Here are the nominees for Best Service

When it comes to what makes a bar, cafe or shop great, it is people, it is people, it is people. We recognise that getting great service is a two-way street – no one likes a douchebag customer – but some people go out of their way to make your experience all the more hospitable, and it is these fantastic men and women who make us happy on a daily basis.

Paul and Jane at Green Land (23 Kate Shephard Pl)
Most of the hospitality staff in Wellington encourage us to be bad, by pouring us another drink or suggesting delicious wines that we might like to try. Paul and Jane make us want to be a better man (even for the women amongst us). Their business, Green Land, actually walks the walk when it comes to being green, from the paint they used on the wall to the discounts they offer if you bring in your own cup. It’s the little touches like their competitions, buttering your scones, learning your name and making conversation beyond “Hi, how’s your day going?” that really make them stand out, though. The Wellingtonista adore them so much that we always compost our paper bags from takeaways and are making a concerted effort to cut down on our daily disposable waste.

The McKenzie Brothers at the Hawthorn Lounge (82 Tory St)
Last year we nominated Jonny as the Hottest Hospo, and if we hadn’t changed the category this year we’d put Justin up for the nod. But this year we can nominate the two of them together as well as the rest of the staff. They flame our zombies at our table, remember our drinking preferences, dress so smartly and create a fantastic environment for late nights. They’re as charming when you’re buying $36 Fragolino as when you’re buying the $300 Perrier-Jouet, and yet will still laugh at creepy wife-swappers with you if you want them to.

The crew at Duke Carvell’s (3 Swan Lane)
Wait, this isn’t Hottest Hospo any more? Never mind, the service is pretty damned good as well, and they handle the shifts from casual brunch to boozy Friday night to special occasion with aplomb.

Rebecca at Cellar-Vate (40 Molesworth St)
She’ll make you a coffee in the morning, recommend the risotto at lunchtime, pour you a glass or two at a wine tasting every Thursday, often with a few sneaky extra splashes. Then at the monthly wine-tasting dinners, she’ll laugh along with your ideas and encourage you to critique the food. Brilliant! We like that kind of service very much.

The Watusi People (6 Edward St)
We have a sneaking suspicion that in their former lives the good people at the Watusi were actually pimps. We were offered small tastes of a delicious rum liqueur, and now we've drunk it out of stock. We go for one drink and stay for hours because the service is so on to it you don't have to leave your leopardskin booth to get another bottle. And we've seen first hand how fantastic and understanding they are if you have a friend who's maybe had a little more than he should – but they still welcome you back the next time with a smile and kind words. They're big pimping up in Edward Street, and we adore them for it.