From fine-dining restaurants with a view to casual brunch spots on the beach, you’ll find plenty of delicious eateries to satisfy your hunger in the Central Coast.
Dec 2024 -
5
min readBreakfast spots & casual eats
Lagune Artisan Pizza Co. and Lagune Artisan, Wamberal
A few steps from Wamberal Beach, Lagune Artisan Pizza Co. serves delicious Neapolitan style pizza, cooked in an oven all the way from Napoli. You’ll find all the classics as well as house specialties including the Nonno Carollo pizza with Borgo salami Calabrese. A short walk away is their sister venue, Lagune Artisan, where along with the pizza you can order pasta, salads, focaccia sandwiches and Italian influenced breakfast.
Lagune Artisan Pizza Co, Wamberal - Credit: Lagune Artisan
Cafe Ronto, Umina
If you’re looking for a little variety from the usual breakfast items, then Cafe Ronto in Umina is worth a visit. The cafe’s menu is a fusion of European, Middle Eastern, and Asian influences, with dishes like okonomiyaki fritters and tom yum & chili pork omelette on offer, paired with excellent coffee. It’s a friendly spot on Umina’s main strip.
Cafe Ronto, Umina - Credit: Cafe Ronto
Bellyfish, Terrigal
Bellyfish is a buzzing cafe that has earned a strong reputation in Terrigal. With excellent coffee from Single O and a hearty menu packed with local ingredients including Brasserie Bread artisan sourdough, The Eggshed free range eggs, and Little Creek cheese. The laid-back vibe and funky interiors fit perfectly with its prime location near Terrigal Beach and it’s easy to see why it’s one of the town’s most popular hangouts.
Bellyfish Cafe, Terrigal - Credit: Bellyfish Cafe
Bamboo Buddha, Holgate
Bamboo Buddha is a vegetarian and vegan cafe nestled in the tranquil greenery of the Central Coast. With a menu that champions local and organic ingredients, you’ll find everything from fluffy fruit-topped pancakes to a standout Bamboo Buddha burger crafted with sunflower seed ‘mince.’ Seasonal specials like soul-warming winter curries and soups keep things fresh, while organic coffee, cold-pressed juices, and indulgent smoothies round out the experience. Beyond the café, explore a lush nursery filled with bamboo, succulents, and unique cacti, or check out the yoga studio offering classes like vinyasa and yin, along with drumming workshops, art shows, and sound healing sessions that elevate the peaceful vibes.
Bamboo Buddha, Holgate- Credit: Destination Central Coast
Chic & delicious
Amalfi, Pearl Beach
For a slice of Italy minus the airfare, Amalfi at Pearl Beach has you covered. Set a few steps from the sand, this modern Italian restaurant specialises in refined yet comforting dishes, using fresh, quality ingredients. Think indulgent saffron prawn ravioli, rich pappardelle ragu, and refreshing limoncello gelato served in a frozen lemon—a crowd favourite that’s worth the trip alone. The setting is as charming as the food, with an open-air deck, adorned with lemon trees, offering breathtaking views of Pearl Beach.
Amalfi Pearl Beach, Pearl Beach - Credit: Amalfi Pearl Beach
Saddles, Mount White
For something a little more country, make your way to Saddles in Mount White, a quintessential Australian dining destination. Situated in a beautiful classic homestead building, the menu showcases the best of Australian produce with a ‘Paddock to Plate’ philosophy. You can dine in the restaurant or gran something to take away from the bakery, including the delicious Beef brisket pie and Potato, caramelised onion & cheddar pie.
Saddles Mount White, Mount White - Credit: Jacs Powell
Fine dining
The Cowrie, Terrigal
One hatted The Cowrie has a stunning vantage point high above Terrigal Beach, with ocean views. The restaurant uses locally sourced produce with a seasonally changing menu, in addition to a special plant-based menu. There is also the option to enjoy private dining in the Cowrie Cellar, with a chef’s select five course degustation with paired wines.
The Cowrie, Terrigal - Credit: The Cowrie
Yellowtail, Terrigal
One of only four hatted restaurants in the Central Coast, Yellowtail serves Modern Australian cuisine, influenced by the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Asia, made with local seasonal produce. The menu changes regularly and you can opt for the ‘chef’s pick’ five course degustation, with optional wine pairings for dinner or seven plate experience with bottomless rosé for lunch.
Yellowtail, Terrigal - Credit: Tourism Central Coast
Wild Flower Bar + Dining, Killcare
Located at the beautiful boutique resort, the menu at Bells at Killcare, Wild Flower Bar and Dining is based on ingredients from the local waterways and the 500 square-metre kitchen garden. This includes an orchard, olive trees, avocado tree, honey bee-hives and free-range hens, all cared for and produced using sustainable practices. Choose from the chef’s tasting menu with matching wine pairings or go a la carte and on Sundays you can enjoy the delicious family roast for lunch.
The Wild Flower Bar and Dining, Killcare - Credit: Dom Cherry/Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant & Spa
La Gioia, Erina
La Gioia is an Italian fine dining restaurant, serving a luxurious take on Tuscan countryside specialities. Each dish is created with love, using the finest ingredients, and include porchetta (roast pork) and wild boar ragu. Book for the Thursday steak night and try the tagliata $30 wagyu MBS8+ steak or bring all your friends for the 1.6 kilogram MBS3+ Tomahawk from Brooklyn Valley.
La Gioia, Erina - Credit: La Gioia
Waterside dining/views
The Box on the Water, Ettalong Beach
With a restaurant, bar and kiosk overlooking Broken Bay, The Box on the Water has options for every occasion. Serving Modern Australian cuisine, the restaurant menu is designed to be shared. Don’t miss the signature duck liver pate, best eaten alongside a New Zealand Pinot Noir. Leave the decision making to the house and order the Box Grazing Feast with an optional wine pairing or if you are feeling more casual, grab a freshly made wrap or burger from the kiosk.
The BOX on the Water, Ettalong Beach
Avoca Beach House, Avoca
At the southern end of beautiful Avoca Beach, Avoca Beach House has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the surf. Order one of the impressive seafood platters featuring oysters, mussels, tuna, scallops, Moreton Bay bugs, prawns, squid and lobster, and watch the locals take a wave or two. There is an excellent wine and cocktail list and delicious desserts on offer too.
Avoca Surf House, Avoca Beach
Woy Woy Fishermen's Wharf
Set in the heart of Woy Woy on a jetty overlooking Brisbane Water, this seafood spot is all about laid-back vibes and fresh, local flavours. Part seafood market, part takeaway fish and chip shop, and part casual restaurant, it’s the kind of place where pelicans perch nearby, and the sea breeze adds to the charm. Expect a relaxed, no-fuss dining experience where it’s all about enjoying top-notch fish and chips by the water, paired with great wines. Forget fine dining—this is all about simple, delicious seafood done right.
Woy Woy Fishermen's Wharf, Woy Woy - Credit: Woy Woy Fishermen's Wharf, Woy Woy
Meribella, Terrigal
Meribella brings a touch of old-world glamour to the Central Coast, redefining coastal dining with a sophisticated twist. Perched on the first floor of Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific, this light-filled space is all about effortless elegance with the menu blending Mediterranean-inspired flavours with fresh, market-sourced ingredients. For wine lovers, Meribella’s cellar is one of the region’s most eclectic, offering expertly paired wines that enhance every bite. For a more relaxed experience, head to the bar, where grand arched windows frame stunning ocean views. Sip on one of Meribella’s legendary cocktails or enjoy a selection of light bites as you take in the beauty of the stunning coastline.
View of the dining room at Meribella, Terrigal - Credit: Florida Beach Bar
Swells, Terrigal
Swells is the essence of summer dining all year round, offering stunning ocean views from its elevated perch above Bellyfish Café in Terrigal. With its chic coastal vibe and breezy outdoor terrace—partly sheltered by glass panels for those cooler days—this is the perfect spot to soak up the seaside atmosphere. Inside, the cosy dining room invites guests to settle in for a relaxed yet refined meal. The menu is a celebration of fresh, local produce, with seafood taking centre stage. Think grilled Australian prawns and snapper and scallop crudo, alongside hearty options like grass fed beef fillet and harissa roast lamb rump.
Swells Restaurant, Terrigal - Credit: Swells Restaurant Terrigal
Kefi, Woy Woy
Set on the waterfront at Koolewong Marina, this Greek-inspired venue combines a vibrant atmosphere with stunning views of Brisbane Water. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu at Kefi offers classic Greek dishes like chargrilled octopus souvlaki, saganaki prawns and cheese, and moussaka, alongside a drinks list that celebrates Greek winemaking and Mediterranean-inspired cocktails. A kiosk on-site serves delicious Spanakopita, wraps, and sweets for a quick bite.
Kefi, Koolewong - Credit: Kefi
The Boathouse Patonga
Part of the Boathouse Group of stunning waterside venues, The Boathouse Patonga is a relaxed beachy hotel, restaurant and kiosk located in the idyllic coastal town of Patonga. With a gorgeous coastal aesthetic, the venue has indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the beach. The all-day menu features pizza, pasta, salads and burgers along with large plates including lemongrass mussels and barramundi with peperonata. If you want to make a trip of it, there are three family-friendly apartments to rent above the Hotel.
The Boathouse Patonga, Patonga - Credit: The Boathouse Group
Mumbo Jumbo’s, Terrigal
Mumbo Jumbo’s in Terrigal brings the vibrant flavours and rhythms of the Caribbean to the heart of the Central Coast. This lively bar, located in a prime corner spot, offers a dynamic mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, including a rooftop bar. With its laid-back, pan-Caribbean menu, Mumbo Jumbo’s serves up crowd-pleasers like jerk chicken wings and snapper cooked with sugar cane chilli rum, alongside an impressive rum collection. Music is an integral part of the experience, with regular live events and weekend DJs spinning reggae funk tunes.
Mumbo Jumbo's, Terrigal
