20 Best Restaurants on the NSW South Coast: Where to Eat From Kiama to Narooma
Between the wine bars and oyster shacks, fine dining and waterfront views, the South Coast food scene is reason alone to book yourself a weekend getaway. Home to some of regional NSW's best destination dining, there is so much more to try than just a fish and chips by the beach (although, this is pretty great too).
Travel from Kiama through Berry and Jervis Bay to Milton, Mollymook, Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma and you'll find hatted restaurants, farm-to-table dining, Japanese fusion and tiny neighbourhood gems.
Whether you're planning a romantic weekend, girls' trip or simply want to know where is worth booking dinner right now, these are 20 of the best restaurants on the NSW South Coast right now.
Already know what you’re looking for? Jump to: Special Occasions | Long Lunches | Girls' Weekend | Date Night | Seafood | Casual Dining | FAQs
The Best South Coast Restaurants at a Glance:
Best overall: SOUTH on Albany,Berry
Special occasion: Bangalay Dining,Shoalhaven Heads
Iconic South Coast experience: Rick Stein at Bannisters,Mollymook
Long lunch: Cupitt's Estate, Ulladulla
Food lovers: NOMAH,Milton
Girls' weekend: Little Betty's,Kiama
Romantic dinner: Silica,Kiama
Elevated pub dining:The Milton Hotel,Milton
Local seafood experience: Jim Wild's Oysters,Greenwell Point
Casual dinner: Gwylo, Mollymook
Best South Coast Restaurants for a Special Occasion
Have a birthday, anniversary or just generally something special coming up? When it comes to where to eat on the South Coast NSW, you can’t go past these venues that make it their mission to create an experience worth remembering. From the incredible food to the beautiful ambiance, these are the best restaurants on the South Coast NSW for something a little more memorable.
1. SOUTH on Albany, Berry
Small, intimate and produce-driven, SOUTH on Albany is one of the restaurants that helped cement Berry's reputation as one of the South Coast's best food destinations.
The menu is built around what's available locally, resulting in a dining experience intrinsically connected to the surrounding Shoalhaven region.
It's sophisticated without losing the relaxed quality that makes regional dining so enjoyable.
Best for: Food-focused weekends
Go for: Intimate destination dining
2. Bangalay Dining, Shoalhaven Heads
Set within Bangalay Luxury Villas, Bangalay Dining is an excellent option when you want somewhere special without the overly formal fine-dining energy.
The kitchen draws heavily on regional produce and native Australian ingredients, creating food that feels earthy and truly at one with the South Coast.
You can come for lunch and make an afternoon of it, book dinner while staying nearby or stay onsite in one of their gorgeous villas.
Best for: Understated coastal luxury
Go for: Modern Australian food and native ingredients
3. Rick Stein at Bannisters, Mollymook
There are plenty of more under-the-radar restaurants on this list, but Rick Stein at Bannisters is a South Coast icon for a reason, and remains one of the great South Coast dining experiences.
Perched above the ocean, this institution is unsurprisingly very seafood-focused. Save this one for a special dinner, order from the sea and enjoy the view.
Best for: The iconic South Coast dinner
Go for: Seafood and ocean views
4. The Milton Hotel, Milton
Don't let the word 'hotel' fool you.
The Milton Hotel has become one of the region's most interesting dining destinations combining the conviviality of a country pub with a kitchen that takes its food seriously; it builds a strong case for Milton being one of the South Coast's best food towns.
Best for: Serious food without fine-dining fuss
Go for: Elevated pub dining
Looking for the Best Restaurants in the Southern Highlands for a Special Occasion → click here!
Best South Coast Restaurants for a Long Lunch
Some places call for a quick meal before the beach. These are not those places. Whether you’re after a place to kick back and bask in the sunshine for hours or indulge over multiple courses at some of the country’s best restaurants, here are our picks for the top long lunch spots on the South Coast NSW.
5. Cupitt's Estate, Ulladulla
If we could choose just one place for a long lunch on the South Coast, Cupitt's Estate would be very hard to beat.
Set on a beautiful property overlooking the countryside outside Ulladulla (a mere 5-minute drive from Mollymook), Cupitt's combines a winery, restaurant, craft brewery, fromagerie and accommodation.
Start with a wine tasting, settle in for lunch and don't make too many plans for afterwards.
Make a weekend of it: Stay on the property and remove the need for a designated driver altogether.
Best for: Spending the entire afternoon
Go for: Wine, food and countryside views
6. Sara Dining, Berry
Sara Dining may have only just opened, but it has fast become one of the best restaurants Berry has to offer. Sitting just outside Berry's busy town centre overlooking Moraea Farm, this intimate farm-to-table experience is a must go-to for any foodie. Sit back, order till your hearts content and enjoy the beautiful surrounds.
Best for: Elevated farm-to-table experience
Go for: A long and leisurely food-focused afternoon
7. Silica Restaurant, Kiama
Kiama has no shortage of places to eat, but Silica truly needs to be more than a quick stop between swims. Overlooking the beach, start with the oysters, order plenty of food and take in the Kiama waterfront with a glass or three.
Best for: A grown-up coastal lunch
Go for: Modern Australian dining near the sea
Want to know all the best places to eat in rural NSW? → click here!
Best South Coast Restaurants for a Girls' Weekend
There are many ingredients that make up that perfect spot for a girls’ weekend. Whether you and the besties are looking for serious food, gorgeous cocktails, instagram-able views or a bit of everything, here are our top picks for you to send to the group chat ASAP.
8. Little Betty's, Kiama
Little Betty's is for the girls who run solely off vibes. Killer cocktails, incredible food and a distinct aura of cool - Little Betty’s makes for the perfect girls night out.
The Local Compass pick: One of our favourite places to kick off a South Coast girls' weekend.
Best for: Cocktails followed by dinner
Go for: The cool crowd
9. The Rutledge Bar & Eats, Berry
Housed in a former blacksmith's workshop, The Rutledge combines plenty of historic Berry character with a much more contemporary bar-and-eats offering. We recommend this for the girls not looking for something super fancy, but who want plenty of hearty food with their cocktails. This is the sort of place you could sit for hours and laugh as loud as you want.
Best for: Groups
Go for: Share plates, cocktails and a fun atmosphere
10. NOMAH, Milton
If your group of friends love nothing more than bonding over an incredible foodie experience, may we introduce NOMAH: a taste of the Middle East in Milton. Elevated but still with that distinctly beachy feel of the South Coast, NOMAH is one of the best restaurants the Mollymook/Milton area has to offer.
Best for: For friends who value unique dining experiences
Go for: Small, stylish dining
11. Bar Yuki, Milton
This is perhaps a dangerous destination for night one of the girls South Coast weekend. Serving utterly delicious Japanese food in a proper bar atmosphere, Bar Yuki is for ordering loads of share plates, indulging in one too many cocktails and seeing where the night takes you.
Best for: Japanese and drinks
Go for: A break from Modern Australian menus
For best the best set menus under $100 in the Blue Mountains → click here!
Most Romantic Restaurants on the South Coast
We have already listed you special occasion venues, so for this list we are looking at intimacy and atmosphere over luxury. These are the sorts of places that feeling like you can huddle together and just enjoy each other’s company: no fuss, no frills, just love.
12. Cin Cin, Kiama
Cin Cin offers something a little different to Kiama's beachside dining. Intimate, wine-led and grown-up without feeling stuffy, it's particularly well suited to a Friday-night dinner at the beginning of a weekend away.
Best for: Wine-bar date night
Go for: Wine and an intimate dinner
13. The Prickly Pear, Milton
The Prickly Pear brings Mediterranean influences to Milton's already impressive restaurant scene. Proudly family-owned and run, there is something about these sorts of laid-back yet local gems that make for the best sort of date nights - it’s like you’ve both found a secret that no one has quite caught on to yet.
Best for: Mediterranean date night
Go for: A cosy dinner in Milton
14. Waters Edge, Batemans Bay
If you and you’re partner have made it all the way to the Sapphire Coast, one of the best restaurants in Batemans Bay is Waters Edge, an admittedly different vibe than the other two on this list. A little more polished than a casual seafood meal in Batemans Bay, this waterfront restaurant does much of the romantic heavy lifting, while the Modern Australian menu won’t disappoint.
Best for: Waterfront dining
Go for: A proper sit-down dinner in Batemans Bay
The Ultimate Foodie Trail in Kiama: Where to Eat From Breakfast to Dinner → click here!
Best Seafood Restaurants & Experiences on the South Coast
You can't write about where to eat on the South Coast NSW without talking about seafood - but some of the best experiences aren't necessarily traditional restaurants. These two dining experiences wouldn’t necessarily be classified as hidden gems, more local institutions that are ABSOLUTELY worth the drive. Nothing fancy, but boy, they don’t need to be!
15. Oyster Shed on Wray, Batemans Bay
Forget white tablecloths and polished glasses. The appeal here is eating exceptionally fresh local oysters close to the water - exactly where they came from. If you’re looking for a fantastic experience unique to the region, we insist you visit the Oyster Shed on Wray.
Best for: Clyde River oysters
Go for: An experience you won’t forget
16. Jim Wild's Oysters, Greenwell Point
Jim Wild's is another example of why some of the region's best meals happen outside conventional restaurants. Jim’s oysters come from the Crookhaven River, giving visitors the chance to taste one of the South Coast's defining ingredients almost at its source.
Worth the detour: Absolutely.
Best for: A quintessential South Coast food experience
Go for: Sydney rock oysters
Best Casual Restaurants on the South Coast
Excellent food doesn't always need a tasting menu. The restaurants on this list all have exceptional food and ambiance for days, without the fine dining price tag.
Suffice to say, you will not be dissapointed.
17. Wildginger, Huskisson
After a day spent swimming around Jervis Bay, Wildginger is exactly the sort of place we want to be at night.
It's lively, flavour-packed and works particularly well for groups. If you're searching for the best restaurants in Huskisson, put it firmly on the list.
Best for: Great flavours and lots of dishes
Go for: Asian flavours and cocktails
18. Gwylo, Mollymook
Gwylo is our pick for travellers who want excellent food in Mollymook without going to those fine dining or traditional experiences. Asian influences, shareable food and a relaxed atmosphere make it an easy second-night companion following a big dinner at Bannisters.
Best for: The cool alternative to a formal Mollymook dinner
Go for: Asian-inspired share plates
Best Under-the-Radar Restaurant
19. The River Moruya, Moruya
Moruya can easily become somewhere travellers pass through on their way further south: The River gives you a reason to stop.
Polished but relaxed, it's a particularly useful recommendation once your road trip moves beyond the more heavily covered Berry–Mollymook stretch.
The Local Compass verdict: One of the finds on this list we'd be most excited to recommend to a friend.
Best for: Discovering somewhere unexpected
Go for: Modern Australian dining
Best Restaurant in Narooma
20. Queen Chow, Narooma
Make it all the way down to Narooma and the food scene changes again.
At The Whale, Queen Chow takes inspiration from Hong Kong dining, with dim sum, char siu, Peking duck, seafood and wok dishes. Like it's Sydney sister, its fun rather than formal, making it equally useful for couples and groups.
And after several days of Modern Australian coastal dining?
A table covered in dumplings sounds extremely good.
Best for: Groups, date nights and your final holiday dinner
Go for: Cantonese food and local seafood
The Best Cafes in Narooma for Coffee, Brunch & Ocean Views → click here!
Where to Eat on the South Coast, by Town
If you're already planning your itinerary, here's the shortcut:
Kiama: Little Betty's, Cin Cin, Silica
Berry & Shoalhaven Heads: SOUTH on Albany, Sara Dining, The Rutledge, Bangalay Dining
Greenwell Point & Jervis Bay: Jim Wild's Oysters, Wildginger
Milton, Mollymook & Ulladulla: The Milton Hotel, NOMAH, Bar Yuki, The Prickly Pear, Gwylo, Rick Stein at Bannisters, Cupitt's Estate
Batemans Bay: Waters Edge, Oyster Shed on Wray
Moruya: The River Moruya
Narooma: Queen Chow
If You Only Book Five…
First trip to the South Coast and completely overwhelmed by choice?
Book these:
SOUTH on Albany for one serious food experience.
Cupitt's Estate for a long lunch.
Gwylo for something relaxed and cool.
Jim Wild's Oysters for a genuinely local experience.
Queen Chow when you reach Narooma.
All different, all special, and all very quintessential to the South Coast experience.
FAQs: Eating on the NSW South Coast
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Some of the best restaurants on the NSW South Coast include SOUTH on Albany in Berry, Bangalay Dining at Shoalhaven Heads, The Milton Hotel in Milton, Rick Stein at Bannisters in Mollymook and Cupitt's Estate near Ulladulla. Smaller restaurants including NOMAH, Gwylo and The River Moruya are also worth seeking out.
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Berry and the Milton–Mollymook area have particularly strong restaurant scenes. Kiama is excellent for bars and casual dining, while the stretch from Batemans Bay to Narooma offers excellent seafood and several less obvious regional restaurants.
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SOUTH on Albany is our pick for a special meal in Berry, while Sara Dining is excellent for a long lunch and The Rutledge Bar & Eats works particularly well for groups and a more casual night out.
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The Milton–Mollymook area is arguably one of the best food destinations on the NSW South Coast. Try The Milton Hotel and NOMAH for food-focused dining, Bar Yuki or Gwylo for something lively and Rick Stein at Bannisters for an iconic Mollymook seafood dinner.
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Wildginger in Huskisson is a great choice for a lively dinner around Jervis Bay. Bangalay Dining at nearby Shoalhaven Heads is worth travelling for if you're looking for a more refined dining experience, while Jim Wild's Oysters at Greenwell Point offers a quintessential local seafood experience.
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Cupitt's Estate near Ulladulla is our top pick for a South Coast long lunch thanks to its combination of food, wine and beautiful countryside. Bangalay Dining and Sara Dining are other options to consider further north.
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Try Waters Edge or Oyster Shed on Wray around Batemans Bay before continuing south to The River Moruya. In Narooma, Queen Chow is an excellent option for Cantonese food, seafood and a fun group dinner.
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For popular South Coast restaurants, yes. Friday and Saturday nights, school holidays and long weekends can book out well ahead, particularly in Berry, Milton, Mollymook and Jervis Bay. We'd reserve destination restaurants before leaving home and leave a few casual meals flexible.
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