Source: Porirua City Council
Porirua had a strong showing in this year’s Visa Wellington On a Plate (WOAP), with 19 local businesses participating in Burger Wellington and five WOAP events hosted across the city.
Sushil’s Musclechef Café’s (Aotea) ‘A Culinary Tale of India’ was also the first WOAP festival event to sell out and Sushil and Elemental Eats (Kenepuru) secured places in the regional top 5, with Elemental Eats placing third overall out of 245 burgers and taking out the top spot for Porirua.
The campaign delivered a significant boost to the local economy, with 21,595 burgers sold and $602,498 generated in direct burger sales. This continues a strong upward trend, from $197,732 in 2024 to $364,415 in 2025, meaning direct burger sales in Porirua have more than tripled in two years. These figures exclude additional spending on drinks, sides, and other purchases.
Businesses reported attracting new customers from across the Wellington region and further afield, reinforcing WOAP’s value in bringing people into Porirua, increasing the city’s visibility, and supporting the local hospitality sector.
With Porirua accounting for just 8 per cent of the 245 Burger Wellington entries but securing two spots in the top 5 in the region, the city continues to punch above its weight on the regional food scene.