The award-winning poolside restaurant of Halcyon House is one of the area's best, with chef Jason Barrett, formerly at Raes, at the helm. The sprawling space is rather (deliberately) cluttered, and the menu features locationally apt meals like kelp-baked fish with sea grapes and agnolotti with wild sea spinach. A vegan menu tempts, too.
The two-course breakfast ($55) is included for hotel guests, but it's a good intro for others. Wines come from small producers around the world; even Japan is represented. A seat at the bar with a winning cocktail and a plate of chips is itself an experience, where you'll get multicoloured root vegetables freshly crisped to order and served in a jar.
Paper Daisy is located in the beach town of Cabarita, approximately midway between Byron Bay and Tweed Heads.