19 Best Restaurants in North Coast, New South Wales

Dining at Arajilla Retreat at least once during a stay on Lord Howe Island is a must. The cuisine, which changes daily, uses fish straight from the ocean and lovely homegrown vegetables. Begin with a drink at the cozy bar, decked out just a little like a gentlemen's club with leather armchairs, and then take a seat at the restaurant with its white walls and one dramatic burgundy-color feature wall. The three-course menu changes weekly, based on what is fresh and in season, with the likes of sesame-crusted kingfish often on offer. Desserts are irresistible and may include black sticky rice with lychee sorbet, toasted coconut, and kaffir lime.

In-house guests take precedent over those not staying at the resort, so bookings are essential.

In this century-old farmhouse with distant views of Byron Bay the draw is upmarket Mod Oz cuisine blending Asian and Mediterranean flavors. Produce fresh from the owners' farm is featured on the ever-changing menus. There is always one meat dish and one seafood, like dry-aged bone in rib eye with tarragon bernaise or line caught fish roasted on citrus leaves, capers, olives. As the name suggests, the restaurant also has accommodations: the Dairy and the Sunrise House, two cottages with wonderful views, can both sleep up to eight people. The restaurant is located 5 km (3 miles) inland from Byron Bay at Ewingsdale.

Fish-and-chips don't come any fresher than those served at the fishermen's co-op near the breakwall on the northern side of the harbor in Coffs—everything on the menu is straight off the trawler. Although most of the retail space is given to sales of fresh seafood, you can buy freshly cooked (grilled, battered, or crumbed) fish-and-chips here, as well as calamari, fish cocktails, and salads. There are a few tables on a covered deck out front, but the best place to eat is perched on a rock on the nearby breakwall, staring out to sea.

Overlooking the harbor’s edge, here you'll find fresh produce and traditional Japanese fare. Serving up sashimi, sushi, and noodles, Nagisa is a popular weekend restaurant with a buzzy atmosphere. There's also a lively teppanyaki bar, where you'll be mesmerized by the talented chefs and incredible aromas of sizzling meats and fresh seafood.

This Byron Bay legend is bit of an all-rounder with a kiosk serving takeaway coffee and small breakfast eats like its homemade banana bread, and a fine-dining open-air dining room with sea views. On offer are some of the world's best wines with dishes like barbecue squid, kingfish sashimi, and saffron-infused mussels. For the meats eaters, try the dry-aged Scotch fillet served with wild mushrooms, wasabi leaf, and pickled turnip.

Offering authentic Spanish cuisine, featuring a menu brimming with traditional tapas like patatas bravas (fried potatoes in a spicy sauce) and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), as well as hearty dishes such as paella and grilled meats. The restaurant's vibrant ambience evokes the warmth and charm of Spain, with grand doors opening up to traditional Spanish interiors.

Located at the Lord Howe Island Museum and Visitor’s Centre, this is a popular café with those exploring Lord Howe’s history. There's traditional bacon and eggs for breakfast and light salads for lunch. And it's licensed so you can enjoy a glass of wine at lunchtime. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. 

By day, this is a stylish, contemporary café that packs in the crowds, thanks to its fabulously tasty meals. By night, it turns into a sophisticated bistro. Try the Corner Breakfast, which has everything from eggs the way you like them to ham hock--braised beans. Return for lunch or dinner and enjoy Wagyu beef steak or ricotta gnocchi. As the name suggests, it sits on a corner and is part of the Macquarie Waters Hotel & Apartments complex.

Perched right on Newcastle Beach, Estabar is known for its great coffee, organic foods, superb Spanish hot chocolate drinks, and wonderful gelato. Open all day from breakfast until sundown, it's a small space with little tables and a short menu, but it draws a big local following. Breakfast favorites are the porridge with poached fruits and brown sugar on the side, and the homemade baked beans; lunchtime salads include lentil, walnut, and feta. The views over Newcastle Beach, the closest one to the downtown area, are also delectable at any time and if you are lucky, you may see whales offshore in winter months.

This friendly vibrant café is found just outside of Byron and is a firm favorite with locals. It's surrounded by a beautiful garden and native trees with plenty of birds. The focus here is on serving ethical coffee and only local produce. The menu is 100% vegetarian and vegan but even if you're a meat eater you won't feel like you're missing out. Each dish is created with care and packed with flavor. Open every day from 7:30 am.

Opened on the site of the Merewether Beach's original surfhouse (a lifeguard station), this stunning three-story venue has fantastic ocean views from all three of its eateries. The ground floor café, pizza, and gelato bar are steps from the beach, while the top-level restaurant has expansive panoramas and is open for lunch and dinner. You might begin with the local Port Stephens oysters with shallot vinegar before moving on to a seafood main. The dessert list is extensive and the wine list features wines from the Hunter Valley. The café is open for all-day breakfast and lunch daily, offering burgers and salads.

With its vibrant and fun interiors, this casual eatery is as much about the food as it is the cocktails. There's small plates to share, including pork tacos and chicken wings. Or an extensive pizza menu or four types of burger. Salted caramel piña colada is a stand-out cocktail but the mixologists will create a custom-made drink from your preferences. As the sun goes down, this place becomes more lively.

For four generations Pinetrees has been opening its doors to visitors; the fresh meals available here are known widely, even by those who have never traveled to the island, with the lodge's cookbook a big hit with Australians. Pop into the lagoon-front lodge for a buffet lunch of assorted salads with the dish of the day, or drop in for dinner; the local kingfish is always a highlight. Don't miss the signature "fish fry " buffet with kingfish sashimi and sushi followed by a battered kingfish and chips. The five-course menu changes daily, but you can usually expect sushi, soup, fresh fish, lamb, and beef prepared with homegrown herbs and vegetables, followed by delicious desserts. Afternoon tea is also available.

Meaning "rural" in Italian, this lushly decorated restaurant with stunning views over Newcastle Beach is one of the shining stars in the city's expanding dining scene. The restaurant serves cuisine inspired by the Mediterranean, from the shores of northern Africa to the foothills of Tuscany. There's a wide range of vegan and vegetarian options. The rich, Spanish-inspired interior design includes a retro Mediterranean map on the wall, brass sculptures, and a tiled bar adorned with a bull's head, while the outdoor look is pure Australian beach culture.

This swank establishment is as close as Newcastle comes to having an iconic restaurant. Enclosed on three sides by glass and perched over the harbor on the busy esplanade, Scratchley's opened not long after the Honeysuckle precinct transformed Newcastle into a hip and happening place more than a decade ago. The restaurant has one of the best views in Newcastle and an extensive menu to please everyone. There's a four-course tasting menu matched with fine wines (A$150) with seared yellow fin tuna being a top dish. This is also the ultimate spot for seafood platters, which feature locally caught fare, costing A$215 for a two-person platter. Non–seafood fans have steaks, lamb cutlets, and corn-fed chicken breast dishes to consider, and a range of vegetarian options and Hunter Valley cheeses to sustain them.

This waterfront restaurant with views of Coffs Creek (which is spotlighted at night—look for stingrays swimming by) leaves no culinary stone unturned in its search for novel flavors. The menu in the open-air dining room includes dishes like duck leg confit, beer steamed mussels, and prawns with fresh pasta and spicy chili oil. If you want a table on the deck in summer, book ahead. Service is friendly and attentive.

Found at The Farm, a working property near the main entry point into Byron Bay, Three Blue Ducks is the sister restaurant to the hugely successful Sydney eatery of the same name. This is the perfect spot for breakfast or lunch, with the coffee counter always heaving. The farm-to-table movement is in full flow within this barn-style restaurant, with everything on the menu grown or butchered on-site. And nothing goes to waste here, with the chefs creating innovative dishes that ensure all parts of plant and animal are used. The chicken liver parfait is a must try and their take on a simple beef burger is really a culinary delight.

Named by locals as the best brunch in Newcastle, this iconic café has been in action for over 20 years and is still as popular today. The menu is extensive, with everything from loaded cookies to savory beef mince on toast with poached eggs. It's best known for its unique smoothies, with 20 different varieties. Open every day from 7:30 am.