I landed in New Zealand on a crisp Tuesday afternoon in July, taking a shuttle into the city and getting more excited about six uninterrupted nights of sleep and the prospect of not having to pick up toys a hundred times a day. I was there to present a paper on migrant girls challenging stereotypes in Australian YA fiction as part of a children’s literature conference at the Victoria University of Wellington, and apart from earmarking the Te Apo Museum for a bit of a history lesson, I didn’t have much on my agenda. On my first day there, I happened to discover that Wellington was (apparently) the foodie capital of the world, with more cafes and restaurants per capita than NYC. Naturally, I wasted no time getting stuck into the local fare, and although I still enjoyed the touristy things like the Wellington Cable Car ride up to Mount Victoria, the walk around the Farmer’s Market on the pier on a Sunday morning and a roadtrip to the wineries of the Wairarapa region (if I could recommend one wine, it would be the Riesling at Te Kairanga Estate), the foodie spots still dominated my list of highlights. And although they were arguably my favourite things about the city, I must admit that the charm of so much lush ivy and Victorian cladded homes has stayed with me too.
- Zest Food Tours: This walking tour doesn’t come cheap, but it was an excellent way to see the little nooks and crannies of the city and discover little gems that didn’t come up in my trip advisor restaurant list. We kicked off at a local bakery, before heading to gourmet food market Moore Wilson’s, where a platter of local cheeses, beverages, fruits and condiments was served up with some iconic beverages. The guide took me through the history of the city, unique Kiwi produce and snacks, and the city. That part was a real highlight: the cheeses were incredible and the browse around the store saw me snap up some local chocolate varieties and pastries I took back to my room for sneaky late night snacks. The rest of the tour swa me stop in at artisan bakeries, peanut butter makers, a chocolate factory and gelateria, and I left with an envelope of recommendations and fun facts about cafes + restaurants the guide recommended, including Field & Green, where the chef was from Sotheby’s and where I had an exceptional green breakfast.
- The chocolate custard doughnuts at Egmont St Bakery: As big as my head, and probably the best filled doughnuts I have ever tasted, with a very soft exterior and a filling that just melts on your tongue. Cafe seemed really busy too, and is quite well-rated, so line up early or book ahead if you prefer to eat in-house.
- Salted Caramel Cookies at Leeds St Bakery: You might be sensing a pattern here, but I am a big fan of baked goods of any kind and this place has mastered the cookie. I don’t like salted caramel, but a visit to this place and a free cookie came with my tour so I ate it, marvelling at its perfect texture and balance of flavours, and then went back the next day for more. Wishing I could eat some now, some ten months later, as I write this post.
- Logan Brown Degustation: A few of the conference delegates laughed at me when they discovered I was going to a posh restaurant alone (ha, I went to two!), but although this came second on the trip advisor best restaurant list it was actually my favourite of the two. The menu changes each week so I can’t recommend anything in particular, but I went for a three course pre-theatre menu with matching wine, choosing the local fish for my main (which was cooked with potato, pickle and lemon curd) and it still stands out as one of the best fish dishes of my life.
- Ortega Fish Shack: This place came highly-recommended and although it didn’t wow me like Logan Brown did, I still had a fantastic meal there. Moderate to high-end seafood restaurant + bar in the heart of the city, with daily menus and a great wine list. I remember my dessert being a stand-out here: some sort of spiced quince cake and maple ice-cream.
- The Library: Cute little bar decked out (duh!) just like a library in the heart of the city. Great cocktails, a little on the expensive side, but nice for a night out nonetheless.
- Boom Burger: Stepped in to get their signature Boom Burger after a night of cocktails at The Library, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Their fries, made from makikihi potatoes, are cooked in beef fat and are delicious, but also come with so many sauce options just in case.
- Tommy Millions Pizza: Great pizza-by-the-slice joint in multiple locations around the city. Loved grabbing a slice and wandering around – gave me serious NYC vibes and the pizza was almost as good as that in the Big Apple. Certainly better than most similar establishments here in Sydney, at least.
- QT Wellington: I treated myself to two nights here at the end of the conference. I’m accustomed to the QT’s style, but this particular one is a standout because of its in-house bars – the gorgeous Hippopotamus (think cocktails, French fare and High Tea in opulent surrounds), and Hot Sauce, with an excellent Asian-inspired menu (salivating right now as I remember my meal), cool music and all-around great vibe. The hotel is also in proximity to cafes like Field + Green, stores like NZ’s Karen Walker and the Sunday harbourside market, and the customer service was a stand-out.
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