Wellington Has Treats Around Every Corner

“In an otherwise resolutely outdoorsy nation, New Zealand’s capital focuses on art, craft and culture,” Larissa Dubecki writes for Gourmet Traveller.

Dubecki explores the best of Wellington’s art, food and shopping scenes.

“Wellington’s art scene is access-all-areas,” she writes. “Creative highlights of a city stroll include artist Xoë Hall’s mural of David Bowie on Ghuznee Street; a protest against shark finning on Cable Street’s Shark Wall; and Wharehoka Smith’s Jervois Quay mural that draws on Māori design. It’s also worth popping indoors to Toi Art, the new gallery within the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; the new space exhibits key works from the national art collection and contemporary New Zealand artists.

“[Ortega Fish Shack & Bar is] a taste of terroir, aquatic-style. Decorated with a giant fibreglass marlin and fishing-buoy lights, this fine-diner in casual clobber celebrates the bounty of New Zealand’s waters. Te Matuku oysters, Bream Bay scallops and a parade of local fish such as tarakihi and warehou are treated with reverence, and gastronomic landlubbers can tuck into a celebrated version of steak frites.

“Chef Monique Fiso delves deep into Māori cooking techniques and native ingredients (pictured) at Hiakai, featuring the likes of a granita of the indigenous herb horopito atop local oysters, and mamaku fronds as petits fours.”

The article also features Te Aro brewery, Garage Project, Ghuznee Street coffee joint, Milk Crate, and hip shopping area, Precinct 35.

Original article by Larissa Dubecki, Gourmet Traveller, September 10, 2019.

Photo by Ben Hansen.