Recent years may have burdened Byron Bay with a reputation as Australia’s most lavish playground for influencers and celebrities, but the forever postcard-worthy town and its surrounds still pack some serious punch for culture vultures and gourmands alike. So dense is the dining offering up in this breezy spot that choosing between the best restaurants in Byron Bay is possibly the only anxiety-inducing activity you can do in the famously easy-going town.
Whether you’re there for Splendour in the Grass or Bluesfest or just to chill on the beach, Byron Bay has plenty to offer between all that action (or non-action) when it comes to highlighting fresh produce from local suppliers and local farmers. Typically this would be paired up with a great cocktail menu, since Byron Bay has plenty of excellent bars as well for when you want more than just the local brews.
From a sleek new late-night wine bar with delicious food and the iconic Three Blue Ducks to a two-hatted superstar, these are the Byron Bay restaurants worth booking well in advance.
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Table Of Contents (Unranked)
1. Balcony Bar & Oyster Co.
Though it can feel like the best restaurants in Byron change like the swell, Balcony Bar & Oyster Co remains a constant presence and a beacon of good food and delicious cocktails.
Occupying pride of place above Jonson and Lawson Streets, this popular restaurant is a local icon where seafood, cocktails and people-watching from the namesake balcony go hand-in-hand. The Hervey Bay scallop ceviche and Eyre Peninsula mussels are proof of love at first bite.
Address: 7/3 Lawson St, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Contact: (02) 6680 9666
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (12 pm – 10 pm); Saturday (10 am – 11 pm); Sunday (10 am – 10 pm)
2. Bonito
Chef Minh Le has come on board to spearhead Hotel Marvell’s latest on-site restaurant, leaning heavily on locally sourced seafood from a close network of suppliers. Given the area can really never have enough fresh seafood restaurants, Bonito is in a good spot to help elevate Byron’s thriving dining scene.
Although sea treasures aren’t the only things on the menu. You’ll find plenty of farm-fresh vegetarian dishes as well as land produce like a wagyu striploin 9+ with beetle leaf, wasabi, potato and green Nam Jim.
3. Light Years
Modern Vietnamese done right. Tucked away down an arcade just off Lawson Street in the heart of town, Light Years is a retro-styled Asian bar and diner that’s easy to miss but never disappoints. The shareable dishes look as good as they taste, with spicy Korean chicken bao buns, miso caramel eggplant and a turmeric coconut fish curry just a few must-tries.
Address: 3/17 Lawson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Contact: 0423 138 538
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (4:45 pm – 10 pm)
4. Three Blue Ducks
It’s hard to believe only five years have passed since The Farm launched in Byron Bay. The 80-acre working farm – home to the show-stealing Three Blue Ducks – has had such a massive impact on the town, embodying the paddock-to-plate philosophy to a tee.
The Ducks have been there since day one. Their flagship restaurant, together with a bakery and produce store, is the perfect hang for lazy long lunches or dinners with good vibes and simple food prepared with absolute faith in the flavour and vitality of local produce.
Address: 11 Ewingsdale Road, Ewingsdale NSW 2481
Contact: (02) 9389 0010
Opening Hours: Sunday – Wednesday (6:30 am – 2:30 pm); Thursday (6:30 am – 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm – 9 pm); Friday – Saturday (6:30 am – 9 pm).
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5. Roadhouse
The Roady, as the locals know it, has gone through a few incarnations over the years. Each one has had its charms, but the latest as a woodfired pizza bar and restaurant is possibly the best yet.
Think big, bountiful Brooklyn-style hand-stretched pizzas topped with spicy salami, roasted lamb ribs with chimichurri that’ll satisfy meat eaters, and grilled king prawns with chilli and fennel and you’ll have an idea of what to expect. Don’t be surprised if the dining room gets crowded as the night rolls closer to midnight.
Address: 6/142 Bangalow Rd, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Opening Hours: Monday (6:30 am – 2 pm); Tuesday – Friday (6:30 am – 2 pm, 5:30 pm – 10 pm); Saturday – Sunday (6:30 am – 10 pm)
6. Bang Bang
After banging cocktails and fragrant curries that’ll make your taste buds sing? Bang Bang, on the corner of Byron and Fletcher Streets, is the one for you. The dimly lit restaurant feels plucked out of the streets of Bangkok, with a shareable menu featuring crowd favourites like a crispy master stock duck, whole fried snapper, and a dry red barramundi curry.
Address: 4/1 Byron Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Contact: 0412 530 695
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (5pm – 11pm); Saturday (12pm – 11pm); Sunday (12pm – 10pm)
7. Japonaise Kitchen
That’s not a spelling mistake. It’s actually the French word for a Japanese woman. Your guess what that has to do with food is as good as mine, but one thing for sure is the quality on display here. It’s a quirky hole-in-the-wall restaurant that delivers authentic food at decent prices.
Their caramelised chicken karaage, japadog hotdogs, fresh sushi and tasty gyoza, washed down with an Asahi beer, will take you straight to the neon streets of Tokyo straight from one of the best restaurants in Byron Bay.
Address: 2/25-27 Lawson St, Byron Bay
Contact: 02 6685 5124
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (11am – 3pm, 4:30pm – 8:30pm)
8. Raes Dining Room
With executive chef Jason Saxby behind the menu, Raes Dining Room over at Wategoes beach is one of the better options you’ve got when you want a restaurant for special occasions. It’s not as stuffy as you’d expect from something a bit more premium, with relaxed and welcoming service setting a warm scene for Saxby’s modern Australian menu, plated up with plenty of inspiration taken from the Mediterranean.
For something a bit more casual, duck into the Cellar Bar & Terrace after a dip at Wategoes, but if you want something a bit more dressed-up then opt for the beautifully presented dining room. Get the tasting menu and dip through the extensive wine list and you’ll taste exactly why Raes Dining Room makes the cut in our best restaurants in Byron Bay round-up.
Address: 6/8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Contact: (02) 6685 5366
9. Lover’s Lane
Chef Tyler Preston runs the show at Lover’s Lane, a new Byron Bay restaurant that skillfully offers a hybrid of a casual, grungy bar purposed for late-night parties and an upscale restaurant. It’s decidedly Byron, sporting an attractive interior and focusing on fresh ingredients, natural wine and great cocktails fashioned after the botanicals you’d find around the Northern Rivers.
The inspiration behind the menu picks from around the world, mostly favouring Southeast Asia but also picking through Europe to experiment with different flavour profiles while still coming across as focused and considered. It’s a deft balancing act that’s already settled in quite nicely as one of Byron’s premier party spots.
Address: 6 Lawson St, Byron Bay NSW 2481
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Saturday (5 pm – 3 am); Sunday (5 pm – 12 am)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best restaurants in Byron Bay?
If you’re looking for some of the top restaurants in Byron Bay hit up Raes Dining Room, Light Years and Balcony Bar.
What's a good bar in Byron Bay with live music?
Lover’s Lane is a great new bar in Byron Bay with an energetic atmosphere that’s often filled with live music and great cocktails.
