THE LIST
Where to eat, stay and shop in Byron Bay
Take a trip to the coastal town of Byron Bay, here are the places we think you should be putting on your list right now.
By Eatable
Eat
The Eltham hotel is a very classic Aussie-style pub found in the hinterlands of Byron Bay. The food here is the best pub food you’ll find in Byron. Really fresh produce is used, cooked with small modern twists by head chef Alanna Sapwell. It’s also just a great spot to pull up a pew and have a beer with the locals and take in the country air.
441 Eltham Rd, Eltham
A trattoria-by-the-sea is the new casual Italian eatery from the team behind Sydney’s Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Maurice Terzini, Deke Miskin and Dave Owen. The contemporary beachside space is designed by George Livissianis. The menu by chef Alex Prichard (Icebergs Dining Room and Bar), showcases produce from the region and throughout the country with local producers including Boonluck Farm, Byron Bay mozzarella, Picone organics, Salumi Australia and also Ballina prawns and Australia bay lobsters from the Northern Rivers. The wine list features local, small production or family-run wineries - producers are sustainable, practice ethical farming and, where possible, use minimal intervention, from Sicily to Jerez, over to Margaret River, Mornington Peninsula and Byron Shire then back again through Corsica and Sardinia.
35 Childe St, Byron Bay NSW
The Hut is where the locals go in Byron. Only open three days a week for lunch, this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant is located inside the old Possum Creek School. Fresh flavours of the Mediterranean shine here in dishes such as pesce spada marinato, olio al mandarino, or swordfish carpaccio, picked onions, pink peppercorns, mandarin oil from head chef Bruno Conti of Italian restaurant Di Vino in Byron’s main hub.
471 Friday Hut Road, Possum Creek
Chef Matt Stone has partnered with the team behind The Eltham Hotel to create thoughtful share plates using local ingredients. Dishes range in small plates like globe artichoke with sunflower miso toast and kangaroo skewer with salsa verde and kraut, to barbecue broccoli with shoyu, barley and green garlic. A take on the corner pubs of the big city, in a little town.
33 Byron St, Bangalow
Witlof, plum and pistachio at Belongil Beach Italian Food (top). The entrance to Belongil Beach Italian Food.
Stay
While it opened in January 2022, we’re loving the sunshine-y motel vibes of The Sunseeker motel. Located just 2 minutes’ drive from the town centre, the renovated 80s brick motel with its kidney-shaped pool boasts mid-century Californian-inspired style. There are beautifully designed motel rooms, and six bungalows with a private deck and garden, each with an outdoor covered bath. Driven by a commitment to sustainability and conscious design, the entrance is created from the original slate tiles salvaged from the old hotel rooms, and the library’s fireplace, from rescued bricks. Needless to say, a spicy mezcal margarita by the pool and we’re not planning on going anywhere for days.
100 Bangalow Road, Byron Bay
The Pool Bar at The Sunseeker Motel (top) and The Bay Grocer.
Shop
This provedore-delicatessen has great coffee and lots of good food shopping. Set just on the outskirts of town it’s the place to stock up if you’re staying self-contained locally or headed for a picnic in the area.
63 Tennyson St, Byron Bay
A boutique wine shop specialising in small wineries making natural-style wines, from sommeliers Russ Berry (Harvest Newrybar), James Audas from (Noma) and Tom Sheer (Love Tilly Divine) who are also behind LoFi wines is also worth keeping an eye out for.
Shop 2/140-142 Jonson St, Byron Bay
Words by Lisa Featherby. Belongil Beach Italian Food images by Lisa Featherby. Sunseeker images courtesy of Sunseeker. The Bay Grocer images courtesy of The Bay Grcoer.
