Byron Bay’s best places to eat and drink

The Hut

Mediterranean cooking and country style
It’s worth making the drive to Possum Creek – the hinterland hideaway that Paul Hogan and his ex-wife Linda Kozlowski once called home – for a long lunch at this breezy farm-to-table restaurant. Located in a former schoolhouse, its Mediterranean-inspired menu features everything from raw seafood such as tuna crudo to burrata with black truffle and beef ragu tagliatelle. Even if you aren’t a vegetarian, it’s worth checking the vegan menu for such surprises as a creamy baba ganoush, while Nonna Linda’s Tiramasu, which comes from Italian chef Bruno Conti’s grandma’s recipe book, is a must-try for dessert.
471 Friday Hut Road, Possum Creek. See thehutbyronbay.com.au

Karkalla

Masterful bush food menu
Named after the succulent commonly found in coastal dunes around Byron Bay – also known as pig face – Karkalla is the passion project of two-time MasterChef contestant and proud Bundjalung woman Mindy Woods. Located a block back from the beach, the intimate 30-seat restaurant showcases Indigenous ingredients in an array of inventive dishes designed to be shared. Think sourdough damper with wattleseed and bush honey, oysters with paperbark and lemon myrtle, and kangaroo pie with native massaman. If you’re around on a Friday afternoon, pop in for the native gin and oyster special.
10/8 Fletcher St, Byron Bay. Phone: (02) 5614 8656. See karkalla.com.au

Bang Bang

Atmospheric Asian eatery
A busy restaurant is always a good sign, and this Asian fusion diner is about as bustling as they come. Sure, it’s in a prime position in the heart of town, but it also oozes ambience, with crumbling paint on the walls and exposed pipes juxtaposing with candlelit marble tables and crystal chandeliers. The food, though, is the real drawcard. The menu is divided into “little bangs” (prawn toast, salt and pepper squid, Korean popcorn chicken), and “big bangs”, such as sticky pork belly, barbecue cauliflower and braised beef ribs, as well as wok-fried dishes, curries and salads.
4/1 Byron St, Byron Bay. Phone: (02) 5602 5603. See bangbangbyronbay.com

Light Years

Fresh flavours at modern Asian diner
Order a selection of tasty share plates at this contemporary Asian eatery, which relocated from its original cosy site at the other end of town to a larger, lighter and brighter space in the upmarket Jonson Lane precinct in 2022. The venue has a fun and vibrant feel, with a large terrazzo bar at the entrance, stripey cushioned booths and terracotta tiles. The menu includes a range of delectable Asian staples, including dumplings, duck pancakes and san choy bow, alongside seafood temptations such as kingfish ceviche and prawn rolls that can be washed down with tropical drinks.
139 Jonson St, Byron Bay. Phone: 0423 138 538. See lightyearsasiandiner.com.au

You Beauty

Sustainable small plates in uber-cool wine bar
Worried about the impact you’re having on the planet? You can dine with a clear conscience at this tapas-style natural wine bar, safe in the knowledge that chef Matt Stone has done everything in his power to source the freshest available seasonal produce from local farmers and suppliers. The zero-waste warrior teamed up with the Mosey on Inn crew, who also own the Eltham Hotel and neighbouring pizzeria Ciao, Mate!, to open You Beauty on Bangalow’s main street in 2022. You’ll find everything from creative concoctions such as rooster and pork terrine and minced crocodile toast to pub-style classics like steak and chips.
37/39 Byron St, Bangalow. Phone: 6687 2626. See youbeauty2479.com

Trouble San

Japanese-inspired eatery with river views
Watch holidaymakers swimming and kayaking in the creek across the road and kids jumping off the bridge at Brunswick Heads as you sip on sake or a creative cocktail and feast on mouthwatering Japanese cuisine. Immediately recognisable by its thatched awnings, which evoke a tiki bar vibe, Trouble San offers prettily presented sushi and sashimi, as well as street food favourites such as tempura eggplant sticks, crumbed salmon tataki and wagyu skewers.
2 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads. Phone: (02) 6616 2026. See troublesan.com

Harvest Newrybar

Paddock-to-plate pioneer
In a converted Queenslander-style farmhouse in the historic village of Newrybar, this modern Australian restaurant began serving up vegetables grown in its edible garden and ingredients foraged from throughout the shire long before the farm-to-fork movement became mainstream. The fare changes with the seasons, but could include roasted pipis with lemon and gremolata, seared venison with finger lime and wild-caught fish with local greens and kombu (edible kelp). There’s also a deli where you can buy sourdough baked in a 120-year-old wood-fired oven, French pastries and house smoked pastrami, while the kids will love playing in the cubby house village out the back.
18-22 Old Pacific Highway, Newrybar. Phone: (02) 6687 2644. See harvest.com.au

Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Iconic Aussie watering hole
There’s no better place to be on a sunny afternoon in Byron Bay than sipping a cold beer or Aperol spritz in the beer garden of this local institution, which takes up a prime corner position just across the road from Main Beach. Owned by Paul Hogan’s one-time manager John ‘Strop’ Cornell in the 1990s, The Beachy serves up pub classics like chicken parmigiana, fish and chips and pizza, as well as more exotic newcomers, like poke bowls and harissa roasted cauliflower. There’s live music on Sunday afternoons, when a good ol’ roast also graces the menu.
1 Bay Lane, Byron Bay. Phone: (02) 6685 6402. See beachhotel.com.au

Bar Heather

Parisian-inspired wine bar
It’s billed as a natural wine bar, but it’s former Sydney chef Ollie Wong-Hee who has been creating a stir with his clever cooking since Bar Heather opened in 2022, with such dishes as fried bread with spring onion, duck croquette and rib eye with seaweed bagna cauda. Of course, wine importers Tom Sheer and James Audas, who also run Luna Wine Store across the road, have also their done their bit to attract connoisseurs to the 60-seat restaurant in the Jonson Lane development by offering up drops from small, independent producers from across the globe.
G9 Jonson Lane, 139 Jonson St, Byron Bay. Phone: 0400 444 944. See barheather.com