The Best Pubs in Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington is home to some of New Zealand’s best pubs, gastropubs and craft-beer breweries. Whether you’re keen to do a pub crawl of the capital, or you just want a place with good food and chilled-out vibes, here are some of the top places to visit.
The Green Man Pub
Bar, Gastropub, Pub, Restaurant, Pub Grub, Steakhouse, Irish, Beer

This Irish-style pub and restaurant is a culmination of everything that’s great about downtown Wellington. Pop into the Green Man Pub for an extensive range of craft beers on tap, a diverse bistro-style menu, live music on Friday nights and regular weekly specials. If you like sports, this is one of the best places in town to watch a rugby match when the two local teams – the Hurricanes and the Wellington Lions – are playing.
The Hop Garden
Bar, Pub, Restaurant, Oceanian
As its name suggests, the Hop Garden is a craft-beer pub and restaurant with a strong focus on New Zealand’s microbrewery scene. With a rooftop bar area, its regular line-up of events (which includes fortnightly open-mic nights) and a weekly rotation of food specials, this Mount Victoria venue is the go-to for a fun, laid-back night out.
D4 on Featherston
Bar, Pub, Contemporary, Irish, European, Pub Grub, Wine, Beer
D4 on Featherston is an Irish pub with an elegant flair. Besides your classic pint of Guinness, the bar boasts one of Wellington’s widest ranges of New Zealand craft beers, a selection of national and international boutique wines and quality cuisine to appease the budding foodies – with stone-grill dining as its top culinary speciality.
The Malthouse
Bar, Pub, Pub Grub, European, Wine, Beer

Ever since pouring its first beer in 1993, the Malthouse has shown a strong commitment to serving up an incredibly diverse variety of hops – stemming from the lesser-known boutique brewers to big-industry players. The pub is also one of a few in Australasia to house a rare assortment of carefully aged brews in its cellar.
The Pickle Jar
Gastropub, Pub, Pub Grub, European, Wine, Beer, Fast Food
The Pickle Jar is a family-friendly neighbourhood pub in Karori, renowned for its craft beers and quality food. Throughout the week, it offers various specials and events, such as burger nights on Thursdays and weekly quiz nights. Keep an eye on its Facebook page for updates.
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.


KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.