The Runholder — Restaurant in Martinborough Community

We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better place to host our wedding reception. A friend had recommended it when we were having trouble finding the right venue in Wellington, so we thought we would test it out for lunch, and it was phenomenal! From the very moment we stepped into The Runholder, we knew it was the perfect spot for our special day. The venue itself is absolutely stunning — with a beautiful modern vibe and lots of space — and it provided an amazing backdrop for our reception dinner.

The food? Absolutely phenomenal. Our guests are still talking about how delicious everything was. We opted for the set menu and everything on it was so delicious! We also kept getting pulled away from our meal for photos and conversations with our guests and Erin the venue manager was so cute reminding us to eat and making sure we actually got to taste everything! Erin worked with us on our guests dietary preferences, and it was seamless. Everyone was well-fed and completely satisfied and there were heaps of options for the kids.

What really stood out to us, though, was the incredible service we received. Of course Erin is absolutely amazing, but it showed a true culture of service as all of the staff were not only friendly and attentive, but they went above and beyond in every way. We had people coming up to us the next day, sharing multiple stories of the little things the team did to make our day even more special. From ensuring everything ran smoothly to taking care of all the small details, we felt completely at ease knowing we were in such capable hands.

One of the things we were most grateful for was the fact that The Runholder took care of all our decorations. They set everything up beautifully and executed our vision perfectly, I literally just dropped the boxes off with my instructions and it was all taken care of. We had full trust in them, and they absolutely delivered – it was exactly what we had dreamed of. They also cleared the tables on one side of the restaurant and accommodated a last minute request for a DJ and saxophonist and it was fantastic vibes.

Overall, Erin and the team at The Runholder made everything so easy and simple, which allowed us to focus on enjoying our day rather than worrying about logistics. We’re so grateful for everything they did, and our wedding day was everything we hoped for – thanks to them. We highly recommend The Runholder to any couple looking for a stress-free, beautiful, and unforgettable place to celebrate their big day!

We don't have all the photos back from the day but I've added a couple - they don't really do justice to the space though, truly need to see it...

Dinner party of 8 Sat 6th April. Everything was beautiful, the service, the food, the atmosphere. We met Tim (head chef) who was very friendly and took the time to talk to us. MK was our main waitress and she was just lovely. She was friendly and always smiling and if she didn't know the answer to a question she wouldn't hesitate to go and find out which we appreciated. We had a 2nd waitress (forgot her name) and she was also very helpful. There was a 3rd waitress who could do with a bit of humility though. She was disrespectful of her peers (something I loath) and dismissive of any comments my friends (who know their wines) would make and would roll her eyes at them. She boasted about being in the wine industry for 7yrs and other stuff but we tuned her out after a few mins. She was unprofessional and the only distateful thing of the evening. I still gave 5 stars because MK was just awesome. The food was glorious! Tender, full of flavour and just a pleasure to consume and we didnt have to wait long either. There were a few other diners and we had the biggest table so waiting time was pretty good. We also had a vegetarian with us who loved her meal and left very satisfied. I had the beef for my main and the cured fish as a starter SO YUMMY!! I couldnt fault them. We all agreed that the portions were "generous" too, which everyone loves right?! Theres a lovely balcony where we sat after dinner to enjoy the roaring fire and the stars. Lots of clean open space in the dinning room which was fab. The bathrooms are unisex single cubicles, one larger with a changing table for babies. Tidy and clean enough. Parking was good, plenty of space as it wasn't booked out but it seemed like a steady night for them. I was sober driver so I spent around $70 for a starter and a main, very reasonable. A lovely place, and I would...

My partner and I held our wedding reception at The Runholder in January 2025 and we couldn't have been happier with the evening. The Runholder is a magnificent venue with a wonderful vibe, amazing staff, and 5-star food - we are so glad we chose The Runholder to host our reception dinner and evening.

The venue itself is spacious, light, and immaculately designed. It is large enough to host everyone comfortably in one space, but has more private areas (including the spectacular cellar door and outside area with fire pit) for guests to have some quieter/private time. We love the design and aesthetics of The Runholder too and that was a big part in us choosing them for our reception. It is picturesque and inviting.

The staff throughout the planning period and on the night were amazing - always warm and welcoming and eager to help, and doing their best to make our day as enjoyable as possible. Erin - the Venue Manager - was exceptional in helping us organising the day and made sure everything was set up just how we wanted it. She took a lot of the stress out for us and made things easy. Thank you Erin!

And the food was amazing. It was presented beautifully and tasted phenomenal - absolutely perfect for a wedding reception. We will of course be back many times in future just for the food!

We are so happy with how our wedding reception evening went with The Runholder and highly recommend them for anyone looking for a truly wonderful venue, or anyone just wanting an awesome place to have lunch or dinner. Thank...