Vegetarian/vegan
Midnight Espresso
Always blasting out tunes. Selection of mostly vegetarian counter food.
Aunty Mena Vegetarian Restaurant and Cafe
Vegan Malaysian/Chinese food. Friendly staff & a homely atmosphere.
Cafes
Midnight Espresso
Selection of mostly vegetarian counter food.
Ernesto
This is a cuban-themed cafe in mid-cuba street allied with fidels. good place to watch the world go by.
Simply Paris
 new to wellington has a range of tasty sweets and pastries.
Caffe Lâaffare
With its own roastery that supplies new zealand coffee to cafes and supermarkets across the country. popular cafe.
Floriditas
 in cuba st on marion square, good cooking using fresh, locally grown and organic food thatâs popular among foodies
Clarks Cafe
Located in the wellington central library, clarks is one of the few places where you still put your own food on the tray - and then wait for your coffee at the counter.
Maranui
(http://www.maranui.co.nz/cafe-) in the surf life-saving club buildings at lyall bay near the airport. relax in front of a panorama of the beach and the cook strait.
Nikau
At the art gallery (http://www.menumania.co.n...) civic square - good food, but at relatively high prices.
Beach Babylon
A retro, beach paradise inspired cafe and restaurant with Wellington's best outdoor dining area. Beach Babylon serves good, retro New Zealand cuisine and great prices.
Olive Cafe
A long-established cafe on cuba street. has a selection of vegetarian and vegan food
Plum
Located on cuba street and recently given a refit. great coffee and food selection.
Kelburn Cafe
Located on upland road amongst the kelburn shops.
Aro Cafe
On aro street, offering a range of vegan and gluten-free food.
Ministry of Food
Just up the road from parliament, what else can you call the place where the civil servants go to eat.
Deluxe
Nestled beside the embassy theatre, deluxe is the ideal pre-movie meeting place, portions are well-sized and the food is tasty.
Fidel's cafe
An popular destination, it is claimed to be one of wellington's best-known cafes. has a selection of vegetarian and vegan food.
Espressoholic
Centrally located but tends to have a lot of drunk people in the late evenings.
Gasoline
Between woodward street and the terrace in wellington's business district, gasoline caters to a largely corporate clientele.
Wellington is home to a range of good coffee roasteries. Local roasters include Cafe Laffare recently sold for $25 million to an overseas company, Coffee Supreme, Havana, Mojo, and People's Coffee. Below is a small range from the extensive list of the Wellington cafe scene:
Malaysian
Roti Chenai
Cafe, shop 5, 120 victoria st. very good indian and malaysian cuisine.
Satay Kingdom
; left-bank off cuba mall. this is the student malaysian restaurant. on most evenings you will find it overflowing with people coming in for its cheap and hearty food. but don't be put off by the large numbers, the service is incredibly fast with food often arriving at your table before you if you're not quick!
Cinta Malaysian Restaurant
On manners st, facing the manners park. affordable malaysian food with nice cultural decorations and cosy lighting.
Satay Palace
Cuba st between floridita's and aunt mena's. don't let the run-down decor fool you, ultra-cheap, excellent food and service.
Aunty Mena Vegetarian Restaurant and Cafe
Vegan Malaysian/Chinese food. Friendly staff & a homely atmosphere.
Fish and chips
The Greasy Groper
31 dundas st, seatown. grab an old school fish burger and a milkshake from the corner store across the road to go with it.
Plimmerton
; beach road, plimmerton, porirua
Supremo Takeouts
2a moxham ave, hataitai
Athena Fish and Chips
Onepu road, lyall bay
Asian Takeaways
; ganges rd, khandallah
So Fine Seafoods
2 tennyson ave, avalon, lower hutt. voted nz's best fish and chips shop in 2008.
Dennis Fish Supply
; 103 randwick rd, moera, lower hutt
Wadestown Takeaways
102c wadestown rd, wadestown.
Aro Street Fish and Chips
; on aro st.
Northland Fish & Chip Shop
; 57 northland rd, northland
Every suburb in Wellington has a good fish and chip shop.
Starfish
Molesworth street - slightly more pricey than most but worth it.
Calypso Fish & Chips
; 5 waiwhetu rd, waiwhetu, lower hutt
Japanese
Hede
Crowded, loud, fun and delicious. BYO.
Sakura
Japanese cuisine, fresh sushi, great selection of beer and sake.
California Sushi
On left bank off cuba st. yummy food and friendly shop owners. the place might not look like much, but they provide excellent service.
Kazu Yakitori & Sake Bar
Japanese-style barbeque, fresh sushi, great selection of beer and sake.
Indian
Indian Flavours
A truly indian experience, all traditional curries, and indian sweets, very authentic, best place for a home-sick indian.
Namastey India
On dixon st, below karaoke place. delicious food, and the lunch set is amazingly cheap. halal.
Little India
Two wellington locations, 18 blair street off courtenay and 115 cuba mall. you can also order for delivery at (http://www.littleindia.co.nz/).
Great India
Very well-known restaurant. has won the wine & food challenge for several years running.
Mughlai's Curry Corner
On willis st. yummy indian food and friendly shop owners, excellent for takeaway. guaranteed halal.
Curry Heaven
A fantastic small traditional restaurant, the people are friendly and do takeaways, the malai kofta is excellent.
Tulsi
135 cuba st or takeaway in the bnz food court. their butter chicken was voted best in wellington.
Higher Taste
Lower ground, old bank arcade, customhouse quay. the only pure vegetarian indian restaurant.
Planet Spice
Two doors down from curry heaven on adelaide road, they also do fantastic food, and have an upstairs area.
Indus
On tinakori road, thorndon near the thorndon shops and premier house. they do delicious north indian food, and their tandoori chicken is fabulous.
In Newtown:Some of the best ethnic restaurants are on Adelaide road in the southern suburb of Newtown, between Wellington Hospital and the Zoo.
In Thorndon:
In Wellington CBD:
More or less traditional
The Backbencher
Opposite parliament on molesworth street. dine with the political figures of the day, who have a menu to match their misfortunes.
The Green Parrot
16 taranaki st, 04 384 6080, (http://www.greenparrot.co.nz/). opened in the 1920s and offers a very interesting atmosphere. great food, large portions, open late, and serves free bread with every meal. the filet mignon is great! $10-30.
A lighthearted political/current affairs show is broadcast from the Backbencher on Wednesday nights except in Summer and the bar will often be packed with various Members of Parliament, Parliamentary staff, political activists, and journalists. Crowd participation is encouraged with heckling common, but the audience are good natured as a camadarie has developed amongst most activists, regardless of affiliation.
Turkish kebabs
AbraKebabra
On manners st, near dick smiths. affordable and good food, not limited to turkish cuisine.
Kebab Bros
On cortenay place, near courtenay reading. good & affordable food, nice atmosphere.
Fine dining
Logan Brown
In the former banking chamber of an historic banking building.
Boulcott Street Bistro
Modern bistro. Classic combinations, fresh ingredients, attentive service.
The White House
Winner of numerous awards, specialising in seafood, NZ meats and organic veges.
Citron
Chef Rex Morgan has been rated as one of NZ's top chefs. Try the 9-course degustation menu to taste the true wonders of this place.
Martin Bosley's Yacht Club Restaurant
Francois
Exquisite French dining and service.
Wellington has a lot of restaurants and cafes, in fact more cafes, bars and restaurants per head than New York City. Malaysian food is surprisingly popular and available in most areas. You can also get good Turkish kebabs anywhere in the city, or Lebanese at the Phonecian Falafel on Kent Tce. Fish and chips is the best value food and you usually get better quality in the suburbs.
BNZ Centre Food Court (Food on Willis)
There is a food court in the basement of the big black square tower on the corners of willis, willeston and victoria streets. it has been neglected for many years and might not be the most pleasant place to dine, even if the stalls food is good. it is mostly frequented by the many office workers in the area looking for a place where all co-workers can dine together happily. there is sushi, indian, greek, turkish stalls, amongst others. there are few seats not taken at lunchtime, so you may want to just get take-away. some of the stalls offer discounted food after 2pm, and are all closed by 3pm.
Zest Food Tours
Zest operate a number of food, coffee and chocolate walking tours around Wellington.