Caro D.'s
Best in Free
- 118Wellington City GalleryWellington CentralA revolving door of impressive exhibits by international and well-known local artists, this free gallery in Civic Square is best enjoyed with regular visits. Whether stopping in on a rainy afternoon or making a point to see Len Lye's kinetic sculptures before they vanished, Wellington's City Gallery provides thought-provoking entertainment time and time again. Multiple exhibit spaces span two floors, and the gallery plays an accommodating host for writers and other speakers with a generous but cosy amphitheater. Just remember to recharge with a flat white and a donut from the Nikau Cafe located on the ground floor of the gallery before you leave.
- 234Te Papa may be one of the most trafficked tourist attractions in Wellington, but it's certainly for locals, too. Whether you come in for a special exhibit like Game Masters or Warhol: Immortal (on now!) or to test your earthquake preparedness skills with a walk through the Earthquake House, you'll be sure to learn something new-- and have fun doing it. Te Papa is also especially helpful for those new to New Zealand like myself. See a bird on the waterfront and want to know what to call it? You'll find its taxidermy counterpart on the first floor. Come in on an afternoon, or stay all evening on Thursdays when the museum is open until 9 pm.
- 314Wellington Central LibraryWellington CentralA beautiful library in the heart of the city, Wellington Central is packed with things you'll actually want to check out. Highlights include the graphic novel wall, an entire audio/video section on the ground floor complete with neon signage to help guide you there, and a fairly well-stocked fiction section. Niche subjects find their home on the first floor, from arts and crafts to naval histories. Most exciting (and iconic) is their zine section, newly relocated for renovations from its regular home on the back wall of the first floor to an odd little spot in front of a help desk. With a seemingly endless rotation of zines color-coded by topic and adorable brown parcels on hand to keep them neat and tidy in your bag, you'll get lost in this section for hours. Grab a cup of coffee to recharge at Clark's Cafe, or come with your laptop to watch the crowds moving across Civic Square.
- 46The Dowse Art MuseumLower Hutt CentralTake a few hours out of your Saturday afternoon to visit The Dowse. Entry is free, and with exhibitions on in several gallery spaces, The Dowse is constantly changing. Check out the retrospective on Kobi Bosshard's jewelry, then pop over to Pic 'n' Mix, curated by kids-- both are on all winter. The Dowse boasts one of the best gallery shops I've seen, and a very sweet cafe attached-- their home brewed Shooting Star lemonade is a must-try. Stay for the weekend talks with the artists, or take a quick drive over to Petone for some serious op shopping.
- 520Wellington Botanic GardensKelburnA lovely place for an afternoon picnic, the Botanic Garden between Thorndon and Kelburn are an easy walk from central Wellington. Visit the duck pond, or hike up to the cable car for picturesque views of Wellington Harbor. The gardens are beautiful in spring and summer, and are free year round.
Caro D.'s
Best Bookshops
- 113Pegasus BooksTe AroJust about the most charming secondhand bookshop in Wellington. Pegasus suits many interests-- from a fantastic fiction room, to shelves devoted to naval histories, to a section on witchcraft. Good selection of NZ writers, too. Each space is well indexed and kept remarkably tidy, given the book-to-shelf ratio. Very hard to go in for a browse here and leave without at least a few titles to add to your collection.
- 215Arty Bee's BooksWellington CentralArty Bees is an impressive secondhand bookstore. Located in the heart of Wellington, the store is always stocked with used (and some new) fiction and non-fiction. Highlights include an impressive selection of New Zealand literature (and, secondarily, poetry) and rows of science fiction and fantasy that will make you seriously consider picking up some Ursula K. Le Guin or Dianna Wynne Jones for the first time in over a decade. Despite some gaping holes in their modern & classic literature section, I've found great editions by Roald Dahl, Virginia Woolf, and Camus. And while most retailers close early in Wellington, Arty Bees is famous for the late hours they keep, staying open until 9 pm on weeknights and 10 pm on weekends.
- 330Unity Books WellingtonWellington CentralThere are so many amazing secondhand book stores in New Zealand (Wellington in particular), but sometimes you need something specific and you need it now. Turn to Unity Books in your time of need. With a great selection of New Zealand writers, an entire, stretching wall of fiction, both classic and extremely contemporary (like Tao Lin's Taipei, only out in the States in June), and many pockets of specialty books scattered throughout the shop, you may have stopped in for a specific title but you'll find yourself browsing for hours. As an added bonus, the staff is exceedingly knowledgeable and ready to help-- Unity is one of the only book shops I've been to where those staff recommended titles are truly appealing.
- 43Rainbow Books WellingtonNewtownIf you're in Newtown for the day and keen to spend a good while scouring shelves of secondhand books, Rainbow Books is calling for you. Towering stacks of books greet customers at the door, and extend over every square inch of the shop. There is a lot of nonsense hiding a few bargain-priced gems, but if you're prepared to search you'll generally be rewarded for your troubles.
- 514Wellington Central LibraryWellington CentralA beautiful library in the heart of the city, Wellington Central is packed with things you'll actually want to check out. Highlights include the graphic novel wall, an entire audio/video section on the ground floor complete with neon signage to help guide you there, and a fairly well-stocked fiction section. Niche subjects find their home on the first floor, from arts and crafts to naval histories. Most exciting (and iconic) is their zine section, newly relocated for renovations from its regular home on the back wall of the first floor to an odd little spot in front of a help desk. With a seemingly endless rotation of zines color-coded by topic and adorable brown parcels on hand to keep them neat and tidy in your bag, you'll get lost in this section for hours. Grab a cup of coffee to recharge at Clark's Cafe, or come with your laptop to watch the crowds moving across Civic Square.
Caro D.'s
Kooky Knick-Knacks
- 16The Dowse Art MuseumLower Hutt CentralTake a few hours out of your Saturday afternoon to visit The Dowse. Entry is free, and with exhibitions on in several gallery spaces, The Dowse is constantly changing. Check out the retrospective on Kobi Bosshard's jewelry, then pop over to Pic 'n' Mix, curated by kids-- both are on all winter. The Dowse boasts one of the best gallery shops I've seen, and a very sweet cafe attached-- their home brewed Shooting Star lemonade is a must-try. Stay for the weekend talks with the artists, or take a quick drive over to Petone for some serious op shopping.
- 22The General StoreWellington CentralThe General Store is anything but general, packed with things you might never have even known you needed-- until now. The General Store, which opened its doors just before Christmas, is a beautiful little treasure trove of found objects, all sourced here in NZ and restored and repurposed for your purchasing delight. I dare you to walk in on a rainy day and not get caught up by the colorful typewriters in various shapes and sizes, loads of natural wood, and Nico's dulcet strains playing on the stereo, just as I did. Shelves made from library pigeon holes and a table fitted out from industrial plan drawers will call to you, but if your tiny flat won't fit a new cabinet, leave with a little parcel of hand rolled beeswax candles instead.
- 31ObjectTe AroObject is a fun little store to stumble into on a rambling kind of day out. A newer addition to Cuba St.'s Left Bank, the array of colorful onesies in the window is certainly eye-catching. But for any furry haters out there (like me), don't shy away-- cheerful DIY wooden lamps, fluffy hats, darling dollhouses, and so many Totoros abound. Object is the place to go for gifts you never even knew existed.
- 43Superette WellingtonTe AroSuperette, originally based in Auckland with a great store open here in Wellington, is a sartorialist's dream. The shop is impeccably tailored, with pops of bright colors amongst the more traditionally dark Wellingtonian palette. Go-to brands like Mad Love and I Love Ugly find a home here alongside Ksubi frames and high top Vans, while a floor-to-ceiling mirror at the back allows for ample twirling space to admire your new finds. With a friendly and helpful staff who seem to genuinely enjoy what they do and an incredible selection of clothes and accessories for both women and men, I find it completely impossible to leave this store empty handed.
- 52With bright pops of color, meticulously dressed cabinets chock full of necklaces and brooches, and a cuter-than-anything corner of baby stuff, Wanda Harland Design Store stands out amongst the op shops and international grocery stores on Jackson St. Look out for a bunny-shaped night light, cat garland wall decal, and a great variety of Thunderpants.
Caro D.'s
Late Night Bites
- 110A vegetarian-friendly fast food burger shop? Burger Fuel has you covered with two vege patties to choose from. And they're mighty tasty! Go for the Beetnik GT, a mushroom, kumara, and chickpea patty loaded with beetroot, lettuce, and aioli. You might as well make a meal of it, adding fries and a soda at a bit of a discount. They were already centrally located on the corner of Taranaki St., but the recent addition of a store on Cuba St. (right next to the Fringe Bar) makes their burgers practically unavoidable.
- 232Chow ToryTe AroChow is always a solid bet for a date night. With shared plates and yummy cocktails, Chow is there to hand out a ready-made atmosphere for those nights when you just want a bit of romance with your significant other. The Beggars Purse and Korean Kim Chi Gyoza are tried and true favorites, and the Jungle Curry is nice if you're craving something a bit more substantial. As for cocktails, you won't go wrong with the Fun Fun Fooey or Feng Shui Lemonade. Of course, Chow isn't just for the romantically inclined. With a kitchen that stays open til midnight every night and a prime location on Tory Street, Chow will also be there for you if you're in desperate need of a late night snack between catching the show and dancing at Puppies. Don't forget that plates are 2 for 1 on Mondays and cocktails are 2 for 1 on Wednesday and Saturday!
- 35Pizza KingTe AroI think Pizza King might have a bit of a bad rap in Wellington, but for what it is--cheap and easy delivery pizza--Pizza King knocks out the other contenders. The hours on this place are unbeatable. When everyone else has gone home, Pizza King is still open and taking orders. Go for the margherita-- with its simple, classic ingredients it's the perfect thing after a long night out.
- 436Midnight EspressoWellington CentralWhen I first arrived in Wellington, my new friends raved about the vege nachos at Midnight. They weren't kidding! This plate is so loaded--hummus, chilli sauce, avo slices, and sometimes even green olives complement the more traditional beans, salsa, cheese, and jalapenos no respectable plate of nachos could go without--but it has a surprisingly decent corn chip-to-topping ratio, given the epic proportions of the latter. If you ever get past your craving for these nachos, Midnight actually has a ton of other great vege and vegan options (as well as tasty looking treats for the carnivores in your life), some killer juices and smoothies, and one of the best caramel slices in town. A bite of their gigantic chocolate cake (with yogurt) can also be pretty hard to pass up.
- 528Tommy MillionsWellington CentralWith no food in my fridge after a long trip to Australia, I found myself hungry and tired on Courtenay Place a little past lunch time until something caught my eye. 2 for 1 margherita slices for $5? Within minutes, my belly was full of yummy pizza (topped with oregano and chilli flakes and dipped in chilli oil) and a classically American--and extremely rare--can of A&W cream soda. I don't know why I'd waited so long to test out the hype I'd been hearing about Tommy Millions. With crazy lunch deals every weekday, night owl hours, and plenty of room to park your bum along Courtenay Place or in Te Aro Park, you have no excuse to wait as long as I did.