Our advice for Wellington on a Plate 2015

Tomorrow begins that most magical time of the year. The stupid film festival has released my friends from its evil clutches and it’s time to eat, eat, eat. We’ve been covering Wellington on a Plate for a  long time now and I think we’re getting pretty good at knowing what’s what. So here’s our thoughts. […]

The Third Eye + Boar & Blade + Mojo = The Vanuatu Fundraiser

UPDATE: Due to that dastardly weather causing havoc across Wellington today the Beer & Blade Vanuatu Fundraiser has been postponed until tomorrow night, Friday, 15 May. You may recall, amidst all the atrocities that occur on a far too regular basis throughout the world, that in mid-March Vanuatu was hit by Cyclone Pam. The cyclone killed over 10 […]

Make a meal in May for Kaibosh

Last week we went to Kaibosh’s launch of their fundraiser Make A Meal in May, and frankly it’s an amazing idea for an amazing cause, and you should do it, please and thank you. Oh, you want more explanation than that? Okay, the idea is that you get your friends/acquaintances together, make a meal at […]

Dan at the head of the FishHead

How time flies! Five years since we hit the launch party, FishHead magazine is going from strength to strength, no doubt because they’ve been smart enough to solicit a bunch of Wellingtonista contributors (I wrote in the very first issue, current ‘istas Tom Beard and Tom Goulter and gone fishin’ Hadyn Green are all regular columnists). […]

Eye opening

While Our Tim got to take a sneak peek at Tuatara’s new Te Aro brewery and bar before it opened, I had the onerous task of drinking free beer representing The Wellingtonista at the official opening function. It was a suitably illustrious crowd, packed with the doyen(ne)s of Wellington’s craft beer community, including the LBQ […]

Win a VIP double pass to the Wellington Wine and Food Festival

Wellington is a city overflowing with good restaurants and fine drops to drink. It seems ridiculous that we haven’t had our own day-of-food-and-wine-and-oh-okay-fine-beer yet. Luckily, that’s about to change with the cunningly named Wellington Food and Wine Festival. The Festival brings together the best of local food, wine, beverages and restaurants, outdoors on the waterfront […]

Something fishy in Thorndon

Thorndon has a long history with greasies, including David Lange’s fish & chips brigade in 1980. I remember buying fish’n chips from that same store (where Cellarvate is now, I believe) and eating them on Parliament’s lawn after a big legalise cannabis protest in high school (so I guess 1996?). Sadly that fish & chips […]

I spy with my little eye

With a large number of the Tuatara brewery staff being based in Wellington it does make sense for Tuatara to start something more centrally so that at least not everyone has to spend a couple of hours everyday driving to Kapiti. Think of the beer that could be brewed in that time! And there will be […]

Ortega Fish Shack’s Davey McDonald

This guest piece from Alexander Bisley Davey McDonald, the affable 29-year-old father of two young kids, manages/co-owns Ortega Fish Shack and Bar. At the 2014 Capital Awards— the Wellington region’s premier hospitality awards, voted by the industry— McDonald won Outstanding Maitre’d of the Year, and Ortega won Best Front of House Team. Ortega was 2014 Runner-up […]

The TGIF wander

Last Friday’s TGIF wander reminded me of some of the characterful, fun and tasty small venues we have around the city (in this case the Courtenay quarter). Firstly a ‘You Sexy Thing’ mocktail at Vinyl bar.  A creamy chai and caramel creation which hit the spot nicely on a warm summer’s evening. There’s something about […]