A foodie's guide to Visa Wellington On a Plate 2018

We're calling it – August is for feasting. With Visa Wellington On a Plate tempting our tastebuds, the Dish team decide to round up seven delicious ways to make the most of this year's schedule.

Gourmands rejoice – Visa Wellington On a Plate is almost here.

Now in its 10th year, this year's instalment is set to be bigger, tastier and more tantalising than ever, with more than 140 unique events and a whole host of foodie offerings running across 17 decadent days. To keep things simple for you, we've leafed through this year's official programme and – with a squeal of excitement – present our Dish staff picks.

From the annual Beervana Festival to a truly quirky photographic exhibition, here are seven deliciously dedicated ways to enjoy our favourite fixture on the annual culinary calendar. We suggest you diarise the following:

1. Eat your way through the capital's best burgers
When: Throughout August.
Where: City-wide
Price: Prices vary.
A festival drawcard, this year's Burger Wellington is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a collaborative cookbook. In keeping with previous years, bars and restaurants from around the city are set to get behind the burger, featuring their truly unique burger submissions on the menu throughout the festival. Punters are then invited to vote for their favourites online. Consider this delicious offering mandatory.

2. Sample the brews at Beervana
When: Friday 10 and Saturday 11 August, 11am–4pm & 6pm–11pm.
Where: Westpac Stadium,105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington CBD.
Price: $45 GA, $75 GA (including $30 credit), $145 all four sessions (including $30 credit).
Craft-beer lovers will be spoiled for choice at the country's largest dedicated beer festival. This unmissable showcase of epic proportions will see you sample special one-off brews from around the country and the globe, interact with brewers and outrageous brewery displays, try colourful and imaginative beer concoctions of every description, and tuck in to a whole truckload of food to match. For more, see here.

3. Satisfy your culture fix at Henry Hargreaves 'Birthdays That Will Never Come' exhibition
When: Friday 17 and Saturday 18.
Monday 20 – Saturday 25 August, 10am–5pm.
Sunday 19 and Sunday 26 August 11am–4pm.
Where: Precinct35, 35 Ghuznee St, Te Aro, Wellington CBD.
Price: Free entry (tickets not required).
The culture vultures among us got rather excited when we first heard about Henry Hargreaves' unique photographic exhibition. The renowned New Zealand-born, New York-based photographer and food artist will showcase a photographic exhibition of cakes and nostalgia for the 10th anniversary. Henry's work celebrates the ‘uncelebratable’ birthdays of baby names submitted, but then declined in New Zealand. Quirky and truly unique, this is one exhibit we're not willing to miss. See here for details.

4. Enjoy a world-class tipple at Cocktail Wellington
When: Throughout August.
Where: City-wide.
Price: Prices vary.
Another return instalment, Cocktail Wellington brings out the city's maestros of mixology, throughout the month of August. Sip your way around a lip-smacking line-up of cocktail creations and rate your favourites online. All cocktails have a non-alcoholic sibling, should you so desire. If that isn't a good enough reason to drag you out of hibernation, we don't know what is. Visit here for details.

5. Catch a culinary collab
When: Throughout August.
Where: City-wide.
Price: Event prices vary.
From Attica's Ben Shewry at the Shack to Cumulus Inc. taking over Egmont St. Eatery, last year's culinary collabs seriously raised the bar. This year, we're expecting big things in the way of collaboration. Chef Al Brown is set to take over Boulcott Street Bistro with his signature, street-food inspired cuisine. Chameleon Restaurant's award-winning Chef de Cuisine Paul Limacher is joined by Chef Kenny Trinh of Adelaide's well-known Japanese restaurant Shiki, to bring guests a dining experience to remember, while Melbourne's own Dan Hong and Matt Swinhoe will collaborate with the award-winning team at Mr Go's. On the home-front, Egmont St Eatery will team up with head chef Casey McDonald of Craggy Range, while Anna Hansen, head chef and owner of London’s famed Modern Pantry will join forces with Amy Gillies, head chef and owner of Wellington’s Brooklyn-based Salty Pidgin, combining their culinary prowess for one sublime offering. To view the full chef collab line-up, see here.

6. Go grassroots with Hiakai Hangi
When: Sunday August 19, 4.30pm–8.30pm.
Where: The Lodge at Shelly Bay, 100 Shelly Bay Road,
Maupuia, Wellington Suburbs.
Price: $225 per person, includes four-courses with wine and cider matches.
Think traditional hāngi, but not as you know it. Join five top Kiwi and international chefs and gather around the hāngi pit for a unique celebration of Polynesian culture and culinary traditions, passed down through generations. Hiakai, meaning 'hungry' in Te Reo, will offer diners four courses of slow-cooked kai, accompanied by Tutū cider, Kono and Tohu wine, alongside entertainment at dusk, overlooking the glittering Wellington Harbour. Leading the charge is renowned Kiwi chef Monique Fiso, who will joined by fellow Kiwi culinary master Michael Meredith, Los Angeles' Ron Finley, Morgan McGlone of Melbourne and UK chef James Knappett. This one-of-a-kind offering will blow your mind (and delight your tastebuds) while reinventing the way you interpret age-old Maori practice. For more, see here.

7. Explore the pop-up scene
When: Throughout August.
Where: City-wide
Price: Prices vary.
In keeping with last year's pop-up offerings, those heading to the capital this year can expect a whole lot more toast, more celebrity chefs and a quirky line-up than ever before. The best thing about pop-ups? They're the gift that keeps on giving, allowing plenty of time to check out the culinary action. With events like Pie and Pinot (a celebration of the ultimate pastry-laden food match), the burger takeover at Shepherd, the now-famous opportunity to enjoy a gourmet takeaway lunch designed and prepared by prisoners from Rimutaka Prison, mentored by renowned chef Martin Bosley. Performance art pieces from Wellington's own New Zealand-based Mexican artist Raul Ortega Ayala, and a free outdoor screening of some of the best episodes of Viceland's F*ck, That's Delicious – complete with an Action Bronson doppelgänger – there's something for everyone to sink their teeth into. For more pop-ups, see here.

To learn more about Visa Wellington On a Plate, see this year's schedule or to secure your tickets, visit their website here.