From Kai meets Shoku, 2026. Photo by Smoke Events Photography.
Each year since 2009, Wellington's close-knit hospitality community has hosted Aotearoa’s largest food festival - Visa Wellington On a Plate.
This month-long festival sees the Greater Wellington region transform into a foodie's paradise; from the Kāpiti Coast to Porirua, across the Wairarapa through to the Hutt Valley, into the Wellington suburbs, and the CBD - there's hundred of options on offer.
There are three ways restaurants can participate in Visa Wellington On a Plate:
Ticketed Events
Non-Ticketed Events (AKA pop-ups or pay-on-consumption events)
Burger Wellington
Festival Events
Plan your Festival by choosing from hundreds of events, with everything from hands-on masterclasses to multi-course degustations, and everything in between.
Ticketed Events - these culinary experiences are set to feed, educate, and challenge your senses. Tickets will be available in June, so make sure to sign up to our newsletter for updates for when tickets will go on sale. Be sure to plan ahead as events often have limited numbers, and tickets sell quickly.
Non-Ticketed Events - These events do not require a ticket to attend, are free entry, and pay on consumption. You can try themed menus, creative delicacies or unique restaurant experiences. Just show up and have a good time!
Note: for some non-ticketed events reservations are available, contact the venue directly to confirm.
From Rodney Scott: Pitmaster, 2026. Photo by Smoke Events Photography.
Lazy Juan's Marites burger, our 2026 winner.
Burger Wellington
Burger Wellington is a region-wide competition celebrating all things burger! Hundreds of venues invent their own burger for the public to savour over for three weeks in the month of August, before the public votes get counted revealing our five finalists. From there, our special judges try each final burger to choose our grand winner, and burger of the year!
You’ll get to taste and rate all the burger goods across three delicious weeks. The only question that remains: who will be crowned with burger glory?
FESTIVAL THEME
Every year Visa Wellington On a Plate serves up a new festival theme to inspire participating venues and event organisers to create one-off menus, burgers, and Festival Events. The theme marks a moment in time and inspires an exciting and unique programme each year.
From the Burger Wellington judging day, 2026.
Visa Wellington On a Plate is brought to you by the Wellington Culinary Events Trust, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting our local hospitality industry.
