Best Burgers in Wellington: Cuba St and Te Aro

The best burgers in Wellington are concentrated in Te Aro, the compact district around Cuba Street and Courtenay Place, with more along the waterfront and Lambton Quay. Every August the whole region joins in through Burger Wellington, the burger competition inside the Visa Wellington On a Plate festival.

That competition defines the city’s burger culture. In 2026, Burger Wellington ran from 3 to 23 August with 244 burgers at 244 venues across 49 suburbs of the greater Wellington region, from the CBD out to Petone, Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast. Entries must be created for the festival and built with ingredients grown or made in the region, so the contest pushes kitchens towards local produce. Outside August, the same compact streets serve a city better known for its coffee and craft beer.

Burgers in Wellington: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Te Aro, Cuba Street, Courtenay Place, the waterfront, Lambton Quay and Petone.
• Annual event: Burger Wellington, part of Visa Wellington On a Plate, held every August.
• Festival rule: each entry uses ingredients grown, or products made, in the Wellington region.
• Scale in 2026: 244 entries in 49 suburbs, from the CBD to the Kāpiti Coast.
• Getting around: the CBD and Te Aro are walkable end to end; Petone is a short train ride north.
• Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD).

Every guide we publish on Wellington is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For New Zealand and beyond, see all our burger restaurant guides.