Dockside Restaurant & Bar sits inside Shed 3 on Queens Wharf, a timber building dating back to 1887 that is now listed as a heritage site by Wellington City Council. Originally a single-storey wharf warehouse, a second storey was added in the 20th century for Harbour Board tug boat staff, and Shed 3 is now one of the last of its kind still standing on Wellington's waterfront. Dockside itself was established here in 1991.
The restaurant is built around New Zealand cuisine, with a focus on the freshest seafood and finest local produce. Premium beef is dry-aged in house, giving diners the chance to try the cut of the day cooked to their liking, and the kitchen also runs a full 100% vegan, plant-based menu alongside its regular offering. All dietary requirements and allergies are catered for to the best of the kitchen's ability, with an allergen guide available on request.
Dockside is known for one of the largest outdoor dining areas over water in the Southern Hemisphere, and Wellington's changeable weather is factored in with a large retractable roof over the deck, so al fresco dining is possible in most conditions. The venue operates under a 'Supervised' Liquor License, meaning anyone under 18 must be accompanied by their own parent or legal guardian at all times on the premises.
Beyond everyday dining, Dockside caters for functions and weddings across three distinct spaces - the Upstairs Restaurant, a Private Room and the Main Deck - handling everything from intimate gatherings of 12 through to sit-down dinners for 150 or cocktail functions for up to 350 guests.
Few restaurants in New Zealand can claim a setting quite like Dockside's. Housed in Shed 3 on Queens Wharf, a timber wharf building dating back to 1887, Dockside Restaurant & Bar has been serving Wellington's waterfront since 1991. The building itself is now heritage-listed by Wellington City Council - one of the last surviving examples of the timber sheds that once lined the wharves between Taranaki Street and Pipitea Wharf. Originally a single-storey warehouse, a second storey was added in the 20th century to house Harbour Board tug boat staff, giving the current building its distinctive two-level form.
Dockside's outdoor deck is one of the largest over-water dining areas in the Southern Hemisphere, putting diners right on the water at Queens Wharf. Wellington's weather is famously changeable, so the deck is fitted with a large retractable roof, meaning the al fresco experience can continue even when the wind picks up. It's this combination of location and flexibility that has made the deck a drawcard for locals and visitors alike, particularly around events on the waterfront.
The kitchen's focus is squarely on New Zealand produce - fresh seafood and the best local ingredients available, with menus that shift with the seasons. Dockside dry-ages its own premium beef in house, giving guests the option of a cut of the day cooked exactly to their liking. Guests looking for something plant-based are equally well catered for, with a full 100% vegan menu alongside the standard offering, and the kitchen caters for other dietary requirements and allergies to the best of its ability, backed by an allergen guide available on request.
Menus span from a Daily A La Carte Menu and a weekend Brunch Menu through to Light Meals & Sharing Plates available all day. For special occasions, Dockside runs a Degustation Menu, with 5-course and 7-course premium options available with or without matched wines, bookable for parties of 2 to 40 with a minimum of 24 hours' notice.
Beyond a la carte dining, Dockside is set up to handle groups of every size. Parties of 12 or more select from a dedicated Set Menu - two courses from $74pp or three courses for $104pp - and larger groups are catered for with canapé and shared board menus designed for functions of 20 or more. Three distinct function spaces - the Upstairs Restaurant, a Private Room and the Main Deck - allow Dockside to host anything from an intimate dinner for 12 up to a sit-down dinner for 150 or a cocktail function for as many as 350 guests. The venue also caters for weddings, drawing on the same waterfront setting and heritage building that make it a distinctive choice for everyday dining.
Reviewers consistently call out the quality of the steak, the sharing platters and desserts, along with attentive, accommodating service - staff arranging sea-view tables at short notice, adjusting for special occasions like birthdays, and managing busy nights around Wellington's waterfront events without missing a beat. It's this mix of heritage setting, water views and dependable New Zealand cooking that keeps Dockside a fixture on the Wellington dining scene.
Dockside operates under a Supervised Liquor License, meaning anyone under 18 must be accompanied by their own parent or legal guardian at all times on the premises. Bookings can be made online or by phone, with the restaurant open Monday to Friday from midday and Saturday and Sunday from 11am, both running until late.