Sichuan-spiced chicken patty, with spicy coleslaw, Sichuan pepper mayonnaise, potato sauce, and lettuce in a Dragons Express steamed bao bun.

Korean fried chicken, with smoked cheddar, lettuce, strawberry chipotle jam, and roasted garlic aioli in a Breadcraft milk bun, with fries.

Wagyu menchi katsu, with soy-mirin cured egg yolk, wong bok coleslaw, kewpie curry mayonnaise, and caviar in a Brezelmania bun.

Beef patty, with Kāpiti smoked cheddar, garlic and thyme mushrooms, rocket, pickled red onion, onion crisps, and black pepper aioli in a Breadcraft milk bun, with fries.

Beef patty, with mozzarella fritta, rocket, cherry tomato relish, Loopline Olives, balsamic glaze, and horopito and lemon zest aioli in a Shelly Bay Baker olive ciabatta, with truffle fries.

Breaded chicken fillet, with Pasture Pride egg frijoles refritos, Schoc Chocolate mole, lime crema, pickled onion, pepperoncini, and shredded lettuce in a Cottage Lane artisan bun, with corn tortilla chips and guacamole.

Set on a working regenerative farm just outside Wellington, this long-table dinner brings you as close to the land that produced your meal as possible. The vegetables and pasture-raised meat will come directly from Mangaroa Farms and other local suppliers, shared in a cosy winter-dinner setting designed to spark conversation, curiosity, and connection around food. This is an interactive dinner experience that blends food, conversation, poetry, live music and inner-enquiry into one cohesive experience. You're welcomed with whakawhanaungatanga, a warm welcome drink and canapés to acquaint your taste buds to the land. You'll gather in the yurt for a multi-course regenerative meal, with stories from the farmers and producers who grew the food. Woven through the evening will be live music from Casual Healing, poetry and reflective questions to open the table. Designed to foster a single, focused conversation, this Jeffersonian style dinner invites conversation across the table. You'll talk with strangers and leave with friends. Your ticket includes a snack and drink on arrival, a multi-course farm-sourced dinner complete with fresh baked bread, local sides and dessert with non-alcoholic beverages throughout the evening.

Middle-earth has found its way to Oriental Bay. For August, Beach Babylon hosts a tavern pop-up that feels like somewhere you stumble into wandering hobbits and stay longer than planned, candlelight, conversation, a space removed from the everyday. The menu nods to tavern traditions: Shire comfort, Rohan indulgence, Gondor richness. Food that leans generous and satisfying, designed for settling in rather than moving on too quickly. Hobbits eat early and often. Dwarves favour bold, indulgent flavours. Rangers keeping things simple and well chosen. And somewhere in the mix, the quiet suggestion that a certain ring might not be entirely accounted for. The drinks keep things grounded. Local craft beers, classic pours, and a few special concoctions for those with a sense of adventure. Choose your path through three courses, entrée, main, dessert, with options that work whether you're a hobbit or a ranger. Costumes welcome. Just arrive hungry.

Corned silverside, with coleslaw, Pickle & Pie pickles, tomato, cheddar, and mustard sauce in a brioche bun, with kūmara fries and aioli.

Beef brisket patty, with peanut butter bacon jam and a pineapple-citrus jam in a Breadcraft brioche bun.

Phở broth braised pork belly, with melted cheese, bacon, pickles, and sweet 'n' spicy honey mayonnaise in a Brezelmania brioche bun, with fries and Vietnamese beef stew dipping sauce.

Za'atar-crusted beef patty, with smoked scamorza, cos lettuce, pickled radish, and eggplant moutabel mayonnaise in a Wellington Sourdough sesame milk bun, with tomato salted fries.