First it was the coffee, now it's food that has put Wellington on the international traveller's map.

In a neighbourhood guide for the intrepid traveller, National Geographic has named Wellington among six top global cities for food lovers in an effort to gauge "the best eats on (almost) every continent".

In 2014, CNN rated Wellington's coffee among the best in the world, but now the cuisine has been held in equally high esteem.

Well-known Cuba St haunts such as Matterhorn, Olive, and Logan Brown have been labelled "hidden gems", alongside the slightly more unassuming Laundry bar.

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Matterhorn co-owner and executive chef  Sean Marshall said: "It's nice to know people think Wellington's got a real nice feel about it.

"The places that have the X factor are doing their own thing."

Laundry, a former dry cleaner's, has been singled out for a "weirder choice", with special mention given to the bar's jerk chicken and gumbo.

Lyall Bay has been dubbed the best neighbourhood for beach eats.

Regular favourites Maranui and Spruce Goose are on the list, along with Seaview Takeaways.

Katie Richardson, co-owner at Maranui Cafe, said it was great to see Lyall Bay recognised as a food hub.

"On a fine day, the beach is packed. Lyall Bay comes alive.

"When I was a child, Lyall Bay had nothing in it, it was dead. [Now] it's such a great little place."

She said Seaview Takeaways was one of the mainstays of the bay.

"The woman has been there for so long, and she does do great fish and chips."

Wellington's smorgasbord of markets have been chosen for best DIY eats, with the Harbourside Market, Underground Market, and Wellington Sea Market the top picks.

Harbourside Market manager Fraser Ebbett said up to 25,000 people flocked there on a busy Sunday.

Wellingtonians were spoilt for choice for food options. "You can throw a dart and find a good restaurant, and you would be pretty unlucky to get a bad coffee."

He noted the website's line about the market being "around since 1920" was a little off.

"We've been going for 13 years. Although that part of town, off Courtenay Place, in older days food trucks used to drive in with their produce."

​Underground Market owner Helena Tobin said Wellington should be "justifiably proud" of its food scene.

"Wellington is a hotbed of deliciousness.

"I recently took a tourist from Central Europe around the city and he was really impressed and I thought: we're at the cutting edge here. 

"It's not our weather, it's our food and scenery."

THE LIST: 

Best neighbourhood for a food frenzy
Cuba St: Matterhorn, Olive, Logan Brown, Laundry

Best neighbourhood for beach eats
Lyall Bay: Maranui, Spruce Goose, Seaview Takeaways

Best neighbourhood for DIY eats
Wellington waterfront: Harbourside, Underground and Wellington Sea markets