Wellington Restaurants Open On Christmas Day 2026 So You Don’t Have To Cook
We’re officially counting down the days till Christmas. Shelves are stacked with Chrissy merch, festive tunes are hitting the airwaves, and trees are even going up. One thing we’re not stoked about though is the thought of hours spent slaving over a hot stove—no thanks.
With that in mind, here are the best restaurants open on Christmas Day in Wellington for 2026, so you can sit back, relax, and scrap the tradition of stressful cooking.
Intercontinental Wellington & GPO
Image credit: InterContinental Wellington | supplied
Those who choose to spend Christmas Day at Intercontinental Wellington have two equally marvellous options. One, spend Christmas Day lunch hoovering up all manner of festive fair (including a buche de Noël) at the Christmas Day Lunch Buffet in an actual ball room. Or two, enjoy a four-course Christmas Day dinner set menu at GPO, the hotel's in-house restaurant with everything from turkey roulade to cherry tiramisu.
The Details
Where: inside InterContinental Wellington, 2 Grey Street, Wellington Central
When: 25 December 2026
Cost: $95-220 per person for the buffet (kids 0-4 dine free), $100-$195 per person for the set menu
Hippo Bar & Restaurant
Image credit: Hippo | Instagram
One of the best spots for a festive feast this Christmas is Hippo, where the team will be slingin’ one helluva lunch and dinner buffet running across three sittings.
From a glass of Perrier-Jouët on arrival, to salads and sustainably-sourced seafood, piping hot honey-glazed ham with roasted duck-fat taters and green beans, there's plenty of great grub to get amongst. And they’re holding nothing back when it comes to dessert, promising a spectacular sweet spread of festive favourites and contemporary treats. This is Christmas done right.
The Details
Where: inside QT Wellington, 90 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington
When: 11.30am, 3pm & 6pm, 25 December 2026
Cost: $99-199 per person
St John's Bar & Eatery
Located right on the waterfront, choose Christmas at St Johns Bar & Eatery and you will feel very merry indeed as you tuck into their buffet-style lunch with all the trimmings. Enjoy a refreshing wine, beer of soft drink on arrival, then dive into all the traditional hot n’ cold eats, salads and seafood, and carved meats and vegetables.
If, by some miracle, you have room for dessert, load up on classic Kiwi treats like strawberry and kiwifruit pavlova and Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, then go for a dip in the water at Oriental Bay or find a spot in the shade to bliss out in a well-deserved Chrismas kai coma.
The Details
Where: 5 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington
When: 11.30am & 2.30pm, 25 December 2026
Cost: $56-189 per person (kids 5 and under dine free)
Wildfire Churrascaria
60 Tory Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Image credit: Wildfire Churrascaria | website
If meat from the barbie is your usual Christmas table centrepiece, then Wildfire Churrascaria will add the sizzle to your Christmas season. Their festive lunch menu is loaded with goodies, including a delectable tapas platter served alongside green-shell mussels, steak, ham, sausages... the works.
Balance out all that meat with fresh asparagus, truffled polenta fries and caprese salad, with a platter of mini desserts to finish. And the best part? The food will be continuously delivered to you, so you can fill your belly without leaving the table.
The Details
Where: 60 Tory Street, Te Aro
When: 11am, 25 December 2026
Cost: $74.95-149.95 per person
Frankie's Eatery
Image credit: Frankie's Eatery | Instagram
Frankie's Eatery will stand you in good stead this Christmas Day with its lavish lunch buffet. Consider this an elevated take on your classic kiwi feed, featuring everything from marinated mussels and honey-glazed ham, through to the festive holy trinity: Christmas pud, pavlova and fruit mince pies. Assume you'll need to be rolled out the door afterwards.
The Details
Where: Wellington Quarter Hotel, 24 Hawkestone St, Thorndon
When: 11.30am & 1.30pm
Cost: $49.50-$129 per person