WELLINGTON

Say hello to Margot, an intimate new bar and restaurant led by Juno Miers and Tom Adam in the space in Newtown formerly occupied by Mason – they’ve also taken on Next Door, the bar which is, um, next door. Intercontinental Wellington welcomes Carl Maunder (right) as executive chef – he brings 20-years' experience working with chefs including Simon Gault and Sean Connolly. The café at Wellington Zoo has been taken over by Tom and Kate Hutchison and Cheryl Jolly of Mount Victoria mainstay Capitol, who are now offering a house-made, seasonal brunch and lunch menu for zoo-goers and Newtown locals. Now you can enjoy all your Syrian favourites in the CBD as Damascus relocates from Brooklyn. The Jaya’s has the intriguing promise of natural, organic, boutique New Zealand wines matched with Kiwi-indian sharing plates. Falafel Express is a new outpost of Café Laz on Cuba St.