Location: Martinborough
Top Restaurants in Martinborough
Countries
Where to Eat in Martinborough: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Martinborough (Māori: Wharekaka) is a town in the South Wairarapa District, in the Wellington region of New Zealand. It is 65 kilometres east of Wellington and 35 kilometres south-west of Masterton. The town has a resident population of 1,640 (June 2017).
Things to do in Martinborough
1. Cafe Medici
Overall Ratings
4 based on 486 reviews
Semi formal Bistro café ala carte menu, Children menú available with a daily chef special
Reviewed By GlinysW - oxford
The huge breakfast was pronounced ' bloody wonderful' by the hungry boy in our party but equally good was the sweetcorn fritter stack, the eggs with house dukkah and the scramble special. Attention to detail always helps: rock salt and pepper to grind at the table, chilled water, service with a smile. Lucky locals.
2. The Village Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 234 reviews
Reviewed By Karin C - Sydney, Australia
We had lunch and afternoon tea here as part of the Martinborough Gourmet Wine Tour, and it didn't disappoint.
The lunch was an extensive antipasto platter featuring local produce, a glass of wine and tea/coffee. Afternoon tea featured some delicious cheeses. Bought some yummy fig products in the attached store.
3. Tirohana Estate
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 541 reviews
Overlooking the boutique vineyard to the hills beyond, enjoy lunch or dinner in this atmospheric and elegant setting complete with original New Zealand artwork and evocative music. A roaring fire in the winter and doors thrown open to the warm breeze in the warmer months, a sunny Terrace and outdoor Seating. Large groups and corporate clients welcome by arrangement. Seasonal menus utilising the best of the local produce with an emphasis on organic and sustainable produce. Special diets catered for.
Reviewed By miles52 - Lower Hutt, New Zealand
WOW, What an excellent place this is and it puts the top 5 Wellington restaurants on notice really.........
A welcome drink on arrival then a Chefs starter (on the house)
Plenty of choices on the menu had our group selecting, Pork Belly, Snapper fish, and Fillet steak; all pronounced delicious with a good offering of local seasonal vegetables included.
A choice of 6 desserts, so something for everybody.
We thought we wee all done, then the chef offered us all a little sweet treat before leaving.
An exquisite meal with excellent service.
And to top it all off, Tirohana provided free transport to/from our accommodation in the Martinborough village, Great all round
We will be back, again. Toby does an excellent job "front of house"
4. Cool Change Bar & Eatery
Overall Ratings
4 based on 334 reviews
Why Cool Change? Cool change came to fruition for a number of reasons. Having frequented this stunning region for some years to escape the hustle & bustle of the city life at every opportunity, we saw a window to taste the Wairarapa life as residents & business owners. Hence why we thought it would be a Cool Change. We stumbled across the chance to convert one of the most ornate, beautiful buildings in the Wairarapa into a warm, comfortable, unique hospitality concept. The name derives from one of our greatest passions - music. Throw in the fact that we are vulnerable to the odd occasional southerly blast & fondness of "The Little River Band" Cool Change was born. Our facility consists of 1 private function room, seats 12 people. Our dining room features booth Seating, open fire, period & deco lighting and retro wallpaper. The bar greets you on entry with a warm ambiance; sky TV when required & a wine list to tempt those taste buds. Cool Change cuisine will not disappoint as our Head Chef Rachel Priestley has weaved her magic around the globe - Italy, Switzerland, Austria, United States, France, Finland, Sweden, Taipei, Hong Kong, China - Shanghai. Her cuisine is Italian inspired food, using the freshest ingredients including using her own italian salumi. Food and wine was her life and Rachel worked for 10 years in Italy. She produces all sorts of Italian salumi products from happy pigs in New Zealand, she has opened six Italian restaurants in Italy, taught Tuscan chefs how to cook Tuscan cuisine better, taught male chefs from Puglia in the South of Italy their own cuisine. Rachel ran a truffle shop in Florence, opened a wine bar in Bormio for Amaro Braulio, a restaurant by the sea in Gaeta in a 14th century pharmacy, a restaurant in Naples for the Camorra - the Naples Mafia. And now she is back in New Zealand to supply you with fine Italian food and wine, cooking here at Cool Change Bar & Eatery.
Reviewed By Elizabeth P - Boston, Massachusetts
The servers were quite nice and the wine list was great. The bartender makes a mean cocktail. We had the prawns for late night eats. Recommend as it's one of the only places open late. Locals seem to love it.
5. Coney Winery & Estate
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 113 reviews
Reviewed By miles52 - Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Margaret (Chef/owner) has recently changed her presentation to tapas plates; and what a change that has been. EXCELLENT just got more EXCELLENT!!!
Tim (owner) continues to present his wine selection in an informative and entertaining way; good honest wines they are too.
Our part of 4 ordered 5 plates for each couple, and came away well satisfied.
There is truly something to suit all tastes, all local and fresh; you can't do better than that
Its only a few ks out of the village on the way to Lake Ferry, 5 minutes drive at most. Do visit, you will be impressed and see NZ at its freshest and best, supported by tasty botique wines
Only open for lunch during the summer months, and it pays to book
6. Circus Cinema, Bar and Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 114 reviews
Reviewed By 32brucebeach - Kincardine, Canada
What a fabulous evening. We saw a top rated recent movie (3billboards outside Ebbing Missouri) with a glass of wine and snacks, then had a lovely meal in the restaurant. The theatre is very comfortable and good quality picture and sound. The meals were delicious.
7. The Vineyard Cafe at Margrain Vineyard
Overall Ratings
4 based on 113 reviews
Reviewed By trevhz - Melbourne, Australia
This was a delightful place to stop
for lunch. The table and chairs were outdoors under shade with an outlook over the vineyard. Wine tasting was available to sample a wide selection of wines before ordering our lunch. The menu offered good diversity and the food was excellent
We all left happy and contented
8. Lake Ferry Hotel Restaurant
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 159 reviews
Reviewed By NZGirl69 - Wellington
Lake Ferry pub and restaurant is located on the wild coastline, about half an hour from Martinborough - and it's well worth a visit. We were convenienly staying across the road at the campsite, so it was just a leisurely stroll - and no concerns about drinking and driving! The menu is one similar to what you'd find in an upmarket dining establishment in a city centre, the service is friendly and relaxed, and the environment is warm and pub-like. My starter of scallops with pork crackling was a stand-out, but followed by another with duck confit, red wine jus, and kumura puree - delicious. They are famous for their fush and chups, but I definitely was the subject of food envy in this case. Reasonably priced, decent wine list, and then you can chill after with a few beers and a game of pool with the locals in the bar. A real slice of Aotearoa in so many ways.
9. Pinocchio
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 349 reviews
Pinocchio is a family owned and operated restaurant, we pride ourselves on using fresh produce from around New Zealand. We offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, in relaxed and friendly environment. Pinocchio has an extensive wine list, selected from local vineyards and from around New Zealand. Our Head chef Paul has combined his fine dinning knowledge and experience to create a menu that consists of sensational flavours combined with eye catching presentation in our bistro experience. Pinocchio has the capacity to seat forty-five people. Pinocchio has a sunny courtyard to enjoy your dinning experience or just a Peroni on tap. Private functions are available on request.
Reviewed By 405Sally - Wellington, New Zealand
We were a party of five on a busy evening but the service was excellent. Friendly but professional. Staff were prompt to replace our water and check for orders. The menu is not big but everything we ordered was very well presented, perfectly cooked, fresh, and tasty. We shared the starters and then ordered mains - and the serving sizes meant we really didn't need to side we ordered as well. My salmon main was a generous size and seemed to be smoked on site as it was deliciously flavorsome and not like mass produced smoked salmon. Others at our table also were really delighted with their steak, duck and vegetarian choices. The wine list is also good with lots of local Martinborough wines to try. We will definitely be going back.
10. Micro Wine Bar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 113 reviews
A boutique wine bar serving a wide range of Martinborough and International wines.
Reviewed By Sarah53187 - Dunedin, New Zealand
We loved our evening at Micro. The small bar is really charming & inviting, with great music. We had a wine tasting flight, some craft beers and snacks, which were all great. Highly recommended.
