Wellington Restaurant Tips by djramey

Restaurant Name: Ma's and Pa's Seaside Cafe

Ma's and Pa's is a small and cleaverly rusted coffeehouse set just next to Makara Beach. Decored with old fishing paddle boats and a small home-made living room for reading and drinking tea, Ma's and Pa's is one of my more favorite non-modern cafes in the world.

You can visit through the week and have the whole place to yourself, or go on the weekends to be with the crowd of teens, early adults and elderly that frequent this all ages hotspot.

To view more Makara Beach photos, click here.

Favorite Dish: Buy any coffee or tea, but don't forget to purchase and eat one of their home made muffins. They are very good and quite filled with a select number of fruits.

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Makara Road
Directions: Makara Beach - 16 km north of Wellington - The beach is at the end of Makara Road which runs from the south end of Karori Road.

Restaurant Name: The Chocolate Fish

The Chocolate Fish, likely the most photographed and beloved cafe in all of Wellington, is known to Wellingtonians as a beautiful place to eat beautiful food with beautiful (and likely wealthy) people. Set 8 km from the city centre, the Fish lays home on one of Wellington's finest beaches.

You can sit in the restaurant or its veranda, or you can cross the street and sit on the small boardwalk where waiters and waitresses will bring your food, careful to dodge passing cars.

To get to the Fish just follow the coast - drive around the Mirimar Peninsula, through the Shelly Bay Airforce base (beautiful views of the harbour and city) and out of the blue you come to the Chocolate Fish. Or head to the airport, turn left at Seatoun, down Broadway, through the Seatoun tunnel and left at the beach - 5 minute drive (some pretty nice houses to look at on the way).

Also, if you ask if Janine is working, tell her you know of me and you might get a special deal. :) (No probably not, but she is one of my closest friends.)

Favorite Dish: The Fish specializes in all day breakfast, and I must admit I am a huge fan. Semolina and gingered fruit compote, bircher muesli, fruit and yoghurt; scrambled eggs and smoked salmon with hollandaise; kidneys, mushroom and bacon are a few of the things advertised on the webpage, and I will say they are all very good.

But the food is not sophisticated, you know what you like, and everything there is worth a try.

You might also be dining next to a famous artist or rugby player, as they frequent the cafe.

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 04 388 2808
Address: 497a Karaka Bay Road
Directions: Scorching Bay
Website: http://www.greenstone.co.nz/gs_26.html

Restaurant Name: Molly Malone's Irish Pub

Located on Wellington's Courtney Place, Molly Malone's, also commonly known as Molly's, sits in the cities busiest and likely most popular district. Molly's offers great drink deals downstairs with live music for the 20-something crowd. The music is traditional Irish folk and dance, and the crowd gets along with it standing, dancing and drinking their fine brew. Guinness flows like waterfalls here.

Or move upstairs to the more elegant and classy whiskey bar, though be careful taking your wallet as you will be asked to pay nicely for the wide assortment of scotches and whiskeys made available to you. Boasting perhaps the largest whiskey selection in all of Wellington, and likely all of New Zealand, upstairs will please you, but not your bankroll.

The name Molly Malone's is the most popular name for an Irish Pub in the world, but few catch even a glimpse of the true persona of what one can imagine drinking in Ireland. Molly's does, and it's corner spot on Taranaki and Courtney places it among the best locations and best bars in all of Wellington. Great place to meet singles or to sit and have a beer, though not all that quietly.


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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: Corner of Taranaki and Courtney Place
Directions: Courtney Place