Are you a vegan or veg-curious person visiting Wellington?
Despite its relatively small population size, this self-proclaimed ‘coolest little capital‘ is home to some of the best vegan food that I’ve tasted in New Zealand. With more cafes and restaurants per capita than New York, Wellington proudly claims to be the country’s culinary capital. Having spent four days eating my way around Wellington, I hold this to be true until I’m proven otherwise (as far as vegan food is concerned anyway!)
The compact nature of the city also makes it easy to hop (or roll yourself) from one vegan or vegan-friendly eatery to another.
I was also pleasantly surprised to find that restaurant prices were not as dear as I thought they would be. In my experience, eating out as a vegan in Wellington is slightly less expensive than doing so in my home-city, Auckland.
Anyway, in no particular order, here are my top five recommendations for vegan food in Wellington!
Aunty Mena’s Vegetarian Restaurant & Cafe
I believe that Aunty Mena’s was the first vegan restaurant to open in Wellington, making it an appropriate recommendation to begin with.
This family-run restaurant has been dishing up delicious and authentic Malaysian and Chinese food for over a decade.
Aunty Mena’s offers an extensive range of tasty and hearty without the bells and whistles. You can expect a casual but warm and welcoming atmosphere. The food is relatively affordable and comes in generous portions, making this place great for travellers on a budget. Half of my ‘chicken’ laksa I ordered for dinner before my evening flight made its way back home with me in a takeaway container!
The restaurant is especially worth a visit on a cold and windy winter’s day in Wellington (like it was when I went).
Note that the mains on their dinner menu are $1-$1.50 NZ more than the exact same mains on their lunch menu. I’m not sure if this is because their dinner portion sizes are larger or because they experience greater demand for dinner. Additionally, certain dishes (their ‘Tofu Dishes’, ‘Curry Dishes’ and ‘Chinese Dishes’) are not available for lunch.
Despite what its name may suggest, the restaurant’s menu is in fact 100% vegan.
167 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington.
Open Monday-Saturday from 12pm-9pm, but closes early (8pm) on Thursday.
Willi’s Kitchen
I had never heard of Willi’s Kitchen prior to going to Wellington, but this ended up being the eatery I frequented the most during my trip!
This is another family-run restaurant that gives off extremely wholesome vibes that kept me coming back. They served my pie with tomato sauce and PICKLES – how cute is that!
Although Willi’s is not fully vegan, there is an impressive number of vegan sweet and savoury options. Their all day menu has eight clearly marked vegan dishes and over half of their non-vegan dishes have a vegan alternative, making over two thirds of their menu vegan-friendly!
Additionally, the vast majority of their cabinet food is vegan and they have a number of gluten-free and raw options too.
Best of all for a budget traveller, the prices are reasonable. Vegan and gluten-free pot pies for $7 and vegan hot cakes under $20 are simply unheard of back home in Auckland!
The place itself is small but cozy. The place is dimly lit and it was never very busy whenever I went, so I feel like it’s a great place to grab a drink or bite to eat and sit down to work uninterrupted for a few hours.
Not fully vegan, but plenty of vegan options and alternatives that are clearly marked.
108 Manners Street, Te Aro, Wellington.
Open Thursday-Saturday from 8am-4pm and Sunday from 9pm-3pm.
Nolita
Nolita is New Zealand’s first vegan pizza and pastaria, and it simply must be on the bucket list of every vegan visiting Wellington.
Nolita errs on the finer side of dining, making it great for dates or in my case, an animal rights event celebration and friend’s 21st birthday dinner! However, the environment is relaxed and family-friendly.
The prices are reasonable for the quality of food and service that you receive. They pride themselves on using 48-hour fermented sourdough and in-house cashew mozzarella. The staff are attentive and patient – you’re absolutely spoilt for choice here so expect to take awhile sifting through the menu and coming to a decision!
There are gluten-free and nut-free options aplenty, which are clearly marked on the menu.
Choosing a dessert was almost as difficult as choosing a main! It was amazing to see multiple vegan desserts (including gluten-free tiramisu brownie!) beyond the standard offerings of gelato or sorbet that you’re typically limited to in New Zealand’s Italian restaurants.
It was quite busy both nights we dined in, so I recommend booking ahead to avoid dissappointment.
Nolita is 100% vegan.
203 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington.
Open every day: Monday-Thursday from 12-10pm, Friday from 12pm-11pm, Saturday from 10am-11pm and Sunday from 10am-10pm.
Sweet Release
Sweet Release is an absolute gem not to be missed and is conveniently located just across the road from Willi’s Kitchen (see above).
If you’re looking for amazing vegan versions of your favourite comfort foods from your pre-vegan days, especially sweet treats, then this is definitely the place for you. They have been in operation for 8 years, making them the first vegan cafe in Wellington.
On top of having a wide selection of cabinet foods to grab and go, they have a brunch/lunch menu with everything under $20. They offer everything from breakfast bagels and mac and cheese to gluten-free brownies and the best vegan thickshakes in town!
They are very allergy-friendly and consciously try minimise the risk of allergen cross-contamination. For instance, they have a dedicated gluten-free cabinet, and they do not have any nuts in store (as well as any dairy or eggs either of course).
The service is warm and welcoming and our food and drinks came out quickly. The seating is rather limited, so perhaps consider getting your order to take away and wandering down to Wellington’s waterfront, which will only take you 10 minutes.
Sweet Release is 100% vegan.
99 Manners Street, Te Aro, Wellington.
Open Wednesday-Sunday from 10:30am-3:30pm.
Belén Vegan Bakery
Belén is Wellington’s first vegan artisan bakery, which is located a little further afield than the four aforementioned eateries but still well worth a visit. It is a mere 3-minute walk from the Beehive, which is New Zealand’s most iconic building and home to the Executive Wing of Parliament.
They have about 10 sweet and savoury offerings, including croissants, doughnuts, pies and toasties that change once a fortnight.
There were unfortunately not many gluten-free options on offer when I went there, which a staff member was quite apologetic about (not necessary for them to apologise, but bless their hearts)! Having recently stalked there social media, I see that they’ve now added more gluten-free goods to their menu, so a return to Wellington may well be in order!
Belén Vegan Bakery is 100% vegan.
112 Lambton Quay, Masons Lane, Wellington Central, Wellington.
Open Monday-Friday from 7:30am-2pm.
