Margot Wellington

Margot sits at 163 Riddiford Street in Newtown, with its entrance tucked away on Wilson Street. It is a fifteen-minute drive from the Wellington Botanic Garden and provides a quiet, refined atmosphere that feels miles removed from the tourist traffic at Te Papa Tongarewa. The restaurant currently holds one hat from the 2024 NZ Cuisine Good Food Awards.

Margot offers a contemporary, seafood-focused menu that prioritizes precision over the sprawling, casual plates common to the surrounding district. While the room runs smart and elegant, it avoids the performative stiffness often found in fine dining venues elsewhere in the city. The kitchen’s focus on singular, sharp flavors makes it a more compelling choice than the standard bistro fare nearby. It is a place to visit when you want the technique of a hat-awarded kitchen without the exhausting ceremony that usually accompanies it.