From meat pies to steamed lobster and oysters straight off the lease, we’ve compiled the perfect locations to eat and drink within the Sapphire Coast’s tastiest meals cities.
Relying on who you ask, Justin Hemmes is both the perfect or worst factor to occur to Narooma. The chief govt of Sydney-based hospitality group Merivale (which additionally owns Italian-inspired Totti’s, Mr Wong and dozens of different venues) has known as the South Coast city a second residence for the previous seven years, after shopping for a number of hectares of residential property within the space. Extra lately, nevertheless, Hemmes has been buying outdated Narooma accommodations and motels and opening hatted eating places.
“Extra yuppies transferring south!” one native exclaimed to us on the Narooma Lodge (a pub with a terrific view out to Wagonga Head, however not but owned by Hemmes). “He’s accomplished a superb job on The Whale, although,” retorted his mate, who shortly went again to watching Keno. We received’t weigh into any of that, however we’ll say that the meals at Lynch’s Lodge (the opposite Narooma pub, with out a lot of a view) is definitely much more scrumptious since Hemmes picked it up in 2022. Attempt the native fish pie with fennel and radish salad.
If you happen to’re staying in Narooma, Merimbula is a 90-minute drive away, however the two really feel very very similar to sister cities, linked by world-class oysters and sapphire-blue waters. Merimbula isn’t any slouch within the meals and booze area both, with an rising variety of venues providing the chance to order a martini and name charcuterie dinner. One or two nights in each Narooma and Merimbula makes for a superb weekend, with a short cease in Bermagui for a kardemummabullar (we’ll clarify later).
For breakfast
Perched at one finish of Merimbula’s boardwalk path, Sunny’s Kiosk is a welcome reward for weary travellers. Energiser bunnies can rent kayaks or paddleboards from the lakeside cafe. Others merely savour the expansive views, homely furnishings and well-balanced brews from Seven Miles Espresso Roasters. The eclectic menu caters for all tastes (or BMIs), from huge outdated bacon and egg rolls to Japanese pancakes with pork stomach. Sunny’s additionally opens as a wine bar over summer time nights, which is an ideal method to watch the sundown over water.
68 Lakewood Drive, Merimbula; sunnyskiosk.com.au
For oysters
Visiting the Sapphire Coast and never consuming oysters is sort of a child receiving a brand new toy at Christmas and holding it within the field. Various bivalve fanatics will inform you that Merimbula rock oysters are particularly glorious for his or her daring mineral zing and fruity end. Among the many mangroves at The Oyster Barn, you may expertise them virtually straight off the lease with prawn rolls and native crayfish in addition. Or if you wish to decide up a dozen oysters and take them to the seashore with a bottle of BYO Bollinger, that may be facilitated too.
49 Oyster Observe, Millingandi; merimbulagourmetoysters.com.au
For an extended lunch
Arriving by seaplane is up there with cruffins and the lambada as issues to expertise no less than as soon as in a lifetime. If you happen to’re going to splash out on the service, you would possibly as nicely splash out on the Quarterdeck, a former boat shed on Wagonga Inlet the place plane taxi visitors to the again door. Inside is dolled up like a tiki hut, with a thatched grass bar serving slushie-style pina coladas that ought to include a spoon. A Mexican-inspired menu fits the festive really feel, that includes fish tacos topped with vibrant pico de gallo salsa, and fried squash flowers with crumbled queso fresco and pickled onion rings. Ruby-red tuna tostadas topped with spicy salsa matcha are excellent for the setting, and cider-splashed mussels are made for heat afternoons by the open home windows. When the view’s this good, who cares if the return flight is delayed?
13 Riverside Drive, Narooma; merivale.com/venues/quarterdeck-narooma
For nation consolation
The super-thick vault door to the wine room at Banksia Restaurant is a clue to the constructing’s origin as a financial institution, when it saved bundles of money somewhat than bottles of cabernet sauvignon. Timber-panelled partitions, pressed steel and an open hearth add to the restaurant’s old-world really feel in picturesque Pambula, a 10-minute drive from Merimbula. Hosts Huw and Renee Jones take advantage of their intimate area with a beneficiant three-course set menu, and the weekly altering choices would possibly function tacky ox-tail rarebit served with richly flavoured consomme, or creamy buttermilk mash topped with peppered yellowfin tuna and a daring beurre blanc sauce. Department, a extra informal eating room, has simply opened on the website, too. Count on an a la carte providing of share-plates resembling wagyu tri-tip with wasabi, and chorizo-stuffed olives.
22 Quondola Road, Pambula; banksiarestaurant.com.au
For a bells-and-whistles dinner
Amongst different inalienable truths, resembling oysters want chablis, is that cocktails go higher with confectionery. At Valentina, an quaint made with darkish rum is served with house-made macadamia praline for a splendid mix of robust and candy. It’s a pleasant opener for a restaurant that nary places a foot improper. Full-length home windows overlook oyster beds, however it’s what’s inside that counts (one other fact). The hand-plastered partitions and pastel colors are a superb cause to linger, as is a light-weight and wonderful tumble of native squid with peas and crisp shards of hen pores and skin, and charred octopus with punchy sobrasada oil. Pan-seared blue eye with onion rings is superbly balanced, and parmesan-crumbed cauliflower with sage and creamy kale places pub schnitzels to disgrace. Tender wagyu rump with bone marrow butter, in the meantime, exhibits there’s extra to the Sapphire Coast than seafood. True that.
2 Market Road, Merimbula; valentinamerimbula.com
For wine
Ryde Pennefather frolicked in Sydney and Thirroul earlier than returning to his hometown of Merimbula 4 years in the past. He then helped launch Valentina, earlier than leaving to open pure wine-focused Bar Superette in September. Good Meals hasn’t had an opportunity to go to Bar Superette but, however it’s very excessive on the to-do record on account of its funk and groove-heavy information and fancy tinned fish, and wines extra frequent to bars in Surry Hills, Fitzroy and the eleventh arrondissement. The quick menu of extra substantial gadgets sounds terrific (hash browns with trout roe; steak frites; witlof salad with duck, peach and gruyere) and wine can be accessible at retail costs from Superette’s delicatessen and bottle-shop cabinets. Seize a lunchtime sandwich to go whilst you’re purchasing.
16/20 Market Road, Merimbula; superettesuperette.com
For bread and pastries
Since 2015, among the best causes to remain at a vacation home in Bermagui (in addition to the straightforward ocean pool entry) has been the chance to get up and stroll all the way down to Honorbread for one among its glorious sourdoughs recent from the oven. The bakery remains to be a really superb incentive to set your GPS for the seaside village, however now close by Narooma has an outpost of Honorbread too. The brand new store opened in December, and all of the hits are accounted for together with black tahini scrolls, ache au chocolat and the kardemummabullar, everybody’s favorite Swedish cardamom bun. Down Merimbula and Pambula means, Wild Rye’s Baking Co is the ticket for house-roasted espresso, assorted sourdoughs and Basque cheesecake, plus a straight-up scrumptious, no-funny-business steak pie.
8 Bunga Road, Bermagui and a pair of/114 Wagonga Road, Narooma; honorbread.com
26 Quondola Road, Pambula; wildryes.com.au
For pizza and pasta
Monitoring down good pizza in regional NSW is like attempting to find sushi within the desert, however it may be discovered. Working example is Bar Monti, which opened in late 2022 and rocks a superbly puffy-crusted margherita, plus a pepperoni pizza and white-sauce porchetta quantity with braised fennel and crimson onion. Fussy children will be well-fed with spaghetti bolognese or mortadella meatballs, whereas dad and mom have their selection of house-made pastas resembling rigatoni with lamb ragu, peas and pecorino, or fettuccine with mushrooms and smoked speck.
Store 6/11 Merimbula Drive, Merimbula; barmonti.com
For an old-fashioned burger
Merimbula’s greatest burgers and craft beer vary will be discovered at Dulcie’s Cottage, an historical weatherboard refurbished by the identical staff behind Valentina. Seats will be onerous to land at peak instances when you don’t have a reserving, however selection cocktails and coastal bric-a-brac make Dulice’s a simple place to face till a desk will be pounced upon. Burgers are milk bar type, made with native produce resembling Wild Rye’s natural buns and beef from Goodall’s High quality Meats, one block over, and the kitchen is open from midday every day. Households are additionally made to really feel greater than welcome, however ought to observe that anybody underneath 18-years-old might want to vacate the cottage earlier than 8pm. Dulcie likes to celebration.
60 Major Road, Merimbula; dulcies.com.au
For native lobster
Don’t be fooled by Queen Chow’s lazy susans, multicoloured carpet and placemat-size menus. Merivale’s Cantonese restaurant at The Whale Inn just isn’t your customary small-town Chinese language. Arrive round sundown on the wood-panelled bar and take within the ocean view with a crimson jasmine negroni in a well-cushioned cane chair. Additionally value savouring are the plump seafood dumplings and kingfish sashimi with tangy orange ponzu and chilli. Particular fried rice is the proper companion to a roast meat platter loaded with char siu, spatchcock and duck, however with the ocean so shut, it’s onerous to go previous steamed native lobster in a handy guide a rough sauce of white soy, ginger and shallots.
102 Wagonga Road, Narooma; merivale.com/venues/queen-chow-narooma