10:00 AM | Coffee on Majoribanks
Start your morning just a minute up the hill from the Embassy Theatre at Suede. Grab a seat at a footpath table in the sun, order a coffee alongside one of their famous cheddar cheese scones, and watch the neighbourhood wake up around you.
11:30 AM | A Leisurely Stroll
Take a easy walk down to the waterfront via Cable Street and loop through Te Papa. Entry is free, and even if you aren't in the mood for a full gallery tour, it's worth taking the elevator to the top floor just for the panoramic harbour views. Head back up Tory Street afterwards, taking in the lively buzz spilling out of nearby Hannah’s Laneway.
1:00 PM | Lunch Time
For a quick bite head to Hideout (11c Courtenay Place) offers a relaxed, stylish spot with green subway tiles, serving up fresh bao, handmade dumplings, and comforting noodle bowls. For a longer, more indulgent lunch, head upstairs to Lucky 8 (16 Courtenay Place) for Chinese small plates and craft cocktails. Order pork belly bao, sizzling dumplings, and sticky ribs to share across the table. Sitting right on Courtenay Place, it's the perfect spot to settle in with friends for an hour or two.
3:00 PM | Afternoon Play
Time for some fun. Head upstairs to Mean Doses Taproom (66 Tory Street) to sink a few craft beers brewed locally while playing pinball, pool, shuffleboard, and classic arcade games. Need family-friendly fun? Holey Moley (Willis Lane) offers themed mini golf while WellyPutt (Wigan Street) features a quirky, Wellington-themed 16-hole indoor course complete with moving obstacles.
5:00 PM | The Golden-Hour Drink
Step into Hummingbird (22 Courtenay Place) for a pre-dinner cocktail in one of the strip’s most stylish spaces. Featuring a moody interior, rich green tiles, velvet banquettes, and an adjoining lounge space, it's the perfect spot to settle into a booth and escape the Wellington wind. If you're after a livelier, tropical vibe instead, Lulu (31 Courtenay Place) serves up Pacific share plates and caramelized pineapple piña coladas just across the road.
7:00 PM | Dinner
Courtenay Place shines at dinnertime, offering three stellar directions depending on your mood. Chow (45 Tory Street): Head upstairs for vibrant, big-flavor Asian small plates in cozy booth seating built for sharing. Dragonfly (70 Courtenay Place): Enjoy modern Asian dishes paired with a drink in their stunning, hidden bamboo courtyard out back. Capitol (Kent Terrace): Situated right next to the Embassy, this neighbourhood bistro has been delivering one of the city's most consistent and refined dining experiences since 2002.
9:00 PM | Catch a Show
Before setting your schedule, check the event listings for the Embassy Theatre, the St James Theatre, or the Opera House—all three are anchored directly on or right beside the strip. If you prefer something more casual, drop into The Welsh Dragon on Cambridge Terrace for a cosy drink with friends and plenty of cold beer.
11:00 PM | The Nightcap
Finish your night at The Library (53 Courtenay Place). Slip upstairs and step through the doors into an intimate, lamplit sanctuary lined with actual bookshelves and plush booth seating. Order a round of handcrafted cocktails and a late-night dessert, settle in, and enjoy a conversation where you actually don't have to shout over the music.
