WELLINGTON may be New Zealand’s capital city, but one of our Capital Times’ readers thinks ‘it’s just a big town with a heart’. You, our readers have made some great and interesting choices..
We’ve got winners in there who’ve topped lists again and again – from the cities’ most popular barmaid who’s taken it out every year, to the best bus driver.
The diversity of our solicited comments is incredible. Many of you love the people. Many love that it’s a compact place where you can get anywhere on foot. A few even like the weather.
This just proves that the silver thread running through this place is the diversity. It also proves the one thing we all know because that’s why we live here: Wellington rocks. It’s a place of hum and vibe, creativity and politics, business and wild weather, or as one of our readers put it: “A ripsnorting southerly”. Put simply, it’s the best place in the country to be.
Our congratulations and thanks to you all, whether you won, placed, or nominated. You all lend a vibe to Wellington that’s, unmistakeably, Wellington. Plus our team at Capital Times is obviously really happy that you’re reading our paper.

Order of names are first, second, third. Numbers in the brackets after listings are placing in our poll last year.

A  Best People
Barista / coffee maker
Matt @ Mojo  Old Bank Arcade (-)
Nick Clark @ Memphis Belle  (-)
Nia @ Olive (-)
Barmaid
Sally @ Mighty Mighty (1)
Bryony Skillington @ Pit Bar (3)
Ella @ Tasting Room (-)
Barman
Gareth Perks @ Pit Bar (-)
Scott @ Malthouse (-)
= David Wood @ Hashigozake
= Danny @ Hawthorne (-)
City Councillor
Ian McKinnon (1)
Celia Wade-Brown (2)
Iona Pannett (3)
Local MP
Grant Robertson (1)
Annette King (-)
Sue Kedgley (-)
Bus Driver
Paul Bayliss (1)
Russell Gilbert (-)
Eagle (No 5) (-)
Capital Times Writer or Contributor
Dan Slevin (1)
Paddy Lewis (3=)
Dawn Tratt (2)
Maitre D
Shae @ Ambeli
Rusty @ Boulcott St Bistro
= Ben @ Sweet Mothers Kitchen
= Kirsten @ General Practioner
Street Performer
Juggler on Courtenay Place (3)
Chinese / Asian guy with one stringed instrument on LQ (-)
King Home Boy (-)
Best Dressed Man
Terry Serepisos (3)
Peter McLeavy (-)
Lorenzo Bresolin
– Scopa (-)
Best Dressed Women
Nina Fiigin @ Recycle Boutique (-)
Kerry Prendergast (3)
Marion Castree @ Unity (-)
Wellingtonian
Ricky Herbert – Head coach of both the All Whites, and the Wellington Phoenix.
Band
Phoenix Foundation (2)
Fat Freddys Drop (1)
Wgtn Intl Ukelele Orchestra (-)
Artist
Freeman White (-)
= Matt Hunt (-)
=Shona Moller (-)

B   Best Arts & Culture
Gallery
City Gallery (1)
Adam Gallery (-)
Dowse (2)
Museum
Te Papa (1)
Museum of City
and Sea (2)
Cricket Museum (-)
Cinema
Embassy (1)
Penthouse (-)
Paramount (3)
Live Theatre   
Bats
Downstage
Circa
Nightclub
Mighty Mighty (3)
San Francisco
Bathhouse (-)
Rain (1)
Theatre Group
Seed Collective
Playground Collective
Real Hot Bitches
Sculpture
Solace in the Wind Bronze man – Max Pette (1)
Bucket Fountain (-)
Wind Socks Sculptures on Cobham Drive (-)
Other
Weta Cave

C   Best Venue
Sports Venue
Stadium (1)
Basin (2)
TSB Arena (3)
Arts Venue
St James
City Gallery
Te Papa
Concert Venue
Michael Fowler Centre
San Francisco Bathhouse
Stadium

D   Best Event
Arts Event
International Festival of the Arts
World of Wearable Arts
NZ International Film Festival
Market Event
City Market
Harbourside  Market
Frank Kitts Underground
Sports Event
Sevens
Any Phoenix Game
Richter Roller Derby

E   Best Places
Bookshop
Unity (10)
Arty Bees (2)
Borders (3)
Florist
Flowers Manuela (1)
Juliette in Kelburn (-)
Daisy a Day (3)
Gym
Les Mills (1)   
Exodus (-)
Freyberg (-)
Hairdresser
Jam (1)
Get Funked
Manners St (3)
Powder Room
– Newtown (-)
Mens Clothing
Hallensteins (-)
Kirkcaldies (-)
Mandatory (1)
Ladies Clothing
Recycle Boutique   
Frutti (1)
Glassons (2)
Supermarket
Chaffers New World (1)
Moore Wilson’s (-)
Thorndon New World (2)
Taxi
Wellington Combined (1)
Green Cabs  (2)
Corporate Cabs (3)
Weekend Market
Harbourside Market
Victoria St. Market
City Market
Shopping Destination
Cuba St (1)
Westfield /
Queensgate (2)
Lambton Quay (3)
I Really Like
The Wellington Waterfront

F   Best Spots
Beach
Oriental Bay (1)   
Scorching Bay (2)
Lyall Bay (3)
City Building
Old Bank (2)
Wgtn Public Library
City Gallery
City Park
Waitangi (1)
Botanical Gardens (2)
Frank Kitts Park (3)
Public Loo
ANZ Bank Corner Featherston St / Lambton Quay (1)
Embassy Theatre (-)
Old Bank Arcade (-)
Public Mural
Prostitute on Marion St (3)
Marine Life on Oriental Parade (2)
Waitangi Skate Park (1)
Shop Window
Kirkcaldies (1)
Hunters & Collectors (3)
Iko Iko (2)
Regional Park
Kaitoki (1)
Belmont (2)
Rimutuka Forest Park (-)
View
Mt Victoria
Wind Turbine
Top of Cable Car
Walk
Wgtn Waterfront
Southern Walkway
Botanical Gardens
Fun for Kids
Te Papa (1)
Capital E (3)   
Botanical Gardens
(Ritalin)
Make out Spot
Mt Victoria Look out (1)
Botanical Gardens
Waterfront (2)

G   Best Restaurant
Café
Memphis Belle (-)
= Olive (-)
= Deluxe (-)
Breakfast
Maranui (1)
Sweet Mothers Kitchen (3) 
Fidels (2)
Fine Dining
Logan Brown (1)
Capitol (-)
Matterhorn (-)
Steak
Crazy Horse
Green Parrot
Lone Star
Fish
Martin Bosley’s (1)
Capitol  (-)
Fishermans Table (3)
Pizza
Scopa
Pizza Pommodoro
= Mediterranean Food Warehouse
= Hell
Vegetarian
Higher Taste (1)
Aunty Menas (2)
Deluxe (3)
Dessert
Strawberry Fare (1)
Sweet Mothers Kirchen (3)
Olive (-)

H   Best Ethnic Restaurant
Cambodian
Siem Reap (1)
Khmer Satay (3)
MeKong (-)
Chinese
Big Thumb (1)
= Beijing (-)
=Grand Century (2)
Japanese
Kazu (1)
Hede (3)
Ara Sushi (2)   
Malay
KK Malaysia (3)
Satay Kingdom (2)
Satay Village (-)
Thai
Thai Chefs (3)   
Phu Thai  (-)   
= Ban Mai Thai (-)
= Nakon Thai Village in Hataitai (-)
Italian
Scopa (1)
Maria Pia’s (3)
Nicollinis (2)
French
Le Metropolitan (3)
Le Canard (-)
Simply Paris (1)
Indian
Little India (3)
Great India (-)
Masala (1)
Korean
Seaul House
Taste of Korea
Newker Dixon St
Mexican
Flying Burrito Brothers
Viva Mexico Left Bank
Sweet Mothers Kitchen

I   Best Takeaway
Fish & Chips
= Wellington  Trawling Cuba St (1)
= Aro St Fish Supply (2)     
Starfish (3)
Burger
Burger Fuel (1)
Wisconsin (3)
Burger King (2)
Kebabs
Abrekebabra (2)
Phoenican (-)
Cuba Kebabs (-)
Pies
Trishas (2)
Patrishas (3)
Le Moulin (-)
Pizza
Hell (1)
Pizza Pomodoro (3)
Mediterranean Food Warehouse (-)
Indian
Little India (-)
Masala (1)
Khana Khazana (-)
Chinese
KC Café (1)
Uncle Changs (-)
Beijing (3)
Sushi
Midland Sushi (1)
California Sushi (2)
St Pierres (-)
Sandwich
Subway (2)
Sir Breadwins (-)
Wishbone (1)
Chicken
KFC (1)
Nandos (2)
Chickys Charcoal Chicken (3)
Salad
Kapai (1)
Deluxe (2)
Maranui (-)
Vegetarian
Higher Taste (1)
Aunty Menas (2)
Deluxe (-)

J   Best Other Food & Drink
Bar
Mighty Mighty (1)
Matterhorn (2)
Hashigozake (-)
Outdoor Bar
Southern Cross (1)
St Johns (2)
Matterhorn (3)
Cake Shop
Martha’s Pantry (-)
Simply Paris (2)
Le Moulin(-)
Tea
Martha’s Pantry (-)
Olive (-)
T  Leaf (-)
Hot Chocolate
Scopa (1)
Butlers (-)
Memphis Belle (-)
Milkshake
Offbeat (1)
Fidels (3)
Maranui (-)
Bottle Store
Regional Wines and Spirits (1)
Glengarry (3)
The Mill (2)
Dairy
Shalimar (2)
Mt Victoria Foodmarket (-)
Oriental Bay (-)
Fruit & Vege
Moore Wilson’s Fresh (3)
Cuba St Fruit Market (-)
Chaffers Market (1=)

K   Favourite Brands
Coffee
Havana (1)
Peoples (2)
Mojo (3)
Tea
T Leaf (1)
Dilmah (2)
Bell (3)
Bread
Vogels (-)
Panadoro (1)
Le Moulin (2)
Chocolate
Whittakers (1)
Schoc (3)
Cadbury (2)
Beer
Tuatara (1)
Monteiths (2)
Emersons (3)
Radio Station   
Radio Active (1)
National (2)
91 ZM (3)

L   Wellington’s Best
1. Compact nature of city makes it easy to get around
2. Buzzy feeling - there’s always something interesting happening - never get bored
3. The amazing array of cafes and restaurants with such wonderful food.

M   Wellington’s Worst
1. Weather, Weather, Weather
2. Parking. It’s a nightmare!
3. Drunk people on Courtenay Place.