Byron Bay’s best places to eat and drink

It’s been a popular destination for hippies, surfers and celebrities for decades, but in more recent times its chefs who have been flocking to the Byron Bay region in droves, enticed by the promise of exotic fruit and vegetables grown in its rich volcanic soil, freshly caught seafood and a pervading sustainable ethos. Foodies quickly followed, creating a thriving culinary scene that includes farm-to-table favourites, beachfront fine diners and innovative Asian eateries. There are so many great places to eat and drink here that this is by no means a definitive list, but here are a few we think are worth checking out.

Raes Dining Room

Cabbage, but make it sensational, at Raes on Wategos.

Beachfront dining at its best
If there’s one place to splash out on a fancy meal during a visit to Byron Bay, this is it. Perched on a hill overlooking Wategos Beach within the whitewashed walls of boutique hotel Raes on Wategos, it offers a Mediterranean-influenced menu curated to perfection by executive chef Jason Saxby. Choose from the three-course à la carte option or six-course tasting menu, which includes such dishes as kangaroo tartare, tomato tagliolini with seared coral prawns and shellfish and a lemon meringue bomb. Prefer something a bit more casual? Grab a lobster roll or an antipasto platter to share on the terrace at The Cellar Bar downstairs.
6-8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See raes.com.au/diningroom

Top Shop

Top Shop Byron Bay – no relation to the fast fashion brand.Credit: Destination NSW

Locals’ favourite old-school milk bar
Sitting on the grass soaking up the sunshine alongside the salty-haired surfers at Top Shop is a quintessential Byron Bay experience. With strategically placed signs with QR codes dotted across the lawn, you don’t even have to venture inside if you don’t want to. If you do, you’ll find walls decorated with surfboards and wooden tables adorned with sunflowers in vases. Sun-kissed staff serve up healthy meals, like Açai brekkie bowls and chia bowls with fruit smoothies in the mornings, and hearty burgers, prawn rolls, grilled sandwiches, and salads later on.
65 Carlyle St, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See topshopbyronbay.com.au

Moonlight

Oysters with a tozasu jelly and other delectables at Moonlight Byron Bay.

Hip hibachi grill
With a crescent-shaped neon moon at the end of the bar complementing the dark interiors and biodynamic wines chosen according to the lunar cycle, it’s fair to say this slick Japanese hibachi grill lives up to its name. You can book a booth or dine al fresco on the verandah, but for the full experience perch on one of the black leather stools at the bar and watch the bartenders mixing cocktails and pouring sake from some of the oldest breweries in the world as you snack on such delights as pickled cucumber, watermelon sashimi, beef tataki, crab rolls and caramelised miso eggplant.
Bay Lane, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See moonlightbar.com.au

The Hut

Ideal for a long lunch.

Mediterranean cooking and country style
It’s worth making the drive to Possum Creek – the hinterland hideaway that Paul Hogan and his ex-wife Linda Kozlowski once called home – for a long lunch at this breezy farm-to-table restaurant. Located in a former schoolhouse, its Mediterranean-inspired menu features everything from raw seafood such as tuna crudo to burrata with black truffle and beef ragu tagliatelle. Even if you aren’t a vegetarian, it’s worth checking the vegan menu for such surprises as a creamy baba ganoush, while Nonna Linda’s Tiramasu, which comes from Italian chef Bruno Conti’s grandma’s recipe book, is a must-try for dessert.
471 Friday Hut Road, Possum Creek. See thehutbyronbay.com.au

North Byron Hotel

The beer garden at North Byron Hotel.

Byron’s best beer garden

Grab a table in the spacious beer garden or roll out a picnic rug on the grass to soak up the laidback vibes at this refurbished gastro pub just down the road from Elements of Byron resort in the trendy North Beach precinct. It’s also the best place around to take the kids, who can run wild in the outdoor playground as you nibble on wood-fired pizzas, kingfish crudo or pub classics whilst enjoying the live music. It’s even prettier at nighttime, when fairy lights twinkle above, and they serve a killer Sunday roast. Dogs are also welcome.
61 Bayshore Dr, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See northbyronhotel.com.au

Bang Bang

Atmospheric Asian eatery
A busy restaurant is always a good sign, and this Asian fusion diner is about as bustling as they come. Sure, it’s in a prime position in the heart of town, but it also oozes ambience, with crumbling paint on the walls and exposed pipes juxtaposing with candlelit marble tables and crystal chandeliers. The food, though, is the real drawcard. The menu is divided into “little bangs” (prawn toast, salt and pepper squid, Korean popcorn chicken), and “big bangs”, such as sticky pork belly, barbecue cauliflower and braised beef ribs, as well as wok-fried dishes, curries and salads.
4/1 Byron St, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See bangbangbyronbay.com

Light Years

A fresh, contemporary take on Asian classics.

Fresh flavours at modern Asian diner
Order a selection of tasty share plates at this contemporary Asian eatery, which relocated from its original cosy site at the other end of town to a larger, lighter and brighter space in the upmarket Jonson Lane precinct in 2022. The venue has a fun and vibrant feel, with a large terrazzo bar at the entrance, stripey cushioned booths and terracotta tiles. The menu includes a range of delectable Asian staples, including dumplings, duck pancakes and san choy bow, alongside seafood temptations such as kingfish ceviche and prawn rolls that can be washed down with tropical drinks.
139 Jonson St, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See lightyearsasiandiner.com.au

You Beauty

Natty drops, guilt-free.Credit: Kenny Smith

Sustainable small plates in uber-cool wine bar
Worried about the impact you’re having on the planet? You can dine with a clear conscience at this tapas-style natural wine bar, safe in the knowledge that chef Matt Stone has done everything in his power to source the freshest available seasonal produce from local farmers and suppliers. The zero-waste warrior teamed up with the Mosey on Inn crew, who also own the Eltham Hotel and neighbouring pizzeria Ciao, Mate!, to open You Beauty on Bangalow’s main street in 2022. You’ll find everything from creative concoctions such as rooster and pork terrine and minced crocodile toast to pub-style classics like steak and chips.
37/39 Byron St, Bangalow. Phone: [phone]. See youbeauty2479.com

Trouble San

Japanese delectables by the creek.

Japanese-inspired eatery with river views
Watch holidaymakers swimming and kayaking in the creek across the road and kids jumping off the bridge at Brunswick Heads as you sip on sake or a creative cocktail and feast on mouthwatering Japanese cuisine. Immediately recognisable by its thatched awnings, which evoke a tiki bar vibe, Trouble San offers prettily presented sushi and sashimi, as well as street food favourites such as tempura eggplant sticks, crumbed salmon tataki and wagyu skewers.
2 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads. Phone: [phone]. See troublesan.com

Harvest Newrybar

A deli, bakery, bar and restaurant in one.Credit: Jess Kearney

Paddock-to-plate pioneer
In a converted Queenslander-style farmhouse in the historic village of Newrybar, this modern Australian restaurant began serving up vegetables grown in its edible garden and ingredients foraged from throughout the shire long before the farm-to-fork movement became mainstream. The fare changes with the seasons, but could include roasted pipis with lemon and gremolata, seared venison with finger lime and wild-caught fish with local greens and kombu (edible kelp). There’s also a deli where you can buy sourdough baked in a 120-year-old wood-fired oven, French pastries and house smoked pastrami, while the kids will love playing in the cubby house village out the back.
18-22 Old Pacific Highway, Newrybar. Phone: [phone]. See harvest.com.au

Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Al fresco pizza by the beach.

Iconic Aussie watering hole
There’s no better place to be on a sunny afternoon in Byron Bay than sipping a cold beer or Aperol spritz in the beer garden of this local institution, which takes up a prime corner position just across the road from Main Beach. Owned by Paul Hogan’s one-time manager John ‘Strop’ Cornell in the 1990s, The Beachy serves up pub classics like chicken parmigiana, fish and chips and pizza, as well as more exotic newcomers, like poke bowls and harissa roasted cauliflower. There’s live music on Sunday afternoons, when a good ol’ roast also graces the menu.
1 Bay Lane, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See beachhotel.com.au

Bar Heather

Natty drops and hatted food.

Parisian-inspired wine bar
It’s billed as a natural wine bar, but it’s former Sydney chef Ollie Wong-Hee who has been creating a stir with his clever cooking since Bar Heather opened in 2022, with such dishes as fried bread with spring onion, duck croquette and rib eye with seaweed bagna cauda. Of course, wine importers Tom Sheer and James Audas, who also run Luna Wine Store across the road, have also their done their bit to attract connoisseurs to the 60-seat restaurant in the Jonson Lane development by offering up drops from small, independent producers from across the globe.
G9 Jonson Lane, 139 Jonson St, Byron Bay. Phone: [phone]. See barheather.com