WELCOME

Nau mai haere mai to Capital’s biennial Best of Wellington competition.

We all know Wellington is the best. We’ve got the coolest culture, the fabulous food, the loveliest locals, and the freshest wind by far.

How To Vote

Voting is a doddle. Head to our website, check out the full list of nominees, pick your favs for each category and you’re all set.

Voting is open until July 3.

Prizes

Every vote goes in the draw to win loads of prizes including:

• Return domestic flights for two with complimentary parking

• A $250 shopping spree at Wellington Airport

• A $100 dining giveaway at Wellington Airport

Best artisan food & drink

Best artisan food & drink

Best artisan food & drink

Elysian Foods elysianfoods.co.nz

Elaiasalata – the best dip in town. Created right here in Wellington, it’s a creamy olive dip that goes with everything. And it’s vegan!

Best artisan food & drink

Foxton Fizz foxtonfizz.com

Vote for iconic, Kiwi-owned Foxton Fizz – we’ve been making soda since 1918! Classic, old-school flavours provide a refreshing dash of flavour and nostalgia!

Best bakery

Native Sparkling

Wellington’s own refreshing ready-todrink makes doing good taste better. Enjoy real fruit, all-natural, plantbased vodka and sparkling water (low in sugar) while planting native trees with every 40 cans sipped. nativesparkling.co.nz

Best bakery

Six Barrel Soda

Six Barrel Soda have been making wonderful drinks in Wellington for over 10 years. We produce real fruit, small-batch soda syrups and naturally flavoured sugar-free Seltz Drops. Cheers to that! sixbarrelsoda.co

Best bakery

Arobake

Wellington’s iconic bakery. Found in Aro Street and Nelson Street Petone... Rustic Authentic Food for the soul Sticky and sweet Where friends love to meet. arobake.co.nz

Best bakery

Aurora Argentinian Bakery

Facundo and Mariana are an Argentinian couple who love sharing a part of their culture through their amazing pastries and baked goods, following the traditional baking method. argentinianbakery.co.nz

Best bakery

Belén Vegan Bakery belenveganbakery.com

Belén must be savoured and seen to be believed! This friendly neighbourhood bakery is completely plant-based, with a dynamic cabinet filled with the most unbelievably creative creations.

Black Lion Bakery & Cafe blacklionbakery.co.nz

Our range includes artisan sourdough breads, sandwiches, muffins, pastries, and sweets. With a range of vegan and gluten-free options there’s something for everybody!

Fix Federation fixfederation.co.nz

Fix Federation has an amazing selection of scratch baked pastries, breads, sweets, donuts, and more! Quality deliciousness with service to match.

Best bakery

Best bar

Best bar

Nada Bakery

Excellent customer service is paramount in both our Tawa and Johnsonville stores, as well as creating wonderful treats. With our Bakery Basket and catering delivery service our bakes reach customers across Aotearoa. nadabakery.co.nz

Best bar

CGR Merchant & Co cgrmerchant.co.nz

Wellington’s premier gin and rum infusion bar is the discerning cocktail lover’s mecca. A cosy spot with delicious drinks. What’s not to love?

Best brewery

Dirty Little Secret

We’re experts at shaking a cocktail, mixing drinks and serving up snacks – plus we’ve got the best views in town (look up or you might miss us!) dirtylittlesecret.co.nz

Best brewery

St John’s Bar stjohnsbar.co.nz

Located on the waterfront, we’re an iconic Wellington bar! Enjoy the lawn on a sunny summer’s day, or cosy-up inside our art deco building if it’s blowing a Welly gale.

Best burger

Choice Bros Ghuznee St choicebros.co.nz

With an eclectic range of amazing beers, a fried chicken menu that can’t be beaten, barrel-aged cocktails and the best staff in town, this is the place to be.

Best burger

Double Vision Brewing

In the best craft beer community, thriving with creativity, hard work, and lots of play, we are stoked to be out here with Wellington’s finest! Come have a pint!

doublevisionbrewing.com

Best burger

Burger Liquor burgerliquor.co.nz

Serving great burgers since 2014, including the world-famous Smokey burger. We keep it simple, cooking with the best burger ingredients. We love what we do and burgers are it.

The Ultimate Bacon-CheeseBurger –the biggest, baddest, bacon(ist) burg in the capital. We’re taking it your tastebuds with smashed beef, layers of smoked bacon, beer caramelized onions, baconnaise, bacon-ketchup! One word... Yes! reburger.co.nz

Bursting with flavour, with the perfect balance of speciality fried chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce, and crunch. Thoughtfully created by your local fire-roasted and fried chicken experts. winnerwinner.co.nz

Best Of Wellington

Best café

Best café

Best café

Arobake

The transfiguration of Arobake from bakery to café brings out the bard... Delicious, enticing, Spacious, inviting, Daily dose of carbs and caffeine, Warm, wonderful, foodie’s dream. arobake.co.nz

Best coffee

House of Good Fortune

Between concrete warehouses in the industrial back streets of Petone, you’ll find some magic! Freya and her team have created a slice of paradise to kick back and enjoy a coffee. goodfortunecoffee.co.nz

Best coffee

Lunch Money instagram.com/lunch.money.nz

We’ve got pastries flakier than ‘that’ friend, banging cabinet eats, fresh Skunkworks coffee, a crew that’ll charm your pants off, and a sidewalk seat in the sun.

Best coffee

Coffee Cave fb.com/lowerhuttcoffeecave

Consistency is key – especially when it comes to our coffee. Each shot is weighed and timed, to ensure perfection in every cup.

Best coffee

Coffee Supreme coffeesupreme.com

We’re proud to call Wellington our home town. For three decades, Coffee Supreme have been serving up the freshest coffee, all in the name of better coffee for all.

Best coffee

Frank’s Coffee

Our baristas are genuinely interested in the people we serve. We’re passionate about perfecting our craft in roasting, and always innovating so we can serve you the best tasting coffee possible! frankscoffee.co.nz

Best coffee

Good Fortune Coffee Co.

Good Fortune Coffee is NZ’s first Fairtrade, organic, and Living Wage roastery! The beautiful green villa on Fitzherbert Street, Petone is home to their flagship café and Petroncini coffee roaster. goodfortunecoffee.co.nz

Havana Coffee Works

Leading the NZ coffee revolution since 1989. Bringing beans from all parts of the world into your life, you’ll find our coffee being poured in some of Wellington’s most popular cafes! #COFFEEUFEEL havana.co.nz

Skunkworks Coffee skunkworks.coffee

Caffeine dealers. Fresh vibes. Locally cooking up plump, juicy beans in the ‘Franken-roaster’ so you can enjoy a better bump of the good stuff.

Best coffee

Best pizza

Best pizza

Three Quarter Society threequarter.co.nz

Our name stands for our signature 3/4 full flat white, with double espresso and slightly less milk. It’s just what you need – short and sweet, strong, but gentle.

Best restaurant/eatery

Colombo Martinborough

Delicious and Italian-made, our pizzas are hand-stretched to order,made with local and Italian imported ingredients, and matched with wines from our family-owned Martinborough winery. colombo.co.nz

Best restaurant/eatery

Pizza Pomodoro

Pizza Pomodoro has been delivering the “original” pizza experience since 2000. A family run pizzeria, we pride ourselves on creating traditional Neapolitan-style pizza using homemade dough and fresh ingredients. Buon Appetito. pizzapomodoro.co.nz

Best restaurant/eatery

Duke of Wellington

The Duke of Wellington is proud to support local suppliers. We offer an ever-changing selection of great food and beverages for our troops to enjoy, in our stylish, welcoming gastropub! dukeofwellington.co.nz

Best restaurant/eatery

Kisa kisarestaurant.co.nz

Kisa serves Middle Eastern-inspired fare, including a variety of mezze and large plates. Open seven days a week on the corner of Cuba and Vivian street.

Best restaurant/eatery

Los Banditos

Born from the free spirit of the banditos we serve fresh, simple, and delicious food on sharing plates, alongside a careful selection of tequila, beers, wines, and cocktails. losbanditos.co.nz

Best sweet treats

Ombra ombra.co.nz

Serving simple, rustic, Italian fare Ombra is where Cuba Street meets the streets of Venice. Ombra’s menu features Italian sharing plates and is open seven days.

The Old Quarter

A modern take on classic Vietnamese dishes, served at the highest standard. Paired with friendly and efficient service, our team proudly considers ourselves one of the best restaurants around. theoldquarter.co.nz

Candy Cutique candycutique.com

Candy floss on steroids – bursting with so much flavour it’s as if an angel has landed on your tongue. Made from 100% natural ingredients with love.

Best sweet treats

Best sweet treats

Best sweet treats

Duck Island Ice Cream duckislandicecream.co.nz

Small batch ice cream crafted by ingredient driven chefs. Duck Island is changing up the ice cream scene with curiously delicious flavours for everyone.

Best activity/attraction

Sixes & Sevens sixes.co.nz

With a counter of delicious daily bakes, a cabinet packed full of good goods, ‘that’ caramel slice, and nostalgia inducing donuts, Sixes & Sevens has you sorted.

Best activity/attraction

The Chocolate Bar

We sell exquisite bean-to-bar chocolate. Cacao has been sourced via an open supply chain, where farmers are paid up to 10 times more than Fairtrade. Guilt-free and delicious! thechocolatebar.nz

Best attraction/activity

{Suite} Gallery

The {Suite} courtyard is a hidden gem – the gallery itself is not so bad either. {Suite} hosts dance parties, book launches, corporate client evenings, intimate concerts, and the occasional wedding. suite.co.nz

Best activity/attraction

New Zealand Police Museum

There’s lots for the whole family to enjoy, with New Zealand history to be learned, detective mysteries ready to be solved, and a range of tours and programmes for groups. police.govt.nz/about-us/ history-museum/museum

Best activity/attraction

Old St Paul’s oldstpauls.co.nz

Like no other venue in the city, Old St Paul’s brings in the crowds for live music and film nights, set beneath soaring Gothic Revival arches.

Best activity/attraction

Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ

Much fun was had reimagining Shakespeare through the vibrancy and verve of the young people in our SGCNZ Festivals. Enlivening themes and situations, as pertinent today as 420 years ago. sgcnz.org.nz sweetaxethrow.com

Sweet Axe Throwing Co.

Axe throwing is a primal yet wholly inclusive activity that everyone can enjoy! When you add the awesome team of axe-perts to the mix we ensure a truly premium axe-perience!

Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe

A dedicated pinball arcade on Bond Street in the heart of Wellington. New and old pinball titles, regular tournaments, venue hire for birthdays and work parties, and now serving beer! pinballshoppe.co.nz

Best activity/attraction

Best arts & crafts

Best arts & crafts

Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne visitzealandia.co.nz

Imagine a lush forest, where you can meet some of the rarest species of native wildlife in Aotearoa. Just 10 minutes from the CBD, Zealandia is a taonga of the capital city.

Best arts & crafts

Inverlochy Art School

Inverlochy Art School believes in art for art’s sake. Explore your creative passions by attending a class in our beautiful historic building. It’s impossible not to feel inspired. inverlochy.org.nz

Best arts & crafts missmaudesewing.co.nz

Boutique fabric and yarn store specialising in quality natural fibres, patterns, and tools. We help you find everything needed to craft your own wardrobe. For the joy of making.

Best bookshop

Te Āmiki

(National Library store)

Explore our selection of locally made products. Art, crafts, jewellery, gifts, books, and more! Each item tells a unique story of a person, place, or moment in time. shop.natlib.govt.nz

Best fashion

Wellington Sewing Centre

Your local destination for knitting, crochet, sewing, and more. Our friendly staff can answer your questions and we also offer adult classes, covering everything from beginners to advanced techniques. sewingdirect.co.nz

Best fashion

Magnetix

Magnetix provides an extensive range of magazines, excellent customer service, great coffee and a cosy vibe. Magnetix is the best destination in Wellington for all your postal and reading needs. magnetix.co.nz

Best fashion

Bizarre Bazaar

A multifaceted space celebrating sustainable fashion practices & embracing everyday avant-garde. Bizarre Bazaar offers independent designer clothing, vintage, high-end designer, and Y2K styles, sourced locally and abroad. bizarrebazaar.store

Good As Gold

GAG is an independent, multi-brand fashion, streetwear, and sneaker store. We bring together the best local and international brands from around the globe. Good people. Exceptional service. goodasgoldshop.com

GOODNESS

Wellington fashion institution and destination for lovers of style since 2005, GOODNESS is home to some of the most desirable and coveted designers from New Zealand and afar. goodness.co.nz

Best fashion

Best fashion

Best fashion hej hej hej-hej.co

Designed for ladies with equal parts attitude and style, we’re a punch of colour, unfiltered personality, and living proof that luxury can be playful and fashion can be effortless.

Best fashion

Kowtow kowtowclothing.com

A seed-to-garment brand, made from 100% certified Fairtrade organic cotton. Kowtow believes clothing is a vessel for a bigger purpose, to achieve a healthier planet and a fairer world.

Best fashion

Mandatory Menswear

Makers of menswear here since ‘97. Skilled at matching taste and needs with fit. We curate wardrobes of cool, useful, enduring pieces with our knowledge and expertise. Tees to Suits. mandatory.co.nz

Best fashion

Standard Issue

Thoughtfully designed to provide a meaningful experience, our Wellington store offers the chance to learn about our values and to experience the intricate details of our zero-waste, forever knits. standardissue.co.nz

Best fashion that was then, this is now Our mission is to fill a void in the Wellington menswear market. Curating the best from local and international brands we love. With an emphasis on workwear and denim. thatwasthen.co.nz

Best fashion

Untouched World

Untouched World is a sustainable lifestyle fashion brand that celebrates living in harmony with nature. We believe in quality over quantity and doing right by people and the planet. untouchedworld.com

Best florist

Workshop

Workshop Wellington showcases iconic NZ brands Helen Cherry, and Workshop Denim alongside international designers, including Acne Studios, Isabel Marrant, Lemaire, Our Legacy, and Chloe in a refined, and sophisticated environment. workshop.co.nz

Zambesi

Zambesi, located in the heart of the Wellington CBD, is home to NZ-made fashion brands Zambesi and NOM*d, as well as a carefully curated selection of the best international fashion brands. zambesistore.com

Central Flowers

Wholesalers

Boasting Wellington’s largest range of fresh seasonal flowers in store it’s very easy to get excited about us. Armloads of flowers to play with for homes, celebrations, events, and workplaces. centralflowers.co.nz

Best hairdressing salon/barber

Best hairdressing salon/barber

Best hairdressing salon/barber

Badaro badaro.co.nz

Badaro is a sustainable salon that enhances wellbeing through nature. Seeking honest ways of pursuing beauty, their family-based values care for you, as well as caring for the environment.

Best hairdressing salon/barber

Salem + Co salem.co.nz

With a passion for good hair and a dedication to sustainability, Salem’s highly skilled, yet downto-earth stylists are blonde and colour specialists!

Best hairdressing salon/barber

Salt Hair Boutique

Combining thoughtful service, high-quality work and a strong sustainability ethos, Salt Hair is where hair dreams come true. Visit us in our boutiques in Seatoun or Newtown. salthairwellington.com

Best homewares

STRAVINSKIJ

Step into a world-first concept salon. STRAVINSKIJ is revolutionising the art of hairdressing. The perfect balance between a salon and barbershop, dedicated to calmness, purity, and the best haircuts in town. stravinskij.co.nz

Best homewares

The French Barber

At The French Barber, we provide a unique and authentic old-school grooming experience. Our team of talented barbers are committed to superior quality cuts and exceptional service. thefrenchbarber.co.nz

Best homewares

Backhouse

Backhouse is a third-generation furniture and lighting business, selling quality and timeless designs that can be loved and used by one generation, and handed down to the next. backhousenz.com

Best homewares

BoConcept

BoConcept has been operating in Wellington for 15 years, offering customisable Danish furniture and accessories, along with a complimentary interior design service to help customers achieve their home decor goals. boconcept.com/en-nz

Cranfields cranfields.co.nz

This treasured Wellington institution is a one-stop shop when you’re after something special. For over 32 years Cranfields have offered superb gifts, homewares, and accessories.

Hendrix Home hendrixhome.co.nz

Hendrix is a beachside lifestyle store offering a unique range of homewares. From stunning cushions, to statement vases and furniture, home will always feel like an oasis with Hendrix.

Best homewares

Best homewares

Best shoes & accessories

Small Acorns

Small Acorns is a beautiful lifestyle and homewares store. Full of personal treasures, beautiful fabrics, upcycled vintage, and contemporary design, infused with colour and a touch of eclectic whimsy. smallacorns.co.nz

Best wellness & beauty

Trade Aid

Celebrating 50 years of handmade change Trade Aid New Zealand works with small craft producers to bring stunning homewares to Wellingtonians. Creating a world where trade is fair for all. tradeaid.org.nz

Best wellness & beauty

I Love Paris iloveparis.co.nz

Offering an eclectic collection of gorgeous footwear from the world’s most exciting boutique designers, I Love Paris has brought the best shoes to Wellington since 2003.

Best wellness & beauty

Anytime Fitness Kent Terrace

Despite opening during the height of the pandemic in 2020, we’ve grown to over 800 members and pride ourselves on providing Wellington’s most welcoming and inclusive health and fitness experience.

anytimefitness.co.nz/gyms/nz-1060/ wellington-north-island-6011

Best wellness & beauty

Float Well floatwell.co.nz

Float Well is a hub for your physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Floating in a tub of warm water and 500kg Epsom salt, you will feel weightless and at peace.

Best wellness & beauty

Hot Yoga Wellington & Lower Hutt hotyogawellington.co.nz

Two safe, vibrant spaces in the Wellington district. Inviting you to create balance in your life on and off the mat, in mind, body and spirit. All welcome.

Best wellness & beauty

Iris Store + Studio

A new and considered selection of premium skincare, makeup, haircare, and fragrance brands, paired with a team of experienced beauty professionals, Iris is the best in beauty right on your doorstep. iris-beauty.co.nz

Reform Fitness Wellington

We’re a Dynamic Reformer Pilates studio on bustling Courtenay Place. Modern, fun and upbeat, come see us for a good burn and the best tunes in town! reformfitness.co.nz/studios/ wellington

Wellington Apothecary

An urban sanctuary in the heart of Cuba Mall, filled with botanical healing rituals for daily self-care. Find fresh handmade skincare, herbal remedies, aromatherapy, holistic facials, and spa treatments. wellingtonapothecary.co.nz

Even a small gift can add up to a life free from family violence for those most in need. For every $20 you give, we can provide a woman and her children with a night of safety at Women’s Refuge, including access to a warm bed, hot meals, security, and advice. womensrefuge.org.nz

Native bush cockroach

BY MELODY THOMAS

Name: Native bush cockroach

Scientific name: Genus Celatoblatta

Māori name: Papata or kokoroihe

Status: Common and widely distributed

Description: A commonly seen, small brown cockroach up to around 15mm in length. There are around 15 different species of native bush cockroach in New Zealand, and as they live primarily outdoors and don’t infest food, they pose little to no health risk (unlike German and American cockroaches, which are best eradicated on sight). Most native bush cockroaches are wingless.

Habitat: Native bush cockroaches live in logs and leaf litter, under loose bark and in other damp, dark habitats. They don’t usually infest homes and are great for the garden, so if you see one indoors and you can handle it, simply scoop it up and pop it back outside. Despite their reputation as filthy disease spreaders, most cockroaches are clean animals, and only a small number of the thousands of identified species worldwide play a significant role in the transmission of disease to humans (the issue lies more with us, and the unhealthy environments we create, which they happen to thrive in). Cockroaches are important recyclers, eating just about any decaying material, and helping rid the planet of trash that would otherwise pile up. But they are indiscriminate in their diets, moving from eating faecal matter to food intended for human consumption, which is why it’s best to try keep them out of the house. Look/listen: You don’t need to look for cockroaches. Cockroaches will find you. Tell me a story: Cockroaches are hardy creatures, and many species can survive without food for a month, and a week without a head! One of our native cockroaches has an even cooler skill. Celatoblatta quinquemaculata, or the native alpine cockroach, is found under slabs of schist in Central Otago’s Rock and Pillar Range. This kokoroihe survives the freezing conditions by allowing the water in its body to freeze, thawing again when it warms. Recordings of temperatures in the ranges suggest these cockroaches may undergo up to 23 freeze-thaw cycles in the coldest month of the year, remaining frozen for up to 21 hours at a time.

Feed The Worms

On average half of what goes into our rubbish bins is food and garden waste that could have been composted. Instead, it heads to landfill where it rots and produces dangerous methane gas. In a bid to change this Kāpiti Coast council is running a Love your Compost campaign, offering

Stamp Your Feet And Eat

A shiny new restaurant has just opened at the InterContinental Wellington. Named GPO, it pays tribute to the General Post Office that once occupied the Grey Street site. Carl Maunder, GPO’s executive chef, has drawn inspiration from Southern Europe, the Levant, and the Mediterranean to create his menus. Scott Hamilton, general manager at the InterContinental Wellington, says “It is exciting to unveil a strong culinary concept that will appeal to both locals and visitors.”

Caffeine Queen

Honoka Kawashima of Franks Coffee has taken the title of New Zealand Barista Champion. This year’s championship was held in Upper Hutt and 10 expert baristas from across Aotearoa battled for the title. Honoka also won the Best Newcomer award and Most Outstanding Milk Beverage. She’s added these to her growing list achievements, having

GRAB-THIS-ALE

Gisborne’s Sunshine Brewery was severely affected by Cyclone Gabrielle but has managed to keep its beer flowing. Now they’re giving others a helping-hand with a limited edition beer called Cyclone GabriAle, which will be on sale in Wellington. Proceeds from the sale of these special brews will be donated to the

When In Woap

Fancy a cocktail – or four? For its 2023 Welly on a Plate cocktail, Oak and Vine on Courtenay Place has come up with a four-course degustation menu of cocktails in disguise, following the festival theme of “breaking the mould.” Nibble on a tomato that’s not a tomato, enjoy a gin, Aperol, and Campari tipple that looks suspiciously like an orange, and savour a “spherified cocktail bubble” for dessert. WOAP will run from 5 to 21 May.

Shelling Out

As the price of eggs soars higher than chickens can fly, consumers are cutting back on cakes, bakes, and quiches. A worldwide bird-flu outbreak and a government ban on battery-caged hens coming into force at the start of the year are among the reasons for a shortage, and higher prices. Food Price Index data shows that the weighted average price of a dozen eggs has more than doubled in five years, bringing the price of some brands to over one dollar per egg.

WE’LL MEAT AGAIN

After 30 years butcher Don Andrews has quietly closed his Island Bay and Strathmore butcheries. Don has won awards for his gourmet sausages, including the grand prize at the Great NZ Sausage Competition in 2012. He cites battling through 70-hour work weeks, high insurance premiums for his shops, and staffing issues as the reasons behind his decision to retire.

Leaving A Hole

Vegan snack sensation Porno Donuts are throwing in the apron after two delicious years. Selling from the Sunday waterfront market and cafes around the capital, owner Nikos Otis and his team dreamed up over 300 flavours, including fan favourites Apple Fritter, and Tiramisu. “It’s been amazing to see something that started as a side hustle be so incredibly well received in such a short time!” says Nikos. He will be moving on to manage Bottega in Berhampore, which will reopen at the start of May.