August Promises an Affordable Feast

Wellington region’s biggest food festival is back for its 11th year this August, but this time it won’t be so far out of student’s budgets. 

Unlike previous years, Visa Wellington on a Plate will be running throughout the whole month of August, making it bigger than ever.

The highly anticipated burger competition will be making a big return from the 17th to the 31st of August. This time, more than 230 restaurants are serving up their unique interpretations of the popular dish for a wide range of prices.

The most affordable burger can be bought for $10 at Bao Boy on Willis St, and a cocktail for $12 at The Gardens of Alicetown.

Students with special diets won’t be starved for choice either. An impressive 49 restaurants will be serving vegetarian options and 24 are dishing up vegan alternatives. 

One venue offering a unique yet affordable burger is a previous winner of the burger competition, Mr Go’s, located on Taranaki St. Restaurant manager Jacob Ford believes that the festival has something enjoyable within anybody’s budget.

Ford gives a hint to students wanting to save money that lunchtime is the best option. 

Ford says the range of people who come to participate in the annual festival “is pretty broad,” and a lot of people travel from out of town. 

Restaurants’ preparation for this year’s festival started last year.

“We submitted our menu at the start of the year. It takes a lot of research and trial and error… Our burger was finalised yesterday, it’s very delicious and we’re all excited,” says Ford.

Mr Go’s will be dishing up their ‘Umami’ burger stacked with a tare-glazed beef patty, charred leek, iceberg lettuce, and dashi mayo on a homemade bun paired with furikake-salted skin-on fries, all for $20.