8 restaurants, bars & cafes in Forster you must try

Coffee on the sand: Beach Bums Café 

Shoes are optional at Beach Bums Cafe, located on Forster Main Beach. It’s the perfect place for breakfast or a post-surf coffee with unbeatable ocean views. The seasonal menu features classic breakfast dishes, gourmet toasted sandwiches, salads and burgers, with healthy and gluten-free options too. 

Beach Bums Cafe, Forster

Lakeside dining: Spice Monkey 

With an idyllic spot overlooking Wallis Lake, Spice Monkey serves Asian cuisine with a strong Japanese influence. On the menu you’ll find delicious share plates, dumplings, noodles, sushi and sashimi. Enjoy the sunset over the lake from the outdoor table or dine inside at one of the booths or at the bar. They even serve their own beer – Monkey Magic.  

Spice Monkey, Forster

Authentic pizza: Pezzella’s  

Showcasing some of the region’s best produce while using traditional Italian methods and recipes, Pezzella’s brings the best of Italy and Australia together in the form of a pizza. After spending a year travelling Italy and learning about different food and dishes from different regions, the Aussie owners returned to NSW, where they started selling woodfired pizza at local markets. Now Pezzella’s has a permanent home in Forster and welcomes you to enjoy the simple pleasures in life – good food and good company.  

Pezzella's, Forster - Credit: Pezzella's

Fresh seafood: Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-operative 

It doesn’t get much fresher than the fish from the Wallis Lake Fish Co-op. As well as supplying local restaurants, markets and sending seafood to Sydney, their catch is available from the Wallis Lake Fisherman’s Co-op shop in Tuncurry. Open seven days a week, here you can find fresh fish, fillets, prawns, crabs, lobsters, pipis, cockles and oysters.  

Wallis Lake Fishermen's Co-Op, Tuncurry

Dog friendly: The Coastal Brewing Company 

Beer enthusiasts can sample ale, lager, stout and more from a regularly rotating selection at The Coastal Brewing Company taproom. The beers are made using all-natural ingredients with names inspired by the beauty of the Barrington Coast. Think Sugarloaf Lemon Sour, Diamond Beach Pilsner, Very Crowdy NEIPA and more. The dog- and child-friendly microbrewery offers tasting paddles, as well as cider and soft drinks for the non-beer drinkers too. You can even buy kegs and cans of beer to take home with you from the bar. 

The Coastal Brewing Company, Forster

Australian oysters: Thirty Three Degrees  

Thirty Three Degrees is part of the East 33 group, Australia’s largest producer of Sydney rock oysters. The lakeside restaurant showcases the delicious oysters in a variety of ways. Enjoy them ‘natural’ or Kilpatrick or go for a more unusual selection with watermelon and mint or tempura style. From the deck you can see the leases where the oysters are cultivated, and if you enjoy a few too many wines or cocktails with the seafood, you can take advantage of the courtesy bus, servicing the Forster-Tuncurry region.  

Thirty Three Degrees, Tuncurry - Credit: Thirty Three Degrees

Tacos, tequila & sunsets: Si Señorita 

This Forster restaurant celebrates Mexican food and culture, with a gorgeous setting overlooking Wallis Lake. The menu at Si Señorita features both traditional and modern dishes, including tacos, quesadillas and margarita cocktails, made with local produce and authentic ingredients. You’ll also find some dishes from further afield, like Peruvian ceviche, Cuban chicken and patatas bravas.   

Si Señorita, Forster - Credit: Si Señorita

Traditional Turkish food: Anatolia Turkish Cuisine 

Sample authentic Turkish dishes like adana, köfte and shish at Anatolia Turkish Cuisine. Along with pides, Turkish bread and falafel, you’ll find delicious pistachio ice-cream and homemade baklava on the menu. The Forster restaurant is just a few steps from the Coolongalook River and offers takeaway as well as in-house dining.  

Anatolia Turkish Cuisine, Forster - Credit: Anatolia Turkish Cuisine