Season The Ultimate Byron Guide Edition

The food lovers and foragers guide to eating in Byron

Hello everyone and huge THANK YOU for being my very first subscribers. As this is the busiest time of the year for Byron Bay and the Northern Rivers, I thought I’d share my guide and top tips on WHERE TO EAT during the festive and summer season. These are the top tips that I share with my close friends when they come to visit. For those who don’t live here or aren’t visiting for a while, you can save this post for later. Something for everyone (I hope!).

Obviously, there are SO many places that I could feature here, but I’m focusing on the ones that I visit most often and perhaps aren’t as well known. In future newsletters, I’ll do a spotlight on particular towns such as Murwillumbah as there are so many great food places to visit! And of course, I have city guides up my sleeve too!

Let’s do this!

The SEASON Ultimate Food Lovers Guide to Byron Bay:

Omelette at the Nomadic Kitchen, breakfast plate Happy Days

• Coffee: Happy Days, Byron Industrial Estate

Owner Reece roasts his Beam coffee onsite so the coffee is great and the small food menu featuring sandwiches and a breakfast plate are delicious as they use top notch produce and bake their yummy bread there too.

While you’re there… visit Amanda at Herb Remedy next door (just follow your nose…the scent!) for her beautiful, natural, handmade soaps.

• Breakfast: High Life, Byron Bay and The Nomadic Kitchen, New Brighton and Mullumbimby Farmer’s Markets

There are a lot of great breakfast options in Byron, but High Life is my go-to. The menu is both nourishing and delicious. I love the brown rice and kim chi fritters and the slow cooked beans. I have no idea what they put in these beans but I get them EVERY time! Another great place for breakfast is Woods in Bangalow which has a wholesome food in a cute courtyard.

My other top breakfast pick is Rob and Michelle from the Nomadic Kitchen at both New Brighton and Mullumbimby Farmer’s Markets. They offer a simple rustic menu inspired by the best local produce and their Italian heritage. Rob used to cook at the famed River Cafe in London, so he can cook and I am a huge fan of his omelettes, bruschettas and cakes.

• Best Pubs: Eltham Hotel, Eltham and Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

The crew from Ciao Mate and You Beauty have done an epic job of renovating the Eltham Pub in a way that respects it’s iconic Australiana roots. With chef Alanna Sapwell heading up the kitchen, the food is excellent and absolutely worth the drive.

Hotel Brunswick or “The Bruns” has one of the very best beer gardens overlooking the river, and now that the team from “Three Blue Ducks” have taken over the kitchen, they’ve elevated the Pub classics with top notch produce, featuring dishes like the Bay Lobster pizza, Schnitzel with vodka sauce and Salumi mortadella, and a cracking Prawn toast.

Schnitty and fish burger at The Eltham, the spread at the "The Bruns"

• Deli’s: Manu’s, Bangalow and Bay Grocer, Byron Bay

Both of these are great for picking up picnic supplies, cheese, charcuterie, bread and more. I love the Manu’s experience as he’s so passionate about his produce, always giving tastings and makes very good sandwiches if you need a delicious lunch on the go.

• Best Cheese: Kat Harvey, Murwillumbah

Kat is a cheese maker and cheese monger so she’s incredibly knowledgable and her curation of cheeses, sweets and tinned fish would make the most incredible board or picnic. It’s well worth getting one of her amazing toasties too.

While you’re there… Keith in Murwillumbah is a great little cafe for breakfast/lunch with fantastic coffee and Old Quarter Coffee just opened in Murwillumbah too, with epic coffee of course.

Manu's Bangalow and Kat Harvey Cheese Murwillumbah, with THAT toastie.

• Wine Shop: Bottle and Hoop, Brunswick Heads

This is one of my favourite places for wines, spirits and craft beers. Rob used to co-own and make the drinks at the amazing Fleet restaurant, so he knows his booze and I always walk away with something I love. There are great cheeses and other deli items too.

• Cake Shop: Home, Alstonville

This little cake shop opened a few months ago and I LOVE it. There is such an exceptional array of sweets to choose from, as well as sandwiches, salads and pantry staples. It’s well worth the drive.

While you’re there… Alstonville Quality Meats is a fantastic butcher across the road with gluten free options, and Buckley’s Chance is a great local cafe for coffee and lunch, run by former Three Blue Ducks head chef Bret Cameron.

Home, Alstonville

• Best Bakery: Baker and Daughters, Mullumbimby; Sunday Sustainable, Ocean Shores and Byron; Bread Social, Tweed Heads (and Three Blue Ducks Ewingsdale)

All of the above bake delicious bread, baguettes, pastries, pies and sangas!

If I had to pick favourites from each I’d say get:

-the Portugese Tart from Bread Social,

-the Blueberry Spelt Scone from Baker and Daughter,

-and Chocolate Hazelnut Babke from Sunday Sustainable.

From left to right: Baker & Daughters, Sunday Sustainable, The Bread Social.

• Lunch/Dinner: opening days/times vary for lunch and dinner for these various places so check their website :)

Neighbourhood dinner: You Beauty, Bangalow

Right on the corner of the main street, this place gives Aussie pub meets neighbourhood diner energy. Chef Matt Stone’s menu focuses on hyperlocal and native produce with many of the products like cheese and charcuterie made in house. I love the croc toast, and steak and chips.

Vibey dinner: Mullum Continental, Mullumbimby

This bar/restaurant is a vibe and I like it. It’s the kind of place where you want to start with a negroni and graze on everything from starters such as oysters and tuna crudo to mains such a pork cotoletta. It opens at 3pm so if we’re talking lunch, it’s a late Euro lunch, and that suits me just fine!

Asian style dinner: Light Years, Byron Bay

I don’t venture much into town but when I do, Light Years never disappoints for cocktails and flavour packed modern Asian cuisine.

Left to right: You Beauty, Light Years, Mullum Continental.

Quintessential Byron: Three Blue Ducks, The Farm Ewingsdale

I’m mentioning it here for dinner, but Three Blue Ducks is fantastic at all times of the day. The team have been quietly championing local produce on this 80 acre farm for almost 10 years and it’s a beautiful outdoors space to enjoy seasonal and local produce, sourced and prepared with care. Very family friendly! Disclaimer: this is my partner’s place, but I love it and visit on the regular :)

Three Blue Ducks, The Farm.