Where to eat near St James Theatre

Owned and run by a pair of brothers, Scopa is a beloved locally Italian restaurant. While it's known as a pizzeria, they do a range of delicious Italian food. As well as pizza, the menu covers pasta, salads, and snacks. The ‘sexy fries’ are an excellent side to go with your pick from the wood-fired pizza oven.

If you've got room for dessert, order one of their famous hot chocolates. Known to be thick enough to eat with a spoon, they're a classic Scopa (and Wellington) experience.

In warm weather, they fling open the vast sliding glass doors. Diners eat al fresco, with a front-row seat to bustling Cuba Street outside.

Egmont St Eatery has been feeding hungry Wellingtonians since 2015. The award-winning restaurant focuses on what they believe dining should be: fun, accessible, and delicious.

Open for dinner and weekend brunch, Egmont St Eatery serves up big flavours, sustainable ingredients, and zero waste. Seasonality is important, so the menu is constantly changing.

While the restaurant is great for any time of day, dinner is a particularly social affair at Egmont. The menu comprises a range of tasty smaller bites, so you can share around the table and ensure everyone gets to sample.

Modern yum cha is about three things: dim sum, tea, and connection. Dragons Restaurant on Tory Street nails each one.

Yum cha involves small portions of steamed, pan-fried, and deep-fried dim sum dishes, served in bamboo steamers and washed down with tea. All dishes are designed to be eaten communally, because, at its core, yum cha is about people meeting and sharing food.

The busiest day at Dragons is Sunday when the whole restaurant is bustling with large groups. If you like people watching it’s a great time to head along. If you’re after a quieter experience, try a weekday lunch.

Mabel’s is a Burmese restaurant that will transport you to the heart of Myanmar with every spoonful of noodles and sip of broth. Head in for a meal with friends that will warm your belly and soul. While you’re there, take in the atmosphere of a restaurant that has been generations in the making.

The menu reflects the Myanmar style of eating — tasty comfort food to enjoy and share with friends. Warming curries and noodles pair perfectly with fresh salads, and all are served with a healthy dollop of flavour.

Specialising in pan-Asian cuisine, Mr Go’s is a popular gathering point in the central city. The 140-seat restaurant has a large bar and all-weather outside dining area so it’s a great choice for a large gathering.

Officially, Mr Go’s serves “modern pan-Asian” cuisine. The menu focuses on Taiwanese and Chinese food with nods to Korea, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan. The portions are designed to share so the more the merrier, and the more you have a good chance of trying most cuisines.

Tucked into the corner of The Opera House, Crumpet is a cute and cosy bar.

Cocktails and, you guessed it, crumpets, are the star of the show here.

Thirsty? Let the talented bar staff shake up your tastebuds with a new take on an old favourite. Or, flick through the extensive Rolodex of cocktail options to tempt your palate. Seasonal drinks are always on offer, reflecting the weather or the mood of the evening.

Crumpets are served with a selection of sweet or savoury toppings. They’re a great snack to start or finish an evening.

Tucked away in Hannahs Laneway, Golding’s Free Dive is a much-loved Wellington bar.

Flanked by a bakery, a pizzeria, a chocolate factory, and an award-winning restaurant, it’s right in the thick of things. Golding’s pays tribute to the dive bar scene of North America, but with less grime and more polish.

The bar is a cacophony of twinkling lights, taxidermy, photographs, and Star Wars memorabilia jostling for attention. Serving pizzas from Pizza Pomodoro across the laneway, it’s the perfect spot for a casual drink, slice, and debrief on the evening.