Must-see restaurants in Byron Bay & Northern NSW

  • Fleet

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Fleet, one of Australia's most cultish dining destinations, seats just 14 guests for communal dining in its effortlessly stylish space – its genuine…

  • Seating is mainly in the large, covered outdoor area

    Three Blue Ducks at the Farm

    Byron Bay

    The legendary Sydney team behind Three Blue Ducks moved up north to showcase its paddock-to-plate food philosophy. Their heaving barn cafe and restaurant…

  • Chihuahua, hole-in-the-wall in an arcade off Jonson Street

    Chihuahua

    Byron Bay

    Ignore the rather un-Byron arcade location of Chihuahua to delight fully in the supremely fresh and tasty Mexican on offer. The nachos with slow-cooked,…

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    Bay Leaf Café

    Byron Bay

    Squeeze into this busy cafe and relax: everything is made with remarkable attention to detail and a passion for produce and the environment. Breakfasts,…

  • Paper Daisy

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    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…

  • Balcony Bar

    Byron Bay

    The eponymous architectural feature here wraps around the building and gives you tremendous views of the passing Byron parade (and the ever-busy traffic…

  • St Elmo

    Byron Bay

    Perch on a stool at this moody modern tapas restaurant, where bar staff can whip up inventive cocktails or pour you a glass of wine from the largely…

  • Town Restaurant & Cafe

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Upstairs (Uptown, if you will) is one of northern NSW's perennially excellent restaurants, serving a seven-course degustation menu carefully and…

  • Shelter

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    One of the region's tastiest offerings, head here for generous lashings of entrees (like 'eat 'em whole' Clarence River school prawns) and sides like…

  • Punch & Daisy

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    The coffee – using organic beans locally roasted by Moonshine – is the best in town at this delightful cafe with a relaxed rear garden. Dishes range from…

  • Fiasco

    Coffs Harbour

    Upmarket Italian fare is prepared in an open kitchen using produce from the best local suppliers and herbs from the restaurant's own garden. Expect…

  • Yami

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Yami, appropriately pronounced 'yummy', dishes up some of the crispiest felafel and most flavoursome Middle Eastern vegetarian food you'd never expect to…

  • Belle General

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Out of town opposite Shelly Beach, this destination cafe attracts local and travelling bohemians and their respective entourages. Bliss out over eggs on…

  • The Loft

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Slink into this split-level, dark, moody and intimate laneway spot to dine on fine Modern Australian dishes to a backdrop of street-art-mural feature…

  • Harvest

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Putting the tiny hinterland town of Newrybar on the map is Harvest: a restaurant in a rustic open-air Queenslander with a 'wild harvest' menu inspired by…

  • Ballina Gallery Cafe

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Sit out underneath the mango tree, or admire the art inside Ballina's 1920s former council chambers while enjoying some of Ballina's best produce. The…

  • Che Bon

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Relocating from the country town of Tintenbar to the rather suburban centre of Ballina, Che Bon, headed by chef Rodolphe who hails from Lyon, is a firm…

  • Old John's

    Coffs Harbour

    Join Coffs' cool kids propped up at the open window or on a street-side table sipping on the town's best coffee and digging into delights from a menu of…

  • Bread Social

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Bread Social's concession at Byron Bay's The Farm is the worst-kept secret; now the word is really out with this dedicated bakery and cafe, opened just a…

  • Beachwood Cafe

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Cookbook author Sevtap Yüce steps out of the pages to deliver her bold Turkish Flavours to the plate at this wonderful little cafe. Most of the tables are…

  • Milk & Honey

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    The wood-fire oven here turns out the best pizza in the region. Delicious combos such as pork and fennel sausage with chilli or field mushrooms, parmesan…

  • Nimbin Hotel

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    This classic boozer has a vast back porch overlooking a verdant valley with seats taken up by a slice of all Nimbin life. The Mended Drum Bistro serves…

  • Mavis's Kitchen & Cabins

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    The setting is sublime: a two-storey whitewashed wooden Queenslander house surrounded by gorgeous gardens and gazing at Wollumbin/Mt Warning. The country…

  • Modern Grocer

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Sit yourself at the communal table and tuck into a big breakfast, burger or sandwich at this mini-emporium that now takes up two lovely old shops back-to…

  • Doma Cafe

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    In a wooden building in the tiny town of Federal is not where you'd expect to find some of the region's best Japanese cuisine being served, yet here it is…

  • Raes Dining Room

    Byron Bay

    The sound of the surf perfectly sets off the excellent Mediterranean-influenced dishes at this exclusive little retreat overlooking Watego's Beach…

  • Bang Bang

    Byron Bay

    Byron's gone bonkers for Bang Bang and it's obvious why: outdoor eating on high benches, hot and tasty Asian food served up plate after sizzling plate and…

  • Il Buco Cafe & Pizzeria

    Byron Bay

    The best pizza in town with authentic thin-crust wood-fired pizzas sparingly topped with outstanding flavours using as much local produce as possible –…

  • Scratch Patisserie

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    All-organic flours, butters and fresh produce go into the region's favourite sourdough, beautiful pastries and gourmet sausage rolls, served along with…

  • Combi's gelato-coloured exterior

    Combi

    Byron Bay

    Melbourne clean-eating icon Combi has brought its signature raw, organic and highly Instagrammable drinks, cakes and breakfast and lunch bowls to this…

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    Beach

    Byron Bay

    Beach does triple duty as post-surf coffee stop, fish-and-chips or egg-and-bacon-roll kiosk, and Byron's best dining-with-a-view option overlooking…

  • Targa restaurant.

    Targa

    Byron Bay

    At this reliable spot, the menu takes you through the day casually from build-your-own-breakfasts to tasty lunch salads, pastas and steaks, and antipasto…

  • Japonaise has a cool, izakaya feel

    Japonaise

    Byron Bay

    This is no standard sushi takeaway: the bustling little space with its open kitchen and rustic communal tables is a proper slice of ultra-urban Osaka…

  • The popular sushi bar has a prime spot on Byron's main street

    Kinoko

    Byron Bay

    Choose something from the sushi train or let the Japanese chef slice up a plate of fresh sashimi at Byron's most popular Japanese place. You can also dig…

  • A private leafy path leads to the restaurant

    Italian Byron Bay

    Byron Bay

    Adjoining the Beach Hotel, this atmospheric Italian place has Med-resort vibes and turns out a reliable menu of authentic dishes to an appreciative…

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    Top Shop

    Byron Bay

    High up on the hill east of town, Top Shop has long been the choice of local surfers. Today it's a casually upmarket version of the old-school takeaway,…

  • With plenty of greenery and rustic finishes, Folk has a relaxed, holiday vibe

    Folk

    Byron Bay

    This delightful wooden-cottage cafe sits beside a busy caravan park but is a world unto itself, with a pretty garden setting and even prettier plating up…

  • Barrio

    Byron Bay

    The hip industrial decor at Barrio blends in well to its industrial estate surrounds, where Argentinian-chef Francisco Smoje serves a flavour-filled menu…

  • Safya

    Byron Bay

    This family-run spot gives cafe fare a fusion Med–Middle Eastern tweak – eggs with cumin-spiked butter, falafel and pita bread, and avocado toast dusted…

  • Milk Bar

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    A later than usual opening means this lovely cafe, with its rustic communal dining table and footpath seats, is all about the big brunch or late lunch, or…