Wellington is the craft beer capital of New Zealand. Plain and simple. Hell, they even have a passport dedicated to the stuff.
Every hole in the wall, every basement dungeon, every caravan left parked for more than half an hour, any garage that's left unattended by a mechanic for a single lunchbreak, will inevitably end up with a few kegs rolled in, a set of taps installed, and a couple of discerning enthusiasts arrive, twisting their moustaches, trying to imagine the weirdest name they can attribute to some newfangled IPA.
‘Pint of the Beneyeast Cumberbubbles thanks mate.’
It's 2025, and the streets are simply awash with hops. But with so many new players now in the game, one must ask oneself, whilst twirling invisible moustache, who's the real deal?
From award-winning breweries born out of petrol stations to alleyway beer bars that feel like secret societies, homages to old world taverns, heavy metal dives and more, if you're reading this as a Summit Ultra-sipping-agnostic, these 10 spots will have you on the nitro sours in no time.
Here are the 10 of the Best Craft Beer Spots in Wellington.
Garage Project Aro Tap Room
Aro Street
First up is an institution. We all know them, some of us love them more than others, but it’s hard to dismiss the impact they’ve had on NZ’s beer scene.
Garage Project started on Aro Street in a former petrol station, hence the name, and has gone on to become a globally recognised big boy of the brewing world. In 2024, they took home two medals at the Beer World Cup (yes, that’s a thing), and that prestige is largely to do with just how hard they’re willing to push the boundaries of brewing. Order whatever’s on tap that you can’t pronounce. Order whatever you can pronounce. Either way, it’s gonna bang.
Drop of Choice: Big fan of their Hāpi Daze Pacific Pale Ale (4.6%), but if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous than I, the Pernicious Yuzu Weed (8%) is an atom bomb in a can.
Golding’s Free Dive
Leeds Street
Now, ‘dive bar chic’ is something I can seriously get around.
Quicky, characterful, dripping with cool and conveniently sat right next door to Pizza Pomodoro—Golding’s Free Dive is another Aro Street gem unafraid to do its thing. Aside from the colourfully eclectic setup, they serve some serious drops from a variety of funky brewers. They’re a free house, hence the first half of their name, so their taps are varied and often change.
No reservations.
Drop of Choice: Free house, free choice, free world, baby.
Little Beer Quarter
Edward Street
Down an alley off Edward Street is this gem of a joint that flirts with the idea of a speakeasy and craft bar having a baby.
Little Beer Quarter is not quite that baby, but something close, having satisfied craft connoisseurs for over two decades between its intimate four walls. Self-proclaimed 'Beer Geek Heaven' (and rightfully so, might I add), LBC serves everything from traditional tap beer to hand-pulled goodness, nitro-style or one of the over 100 bottles and cans in the fridge. The only prerequisites are that it’s cold, tastes good, and comes from the greatest beer-drinking country on earth.
Cider and wine to boot, lean on your bartender’s expertise and have a drop matched with specialty pizza. Oh, and if you get to the door and someone asks for a password, it’s “I f***king love beer”.
Drop of Choice: Ask your bartender. They know more than me.
The Malthouse
Willis Street
A certified OG of the New Zealand craft beer scene, The Malthouse began trading in ‘93 and has served as a craft cornerstone ever since. 30 craft beer taps on rotation, 85 different beers in their fridge, this is the beer-flavoured candy store for the proverbial kid (in no way do I endorse underage drinking).
What sets The Malthouse apart is its style and presentation—less of a shed/basement/backyard affair and more of a stylish, neighbourhood pub.
Drop of Choice: There are so many to choose from… I’m gonna cheat and recommend a tasting paddle.
Parrotdog Bar
Kingsford Smith Street
What happens when three guys love beer as much as each other and are all called Matt?
Parrotdog happens. Then Parrotdog Bar.
You’ve probably seen their sleek cans at the super; they’re the cool kids on the block, in my book, and boy, are those delicious tins of nectar damn near irresistible. Their newish bar is based down at Lyall Bay and is, of course, dog-friendly. Their beer is as good out of the tap as it is out of a can (well, better perhaps), and when you’re sipping it a block back from the dunes at such a beautiful beachside spot, it goes down even easier.
The bar itself is a call back to simpler times—inspired by the great pubs and taverns of yesteryear—cozy booths, an old heavy pool table, views of the brewery, and 17 revolving taps. As they suggest, being perched next to the airport makes for ideal striking distance pre or post-flight. Everyone knows the airport beer is the best beer of all.
The second best? Post surf, of course. That's why they host a Lyall Bay surf webcam on their website.
Drop of Choice: I’m a Parrotdog Birsdeye Hazy fanatic. Have always loved this brew, its clean white can with four-tone summer colour feel, and perfect hoppy balance inside. It was my gateway drop into the hazy world and other crafts beyond. After all, they say you never forget your first. Personally, I never forget my thirst.
Heyday
Cuba Street
Be Kind, Stay Safe, Drink Beer.
That's the motto at Heyday, and I think it sums up what I really want out of life.
It's kinda what I want out of a good brewbar too. Easy going. No nonsense. Chilled, and, above all else, about beer. Heyday is that kinda brewerbar. Everyone loves them, they serve a great wet, and they don’t seem to take themselves too seriously. In fact, they're so laid back that they even converted car parking space into caboose parking space for some proper kicking back.
They enjoy a pretty stellar spot on Cuba Street, particularly on a sunny day. But their relaxing space is more taproom oasis than hectic inner city haunt—just look out for the iconic mint green exterior, you can't miss it.
Drop of Choice: Heyday has me in a happy mood. I feel like a Mango & Jalapeno Salsa Sour (4.7%)—“a bold burst of tropical sunshine with a spicy green twist”.
Mean Doses Brewery
Tory Street
Mean Doses Brewery serves, you guessed it, mean beer. It’s so mean, in fact, they’ve quickly made a name for themselves, despite their relative ‘new kid on the block’ status.
But the meanness doesn't stop at beer's brewed just 280 metres up the road, no sireee. They also serve mean gin, mean whisky, mean wine and even some pretty mean cocktails. Plus they offer Vietnamese x French fusion from neighbours Apache, a weekly quiz night, a pool table, three pinball machines, three spacies arcades, a shuffleboard and some of the best vibes of any craft bar around.
Mean as.
Drop of Choice: The Velvet Ape Plum Banana Stout (4%). No explanation needed.
Fork & Brewer
Bond Street
Fork & Brewer is a Wellington icon that believes “beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery”.
And you can do just that from the majority of their drinking perches. Enjoy the delicious essence of F&B as it flows from a 1000-litre onsite brewery, while munching through their restaurant menu or simply revelling in their sun-soaked beer garden.
They offer a mammoth 41 taps of Fork & Brewer brews—some of which are award-winning wets—plus collaboration brews to boot. Considered one of New Zealand's champion brewpubs, a two-time NZ Champion Small Brewery, they're a serious watering hole with some serious credentials behind them.
Drop of Choice: Gimme some of that F&B Zeus Juice (6.8%) American IPA. I'll save the Fork & Pineapple, Sage, Pizza & Thyme Wheat Beer (4.5%) ABV 'til next time, me thinks.
Rogue & Vagabond
Garrett Street
A craft beer bar with a name like this just has to be good. And it is. They even don a dope little bulldog as their emblem.
They host live gigs four nights a week—craft beer does pair very nicely with good music—and just give an all-around good vibe, to be honest. They're a kind of no-nonsense, no frills joint that feels a bit like drinking out of your best mate's dad's garage—perfect in every single way.
But oh yes, the beer. A healthy selection of NZ options and those from further abroad are enjoyed at Rogue & Vagabond with 18 rotating taps favouring the very best small brewers across the motu.
Drop of Choice: Baylands Brewery Mad As Helles (5.5%) German Helles. Just 'cause the name's funny.
Underworld Tavern
Pirie Street
It's always good to throw in a curveball once in a while. We don't just want the same names popping up over and over again, even if they're good. Underworld Tavern has a bit of a heavy metal x craft beer vibe going on that I've never come across before, and frankly, I dig it.
A self-dubbed 'Divebar, Venue and Eatery'—really a triple threat for the ages—they host theme-appropriate gigs, offer elevated pub food and serve... craft beer.
While they mainly host alternative, punk, and metal acts, they also have a soft side to them, putting on Heavy Karaoke Nights, a Cult and Collectibles Market, a Horror Movie Pub Quiz, Divebar Cinema and more. They're pet-friendly, board-game-ready and endorse flying your geek flag high. And so do I.
A nod to alt culture, a place to be yourself and as good a spot as any to enjoy a frothy cold one. Underworld Tavern rounds out our list, and for good reason.
Drop of Choice: Crimson Badger (5%) Ginger Beer. 'Cause we need at least one on the list.
Bonus Drop
Fortunes Favours
Fortune Favours plied their craft from an old dip stripper factory. They crafted everything from science experiments to core classics, like their award-winning Wellingtonian IPA (6%). They shut their doors last month, citing the cost-of-living crisis.
This was mere weeks after the brewery clean-swept the annual Beervana festival. Since then, Garage Projecta have swooped in to save the day, purchasing the business. More to come.