First Responders Festival this weekend
The First Responders Festival with live music, outdoor cinema, BBQ and family fun day has been created to celebrate and support our city’s amazing free ambulance service. And what better …
Hospitality
Top chef’s Christmas dinner tips: ‘Don’t practise on people’
Cooking on the festive day can be stressful but owner of Boulcott Street Bistro in Wellington, Rex Morgan, says it doesn’t have to be that way. Rex Morgan, chef and …
Top chef’s Christmas dinner tips: ‘Don’t practise on people’ Read More »
Wellington councillors push for wider liquor ban
Wellington City Councillors have asked their staff to reconsider saying no to liquor bans in Kelburn and Kilbirnie. RNZ story by reporter Laura Dooney The councillors voted at Thursday’s City …
Wellington councillors push for wider liquor ban Read More »
Beers at the Basin returns (updated: limited door sales released)
Wellington’s largest summer beer event returns to the Basin Reserve tomorrow (Saturday 1 December) with just 50 door sales available. Beers at the Basin is an all-day event (11.00am to …
Beers at the Basin returns (updated: limited door sales released) Read More »
Wellington Advent Calendar returns – with Mittens
The fame of Wellington’s favourite feline is about to grow with the fearless cat featuring in the 2018 edition of the popular online Wellington Advent Calendar, which launches tomorrow. Mittens; …
Wellington Advent Calendar returns – with Mittens Read More »
Cuba: super!
The many facets of Wellington’s most iconic street are commemorated in a book that MARK CUBEY commends for mixing up a cool cocktail of history, personalities and food, glorious food. …
Artfully remembering Mighty Mighty
An online collection of poster art recalls the glorious days of Wellington’s greatest 21st century bar. Mighty Mighty, which took over a long, narrow first floor space in Cuba Street …
Don’t Guess the YES campaign launches today
A campaign continuing the drive to change attitudes and behaviours around alcohol consumption and sexual consent launched today in Wellington. Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Quinn Hospitality New Zealand Wellington …
British private equity firm signals $2.54b takeover of Trade Me
Trade Me Group says British private equity firm Apax Partners has approached it with a non-binding indicative offer to take it over for $6.40 per share. Content provided by BusinessDesk, “the only business …
British private equity firm signals $2.54b takeover of Trade Me Read More »
Blues Club returns to the crossroads
The Capital Blues Club goes back to the corner of Taranaki and Dixon Streets, launching a new home at Jack Hackett’s this Thursday, 22 November. Pip Payne, driving force behind …
Fly like a Swan, live in a Garrett: your choice
The WCC is calling for feedback on the future of Swan Lane and Garrett Street. You have 12 days to respond. By Mark Cubey The Wellington City Council want to …
Sign on for free chocolate tasting tomorrow
Do you love chocolate? Do you want to be a part of making Wellington accessible for everyone who lives here? Wellington Chocolate Factory and Wellington City Council have teamed up …
Eat, drink and be merrily generous
Gather your $2 coins, take them out to a participating restaurant or café this month or next, and become part of DINEAID. Over nine years ago, a small group of …
Your top ten events for the weekend of 3 and 4 November
This weekly feature lists a selection of Wellington events accessible this weekend for $20.00 or less (and ideally free). You may want to check previous high five posts for recurring …
Your top ten events for the weekend of 3 and 4 November Read More »
It’s all about the plant-based meals on World Vegan Day
Today is World Vegan Day, and as well as delicious plant-based meals on many menus, there is karma in the air. William Sitwell, the editor of upmarket UK magazine Waitrose …
It’s all about the plant-based meals on World Vegan Day Read More »
Rita scores trifecta at hospitality awards
Boutique Aro Valley restaurant Rita received three awards at the recent 2018 Felix Wellington Hospitality Awards, as the industry celebrated outstanding hospitality professionals and establishments making a positive impact on …
Bid for Mojo by Cooks Global Foods falls through
The bid by Cooks Global Foods to buy Wellington-based Mojo Coffee Cartel for $19 million fell through yesterday when conditions weren’t met. Content provided by BusinessDesk, “the only business news source …
Bid for Mojo by Cooks Global Foods falls through Read More »
Food rescue milestone as Kaibosh turns 10
Wellington’s food rescue charity Kaibosh is celebrating 10 years of rescuing and redistributing food in the Wellington region. George and Robyn Langlands of Kaibosh in 2009. Photo by Mike Heydon …
Wellington restaurants snap up gongs and hats at Cuisine Good Food Awards
Logan Brown won the Long-Term Player award and Monique Fiso was singled out as Future Food Legend during last night’s 2018 Cuisine Good Food Awards at Auckland’s Civic Theatre. Logan …
Wellington restaurants snap up gongs and hats at Cuisine Good Food Awards Read More »
Edible art challenge for WoW prompts cocktail trail
As the World of WearableArt enters its second weekend (with standby tickets still available for most shows), locals and visitors have a number of ancillary ways to participate – and …
Edible art challenge for WoW prompts cocktail trail Read More »
Boulcott Street Bistro chef heading to Niue
Rex Morgan, head chef at the Boulcott Street Bistro will notch up a new first in his 32-year career when he heads to Niue for the first time in November, …
And the fudge slab winner is….
The winner of the gift box of four homemade fudge slabs from our friends at Baileys Fudge Kitchen, from the competition we ran this week on our Facebook page is …
Four fledgling food businesses boosted
Four local food businesses, all with a sweet but healthy angle, were last week’s winners of the 2018 Good Food Boost mentoring initiative programme. The winners – Creative Cooking, Wellington …
Best burger, dish and cocktail announced for VWOAP 2018
Wilson Barbecue, Field & Green and C.G.R. Merchant & Co were the big winners at Visa Wellington On A Plate for 2018, winning the awards for best burger, Festival dish …
Best burger, dish and cocktail announced for VWOAP 2018 Read More »
Cheers! Beervana bubbles with record ticket sales
The annual weekend event for beer lovers, Beervana, exceeded expectations for its organisers this year. More than 16,000 tickets were sold, over half to people outside Wellington city. Beervana, a …
Cheers! Beervana bubbles with record ticket sales Read More »
End of an era as Felix closes
Felix Café, which has been an institution on the corner of Cuba and Wakefield Streets for 20 years, has closed. The popular bright orange café was opened in 1998 by …
Your high five events for Wednesday 22 August
Today’s free or relatively inexpensive events – for the children, the parents, the foodies, the musos and the lovers of dark art. Parents and children should be at the Wellington …
Regenerate 8 focuses on food, expands sales to Hutt
The eighth issue of monthly Wellington-based street magazine Regenerate is out now, providing work opportunities for those affected by homelessness or poverty. This issue is focused on food, and Regenerate …
Regenerate 8 focuses on food, expands sales to Hutt Read More »
Good food gets a boost for a second year [UPDATED]
Entries close tomorrow for The Good Food Boost, which gives Wellington start-up food businesses the chance to apply for a six-week mentoring programme. Photo of pomegranates by Nathalie Jolie on Unsplash Applications are …
Good food gets a boost for a second year [UPDATED] Read More »
Your high five events for Monday 20 August
Start your week with poetry, cyber security and lots of food. There are two warm-up events today for Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day on Friday. During Best New Zealand Poems …
Venison loin dish wins Apprentice Chef competition for young Wellingtonian
Twenty-two year old Liam Wilkie, who is perfecting his skills to be a professional chef at the Copthorne’s One80 Restaurant in Oriental Bay, won the ServiceIQ Champion Apprentice Chef award …
Venison loin dish wins Apprentice Chef competition for young Wellingtonian Read More »
St Johns reopens in style
St Johns Bar & Eatery reopened today for the opening of Visa Wellington on a Plate after closing for an interior refit just after the Jazz Festival. It was already …
Near sell-out Beervana kicks off 27 days of VWOAP
Three of the sessions at the two-day Beervana event have sold out. Tardy beer fans will need to get their skates on to get to the session from 11:00am to …
Near sell-out Beervana kicks off 27 days of VWOAP Read More »
Zoomy cuts deal with airport, supports Beervana
Local rideshare company Zoomy is hoping to increase ridership with two new initiatives. Commuters frustrated by Wellington’s public transport problems over the last few weeks have been increasingly using taxis, …
Seven Wellington finalists in nine categories at hospitality awards
The QT Museum Hotel and Jack Hackett’s are each in the running for two National Hospitality Award categories, with nods also going to Fidel’s, Lulu, The Southern Cross Garden Bar, …
Seven Wellington finalists in nine categories at hospitality awards Read More »
Your high five* events for Thursday 9 August
More free or under-$20 events that you could spend extra money at today. Or go wild and see how far you can get on a Snapper transfer. Or hang out …
The Shack is back, with a new French neighbour
After nearly two months of strengthening work, Ortega Fish Shack is back in action in Majoribanks Street, with a new neighbour, Frenchie. Story and photos by Mark Cubey The Ortega …
Ten top chefs flying in for tenth birthday party
Chefs from Melbourne, Australia, the US and UK are coming to town to collaborate with counterparts in Wellington and from other NZ cities at ten special Visa Wellington on a …
Ten top chefs flying in for tenth birthday party Read More »
Lido reopens, Olive restrengthens, Bad Grannies becomes Chooky’s
Our weekly look at what’s happening in Wellington on the hospitality scene. Iconic Wellington café The Lido, now 28 years old, has reopened doors nearly ten months after closing …
Lido reopens, Olive restrengthens, Bad Grannies becomes Chooky’s Read More »