Alice H.'s
Fun activities for a casual date
- 121Wellington ZooNewtownWellington Zoo is a perfect date destination: there’s plenty to see, and I reckon you can tell a lot about a potential partner by the interest they show in nature. If you haven’t been for a couple of years, I promise you you’ll be surprised at how much it’s changed for the better: its new walk-through "Neighbours" exhibit features Australian fauna, including dingoes, wallabies and kangaroos, while "Hero HQ" is home to chameleons, stick insects and a rather horrible bird-eating tarantula.
- 23Mojo Coffee Wellington ZooNewtownIf you’re in the area of the zoo but the weather’s looking patchy or you don’t want to fork out ~$20 per adult pass, pop into the Mojo Coffee branch on the zoo’s premises and enjoy a coffee in front of the pygmy marmoset exhibit. Pygmy marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world, and are found in the rainforests of central America. The four that live in the enclosure at Mojo are entrancing, and great entertainment for the price of a cup of coffee.
- 34Island Bay Marine Education CenterIsland BayOn Sunday afternoons the Island Bay Marine Education Center is open to the public and, despite the fact many born-and-bred Wellingtonians have never made the effort to stop by, it’s well worth a half-hour of your weekend. There’s a motley and ever-changing assortment of sealife, including a big beautiful octopus called Bernard and a stack of red-eared terrapins, and it’s staffed by friendly volunteers, who are always keen to tell you a bit more about what you see in the tank in front of you.
- 418Wellington City GalleryWellington CentralIt’s easy to take the City Gallery for granted when you’ve lived in Wellington for a while, but the fact is, it’s excellent. The variety of exhibitions, the expertise of the staff, and the frequent lectures and events make it a great way to exercise your mind on a lazy afternoon – and the adjoining Cafe Nikau is the perfect place to refuel afterwards. As part of the gallery’s recent push for greater engagement with patrons, it’s been running competitions on Instagram and holding karaoke nights, too.
- 58Kaffee Eis Oriental BayOriental BayWhen the weather’s good, there’s nothing like a walk along Oriental Parade – sometimes, it seems all of Wellington has the same idea. Set your sights on a scoop or two (or three) of Kaffee Eis’ award-winning ice cream for the perfect Sunday afternoon date.
Alice H.'s
Where to enjoy a slice of Americana
- 128MontereyNewtownStyled like an 1970s Californian diner, Monterey is an effortlessly cool destination for catching up with friends over a meal. The tables are covered with paper, on which patrons are encouraged to doodle; there are books available for those dining solo, and board games for groups; and the music selections (Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac, Otis Redding) are consistently excellent. It’s famous in and outside of Newtown for its burgers, which go from $17 to $10 on Tuesdays, but its sides (onion rings!) and sweet pies are also worth a look-in.
- 245Sweet Mother's KitchenTe AroSweet Mother’s Kitchen is a go-to for Wellingtonians on the hunt for southern, Cajun cooking, like chicken gumbo, po-boys and quesadillas. The food is consistently excellent, and reasonably priced for the generous portions – and you can’t go past its wide selection of sweet pies, including pumpkin, apple, pecan and Key lime, for dessert.
- 312Thunderbird CafeWellington CentralFor when Sweet Mother’s is too far away, there’s Thunderbird, a great little restaurant in a part of town where the pickings are slim. As such, it can get pretty packed at lunchtime, but there’s usually a corner you can squeeze yourself into for some curly fries or a quesadilla.
- 40Mama BrownWellington CentralThough Mama Brown opened just a few months ago, it’s already secured itself a stellar reputation as having great food, in huge portions, at low prices. It takes a low-key approach to classic American and Mexican face, like hamburgers, pancakes, and milkshakes (which come highly recommended). Plus, you can mix and match sliders and tacos for just $6 each.
Alice H.'s
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, and you're hungry
- 128Tommy MillionsWellington CentralMy absolute favourite pizza joint in Wellington is Tommy Million’s, on the corner of Taranaki and Courtenay Place. You can buy by the $5 slice if you’re in the area (remember to add a generous helping of chilli oil) or, for between $25 and $30, by the pizza. There are "toppings of the day" offered as well as the standard options like pepperoni and mushroom, and half-and-half is available. The gelato (especially the lolly cake flavour) is pretty good, too.
- 232Scopa Caffe CucinaTe AroPizza joints pop up all the time, but Scopa’s something of an establishment in Wellington. On Tuesday lunchtimes, margherita pizzas are on offer for $8, down from $14.
- 315Pizza PomodoroTe AroPizza Pomodoro is another favourite pizza joint of Wellingtonians, known for its preference of buffalo mozzarella as a topping and thicker, more bread-y base than a number of the others in the area. On Monday and Tuesday, delivery is free for internet orders over about $20, which is a great way to usher in the working week; on Wednesday, margheritas are $10, and on Thursday, orders over $19 receive a free pizza bread. Pizza Pomodoro will also deliver to Goldings Free Dive beer bar, across the road on Eva St.
- 412Pizzeria NapoliTe AroPizzeria Napoli specialises in traditional wood-fired pizza and pasta and that authentic Italian experience – and the $25 bucket of four Peroni makes for a pretty good accompaniment, too. The narrow restaurant can fill up quickly, so perhaps call ahead if you’re part of a big group.
- 513Heaven Woodfire Pizzas tend to be on the sparse side, toppings-wise – mozzarella, a couple of herbs and a meat – but the quality of the ingredients means it works. It is available by the box or by the slice, and there are deals on most days of the week. The spacious restaurant can cater to big groups, but tends to fill up on Tuesday nights, when there’s a two-for-one special for students.
Alice H.'s
Travel the world with food
- 14The BeijingNewtownThe uninspired decor of The Beijing belies a Newtown institution since 1996. The restaurant serves Northern Chinese food, and is best known for its Peking duck fare. If duck isn’t to your taste, it’s also known for its pork in Beijing sauce. The Beijing can cater to big groups and is often packed, so it pays to book on popular nights.
- 23Cinta Malaysian KitchenTe AroIt seems if you’re not a fan of Malaysian or Indian food, your options for BYO restaurants in Wellington are lacking. But if you can’t go past a good mee goreng, Cinta – on the Courtenay Place end of Manners St – is a great choice, especially for parties of up to eight. Its smaller size means it’s less likely to attract big groups of uni students on the weekend, too.
- 312El MatadorTe AroEl Matador Cafe, Asador Grill & Bar is best known for its meat dishes, barbequed and grilled Argentine-style, but it’s also a great choice for brunch – especially if you don’t feel like competing with the throngs that gather at Floridita’s, Fidel’s or Olive before noon every Saturday and Sunday. Like any good brunch destination, El Matador serves eggs any way you want them, but be sure to add some bacon or chorizo to your order: you’re not making the most of what El Matador has to offer if you order vegetarian.
- 47Planet Spice Indian CuisineNewtownNewtown’s full of Indian restaurants, but few are as busy, as often, as Planet Spice. With extra seating available upstairs, it’s a great choice for big groups looking to dine in and BYO, but be sure to book. (If Planet Spice is packed, Curry Heaven, a few doors down, is another popular choice.)
- 516Viva Mexico Te AroTe AroA bunch of Mexican restaurants have sprung up in Wellington over the past 18 months, but to my mind Viva Mexico on Left Bank is still the best. The servings are enormous and there’s an authentic feel to it; be sure to try the stuffed jalapenos and Mexican cola. It recently expanded its menu to include breakfast, with eggs served Mexican-style.
Alice H.'s
Where to eat out, paleo-style
- 124Nikau CafeWellington CentralThe best cafes for brunch are happy to let you add or subtract items from their standard dishes, but Nikau’s dishes are completely customisable. If you’re eating paleo, you can order eggs any which way and a meat of your choice without the awkward "hold the bread, tomatoes…" spiel.
- 25Tank Juice Bar Lambton SquareWellington CentralIf you’re eating to a particular diet, eating out can be a minefield, but what I like about Tank Juice Bar is what you see is what you get – no hidden nasties here, and even the medium size will fill you up for at least a couple of hours. You can also add goodies like vitamin and spirulina shots for an extra boost.
- 30Big Bad Wolf CharcuterieTe AroBig Bad Wolf are specialists in the craft of smoking, curing and salting all kinds of meat, which you can enjoy on their Wakefield St premises or take away to cook yourself. Though they’re best known for their pork sausages, they occasionally stock more exotic fare, including alpaca, buffalo, crocodile and wallaby.
- 46The LarderMiramarThe Larder in Miramar is a regular haunt of members of the Paleo Wellington group because of its focus on organic ingredients and quality cuts of meat. It’s on the higher end of the price scale (even excluding the cost of petrol out to Miramar…) with mains going for $40, so a great choice for a special occasion.
Alice H.'s
Where to look for a second-hand or vintage gem
- 15Hunters and Collectors is something of a Wellington institution, at least in part for its creative and striking window displays, which are worth checking out even if you’re not in the market for a retro find. It’s on the expensive side of vintage shops, but that’s a mark of its stocking quality, unique finds, often from high-fashion labels like Yves St Laurent and Gucci.
- 27Ziggurat stocks a wide range of both vintage and pre-loved designer gear, like past seasons of Karen Walker, Zambesi and Ruby. It has a great range of vintage furs, faux and real, and ballgown-type dresses – perfect for a dress-up party or very special occassion. Its accessories game is strong, too.
- 31As well as being a high-end boutique, stocking designer brands like Acne, Ann Demeulemeester and Comme Des Garcons, Scotties "recycles" high-quality garments and accessories by local and international designers. If you feel it will be painfully obvious you could never afford any of their wares, they have a comprehensive online store for window-shopping without the blow to your self-esteem: http://shop.scottiesboutique.co.nz/
- 49As you’d guess from the name, Recycle Boutique stocks second-hand chain store (and, if you’re lucky, designer) items. The size of the store and its invariably slapdash state means it’s best to set aside a good amount of time to browse the racks – and, quite frankly, don’t expect the staff to be much help – but in the past I’ve picked up some gems here when chain stores have failed me.
- 50Savemart Ltd Upper HuttMaidstoneIt might be in Cannons Creek but Savemart Upper Hutt is worth the occasional trip. I’ve picked up faux fur coats and wedges for a quarter of the price they’d have fetched at Ziggurat or Hunters and Collectors back in town, and there’s often a great selection of outerwear and woolen sweaters. Give yourself a good amount of time to dig around, though, especially as there’s often a queue for the waiting rooms.