The Sunshine Coast is #blessed to have a whole lot of waterfront.
Whether it’s a beach, river, or passage, put water in front of a restaurant and it’s instantly on our must check out radar. Add in an exquisite menu and soft coastal ambience, and we’ll be won over in minutes.
Just like we were with this roundup of the best waterfront restaurants on the Sunshine Coast. We can’t be the only ones who love this kind of setting!
Sails
Noosa Heads
Everybody who’s ever eaten at Sails has what we like to call a serious case of Sails-faction. This epic beachfront restaurant at the national park end of Noosa Main Beach serves up some of the best views on the Sunshine Coast alongside its scrumptious menu bursting with fresh flavours from the sea. “Disappointed” is a word we doubt this luxe restaurant would have ever heard. If you’ve got some impressing to do, make this your first port of call.
Pier 33
Mooloolaba
If you consider yourself a foodie, this one must go straight to the top of your Sunshine Coast hit list. Easily one of the best waterfront restaurants on the Sunshine Coast, Pier 33 in Mooloolaba boasts next-level views, and tastes and tipples that’ll quite possibly ruin every other future dining experience for you. Serving lunch, bar snacks, dinner and drinks, you'll be able to choose between dining a la carte in the main restaurant or sitting al fresco on the whitewashed picnic tables and munching on substantial nibbles like the soft shell crab rolls and PYO (that’s Peel Your Own, folks!) prawns.
Bistro C
Noosa Heads
When ranking the best waterfront restaurants on the Sunshine Coast, the list wouldn’t be plausible without a Bistro C appearance. The best part of this Noosa restaurant, other than the sprawling seascape in front of your table and its uber chilled vibe, is that you can dine here for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner. You know what they say, if you love what you’re getting at one restaurant, you may as well eat there for EVERY meal of the day. At least once!
Rickys
Noosa Heads
We’ve covered beach views a-plenty but Rickys is all about the river. If the wind is onshore at Noosa Main Beach, keep this one in mind for a protected foodie haven on the water. Dining at tables dressed in white linen, you’ll be well looked after with faultless modern Australian cuisine—the spanner crab spaghettini tossed with garlic, chilli, shallots, and lemon is divine. For a relaxing getaway without leaving the Coast, a visit to this Noosa mainstay will give you those instant holiday feels.
Wasabi
Noosa Heads
Whether you go for the beaut water views or their famed Japanese cuisine, Wasabi will blow your mind. Showcasing seasonal produce from the restaurant’s own farm Honeysuckle Hill, this riverside restaurant will push the envelope on flavours and have foodies salivating with one look at the incredible dishes on offer. It’ll be difficult to pull your eyes away from the meal and stunning interior, but at least you know the views are there for the taking. This is definitely a once-in-a-Sunny-Coast-lifetime experience worth saving for, and if you're chasing the skills to cook up a meal of this calibre for your next dinner party, then make sure you check out Wasabi's very own cooking school.
The Boat Shed
Cotton Tree
You’ll struggle to find anyone who doesn’t love Cotton Tree, and The Boat Shed is the place to head if you’re chasing a fancy feed on the edge of Maroochy River. Pull up a cane chair, order a cocktail and sit back to watch the sun set across the river and between the buildings that line Duporth Ave. This Sunny Coast fave is the perfect posi’ for an afternoon of tapas and drinks, or a luxuriously long Sunday lunch.
Noosa Waterfront Restaurant & Bar
Noosaville
One of the best Italian restaurants on the Sunshine Coast, Noosa Waterfront Restaurant is one of our fave go-tos for those special occasions that call for an elegant yet casual setting. Opening up onto the banks of Noosa River, everything these guys dish up—from the seafood spaghettini to the classic potato gnocchi complete with slow-cooked goat ragout—is authentic and totally moreish. Oh, and the service? We haven’t had better!
Tides
Caloundra
When you think of waterfront dining, it’s kind of a given that your mind might wander to a) either fish and chips on the sand, or b) Noosa’s best restaurants that line the beach. But head to Caloundra’s Bulcock Beach nook, and you’ll find Tides, arguably one of the best waterfront restaurants on the Sunshine Coast. Sitting spitting distance (not that you’d dare) from Pumicestone Passage, Tides is a corner find serving up fresh, mouth-watering dishes with spectacular water views. Plan for an early dinner on a nice day, and your eagerness will be rewarded with Insta-worthy sunset vistas. Oh yeah! Insider tip: Line caught barramundi, with vegetable gratin, crab tortellini, and pickled fennel is where it’s at.
Noosa Boathouse
Noosaville
While other restaurants might sit by the water, Noosa Boathouse literally sits on it. Yep, this floating restaurant, found along Noosaville’s Gympie Terrace, is one of a kind on the Sunshine Coast. Sprawling over three levels, this all-in-one restaurant and events space offers anything and everything you could possibly want. Coffee? The lower level Little Boaty has you covered. Fish & Chips? Order from the hole-in-the-wall kiosk and devour it on the stools overlooking the sandy shore. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more upmarket, head inside for the full al la carte menu or upstairs to Sunset Bar, for lip-smacking cocktails, bar food and, of course, stunning sunset views.
Image credits: Amy Higg and Bianca White for The Urban List