Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand/Aotearoa, is beautiful and located on Wellington Harbour (Port Nicholson). If the South Island is part of your trip itinerary, you’re likely going to be flying out of Wellington or taking one of the many ferries out of the city and across the Cook Straight. And if you’re reading this, you might be looking for vegan food in Wellington. Don’t worry: there’s plenty.
Check out my inexhaustive list of places to find vegan food in Wellington below.
Vonuts
Vonuts is a plant-based donut shop located in the Press Hall food court that’s inspired by eastern German jam-filled donuts. You can order for pick-up or delivery, and you have so many incredible flavors to choose from, like: matcha black sesame; strawberry and basil; and lychee, raspberry and custard. They may be a bit pricey for some (four donuts cost $26 NZD/$15 USD) and are open on weekdays from 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM.
Sweet Release
Sweet Release is Wellington’s first all-vegan cafe! They are open five days a week (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), and they do a lot of great work in the Wellington vegan community, including organizing a vegan monthly night market and a vegan meat subscription service. Their menu changes seasonally, but this is the current one. They also deliver through UberEats if you’re unable to pick up. If you’re local, you can also order cakes from them!
Belén Plant Bakery
Following the above, this bakery is the city’s 100% plant-based bakery. They have a seasonal menu and certain items are only available on specific days, but their menu is entirely vegan. They do croissants, donuts, cinnamon rolls, pies, and more in both sweet and savory varieties. They have multiple locations and are open seven days a week, though hours do vary.
Rosie’s Red-Hot Cantina & Taco Joint
Rosie’s is a Mexican cantina-like restaurant with four locations in New Zealand, and the Wellington one is located right by the Wellington Harbour Ferry port terminal. The menu is clearly labeled, and they have plenty of vegan options, including cauliflower tacos, the MCA burg(er), and the roasted cauliflower bowl.
Aunty Mena’s
Aunty Mena’s is a 100% vegan restaurant dishing up reliable, Malaysian comfort food. I would peruse the reviews on HappyCow or even this older Reddit thread for recommendations. The general consensus is that it’s cheap but not five-star quality food. Because it’s fully vegan, I wanted to include it as an option in case you’re unable to find anything else.
Hell Pizza
As soon as I saw that New Zealand had a pizza chain inspired by the seven deadly sins, I knew I had to go. ‘Hell Pizza‘ also originated in Wellington and to find the location we went to, we had to climb up a flight of stairs before we reached a lounge-type atmosphere. If you don’t like the smell of smoke, loud conversations, or sports betting, maybe try a different location.
They have a plant-based pizza menu with ten options, including one to create your own, and vegan nuggets. I chose the plant-based wrath pizza: plant-based chorizo, vegan mozzarella, (no) onion, capsicum/bell pepper, tomatoes, chili, and black pepper. I also added jalapeno, because why not? You can also choose your spice level. This pizza was delicious.
Nolita
But Wellington does have its own plant-based pizzeria! Nolita is New Zealand’s first plant-based pizzeria and pastaria, and serves up delicious pies on Cuba Street. They ferment their sourdough for 48 hours and make their own cheese in-house. Their menu ranges from aperitivos and flatbreads, to pizzas, pastas, burgers, and desserts. If you’re looking for an elevated night out or a perfect Sunday lunch, visit Nolita.
September Vegan Food
This restaurant is one of Wellington’s only 100% vegan restaurants and specializes in East Asian cuisine. They serve everything from duck bao buns and satay to laksa and roti chanai, They have green curry, noodle dishes, sweet and sour pork, and a dessert! Plus, two kids’ meal options. If you’re in Wellington, you have to stop by for a bite or two.
Neo Cafe
Neo Cafe & Bakery serves all-day brunch, every day of the week. They serve hot and cold drinks, with soy, oat, or coconut milk as non-dairy milk alternatives for an extra charge. They have a few vegan options: a banana bread chia pudding that is vegan as is, and a few other things that can be made vegan upon request (granola w greek yogurt, breakfast bagel, wellness bowl, avocado on sourdough toast, and old bay mushrooms). This is a great spot to stop by at before you take the ferry over to the South Island as your options on the actual ferry may be limited.
Dockside
With a spectacular view of the Wellington waterfront, Dockside is an ideal spot for dinner. In addition to their regular, non-vegan menus, they also offer a 100% vegan and plant-based menu that’s available at all times, either as two to three courses or à la carte. This is the menu at the time of this publication. They also have options for brunch and dessert!
Gemini Cafe
Another great spot to get coffee and breakfast, Gemini Cafe serves Asian-inspired fare. I debated whether or not to include this cafe on the list because they have one vegan-friendly option on their regular menu, but it’s a Churros French toast. I don’t know about you, but it has been next to impossible for me to find a vegan-friendly French toast. So if you’re in the same boat as me, you should try it.
Aurora Argentinian Bakery
Though not 100% vegan, this bakery has you covered. They’re open seven days a week, and have vegan-friendly versions of cinnamon rolls, almond spirals, medialunas, and vigilantes. You can get individual pastries or you can get an assorted vegan mix for $65 NZD/$38 USD. They also have vegan empanadas if you’re looking for a more savory treat.
Noah’s Ark Teahouse
Noah’s Ark serves bubble tea! You choose your base, flavor, sweetness level, temperature and ice level, and any toppings. Their fruity tea bases are all vegan and dairy-free, though their toppings are not. A few of their specialty teas are also vegan-friendly.
Higher Taste
I don’t typically put Indian restaurants high on lists like these; I am very adamant about not eating Punjabi/Indian food from outside (when it never compares to my mother’s or grandmothers’ cooking). However, Higher Taste is a 100% vegetarian restaurant in Wellington with ample vegan options. They have typical food (samosas, chaats, pakoras, paronthe, etc.) but they also serve Indo-Chinese fare and South Indian cuisine. Their menu is clearly labeled and they’re open every day except for Sunday.
The Old Quarter
Check out The Old Quarter if you’re looking for Vietnamese fusion food. Their menu is clearly labeled and vegan options include: fried tofu, tempura eggplant*, summer rolls, vege dumplings, popcorn tofu, zucchini and corn fritters, green curry, and a few salads and desserts. Something else I love about this place is that they have a separate section for non-alcoholic drinks on their drink menu, with a whole range of mocktails.
You’ll have no trouble finding vegan food in Wellington. This is what HappyCow currently looks like:
Did I miss your favorite spot? Let me know what it is below!
Leave a reply