1. Apero
Cuba Street. Italian aperitivo bar. The chocolate torte is the best in the city. Go early, it's small.
2. Rita
Cuban-inspired, Argyle Street. The ceviche, the cocktails, the courtyard.
3. Hawker & Roll
Dixon Street. Asia-inspired street food. The pork bao is the order.
4. Tommy Million's
Courtenay Place. The lamb shoulder is legendary. The fit-out is an old bank.
5. The Crab Shack
Shed 5. Crack your own crab, share plates, a view of the harbour.
6. Olive
Cuba Street. The reliable classic. The tagine, the pasta, the courtyard in the sun.
7. Memphis Belle
Cuba Street. The best bagels in NZ. The lox bagel is the one.
8. Kapiti Ice Cream
Various locations. The best ice cream in NZ. Feijoa and honeycomb.
9. The Larder
Webb Street. The best brunch in Wellington. The mushroom toast is legendary.
10. Night market, Cuba Street
Friday and Saturday nights. Dumplings, satay, bao, churros.
FAQ
Do I need to book ahead for Apero?
Bookings help, but the bigger issue is size: it's a small aperitivo bar on Cuba Street, so even with a reservation, arriving early in the evening rather than at peak dinner time is what actually gets you a seat without a wait.
Is the Cuba Street night market a proper dinner, or just a snacking stop?
Treat it as the latter unless you're planning to graze across several stalls. It only runs Friday and Saturday nights, and the format, dumplings, satay, bao, churros, suits sharing a few small plates between courses at somewhere like Olive or Hawker & Roll rather than replacing a sit-down meal on its own.
Which of these spots are actually daytime options rather than dinner spots?
The Larder is the one built for brunch, the mushroom toast is the reason to go and it's a daytime kitchen, not a dinner destination. Memphis Belle (bagels) and Kapiti Ice Cream also work any time of day. Apero, Rita, Tommy Million's, The Crab Shack and Olive are dinner-first spots, and the night market only runs after dark on weekends.
Several of these are on Cuba Street, does that mean I can walk between them in one night?
Apero, Olive and Memphis Belle are all on or just off Cuba Street, plus the weekend night market, so it's realistic to treat that strip as one crawl if you're there Friday or Saturday. Rita, Tommy Million's and The Crab Shack are further out, closer to Courtenay Place and the waterfront, so they need a separate trip rather than being folded into a Cuba Street evening.