In town for work with an evening to spare? Here is how to do Wellington properly. The best hotels, the finest tables, the bars worth your time, and where the night goes once dinner is done.
Wellington is one of the easiest cities in the country to enjoy on your own. Everything worth doing sits inside a compact, flat, walkable CBD, so you can finish a meeting, drop your bag at the hotel and be sitting in a great bar ten minutes later without needing a taxi.
This guide is written for the visitor who wants to do the night properly rather than eat alone in the hotel restaurant. It runs in the order of an evening: where to stay, where to eat, where to drink, where to catch live music, and where the night carries on once dinner is done.
Wellington's finest. Where to stay when the trip is worth doing properly.
Arguably the best beds in the city and a level of service that frequent travellers rave about. Refined, calm and effortlessly luxurious.
Visit websiteThe corporate gold standard, with an excellent club lounge, a spa, and a concierge team that genuinely knows the city. Right by the waterfront.
Visit websiteA family run, boutique five star with generously sized rooms, a superb pool and spa, and personal service. A quiet, upmarket base near Parliament.
Visit websiteOne of the highest rated stays in Wellington. A design led boutique hotel in the thick of the Cuba Street dining scene, with a wine bar downstairs.
Visit websiteComfortable, central and well run. Several within a few minutes walk of Courtenay Place.
Right on Courtenay Place in the heart of the action, with spacious modern rooms and a buffet breakfast. As central as it gets for a night out.
Visit websiteModern, spotless apartment style rooms with full kitchens and friendly service, just off Courtenay Place. The space of an apartment with the service of a hotel.
Visit websiteA bold, art filled design hotel by the waterfront and Te Papa, with a great bar and restaurant. Stylish and a little different, in the best way.
Visit websiteModern and central, right in the heart of Lambton Quay close to shops and transport. A reliable, comfortable choice for a work trip.
Visit websiteA European boutique feel with a famous afternoon chocolate hour, a lap pool and a gym. A regular go to for those in town on business.
Visit websiteA funky, art deco influenced boutique hotel on vibrant Cuba Street, with quirky design and a great central location near the bars and restaurants.
Visit websiteThe best tables in the city. The first few are a short stroll from Courtenay Place, the rest a brief walk or ride.
One of Wellington's most loved restaurants, a short walk up from Courtenay Place. Exceptional seafood, a great wine list and warm, characterful hospitality.
Visit websiteA refined, much loved Italian just two minutes from Courtenay Place. Beautifully executed food, excellent drinks and faultless service.
Visit websiteA refined, moody dining room atop QT Wellington, praised for immaculate service, premium NZ wines and beautifully presented food. A short walk away.
Visit websiteA Wellington institution and one of the country's most celebrated restaurants, a short walk or quick ride away. The prix fixe and degustation menus are worth the splurge, and the paua ravioli is almost thirty years a classic.
Visit websiteA buzzy, highly rated grill and bar by Lambton Quay, praised for superb steak, oysters and a lively room. A short ride from Courtenay Place.
Visit websiteAn exceptional small plates restaurant on upper Cuba Street, with standout dumplings, octopus and oysters. Quietly one of the city's best.
Visit websiteClassic French influenced fine dining in a charming heritage cottage. Polished, romantic and consistently excellent for a special dinner.
Visit websiteAn elegant waterfront seafood restaurant in a beautifully converted warehouse, with harbour views and impeccable service. A Wellington classic.
Visit websiteExcellent food and atmosphere, all on or beside Courtenay Place.
Stylish, buzzy and reliably brilliant shared plates right on Courtenay Place. Book ahead, it is popular for good reason.
Visit websiteThe place for a Beef Wellington in Wellington, plus a serious local tap list. Relaxed, central and a safe bet for a solo dinner at the bar.
Visit websiteA long loved Courtenay Place spot with vibrant small plates, standout cocktails and a buzzy lounge feel. Great for a relaxed late dinner.
Visit websiteOne of the highest rated kitchens in the city, a few minutes up from Courtenay Place. The chef led tasting menu is a standout.
Visit websiteBeautifully presented modern dishes and cocktails inside the Oaks, with grilled plates and a warm, relaxed room. A reliable Courtenay Place option.
Visit websiteA vibrant Pacific inspired restaurant right on Courtenay Place, with shareable small plates, fresh oysters and signature cocktails. A relaxed dinner that turns into a lively bar with a DJ later in the evening.
Visit websiteGreat value, central, and full of character. Easy on the wallet without skimping.
A vibrant, neon lit Asian tapas spot right on Courtenay Place, with tasty shared plates at very fair prices and a fun upstairs vibe.
Visit websiteA Wellington institution turning a hundred years old, serving generous, honest classics like steak and schnitzel. A genuine slice of old Wellington.
Visit websiteA lively craft brewpub on the corner of Tory Street, with great beer and solid, well priced pub food. A block from the water and a minute from Courtenay Place.
Visit websiteA beloved garden bar and eatery with a big varied menu, great value and a warm community feel. Something for everyone, any time of day.
Visit websiteThe cult spots Wellingtonians swear by. Not fancy, just very good and very loved.
A Wellington legend right on Courtenay Place. A vast menu of fast, generous, authentic Cantonese food at unbeatable prices, open late. The mapo tofu and roast duck are the stuff of local legend.
Visit websiteA cult favourite food truck serving some of the best souvlaki in the city. Fresh, fast and beloved by locals who know exactly where to find it.
Visit websiteA cult takeaway right on Courtenay Place serving outstanding burgers and fried chicken. The Monster Mash and Jackpot Burger have a devoted local following, and it is open late.
Visit websiteA long running, much loved Asian fusion spot with cocktails, just off Courtenay Place. Great value shared plates and a buzzy atmosphere, with a famous two for one deal.
Visit websiteWhere to start the day, from strong coffee to a proper feed.
A reliable, friendly all day breakfast spot a few minutes from Courtenay Place, with great coffee served well past the morning. A safe bet for brunch.
Visit websiteA big, fun American style diner serving hearty brunches and burgers in a quirky fit out, a minute from Courtenay Place. Generous and casual.
Visit websiteA long running, much loved Cajun and American spot right on Courtenay Place, with waffles, burritos and a sunny outdoor table. A Wellington brunch staple.
Visit websiteA warm, earthy cafe just off Courtenay Place with some of the best coffee in town and beautifully done brunch plates. A lovely spot to settle in.
Visit websiteWellington is a cocktail town. These are the rooms that prove it.
A hidden, upstairs speakeasy with serious cocktails and a late licence. Civilised, dimly lit and open into the small hours.
Visit websiteVelvet, bookshelves and superb cocktails, often with live jazz. One of the most atmospheric rooms in the city.
Visit websiteA warm basement bar with a Southern feel, an excellent whiskey selection and seriously well made drinks. Worth seeking out.
Visit websiteA cosy, well regarded cocktail spot tucked off Leeds Street, with attentive bartenders and a relaxed neighbourhood feel.
Visit websiteWhen the night needs more energy and a later finish.
A lively late night bar and party spot right on Courtenay Place, open into the early hours. A popular stop for groups and big nights out.
Visit websiteA long running, much loved late night bar with a real community feel and a crew that keeps the energy going until 4am.
Visit websiteA characterful late night bar with great cocktails, shisha and a lively crowd, right in the middle of the Courtenay Place strip.
Visit websiteA rooftop bar with city views, heaters, full bar and a fun, casual crowd. A great spot to keep the night going under the stars.
Visit websiteWhere to catch a band and a great atmosphere.
An intimate, much loved live music venue with great sound, particularly for metal and punk, and a genuinely welcoming crowd. Open late on weekends.
Visit websiteA laid back, funky bar with regular live music, outdoor beanbag seating and great energy. One of the most beloved spots in town.
Visit websiteA beloved, arty live music bar in Newtown, a little out of the centre but worth the short ride. Great bands, excellent pizza and a warm local crowd.
Visit websiteA characterful Welsh pub on its own island in the middle of Cambridge Terrace, by Courtenay Place. Open very late, with a cosy fire, a sunny garden bar, hearty food and regular live music.
Visit websiteArrived early or have a free half day? These are the must sees.
New Zealand's national museum and a genuine must see, right on the waterfront. Free entry, and the Gallipoli exhibition alone is worth the visit.
Visit websiteBehind the scenes of the studio behind Lord of the Rings and more. A short trip out to Miramar and a highlight for any film fan.
Visit websiteThe historic red cable car up to the Botanic Garden and a sweeping view over the city and harbour. A quick, classic Wellington experience.
Visit websiteA beautifully done museum of the city's maritime and social history, right on the waterfront. Free for locals and well worth an hour.
Visit websiteOnce dinner and a couple of bars are behind you and the night is still young, Wellington's late night scene runs well past midnight. If you are looking for something with a bit more atmosphere to round out the evening, the city's best known adult entertainment venues sit right in the middle of the action on Courtenay Place.
Wellington's premier strip club, right on Courtenay Place in the heart of the nightlife district. Open late, an easy walk from every hotel on this list.
Find out moreAlso on Courtenay Place, Splash rounds out the late night options in the same walkable strip. A natural last stop on a big night in town.
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