Margot

About Margot

Margot is a bar and restaurant in Newtown, Wellington, built around a fresh, seasonal menu that the team describes as a constant work in progress. The kitchen focuses on seasonal produce, so dishes change often, with a sample autumn menu spanning bread and shared plates through to cheese and dessert.

Alongside the food, Margot runs an interesting, well-travelled wine list covering sparkling, white, orange, rosé, chilled red and red wines from New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa and Australia, plus a dedicated vermouth and sherry selection, sake and umeshu. The beer list includes taps and a range of cans and bottles from local and favourite breweries, and the cocktail menu features original creations such as Margot's Martini and a Feijoa Highball, several with non-alcoholic versions available.

Margot ensures there is always a good range of options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free guests, and encourages anyone with other dietary restrictions to get in touch ahead of a booking.

Margot: A Seasonal Bar & Restaurant in Newtown, Wellington

Margot sits in Newtown, Wellington, describing itself simply as a bar and restaurant with a menu that is fresh, seasonal, and a constant work in progress. That last phrase is doing real work — the kitchen changes its offering often, built around what's good in the season rather than a fixed printed menu.

A Seasonal, Produce-Led Kitchen

The sample autumn menu shows a kitchen working across small and shared plates, from a simple tin of Ortiz anchovies with bread and butter through to a terrine of confit chicken and tarragon, mushroom parfait with pickled onion, and gnocco fritto with sliced meats. Vegetable-forward dishes sit comfortably alongside them — beetroot with sunflower seed, hazelnut and dill, buttercup pumpkin with quince and radicchio, and sprouting broccoli with sunflower seed and breadcrumbs.

Seafood and meat dishes round out the savoury side: raw trevally with buttermilk, horseradish and watercress, chopped raw beef with caramelised onion and parmesan, poached gurnard with soubise and a pickled grape dressing, and a steak served with butternut and peppercorn sauce. To finish, there's a washed rind cheese from Wildfire with fig jam, a dark chocolate ganache with pumpkin ice cream and hazelnuts, baked cheesecake with pear, and a feijoa sorbet.

Margot makes a point of ensuring there is always a good range of options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free guests, and asks that anyone with other dietary restrictions get in touch ahead of a booking.

A Wine List Worth Exploring

The drinks side of Margot is built around what it calls an interesting wine list, spanning sparkling, white, orange, rosé, chilled red and full red wines. Bottles come from New Zealand regions like Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, Martinborough, Central Otago and Nelson, alongside selections from France, Italy, Spain, South Africa and Australia. There's also a dedicated vermouth and sherry section, along with sake and umeshu in several styles.

Cold Beer and Original Cocktails

True to its own description of cold beer, Margot pours Raptor APA and Sundog Pilsner on tap, plus a rotating range of cans and bottles from breweries including Parrot Dog, Urbanaut, Brood Fermentation, Garage Project and Heaps Normal — including several low and no-alcohol options.

The cocktail list leans original: Margot's Martini combines olive oil washed gin with Ortiz anchovy oil and dry vermouth, with the option to add an anchovy gilda. Other creations include a Feijoa Highball with Chi Chi vodka and Manzanilla sherry, a Jalapeño Margarita, and a Nectarine Aperol Spritz. Several cocktails, including the Jalapeño Margarita and Palma, are also available in non-alcoholic versions, alongside a dedicated Virgin Paloma.

Visiting Margot

Margot is located at 3 Wilson Street in Newtown, with an entrance via Wilson Street off Riddiford Street. It's open Tuesday to Friday from 5pm until late, and Saturday from 3pm until late. Bookings can be made online, and gift vouchers are also available.

Signature items

• Margot's Martini
• Raw Trevally, Buttermilk, Horseradish
• Poached Gurnard, Soubise
• Steak, Butternut, Peppercorn Sauce
• Feijoa Sorbet
• Interesting Wine List

Menu

Beer

• Beer on Tap — Raptor APA and Sundog Pilsner on tap, half or full pint.
• Parrot Dog Range — Cans and bottles including Yellowhammer Hazy Pale Ale, Birdseye Hazy IPA, Lager, Bitterbitch IPA and Stout.
• Other Favourites — A rotating range of beers from breweries including Urbanaut, Brood Fermentation, Garage Project and Heaps Normal, including low and no-alcohol options.

Wine

• Sparkling Wine — New Zealand, French, Italian and Champagne sparkling wines by glass or bottle.
• White Wine — A range of whites from New Zealand, Italy, France, Australia and South Africa, including Arneis, Albariño, Riesling and Chardonnay styles.
• Orange Wine — Skin-contact orange wines from New Zealand, Hawke's Bay and South Australia.
• Rosé & Chilled Red — Rosé and chilled red wines from Hawke's Bay, Central Otago and South Australia.
• Red Wine — Reds spanning New Zealand Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir to French, Italian, Spanish and South African varieties.
• Sweet Wine — Sweet wines including Sauternes, Visner, Tawny Port and Pedro Ximenez sherry.

Savoury

• A Tin of Ortiz Anchovies with Bread and Butter — Ortiz anchovies served with bread and butter.
• Terrine of Confit Chicken & Tarragon, Bread — Confit chicken and tarragon terrine served with bread.
• Mushroom Parfait, Pickled Onion, Parsley, Toast — Mushroom parfait with pickled onion, parsley and toast.
• Gnocco Fritto, Sliced Meats — Fried Italian dough pillows served with sliced meats.
• Onion Rings, Pecorino, Black Pepper Mayo — Onion rings with pecorino and black pepper mayo.
• Stracciatella, Persimmon, Endive — Stracciatella cheese with persimmon and endive.
• Beetroot, Sunflower Seed, Hazelnut, Dill — Beetroot with sunflower seed, hazelnut and dill.
• Buttercup, Quince, Radicchio, Almond — Buttercup pumpkin with quince, radicchio and almond.
• Sprouting Broccoli, Sunflower Seed, Breadcrumbs — Sprouting broccoli with sunflower seed and breadcrumbs.
• Celeriac, Burnt Onion Consomme, Walnut Dressing — Celeriac in burnt onion consomme with walnut dressing.
• Raw Trevally, Buttermilk, Horseradish, Watercress — Raw trevally with buttermilk, horseradish and watercress.
• Chopped Raw Beef, Caramelised Onion, Parmesan, Crisps — Chopped raw beef with caramelised onion, parmesan and crisps.
• Spencer Gold Potatoes, Miso Caesar Dressing — Spencer Gold potatoes with a miso Caesar dressing.
• Poached Gurnard, Soubise, Pickled Grape Dressing — Poached gurnard with soubise and a pickled grape dressing.
• Steak, Butternut, Peppercorn Sauce — Steak served with butternut and peppercorn sauce.

Cocktails

• Margot's Martini — Olive oil washed gin, Ortiz anchovy oil, dry vermouth, olive brine — can add an Ortiz anchovy gilda.
• Feijoa Highball — Chi Chi vodka, Manzanilla sherry, feijoa, lime, soda.
• Jalapeño Margarita — Jalapeño tequila, lime, agave, salt. Non-alcoholic version available.
• Nectarine Aperol Spritz — Aperol, nectarine, soda, sparkling wine.
• Palma — Quince, Olorosso sherry, Amaro Montenegro, tonic. Non-alcoholic version available.
• 'Plum Te Mes' — Penguin's Crossing gin, plum, Punt e Mes vermouth, tonic.
• Plane & Sour — Bourbon, Cappelletti, Rabarbaro rhubarb amaro, grapefruit, lemon, cardamom bitters, egg white.
• King-Stone Negroni — Coconut washed dark rum, Campari, red vermouth, wild cherry wine.
• Via Amara — Rye whiskey, Aperol, Cynar artichoke bitter, sweet vermouth, Fontbonne herbal liqueur.
• Virgin Paloma (Non-Alcoholic) — Grapefruit, lime, agave, soda, chilli salt.

Cheese & Dessert

• Wildfire Washed Rind Cheese, Fig Jam, Crackers — Washed rind cheese from Wildfire with fig jam and crackers.
• Dark Chocolate Ganache, Pumpkin Ice Cream, Hazelnuts — Dark chocolate ganache with pumpkin ice cream and hazelnuts.
• Baked Cheesecake, Pear — Baked cheesecake served with pear.
• Feijoa Sorbet — House feijoa sorbet.

Sodas & Non-Alcoholic

• House Made Soda — House made soda, enquire for current flavour.
• Santa Vittoria Aranciatta Rossa or Chinnotto — Italian sparkling soft drink.
• Six Barrel Soda Ginger Ale — Craft ginger ale.
• Lemmy Lemonade — House lemonade.
• Quina Fina Tonic — Tonic water.
• Antipodes Sparkling Mineral Water (1L Bottle) — Sparkling mineral water.
• Supreme Filter Coffee — Filter coffee.
• T Leaf Tea — Loose leaf tea.

Vermouth, Sherry & Sake

• Vermouth & Sherry Selection — A range of vermouths, sherries and ports including Lillet Blanc, Cocchi and Tio Pepe Fino.
• Sake & Umeshu — Junmai sake and umeshu including yuzu, sour and spicy styles.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of food does Margot serve?

A fresh, seasonal menu of small and shared plates that changes often based on seasonal produce, plus cheese and dessert options.

What are Margot's opening hours?

Tuesday to Friday from 5pm until late, and Saturday from 3pm until late.

Does Margot cater to dietary restrictions?

Yes, there is always a good range of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free options. For other restrictions, contact Margot ahead of your booking.

Does Margot have non-alcoholic drink options?

Yes, several cocktails such as the Jalapeño Margarita and Palma have non-alcoholic versions, plus a dedicated Virgin Paloma and a range of sodas.

What is Margot known for on the drinks list?

An interesting wine list covering sparkling, white, orange, rosé and red wines, alongside vermouth, sherry, sake, cold beer and original cocktails.

Can I book a table at Margot?

Yes, bookings can be made online through Margot's website.

Where is Margot located?

In Newtown, Wellington, at 3 Wilson Street, with an entrance via Wilson Street off Riddiford Street.

Tips

• {"body":"The menu changes often with seasonal produce, so ask what's currently being served rather than expecting a fixed menu.","title":"Ask about the current seasonal menu"}
• {"body":"The house signature cocktail is an olive oil washed gin martini with Ortiz anchovy oil — order an anchovy gilda alongside it.","title":"Try Margot's Martini"}
• {"body":"There are always vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free options, but contact Margot ahead if you have other dietary restrictions.","title":"Check ahead for dietary needs"}
• {"body":"Margot is open Tuesday to Saturday evenings only, so book ahead via the website, especially for Saturday from 3pm.","title":"Book online in advance"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free options always available; contact ahead for other restrictions"}