It is said that Wellington has more cafés and eateries per head of population than any other city in the world. But what can you buy to eat in, how good is it, and is it value-for-money?

Well, we're eating very well thank you. Not only does Simone have good access to German comforts, but our local New World offers an impressive range of local favourites (kumara, yams, tamarillo, feijoa, Vegemite, etc.) and international (especially Asian) treats. It goes without saying that some imported foods are more expensive. Basic foods will also vary in price and quality depending on where you shop (and where you shop can offer quite a different consumer experience!). In general we spend approximately the same per week on groceries as we did in the UK, maintaining a similar diet—the difference being that it is relatively harder to earn the $NZ to pay for it. We could easily continue to eat healthily but more frugally, but chose not to.

Moore Wilson at the corner of Tory and College Street is good for fresh produce at wholesale prices. They mainly serve trade customers so many displayed prices are exclusive of GST (tax on goods and service), and those customers get preference at the checkouts. Both vegetables and meats are worthy of interest, as is the large selection of New Zealand wines.

Commonsense Organics on Wakefield Street are good for home-made muesli ingredients, and offer a good range of raw foodstuffs and some processed foods.

Meat On Tory is a butchery-cum-deli café with 3 butchers on-site. Delicacies on offer include gammon wrapped in venison, free-range chicken cushions, garlic and wine or duck and shitake mushroom sausages.

A stuffed "chicken cushion" from MOT ready to roast with yams

Le Bella Italia on Nevis Street is out-of-town in Petone, but is the place to go if you like Italian (fresh pasta, meats, wines and other specialities).

There is an fruit and vege market on Willis Street every Sunday morning, just across from our flat, and this provides a handy alternative to getting in the car for supplies. The market is popular with Wellington's Asian community, and it can be hard to know how some of the vegetables should be prepared.

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