The Tasting Room occupies the corner of Courtenay Place and Cambridge Terrace as a modern interpretation of a public house. It opens from late morning until late every day, placing it equally well for lunch, a pre-theatre meal or drinks after a show at the Hannah Playhouse upstairs. Indoor and outdoor areas are dog friendly, and bookings range from a single table to groups of more than one hundred. That flexibility gives the venue a neighbourhood-pub ease despite its position at one of central Wellington's busiest gateways.
Sharing plates bring together familiar pub flavours and sharper contemporary accents. Popcorn chicken comes with honey-mustard mayonnaise and pickles, while lemon-pepper squid is matched with lemongrass sweet-chilli sauce. Mushroom arancini uses truffle and a roast-capsicum and feta coulis, and tacos can be filled with Thai beef, popcorn chicken or halloumi. A chicken spice bag, buffalo wings, halloumi fries and chunky onion rings complete a selection that works for a table ordering around several drinks as readily as for a small first course.
The main menu stays grounded in comfort food while giving diners meaningful variety. Beef Wellington is served with mash, onions and gravy, and the grill contributes scotch fillet with a choice of jus, chimichurri or mushroom sauce. Roasted chicken, Berber lamb shank, fish and chips and sausage with mash sit alongside mushroom-and-spinach gnocchi and a vegetarian burger. Crème brûlée, brownie and affogato cover dessert, while a dedicated children's section keeps the venue practical for families earlier in the day.
Beer is treated as a feature rather than an afterthought, with a broad tap line that includes rotating craft choices alongside cider, lager, pale ale, stout and alcohol-free options. Wine, gin, whisky and cocktails broaden the bar, and special tap takeovers and paired tasting events show how actively the drinks programme is used. The venue also hosts private functions and welcomes celebration cakes. Together with its all-day kitchen, that depth makes The Tasting Room useful for everything from a quick plate and pint to a planned group dinner.
Address: 2 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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