The 19 best restaurants in Byron Bay

Before Byron Bay became a dining destination, there was Light Years. Reopened in the sparkly Jonson Lane precinct, this modern Asian restaurant is a long-time favourite for its flavour-bomb share plates, creative cocktails and infectious spirited energy. Our favourite seats are outside under the fairy lights, where you can enjoy upbeat tunes from Light Years' sister venue, Pixie, just next door. Now to the star of the show: the food. You could start with a round of bao buns loaded with spicy Korean fried chicken, caramelised pork belly, panko crumbed fish or eggplant katsu. For something more refreshing, the delicately poached kingfish ceviche is an absolute hit, doused in smooth coconut and kefir lime sauce. If you’re struggling to decide between the crispy pork belly, miso eggplant and Wagyu beef rendang, consider surrendering control to the chefs: they’ll spoil you with all their greatest hits for $69 per person (or $89 if you want to upgrade to the 'primo selection'). 

Just 100 metres from Byron Bay’s beautiful beaches, No Bones is where the sun, surf and sustainability meet. Local veggies, fruits and native ingredients take centre stage on the fully vegan menu, with plenty of plant-based meat alternatives for even the most committed carnivores (trust us, they wouldn’t know it was vegan unless you told them). No Bones’ konjac calamari strips have stood the test of time, with their crispy garlic and herb butter potatoes being another long-time favourite. You won’t want to share the crispy duk pancakes and the creamy spaghetti carbonara with its unbelievably convincing bac’n will have you dreaming of your next visit. 

Brought to you by the team behind Byron’s beloved Light Years and Moonlight, this retro Italian gem is a go-to for long lunches, afternoon aperitifs, dazzling dinners and everything in between. The main dining room is a love letter to 1970s Italy, featuring bold pinks and a mix of terracotta and terrazzo textures. Sink into the ruched elderberry banquettes for an intimate dinner of house-baked focaccia, tuna crudo, fresh pasta and market fish. Or opt for alfresco dining on the dog-friendly terrace, where you can sip a coastal-inspired cocktail or a glass from the well-travelled, mostly Italian wine list.

You’ll find this oyster haven tucked a few blocks from the beach inside Hotel Marvell – Byron’s first five-star hotel. It’s the freshest addition to the boho town’s seafood-centric dining scene, channelling the energy of lively oyster bars in New England and New York. The venue’s state-of-the-art oyster tank can hold up to 6,000 oysters, with these ocean treasures from around Australia and New Zealand cracked open right before your eyes at a live shucking station. Dive into a dozen served hot with mornay, baked miso or garlic butter crumb, or slip them back straight with mignonette, ginger and soy, or Bloody Mary sauce. For something more filling, the menu offers a selection of small and large seafood plates, along with grilled meats and seasonal salads. 

Follow the vibrant yellow neon glow to The Smoking Camel, a fun, fast-paced Middle Eastern eatery that brings together flavours from Lebanon, Turkey and beyond. Food here comes in the form of dips, small plates, salads and skewers. Creamy, dreamy hummus and smoked baba ganoush beg to be swept off the plate with fluffy grilled pita, or wrapped up with smashed falafels and Baharat spiced Wagyu beef. Rally around daily happy hour from 5-6pm for $15 cocktails, $10 wines and $5 Egyptian beers. 

Perched on a hill overlooking one of the most magical beaches in Byron Bay – where surfers glide on seemingly endless gin-clear waves – is where you’ll find Raes on Wategos. Built in the 1960s, the Mediterranean-style boutique hotel and restaurant is without a doubt one of the country’s most lusted-after institutions. Jason Saxby (Pilu, Quay and The Ledbury in London) heads the kitchen, where the brief is modern Australian food with a Mediterranean touch. That’s encapsulated in an exquisite snack of kangaroo ‘tart-are’; Australian bay lobster with hand-rolled pasta and native spiced butter; and Iced Vovo semifreddo with native berry jam. 

This trendy Asian diner made quite a bang when it opened on Byron Street in late 2019, and five years on, the hype is only getting louder. Bang Bang Byron Bay offers an almost identical menu to its younger sister in Noosa, showcasing bold Southeast Asian flavours in a lively, low-lit setting. The menu is cleverly divided between ‘little bangs’ and ‘big bangs’, while the ‘bang-quet’ menu offers a taste of their greatest hits. If taking the DIY route, kick things off with a plump Moreton Bay bug bun with creamy XO sauce; or the crispy fried toast with ginger, sesame and Kewpie mayo. For mains, get ready for a flavour-packed line-up of sticky pork belly, braised beef ribs, and a whole pan-fried snapper coated in sweet and sour sauce. Then round out the feast with a selection of Bang Bang’s wok-tossed noodles and comforting curries.

Ask any local where they reckon the best burgers in Byron and they’ll likely say Main Street. This laid-back burger bar is the perfect spot to refuel after a long day of catching waves or lounging on the beach. Old-school beef and chicken burgers are just as popular as roasted mushroom or plant-based schnitzel options, with chunky chips, fried chicken wings and frosty milkshakes to round out your feed. Walk your burger and brew down the street to Main Beach for an epic end to the night.

You could easily spend a whole day exploring the Three Blue Ducks' sprawling 80-acre working farm, with its charming macadamia orchard, rustic restaurant and bakery, quaint produce shop, market garden and sustainable florist. The Farm’s fields are home to heritage-breed pigs, Scottish Highland cattle and chickens, which supply fresh eggs and meat to the on-site restaurant and produce store. A short stroll will see you stumble across row upon row of plump fruits and vegetables, also showcased on the seasonal menu. You can join the ducks for guided farm tours and daily animal feeding sessions, before settling in for a long lunch at the café or a picnic on the lush green lawns. And don’t skip The Farm’s legendary Sunday roast – it’s famous for a reason.

Hidden inside one of Byron’s most luxe resorts, Elements of Byron, this modern Australian bar and grill heroes native ingredients foraged from the property’s own backyard. Just like the glittering blue waters it’s named after, Azure’s menu ebbs and flows with the seasons. Oysters are drizzled with native pepperberry vinaigrette, market fish is dressed with warrigal green lemon butter, and ceviche is sprinkled with native togarashi, while venison backstrap is paired with a spiced Davidson plum gel. Guests can sample the season’s finest dishes with a two-course native menu, complete with complimentary rum cocktails and optional petit fours. 

This no-fuss pasta bar is worth all the fuss. Tucked away in a cosy little arcade off the main street, Puglia dishes up a tight but mighty menu of just five mains, including a rich ragu, fresh pesto, creamy carbonara, slow-cooked pomodoro and simple aglio e olio. It’s a bit of a hole-in-the-wall set-up, with red-and-white chequered tables lining the arcade, perfect for people-watching. All bowls of pasta are crowned with a generous shaving of parmesan, and you can pick from rocket salad, garlic bread or arancini on the side. Plus, it’s BYO!

For more than 15 years, Yulli’s has been one of the most reliably fun ports for vegetarian and vegan diners in Sydney (those money bags alone earn them repeat visits). Their sister venue in Byron Bay serves up an equally fun and flavour-packed menu, fusing modern Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. Yulli’s $44 banquet menu is one of the best dining deals in town, featuring all their greatest hits like edamame and coconut money bags, Korean fried broccolini, turmeric cauliflower pad thai and sticky date pudding with butternut sauce. Turn up the fun with one of Yulli’s Brews’ craft beers, ciders or kombuchas.

You could easily trick yourself into thinking you’re tucked away in a neon-lit Japanese izakaya, but in reality, you’re just a few streets from Byron’s sandy shores at Tokyo Doll. This funky diner puts a modern spin on traditional Japanese cuisine, featuring classics like sashimi, maki rolls and gyoza, alongside more innovative dishes such as sushi tacos, karaage fried chicken and Cherry Blossom Sodas. Tokyo Doll also doubles as Byron’s first official karaoke bar, providing the perfect way to wrap up the night. 

If you're looking for a casual beer garden vibe with live music, the Beach Hotel is your no-fuss, no-frills answer. You can either snag an outdoor table with unrivalled views of Main Beach or venture inside and watch whatever is trending in the sports world on their giant screens. Beach Hotel’s all-day menu serves up all your classic pub feeds, with epic specials like half-price pizzas, $20 steaks, $15 burgers and $20 parmies. Make the most of the pub’s weekday sunset sessions from 4-6pm, featuring $18 cocktails, $7 house wines and $7 schooners.

Bar the surfers down the road, this Parisian-style wine bar and restaurant is the hottest thing in Byron town. Inside, the space is smart and cosy, with big moon lights, herringbone flooring, rows of wine bottles and bold art that you might see in your trendy friend’s flat. The wine list is excellent, filled with the team’s favourite drops from Australia and Europe, broken up by region and with a focus on natural vino. Heather’s Aussie riff on a Euro Spritz is also spot on – light, laced with herbal notes and not too sweet. Pair your chosen bevvie with seasonal snacks, including garlicky pork sausages encased in betel leaves, and a crisp potato chip topped with buttery Manchego cheese and raw shiitake mushrooms. 

From the deep black booth in the lower dining room at Moonlight, it’s easy to forget you’re in Byron Bay. The intimate, moodily-lit space could easily be hidden in an inner city alleyway in Tokyo, but is in fact, just metres from the beach. The open kitchen is centred around a huge hibachi grill, with flame-kissed food forming a large portion of the menu. Think chicken wings, miso-glazed salmon, Hokkaido scallops and king oyster mushrooms. The watermelon sashimi is a must-order, as are the spicy salmon crackers with an addictive doughnut-like sweetness. Cocktails have lunar-related names: the Dark Side of The Moon is a silky, sesame and charcoal concoction, and the New Moon is a zingy hit of yuzu sake, coconut vodka and lime juice. The biodynamic wines have been selected according to the lunar cycle and pair perfectly with Moonlight’s $89 set menu.

Steak is the star of the show at Ember, Byron Bay’s ultimate haven for carnivores. What sets this restaurant apart is its Spanish Josper charcoal grill, which reaches a sizzling 400 degrees Celsius, infusing every dish with rich smoky flavours. Ember sources all its cuts from sustainable farmers in the Northern Rivers region, including its signature 380-gram Wagyu 8+ scotch fillet steak.

When the weather’s tops and the retractable roof is open, you won’t get any closer to dining on the sand than at Beach Byron Bay. Soak up the sun as you enjoy a hyper-seasonal and seafood-focused menu, featuring king prawn ceviche, Bay bug ravioli, and roasted fish with greens and basil. The local mushroom and mascarpone tagliolini is also worth a look-in for vegos. Beach’s globetrotting wine list is lavish and lengthy, complemented by house cocktails and beers by Yulli’s.

This charming country pub, just 30 minutes from Byron, is worth the detour for local music and a fresh take on modern Aussie pub fare. Built in the early 1900s and lovingly restored in 2019, The Eltham Hotel has been a local hot spot for more than a century. Most recently, its menu got a serious upgrade when ex-Saint Peter chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone took charge in 2023. The pub grub here is slightly fancier than your average watering hole, featuring seasonal plates like zucchini flowers with mozzarella, smoked eel dip with potato gems, a crumbed Jerusalem artichoke burger, and wild boar ragu. Don’t worry, all the usual suspects are still on offer, including chicken parmies, beer-battered fish and chips, and sirloin steak. Sapwell also champions the Northern Rivers’ best local produce with a daily-changing specials board, featuring plenty of fresh seafood and veg-friendly options. You can admire the pub's retro-paint job and towering palm trees from a shaded spot out front, settle into the cosy dining room for an evening meal, or kick back with regional beer or wine in the courtyard.