Restaurants, cafes and bars in Yeppoon, Queensland, rivalling Byron Bay

Whether it’s a Sunday morning breakfast on the deck overlooking the bay, or late night in a cosy wine bar, Yeppoon’s where all the eating action’s at. Take a look at some delicious options here.

Aside from the gorgeous scenery, Yeppoon has a lot going for it and in recent years, a massive food culture has emerged on the coast.

There’s the luxe The Rocks Yeppoon packed with glamour that overlooks the lagoon, or the quirky Pie Alley Blues – a live music venue and bar tucked down a side lane in the CBD.

If you’re into Mexican street food, The Citrus Club is the place to be and then there’s Whisk, a cafe with a cult following that serves up some of the most mouth-watering desserts you can imagine.

The trendy Baked on 44 is a surprising find in little Yeppoon – a traditional French style bakery offering an array of artisan bread, pastries, cheeses and even wine.

The Attic Espresso Bar – literally tucked away in an attic – is the perfect spot to sit back with a good book and enjoy a coffee.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The Morning Bulletin rang around a couple of Yeppoon eateries to see what would tempt the travellers and locals alike this weekend.

Due to Covid lockdowns further south, seasoned travellers are choosing to extend their stay in Central Queensland beyond their normal two or three weeks in exchange for a couple of months’ freedom.

Caravan parks report they are booked out months beyond the usual beginning of their quiet season.

The result for local restaurants is a surge in table bookings, and the praise of people accustomed to gourmet fare from capital city chefs.

Rocks Cafe Bar Restaurant, 3 Lagoon Place

“We meet great people who come through the restaurant from all over and some of them never even knew Yeppoon existed before this year,” said the trusty maitre d’ at The Rocks.

“Once they see the view from our restaurant they fall in love; once they taste the food, they come back again and again.”

Her top tips for the weekend? If the weather turns chilly, pick a table behind the glass and experience sweeping views of the ocean and the lagoon out of the wind.

Order one of the restaurant’s famous mojitos and choose from their new menu such delicious dishes as:

• Tuna tartare and salsa
• Tasmanian lobster, or
• Glazed lamb rack with roasted fennel and rosemary salt potatoes.

Vue Wine Bar, 32 Anzac Parade

Meanwhile, just a short stroll north, the Vue Wine Bar’s enjoying a “pumping trade”, according to the lovely Tanya.

“It’s full of lots of locals for this time of year as well as visitors from all around the state,” she said.

“And it’s always the best place for Mum and Dad to bring their little ones on a special occasion.”

Head chef Brock Clapin with chilli seafood linguine

She described the Vue Wine Bar’s new menu as “absolutely stunningly amazing”. Here are some pointers for your weekend entree selection:

• Japanese scallops on pork belly, truffle with cauliflower puree
• Beef carpaccio with bauple (macadamia) nut, miso and pickled daikon, and
• Fermented chilli sauce octopus.

Keppel Bay Sailing Club, Anzac Parade

On the same stretch, the Keppel Bay Sailing Club offers a special Sunday breakfast on the deck which starts at 7.30am.

The friendly staff there have also seen an influx of people over the past weeks who would rather stay and enjoy the views than go home.

“It’s got to the point it’s difficult to get a carpark in the main street,” said one staff member.

“People who’ve never visited Yeppoon before are loving it and they’re always asking for advice on where to take day trips around the region.

“I tell them to go out to the islands for a day, or relax at the lagoon... but make sure you’re back here for dinner.”

Here are some tasty morsels on offer at Clubhouse this weekend:

• Panko crumbed chicken breast with bacon and garlic prawns with avocado and hollandaise sauce
• Pork ribs dry-rubbed with the chef’s special dry rub and bathed in tequila barbecue sauce, and
• Thai red curry prawns.

See you by the beach, hungry readers!