choose from when visiting Wellington, these are but a few that have received several awards and are considered the best for each of the respective niches.
The above restaurants were found using Google, so there has to be an aspect of local SEO for restaurants in Wellington that has been utilised to help the eatery be located by users online.
Have you dined in any of the above restaurants in Wellington? Perhaps you would like to have your restaurant included in the list.
All the best for now, and we’ll be in touch later for more information about other large cities in New Zealand.