Making decisions is HARD. And when you go out to your fave restaurant, and you can’t choose between all the drool-worthy options on the menu, where’s a foodie to turn?
Restaurant reviews (well, obvs—I mean that’s why we’re here for you guys!) Hot tips from your besties? The floor staff at the restaurant?
Well, they’re all credible options, but when it comes down to it, who knows the food at a restaurant better than anyone else? The chefs of course.
Those shouty, creative, and irresistibly sexy guys and girls who devote their lives (and their Saturday nights) to keeping us fed. And when they put together a menu for you, we can guarantee it’s going to be spectacular.
So, in no particular order, check out the best degustation restaurants on the Sunshine Coast.
Spice Bar
Sometimes you’re up for a bit of variety, but not necessarily an overload of food. Spice Bar offers a few different degustation options—from a light selection of tasting plates, through to a ten-course banquet. And with amazing local produce like Hervey Bay scallops and Mooloolaba prawns on the menu, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable dining experience.
Where: First Floor, 123 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba
Contact: 07 5444 2022
Spirit House
People come from far and wide to try the food at Spirit House, but we locals are lucky enough to have it on our doorstep. The dining options at Spirit House are based on the traditional Asian concept of a shared table. So their banquet menu gives you the option to try seven carefully selected dishes. The scallops with sweet corn, salted chilli and coconut are a study in balance of flavours—sweet, salty, spicy and sour. Sublime.
Where: 20 Ninderry Road, Yandina
Contact: 07 5446 8977
Wasabi
This award-winning hideaway on the Noosa River will make all your #foodporn dreams come true. Wasabi in Noosa gives a Japanese twist to the concept of degustation with their Omakase or “Let the Chef decide” menu option. According to true Japanese philosophy, the menu is carefully designed to allow the delicate balance of the locally grown and sourced produce to shine, and for the meal to progress gradually from light and subtle, through to richer, more complex tastes.
Where: 2 Quamby Place, Noosa
Contact: 07 5449 2443
The Tamarind
While the menu alone is enough to bring you to the hinterland, Spicers Tamarind also has luxury villas and decadent spa treatments to leave you feeling as pampered as a Kardashian. But back to the food, the degustation menu will take you through a journey of tastes in the hushed, uber-professional dining room before you head back to your villa to crack open a bottle of bubbles in your private hot tub under the stars!
Where: 88 Obi Lane South, Maleny
Contact: 1300 311 429
The Long Apron
The joy of a degustation is the mystery. You’re putting yourself in the hands of the chefs, and you almost always end up with something a bit different or surprising. This mystery only intensifies at The Long Apron at Spicers Clovelly, where the tasting menu only lists a single item for each dish—“prawn” or “mojama” or “meringue”. Sit back and let this unique experience wash over you.
Where: Spicers Clovelly Estate, 68 Balmoral Road, Montville
Contact: 1300 252 380
Ricky’s River Bar + Restaurant
Noosa institution Ricky’s is the go-to venue for birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, or generally any other celebration you can find an excuse for. After you’ve made your grand entrance, gracefully descending from the ferry on to the private jetty, you can enjoy five or six courses, including duck breast with celeriac and blackberry, sand crab with fennel, and tuna with charred, pickled lettuce and squid. If you’re feeling particularly extravagant, pair your tasting menu with matched wines, selected by Ricky’s expert sommelier.
Where: 2 Quamby Place, Noosa Heads
Contact: 07 5447 2455
Image Credit: Daniel Hine
