El Matador Cafe, Asador Grill & Bar is best known for its meat dishes, barbequed and grilled Argentine-style, but it’s also a great choice for brunch – especially if you don’t feel like competing with the throngs that gather at Floridita’s, Fidel’s or Olive before noon every Saturday and Sunday. Like any good brunch destination, El Matador serves eggs any way you want them, but be sure to add some bacon or chorizo to your order: you’re not making the most of what El Matador has to offer if you order vegetarian.

Newtown’s full of Indian restaurants, but few are as busy, as often, as Planet Spice. With extra seating available upstairs, it’s a great choice for big groups looking to dine in and BYO, but be sure to book. (If Planet Spice is packed, Curry Heaven, a few doors down, is another popular choice.)

For Wellingtonians, brunch is something of a weekly tradition, and even among the go-to destinations (Fidel’s, Floridita’s), Olive stands out. It’s the perfect spot for a leisurely catch up with a friend over eggs-any-which-way and coffee. You can sit in the window if you’re in the mood to people-watch, or make the most of the sunshine in the secluded courtyard outside.

Chow offers a two-for-one menu on Mondays, making it an excellent choice for a meal out to mark the start of the week. It’s a great way to try the full range of Chow’s small plates, and the offer also extends to takeaway.

Despite its notoriously patchy service, Sweet Mother’s Kitchen is a go-to for Wellingtonians on the hunt for southern, Cajun cooking, like chicken gumbo, po-boys and quesadillas. The food is consistently excellent, and reasonably priced for the generous portions – and with its ramshackle decor and indie playlists, it’s surprisingly hip for somewhere so established.

Overlooking Dixon St, Six Barrel Soda is a great spot for people-watching and solo dining. It’s best-known for its sliders and titular sodas, but it recently expanded its offerings of chips and alcoholic drinks. You can get a slider and a soda for $11, which is not a huge meal, but great value – and for brunch on the weekend, it’s hard to go past $15 for bottomless filter coffee, a soda, and scramble.

Despite its notoriously patchy service, Sweet Mother’s Kitchen is a go-to for Wellingtonians on the hunt for southern, Cajun cooking, like chicken gumbo, po-boys and quesadillas. The food is consistently excellent, and reasonably priced for the generous portions – and with its ramshackle decor and indie playlists, it’s surprisingly hip for somewhere so established.

For Wellingtonians, brunch is something of a weekly tradition, and even among the go-to destinations (Fidel’s, Floridita’s), Olive stands out. It’s the perfect spot for a leisurely catch up with a friend over eggs-any-which-way and coffee. You can sit in the window if you’re in the mood to people-watch, or make the most of the sunshine in the secluded courtyard outside.

El Matador Cafe, Asador Grill & Bar is best known for its meat dishes, barbequed and grilled Argentine-style, but it’s also a great choice for brunch – especially if you don’t feel like competing with the throngs that gather at Floridita’s, Fidel’s or Olive before noon every Saturday and Sunday. Like any good brunch destination, El Matador serves eggs any way you want them, but be sure to add some bacon or chorizo to your order: you’re not making the most of what El Matador has to offer if you order vegetarian.

Every Wellingtonian knows that Fidel’s is a go-to for any meal, at any time of day, on any day of the week – but in a city with a restaurant industry that comes alive before noon on Saturday and Sunday, it’s especially popular for brunch. This can work against it if you’re not in the mood for crowds – or long waiting times for food – but you can’t argue with the extensive menu, cabinet food and relaxed atmosphere.

Wellington Zoo makes for a solid afternoon’s entertainment for animal lovers. Its new walk-through "Neighbours" exhibit features Australian fauna, including dingoes, wallabies and kangaroos, while "Hero HQ" is home to chameleons, stick insects and a rather horrific bird-eating tarantula. If you’re a local who hasn’t been for a couple of years, don’t cross it off your list – new exhibits open regularly, and you’re bound to be surprised at how much has changed. (And the zoo’s chief executive, Karen Fifield, has gone on the record about her goal of snow leopards by 2020.)

It’s easy to take the City Gallery for granted when you’ve lived in Wellington for a while, but the fact is, it’s excellent. The variety of exhibitions, the expertise of the staff, and the frequent lectures and events make it a great way to exercise your mind on a lazy afternoon – and the adjoining Cafe Nikau is the perfect place to refuel afterwards. As part of the gallery’s recent push for greater engagement with patrons, it’s been running competitions on Instagram and holding karaoke nights, too.

Many Wellingtonians only make the time to visit our national museum when relatives are in town, but this is a shame when it has so much more to offer than the "giant" squid and the earthquake house. It regularly refreshes its exhibitions and holds frequent talks and seminars, many of which are free to the public. You’ll be surprised at how time flies when you’re expanding your mind.

Wellington Zoo makes for a solid afternoon’s entertainment for animal lovers. Its new walk-through "Neighbours" exhibit features Australian fauna, including dingoes, wallabies and kangaroos, while "Hero HQ" is home to chameleons, stick insects and a rather horrific bird-eating tarantula. If you’re a local who hasn’t been for a couple of years, don’t cross it off your list – new exhibits open regularly, and you’re bound to be surprised at how much has changed. (And the zoo’s chief executive, Karen Fifield, has gone on the record about her goal of snow leopards by 2020.)

There’s nothing like an affogato on a hot day, and Cafe Moana does one of the best in Wellington. The coffee cart was once a horse float, but is now something of a fixture on the waterfront in the summer months. It’s often parked near the diving platform by Te Papa, across from Mac’s.

Chocolate Fish Cafe isn’t the easy to access without a car, but it’s worth the trip for the view of Wellington harbour alone. The cafe itself is styled like a bach, with bean bags, blankets, and a great range of reading material, and the menu reads like a celebration of honest Kiwi fare: toasted sandwiches, seafood dishes, and ice blocks. For those who can’t pick between a caffeine hit and a refreshing ice cream, there’s affogato on offer, too – served with the cafe’s namesake, a chocolate fish, on the side.

It’s easy to take the City Gallery for granted when you’ve lived in Wellington for a while, but the fact is, it’s excellent. The variety of exhibitions, the expertise of the staff, and the frequent lectures and events make it a great way to exercise your mind on a lazy afternoon – and the adjoining Cafe Nikau is the perfect place to refuel afterwards. As part of the gallery’s recent push for greater engagement with patrons, it’s been running competitions on Instagram and holding karaoke nights, too.

If your idea of a lazy Sunday includes some exercise, join the masses in walking along the waterfront to Freyberg Pool and Fitness Centre. Once you’ve worked up an appetite in the pool or at the gym, you can reward yourself with a bacon sandwich or smoothie from the adjoining Bernie’s on the Bay cafe. Be sure to say hello to its namesake, Wellington icon Bernie the Bernese mountain dog.

There’s something about Monterey that encourages its patrons to linger, with pencils and paper, board games and books offering hours of entertainment. The Californian-style diner is best-known for its burgers and beers, but affogatos feature alongside sweet pies and sundaes on the dessert menu.

There’s nothing like an affogato on a hot day, and Cafe Moana does one of the best in Wellington. The coffee cart was once a horse float, but is now something of a fixture on the waterfront in the summer months. It’s often parked near the diving platform by Te Papa, across from Mac’s.

Every Wellingtonian knows you can’t go past Kaffee Eis for a sweet treat, with the framed certificates that fill its walls testament to the consistent quality of its ice cream. But Kaffee Eis also does great coffee in a part of town better known for its boozing. It’s open late on the weekends, too – perfect if you need a caffeine hit before you hit the town.

Chocolate Fish Cafe isn’t the easy to access without a car, but it’s worth the trip for the view of Wellington harbour alone. The cafe itself is styled like a bach, with bean bags, blankets, and a great range of reading material, and the menu reads like a celebration of honest Kiwi fare: toasted sandwiches, seafood dishes, and ice blocks. For those who can’t pick between a caffeine hit and a refreshing ice cream, there’s affogato on offer, too – served with the cafe’s namesake, a chocolate fish, on the side.

The home of Peoples Coffee in Newtown is the perfect spot for a relaxed coffee, with inside and outside seating, a wide range of paraphernalia for brewing at home, and perhaps the best carrot cake this side of the Mt Vic tunnel. In summer, it’s also the home of the excellent Cold Flat White. A tip – aside from that day’s Dominion Post, there’s not much in the way of reading material, so bookworms are recommended to bring their own.

Hidden away on Lombard St, Lamason’s is easy to miss – but once you know it’s there, you’ll keep going back. Serving People’s Coffee and a small but delicious selection of scones and muffins, it’s got a wide range of "soft-brew" options, some of which resemble chemistry sets more than they do coffee pots. But the friendly staff are happy to help you broaden your horizons from your regular flat white.

On the first floor of the Wellington City Library, Clark’s Cafe is not the trendiest of spots, but the Peoples Coffee is surprisingly – and consistently – excellent. There can be a bit of a wait at lunchtime as the office workers in the areas get their sammies, but if you’re in the market for a quality coffee to go, it’s a safe choice.

Mojo’s cafe in the PricewaterhouseCoopers building on The Terrace is a favourite for office workers looking for a central spot for lunch or coffee. The coffee is, as you’d expect from Mojo, excellent – and the VIP programme is well worth signing up to if you’re a regular, offering 10% of all beverages.

Every Wellingtonian knows you can’t go past Kaffee Eis for a sweet treat, with the framed certificates that fill its walls testament to the consistent quality of its ice cream. But Kaffee Eis also does great coffee in a part of town better known for its boozing. It’s open late on the weekends, too – perfect if you need a caffeine hit before you hit the town.