This blog post is all about the best restaurants in Byron Bay, where to eat in Byron Bay and my honest recommendations and experience.
Byron Bay sells itself on the beach, the walk up to the lighthouse, and that laidback slow living everyone talks about before they’ve even been. All of that is true, and all of that is worth it.
What nobody really prepares you for is the food. My boyfriend and I went in expecting good coffee and maybe some decent fish and chips.
What we got was one of the best food scenes we’ve come across anywhere in Australia, and honestly, one of the better ones we’ve had anywhere at all.
Here’s the problem though. If you’re only visiting Byron Bay for a few days, you will (very unfortunately) not get through this entire list. There is too much choice packed into a town this small, and every time we thought we’d found our favourite, another place came along and complicated things.
So save this post. Use it to plan your first trip to Byron Bay, then use whatever you didn’t get to as your excuse to come back, because you will want to, and you’ll get to tick off a few more places next time!
We spent five days in Byron Bay, and even that wasn’t enough to get through all the incredible restaurants we’d been personally recommended and researched ourselves.
This list covers the best restaurants in Byron Bay that we experienced, as well as recommendations from our friends that have also visited recently.
RELATED Byron Bay blog posts to read:
- The Perfect Weekend in Byron Bay Itinerary
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The Food Scene in Byron Bay
I can’t repeat enough how blown away we were by the food scene in Byron Bay.
During our five days in Byron, staying in the town itself, then staying in the Hinterlands near Alstonville, we ate so incredibly well but still need to go back to try even more places.
If you’re spending a weekend in Byron Bay, make sure to turn up hungry so you can squeeze in as many of these best restaurants in Byron Bay into your itinerary.
After reading this guide to where to eat in Byron Bay, I hope you’re inspired and I hope it makes you as hungry as it made me writing it.
If you do use this guide to try any of these restaurants, please do let me know in the comments or suggest others that I’ve missed out and can try on my next visit.
Happy eating!
The Best Restaurants in Byron Bay for Breakfast and Brunch
Something I know a thing or two about is brunch. I basically spent a year eating brunch for a living when I travelled Asia for 12 months.
Pair that with my extensive brunch lists across London, New York and Dublin, you should know you’re in very capable hands when it comes to brunch or breakfast recommendations.
During my trip to Byron Bay, I made sure to do my research of the best brunch spots in Byron Bay as we only had a few mornings to try them, and I didn’t want to be disappointed.
Below are my top recommendations for breakfast and brunch in Byron Bay:
1. WOODS, Bangalow
Address: 10 Station Street, Bangalow NSW 2479
The best brunch we’ve had in a long time, not just in Byron Bay, but anywhere.
Get in the car, head out to the town of Bangalow (15 minute drive), and make a morning of it. We instantly fell in love with the area of Bangalow as soon as we stepped out of the car, and already know we’ll always come back here whenever we’re visiting Byron Bay.
The Mexican shakshuka alone is worth the drive out to WOODS, and we will not hear otherwise. We also shared the avocado on toast and it was just the right amount of spicy and tangy with the pickled onions on top.
The setting outside is beautiful, Steff’s iced latte came with edible flowers and the whole vibe of WOODS itself was simply stunning.
You can see exactly what we ate at WOODS, the grounds that it sits in and the overall atmosphere in my Instagram Reel I made of our visit.
WOODS in Bangalow is the best brunch spot in the entire Byron area, without a doubt.
2. Combi, Byron Bay
Address: Fletcher Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
You’ll have seen Combi all over Instagram and TikTok before you’ve even landed in Byron, and it really does live up to the number of posts made about it. Dining at Combi feels like being transported to Canggu in Bali for the morning.
You can see my experience and everything we ate for breakfast at Combi, Byron Bay in my TikTok video here.
Bamboo cladding, tropical pot plants, a hot pink coffee counter, it’s got serious Bali beach club energy right in the centre of town. The shakshuka is excellent and the avocado toast is exactly the classic brunch order you’re picturing, done properly.
Combi is directly in the centre of Byron Bay, around the corner from our first accommodation (Drifter Byron Bay) making it very easy to get to if you’re staying in Byron Bay itself. Plus, it’s a great spot for people watching too.
3. Sunday Sustainable Bakery, Byron Bay
Address: 101 Jonson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Everything at Sunday Sustainable Bakery is made by hand in house, and honestly, why wouldn’t you have a sausage roll or a pie for brunch when you’re on holiday?
The sourdough sells out regularly and the pastry selection changes often, so it’s worth popping in more than once during your stay in Byron Bay to see what’s on offer that day.
We popped in to try their sausage roll and have coffee, and because of it’s outdoor seating and high benches, it’s a really great place for people watching. Plus, if you’re a digital nomad, Sunday Sustainable Bakery is also a great coffee shop to work from in Byron Bay.
It’s a solid grab and go option if you want something more substantial than just a coffee and croissant.
4. HOME Bakery, Alstonville
Address: 71 Main Street, Alstonville NSW 2477
If you’re looking for breakfast or lunch in the Byron Bay Hinterlands, I highly recommend visiting HOME Bakery in Alsontville.
We spent two nights staying at Tallaringa Views in the Hinterlands which was only a 10 minute drive from Alstonville.
HOME Bakery is a very popular spot, and for great reason. The cakes in their window display will draw you inside immediately (it did for us!) and you must try one of their famous pies and a cake for dessert.
We shared a curry pie and carrot cake for afterwards and both were incredible. Plus, the interior is like stepping back in time and they have a wide range of gifts and homeware for sale, so it’s definitely worth popping in for a visit.
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat in the Hinterlands of Byron Bay, I highly recommend stopping here.
5. Bayleaf, Byron Bay
Address: 2A Marvell Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Bayleaf is one of the most talked about brunch spots in Byron, and it earns every bit of the hype.
The teal tiled interior and rich wooden decor make it one of the more photogenic brunch spots in town, but it’s not just a pretty backdrop, the food is genuinely excellent, working through seasonal, local produce with a menu that changes often enough to keep locals coming back.
Get to Bayleaf Cafe early, this place gets busy fast and the queue outside by mid-morning tells you everything you need to know.
The Best Coffee Shops in Byron Bay
I love a coffee shop. At this rate, I think I’ve spent most of my adult life in coffee shops, sitting behind my laptop with a large mocha to the right.
So it’s safe to say I know a good coffee shop when I see one (and taste it, of course). These were my favourite coffee shops in Byron Bay that I’d highly recommend if you’re addicted to caffeine like myself.
1. Byron Corner Store, Byron Bay
Address: 47 Jonson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Byron Corner Store is exactly what it sounds like, a Byron Bay institution tucked away just off the main strip, doing coffee, smoothies, sandwiches and pastries in equal measure.
You’ve probably already seen the outside of this place on social media without realising it, that classic corner store facade turns up constantly on Instagram and TikTok as shorthand for the whole Byron aesthetic.
It’s got that lovely lived in, slightly hidden feel in person too, the kind of place locals send you to rather than something you’d stumble across on the main road.
Grab a coffee and a pastry at Byron Corner Store on your way to the beach and thank us later!
2. Hole in the Wall, Byron Bay
Address: Lawson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Hole in the Wall does double duty brilliantly, it’s just as good for a quick grab and go coffee and pastry as it is for actually sitting down and making a morning of it.
The coffee is good, the sandwiches hold their own, and then there are the pies, which honestly deserve their own paragraph.
If you’re torn between rushing to the beach and having a proper sit down brunch, this is the spot that lets you have it both ways.
We grabbed a takeaway coffee from Hole in the Wall on our first day, and it’s also worth noting that Hole in the Wall stays open until 9pm, which for a coffee shop, is almost unheard of in Sydney.
3. Sunday Sustainable Bakery, Byron Bay
Address: 101 Jonson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
I already spoke about Sunday Sustainable Bakery in the brunch section of this blog post, but I have to add it here too as it really is a great coffee shop to sit in, or work from.
With mostly outdoor seating, it’s a great spot to people watch tourists and locals going about their day in Byron.
If you’re looking for coffee shops to work from in Byron Bay, I’d really recommend Sunday Sustainable Bakery in the morning, and Hole in the Wall for later afternoon/evening.
The Best Restaurants in Byron Bay for Lunch
I’m definitely more of a brunch person than a lunch person, but I know a lot of Australians and tourists wake up to have breakfast at an early time, enough to warrant also having lunch.
If you fall into that category (I rarely do), then these are the restaurants in Byron Bay I’d recommend for lunch and that I dined at during my trip to Byron Bay.
1. Three Blue Ducks at The Farm, Byron Bay
Address: 1 Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Three Blue Ducks restaurant at The Farm is a must visit in Byron Bay. As well as The Farm being one of the top things to do in Byron Bay, it also needs to top your list of ‘Where to Eat in Byron Bay.’
Three Blue Ducks is the very definition of farm to table, set right on The Farm, so go for a wander around before you eat. There are chickens running around your feet while you dine, which somehow makes the food taste even better (as long as you don’t order the chicken, obviously).
Go for the tasting menu, or order a few dishes to share. We ordered the steak, the cauliflower (that came with pomegranates and tahini and was SO GOOD), the honey carrots, and the suckling pig (incredible).
We haven’t stopped talking about this meal since we’ve returned to Sydney. It was genuinely one of the best meals we had in Byron Bay.
And if you want to see the full experience, you can see our meal at Three Blue Ducks and time at The Farm in my Instagram Reel here.
2. Orgasmic, Byron Bay
Address: 11 Bay Lane, Byron Bay NSW 2481
This is one of the absolute best restaurants in Byron Bay on this entire list, and was also the first restaurant we tried in Byron.
The falafel and hummus are so good, and the pita, honestly, it’s unreal. We wanted to go back to Orgasmic every single day we were in Byron Bay. I can’t imagine how often I would eat here if I lived in Byron Bay. A worrying amount, I fear.
It doesn’t help that they’re often out on the main street handing out free tasters, which makes it very hard to walk past without stopping in.
The food looks so simple, but I still can’t get over the flavours. Orgasmic are famous for their pita pockets (what Steff ordered) but I would eat their falafel, pita and hummus plate every day if I could.
Dare I say the name of restaurant is very fitting.
The Best Restaurants in Byron Bay for a Quick Snack
With all the driving around, walking, shopping, or surfing, you can work up quite an appetite in Byron Bay.
These are the cafes and restaurants in Byron Bay I’d recommend when you need a quick bite to eat or snack to keep you going until your next meal.
1. Costa Taco, Byron Bay
Address: 20 Jonson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
If you’re looking for more casual dining in Byron Bay, Costa Taco is where to go. For some great tacos, a trendy and vibrant atmosphere and a quick bite to eat, it’s the spot.
I ordered the Pork Carnitas taco ($8.00) and Steff had the Beef Birria taco ($8.50). It was mid afternoon between breakfast and dinner and these hit the spot nicely.
They also have a location in the Gold Coast, Queensland if you’re ever in the area as that is their main flagship location.
2. The Banya Bathhouse, Mullumbimby
Address: 36 Burringbar Street, Mullumbimby NSW 2482
Visiting The Banya Bathhouse is one of the best things to do in Mullumbimby, and also one of the top recommendations when visiting Byron Bay too.
The main reason to visit is their thermal pools, cold plunges and luxury bathhouse experience.
However, I’m recommending you visit The Banya in Mullumbimby for their New York Cheesecake. Yes, really.
We sat at the window in the old bank building enjoying the best New York Cheesecake I’ve ever had, and a delicious cup of coffee. The interiors, the vibe, the relaxing feel of the place, all make it worth a drive out for a sweet treat and cup of coffee.
3. Bangalow Bread Co., Bangalow
Address: 12 Byron Street, Bangalow NSW 2479
When we visited Bangalow for breakfast at WOODS, we also had to stop by Bangalow Bread Co. before we left.
This bakery in Bangalow is famous for their chocolate chip cookies, and us being New York Cookie experts, had to come and see for ourselves.
The cookies here are probably the closest you’ll find to a New York Levain Bakery cookie anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere, and that’s high praise coming from us. If they added walnuts, we’d never have to miss Levain again while living in Australia.
So if you’re in Bangalow, make sure to grab a snack at Bangalow Bread Co. and make sure it’s their famous cookies!
4. Frankie’s Gelato Naturale, Byron Bay
Address: 8 Fletcher Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
The owners of Light Years Asian Bar and Restaurant (another Byron Bay restaurant recommendation we received) opened Frankie’s Gelato Naturale in 2022.
With 40% of their flavour range being vegan, you can see where the ‘Naturale’ of their name comes into play.
Frankie’s Gelato Naturale is a Byron Bay hotspot at all times of the day with customers trying to cool down from the heat of the afternoon sun, to after-dinner patrons wanting a little sweat treat to end the night.
The Best Restaurants in Byron Bay for Dinner
Dinner is always a special one. It’s the meal you’re probably going to spend the most money on, and the most time on, so you want it to be good.
I have two restaurants on this list that we dined at and highly recommend, and another that came highly recommended to us but that we didn’t get around to (but is next on our list when we go back).
These are the best restaurants in Byron Bay for dinner, especially if you want to experience good, quality food with an intimate or vibey atmosphere.
1. Bang Bang, Byron Bay
Address: 1 Byron Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
This is our number one recommendation in all of Byron Bay! Go here, order everything, don’t hold back.
There are tasting menus if you want to make the decision easy for yourself and try a bit of everything from their Asian menu. It’s a little pricey, nothing outrageous, but if you’re on a backpacker budget it’s more of a splurge than a regular night out.
We opted for the Bang-quet menu (see what they did there) which was $69 per person and we ate so well. This meant we could have a little bit of everything, rather than going for two mains and maybe a starter to share.
The kingfish sashimi was so fresh and the braised beef massaman was probably my favourite. Bang Bang is the perfect spot for a date night in Byron Bay, it’s intimate and romantic so make sure to book a table here for your trip to Byron.
If you’re looking for fine dining in Byron Bay, Bang Bang is the spot.
Every single dish is unreal, and we mean every single one. You can see what we had from Bang Bang’s banquet menu in my Instagram Reel video here.
2. Balcony Bar & Oyster Co., Byron Bay
Address: 3 Lawson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
What a vibe Balcony Bar is! If you don’t manage to eat here, at least come for drinks on the balcony.
The decor, the balcony, the golden hour light while you’re sitting up there, it’s all excellent. And the food really does match it.
We had stopped here for a cocktail before our dinner at Bang Bang, but the food looked so good we had to come back again a few nights later and try it.
We ordered a load of plates between us: oysters, tuna carpaccio, popcorn cauliflower, steak, honey carrots, potatoes, and even a cheesecake for dessert.
When I say we ate well in Byron Bay – do you believe me now?! Every single dish at Balcony Bar in Byron Bay delivered.
They’re very well known for their oysters here and it’s clear to see why. I would eat here all the time if I could.
Even the interiors looked like a beach house in The Hamptons, I was so ready to move in. It’s one of the best restaurants in Byron Bay with a view, so if you’d like to people watch it’s a great spot!
If you’d like to see our full experience at Balcony Bar & Oyster Co. in Byron Bay, I made a TikTok of our entire meal and review which you can see here.
3. Ciao, Mate, Bangalow
Address: 33 Byron Street, Bangalow NSW 2479
Ciao, Mate was high on our list of recommended best restaurants in Byron Bay, but one that we didn’t get around to.
I’ve mentioned it above, but if we were to go back to Byron Bay, we’d really consider staying in the town of Bangalow, which means we’d have to eat at Ciao, Mate (and WOODS every single morning).
It’s a very popular Italian restaurant (if you couldn’t guess), famous for their pizza and tiramisu.
They also don’t have a set pasta menu, so you’ll have to hear what the chef’s got planned for the day when you arrive.
Note that Ciao, Mate doesn’t open on Sundays, but definitely make the trip to Bangalow any other day of the week to try it!
The Restaurants in Byron Bay We Loved and Would Recommend Most
Writing this guide to the best restaurants in Byron Bay has me salivating just typing the reviews and adding in the images especially.
We didn’t have one bad meal in Byron Bay, and it’s the one thing I keep telling people about my trip. The food was out of this world, and I’m going to be back in Byron again soon simply so I can eat at more restaurants that we didn’t get around to the first time.
Now for my overall recommendations of where to eat in Byron Bay if you only have time for one:
- Breakfast and brunch in Byron Bay: WOODS in Bangalow
- Lunch in Byron Bay: Three Blue Ducks at The Farm
- Quick snack in Byron Bay: Costa Taco
- Dinner in Byron Bay: Balcony Bar & Oyster Co.
- Date night in Byron Bay: BANG BANG
- Special mention: Orgasmic if you’re hungover in Byron Bay, it will do the job it needs to do.
FAQs About Dining in Byron Bay
Is Byron Bay expensive for food?
It varies. You can eat well for under $20 at the bakeries and taco spots, or spend closer to $80 to $100 a head at the fine dining end like Bang Bang or Three Blue Ducks. Most of the town sits comfortably in between.
Do I need to book restaurants in advance in Byron Bay?
For the bigger names, especially Bang Bang, Three Blue Ducks and Balcony Bar & Oyster Co, yes, particularly during peak season and on weekends. The casual spots and bakeries are walk in only.
The Ultimate Where to Eat in Byron Bay Guide
I’m still so shocked at how amazing the food was during our trip to Byron Bay. It’s only made me want to go back and visit again at the earliest opportunity.
We were lucky with visiting Byron Bay in winter (off-peak season) as this meant we got a table at every spot we wanted to dine at.
It can be very difficult during the summer (peak season) so I’d highly recommend making reservations where you can, especially at the restaurants in Byron Bay you want to eat at most.
Hopefully this guide to the best restaurants in Byron Bay has inspired or helped with deciding where to eat in Byron Bay. Let me know in the comments if you have any new recommendations for us that we should try on our next visit!
And check out my additional Byron Bay blog posts and guides to help plan your trip.
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By Orlagh Shanks
Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.
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