Byron Bay has come a long way since its surfie heyday in the '60s. Yet Byron still holds its lustre, attracting us to its pristine beaches and lush hinterland in hordes. While you might be planning a trip to this pocket of NSW for the sun, sand, and surf, it’s worth booking a restaurant or two while you’re there. Love it or hate it, Byron is bigger these days, which means there are plenty of A-class restaurants around town.
From bustling Greek restaurants in Byron's industrial estate to long, leisurely lunches on 120-acre farms, Byron and its surrounds may just have some of the best restaurants in NSW.
Here are the best restaurants in and around Byron Bay right now.
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The Best Restaurants In Byron Bay
Raes Dining Room
6–8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Raes | Instagram
As one of the most famous holiday destinations in the country, Byron is bound to attract some of Australia’s best culinary minds. Across from Wategos Beach—one of the region’s best swimming spots—is Raes Dining Room at the ultra-chic Raes on Wategos hotel. From executive chef Jason Saxby, this light and coastal eatery plates up modern Australian with plenty of Mediterranean influence, so it's no wonder this spot is one of the best restaurants in Byron Bay.
If the relaxing beach surroundings and effortlessly luxe interiors aren’t enough for you, maybe dishes like a Davidson plum-glazed dry-aged duck or spanner crab agnolotti will be.
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For those who’d prefer to breeze in for an afternoon spritz paired with finger lime-topped oysters, drop into The Cellar & Terrace Bar after a dip at Wategos.
Light Years
139 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Light Years | Supplied
This popular Byron Bay Asian fusion restaurant has gone on to open a multitude of venues along the East Coast, which should be an indication enough that it’s worth a visit. And even if you've been before, you might want to stop in again, because they've moved into a stunning new venue in the Jonson Lane precinct.
The sleek yet grounded space is full of earthy peach and terracotta shades, a glam bar area and vibrant dining space where you can slide onto striped banquet seating. There's heaps of share-style dishes on the cards, such as king prawn brioche rolls with yuzu tartare, pork belly bao buns, miso caramel eggplant, mee goreng spiced fried chicken and wagyu beef rendang, certain to fill your belly.
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Doggos are welcome in the outside area on leash.
The Smoking Camel
17 Lawson Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: The Smoking Camel | Supplied
The Light Years crew added another jewel to their crown in 2023 when they opened a bold Middle Eastern restaurant championing charcoal-grilled cuisine. The Smoking Camel focuses on share-style dishes cooked over flames and unapologetically unique cocktails, all set against a neon backdrop.
The adventurous menu leans into the playfulness diners are familiar with at Light Years, while using flavours and spices from the likes of Lebanon, Turkey, and Israel to enhance traditional dishes The 55-seat venue has been transformed from its origins as the first Light Years venue; here you’ll find yourself mesmerised by gilded interiors, curved archways, billowing curtains and cutouts of gold camels reminiscent of a vibrant metropolis.
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Any dish on the menu starting with ‘BBQ’ is a must-try.
Roca
14 Lawson Street, Byron Bay
Image credit: Roca | Instagram
To truly feel like you’re on holiday (even if you’re a local), Roca is THE place to post up. Reminiscent of a Mallorca beach bar, the interior is decked out with terracotta tones, curved edges and hanging rattan chairs. The Latin fusion restaurant in Byron Bay's centre is open all day, kicking off with dulce de leche pancakes and eggs benny croissants stuffed with patatas bravas and chorizo for breakfast, before knocking it out of the park with oysters four ways, ceviche snacks, grilled seafood, premium steak cuts, and Chinese-Peruvian mains for lunch and dinner.
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For loaded sandos, burgers and skewers, Papi’s Grill (Roca’s casual dining area) is open from 12pm.
Dorsia
109 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Image credit: Dorsia | Instagram
Less of your standard restaurant and more of a sophisticated dining experience, Dorsia is a contemporary Australian haunt by private-chef-turned-restaurateur, Martyn Ridings of Project Chef fame. The sleek, dark interiors give off big American Psycho vibes, with the room centred around an open kitchen. Diners can watch the chefs’ effortless knife skills as they whip up the likes of wagyu tartare and dry-aged duck cigars, or venture even closer to the polished concrete Chef’s Table for a seat over the action. The menu changes regularly to suit the season, but you can guarantee edible masterpieces built on fresh produce.
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The two- or three-course tasting menus or Chef’s Table is the best way to experience this bad boy.
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Bar Heather
139 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Bar Heather | Supplied
From the team behind Byron's Luna Wine Store, Bar Heather is a Parisian-inspired natural wine bar with an all-star lineup of some of Sydney's best restaurant alumni. Co-owners James Audas and Tom Sheer are sommeliers-turned-wine-importers, who also own Lo-Fi wines, aka the energy behind Australia's recent influx of really good natty wines.
Natural and biodynamic pours feature at Bar Heather, with a rotating list sourced from a roster of the world's best winemakers and the most treasured parts of the Lo-Fi cellar. So naturally, the menu is natural-wine-friendly, made up of snacks like fried bread with spring onion butter, pork and chicken liver pâté and maltagliati pasta laced with bay lobster and roe butter.
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Heather’s set menu is your best bet for the freshest produce and plates.
Byron Bay Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant
4 Marvell Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Byron Bay Oyster Bar | Supplied
Byron Bay Oyster Bar is one of the area's culinary hotspots, pushing the boundaries of flavour, championing seafood and seamlessly blending elegance with comfort. Nestled within Hotel Marvell, Byron's first five-star hotel, the venue itself is a work of art—warm tones of timber and terracotta are complemented by gently curved walls and gold accents.
The menu encompasses a slew of creative takes on the flavours of the sea and land, with a strong ethos of sustainable, local and responsible dining. Standouts include the Chilli Margarita Fish (aka mezcal-cured tropical snapper), house-made crab tagliatelle drenched in shellfish butter, creamy potato gratin, Jacks Creek MB8+ scotch fillet with chestnut mustard and beurre noisette, and the oysters, of course, which are collected from the far north coast of NSW.
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Enjoy $28 pasta nights on Tuesdays and $28 steak frites on Wednesday nights.
Bang Bang
4/1 Byron Street, Byron Bay
Image credit: Bang Bang | Instagram
Boasting six years and two restaurants under its belt (with the other outpost in Noosa), Bang Bang is a go-to Asian fusion diner on Byron Street. Flavour-packed little and big bangs flow out of the kitchen nonstop like Korean popcorn chicken, guichai tod (crispy fried garlic chive cakes), BBQ cauliflower and sticky braised beef rib, with fragrant curries and wok-fried dishes close behind. The drinks are also super fun with pandan, lemongrass, yuzu and green tea cocktails, refreshing spritzes, Japanese whisky, a hefty wine list, their own lager, and hops straight from Asia.
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Go for the bang-quet if you’re dining with a group.
Azure Bar and Grill
144 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Azure Bar and Grill | Supplied
Named for Byron Bay's iconic blue waters, Azure Bar and Grill boasts both an open-air bar and grill terrace and a fine dining restaurant space. Nestled within Elements of Byron's luxury nature resort, the sleek restaurant celebrates Byron Bay and surrounds' finest produce, including foraged and native ingredients from the resort’s own grounds.
We recommend starting with the Byron Bay burrata with tomato snow, moving onto the whole market fish in a crustacean broth and ending strong with the show-stopping ‘Rainforest Floor' dessert, made up of Valrhona chocolate and Davidson plum textures.
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We love that Azure Bar and Grill caters incredibly well to a plethora of dietary requirements—the vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are some of the best we've tasted.
Kouzina
1/1 Acacia Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Kouzina | Instagram
Kouzina is a charming Greek paradise in Byron’s Arts & Industry Estate that's all about community and home-style feasts. The taverna-style restaurant offers a $60 three-course banquet, with loads of veggie options.
The traditional Greek dishes change seasonally, but you can expect classics like calamari skewers and Greek salad to be on high rotation. The space is laidback, exuding heavy island vibes, and the leafy courtyard is an ideal spot for balmy nights.
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Did we mention it’s BYO?
No Bones
11 Fletcher Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: No Bones | Supplied
No Bones is hands down some of the best vegan food in Byron Bay, making it well worth a visit the next time you're in town. They artfully crafted imitation meat items not even to the point that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but where you know the difference and think it actually tastes better. Seriously incredible stuff. Menu highlights include “chicken” skewers and “calamari” Located smack-bang in the middle of town, just a couple of streets back from the beach, No Bones is also a convenient lunch spot in between all the swims and shopping.
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They’ve been known to host the occasional cooking class and pasta night—watch this space for fun events and weekly specials.
Ember
108–114 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Ember | Instagram
“Elegant and refined, yet approachable,” is how one might describe Byron Bay's signature steakhouse, Ember. Ember Byron Bay is a premier destination for steak enthusiasts with an impressive menu that celebrates the rich diversity of produce from the Northern Rivers region.
Ember stars epicurean offerings of charcoal-grilled premium meats and local produce cooked on a Josper Charcoal Grill, sizzling at over 400°C to elevate dishes with smoky charcoal flavours. The menu champions cuts of the finest Wagyu, as well as a variety of other high-quality steaks, chicken and seafood dishes.
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While steak is undoubtedly the star of the menu, Ember also caters to gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan diners.
Moonlight
Bay Lane, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Moonlight | Instagram
Moonlight is an intimate wine bar that heroes the hibachi grill, one of Japan’s oldest cooking traditions. The almost all-black venue is a lesson in monochrome interior styling, featuring black and white prints on the walls, neon lights and a multitude of textures.
With the menu divided into three sections, you can nibble your way through raw bites like spicy salmon crackers or watermelon sashimi, before working away at plates from the grill like Hokkaido scallops and chicken thigh, and larger bites such as miso-glazed eggplant, BBQ lamb ssam and wagyu steak.
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The drinks list is equally intriguing—think highball cocktails using ingredients foraged from the hinterland, sake from some of the oldest breweries in the world, biodynamic wines and Japanese whiskies.
Pixie Italian
139 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Pixie Food & Wine | Supplied
Pixie is a chic Italian restaurant in Byron Bay's Johnson Lane precinct that showcases local seafood in nostalgic yet refined dishes. The venue itself manages to feel both polished and relaxed, featuring dark red leather banquette seating, brown leather chairs and a marble-tiled bar, with seating out in the laneway as well.
Must-tries include the Ortiz anchovy toast lathered in smoked tomato butter, tuna crudo with orange aioli, king prawn mafaldine, and slow-cooked beef short rib with truffle honey and a potato and celeriac puree.
A strong wine list is paired with a creative list of cocktails designed to complement the flavours in each of the dishes, including a mandarin paloma and tiramisu martini—quite frankly, the best boozy concoctions we’ve ever tried.
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Pixie is dog-, kid- and dietary-friendly too, and has a great aperitivo hour with $15 cocktails.
Loft Byron Bay
9/4 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Image Credit: Loft | Instagram
Airy white interiors, rattan light hangings and beachy vibes—Loft is about as Byron as they come. Just steps from the main beach, the beautiful venue is more bar than restaurant, but that just means you can knock back uber creative cocktails with your meal. The shareable menu features the likes of calamari fritti, crispy twice-cooked pork ribs, bay lobster spaghetti, and 100-day aged black Angus sirloin with an addictive mushroom and shallot butter.
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Pair it all with a Loft Spring Gimlet for peak Byron Bay vibes.
The Best Restaurants Near Byron Bay
Frida’s Field
76 Booyong Road, Nashua
Image Credit: Frida's Field | Instagram
Farm-to-table restaurants aren’t in short supply in the Northern Rivers region, but we reckon you should pay Frida’s Field a visit if you have to pick just one. It’s “a celebration of the abundant Northern Rivers produce and agriculture,” housed in a revamped barn located on a 120-acre farm in the lush area of Nashua. Run by the Rawlings family (who own the farmland) and award-winning head chef Alastair Waddell, Frida’s Field is the ideal long lunch spot.
In fact, it’s only open for communal-style lunches every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, offering a set menu of two starters, a main, three sides, and dessert, with a vegetarian option available too, and the wine list that focuses on small-batch, minimal-intervention, and local vinos.
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The menu changes every six weeks to keep with the seasons, so every visit feels fresh.
Ciao, Mate!
33 Byron Street, Bangalow
Image Credit: Ciao Mate! | Instagram
There’s no wonder this place is so good—it’s the brainchild of Luke Sullivan and Matt Rabbidge, the duo behind locally loved boozer The Eltham. The cosy Italian restaurant is decked out with leather booths, warm timbers, artworks, olive green panelling, and wine bottles lining the walls. There’s also a sunlit courtyard out the back, with red-and-white checkered tablecloths echoing old-school Italian trattorias.
Food-wise, you’ll be tucking into inventive pasta dishes, woodfired pizzas, and more classic Italian nosh. It reserves limited tables for walk-ins, but you’re better off booking a spot.
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Don’t skip the signature Ciao tiramisu, made with Milo, espresso, mascarpone, and marsala.
La Casita
5/3 Fawcett Street, Brunswick Heads
Image Credit: La Casita | Instagram
This Mexican cantina in Brunswick Heads is as authentic as it gets (unless you’re actually dining in Mexico). There’s a wicked margarita menu, local beers, tasty antojitos (street snacks) like tostadas and wood-grilled jalapeños stuffed with pork sausage and queso, and tacos served up on house-made organic corn tortillas.
La Casita channels an outdoor eatery in Tulum, beachy feels go together with splashes of orange and tiled feature walls. It’s a laid-back Latin eatery offering good food and cocktails that taste like an endless summer, which is precisely what you want on a trip to Byron, right?
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This place also does a generous set menu with three snacks, two tacos and sides for $55pp.
Shelter
41 Pacific Parade, Lennox Head
Image Credit: Shelter | Instagram
For those looking for easygoing, beachside all-day diners, add Shelter to your list. Located directly opposite Lennox Head Beach, this airy restaurant serves up top-quality coffee, inventive brekkie dishes, and exceptional lunch and dinner fare—all in an unassuming beach shack. Sit at the window counter for sundowners paired with ocean views, or nab one of the outdoor tables to soak up some sun.
The kitchen sources ethical, sustainable, and local produce to serve up dishes like cinnamon French toast and green chilli scrambled eggs for brekkie, and double wagyu smash burgers, and prawn laksa with handmade noodles come lunch and dinner.
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The taco marg is a must-try, blending tequila, coriander, chilli, and citrus.
You Beauty
37/39 Byron Street, Bangalow
Image credit: You Beauty | Instagram
Bangalow’s corner bar and dining room, You Beauty, is a nod to the classic corner pub with ice-cold beer on tap and quintessential Aussie plates. The menu stars BBQ prawns with a finger lime butter sauce, croc toast (yep, you read that right), lamb ribs with a saltbush chimichurri, and roo skewers with “crack sauce” and cashew. Slide into a cushioned booth, sit up at the curved bar or grab a table with mates.
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There’s a great happy hour from Wednesday to Friday between 3pm and 5pm with discounted wines, spritzes and other sips.
Keen on more stellar restaurants worth travelling for? Check out
Main image credit: Pixie Italian | Supplied
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