14 top Port Macquarie restaurants to try in 2025

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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Explore Port Macquarie restaurants with our in-depth guide featuring the best restaurants in Port Macquarie. Discover hidden gems and top dining spots in 2025.

Port Macquarie restaurants barely made a blip on our radar a decade or so ago. But it’s only natural that Port Mac follows the trend that sees road-trippers wanting to eat and drink their way around regional Australia. With culinary tourism on the rise, here is the ultimate guide to the best Port Macquarie restaurants to add to your food-focused itineraries while on the traditional lands of the Birpai people.

THE SHORTLIST

Hottest new opening: Zebu Bar & Restaurant
Best views: Boathouse Bar & Restaurant
Best date spot: Whalebone Wharf
Fine dining gem: The Stunned Mullet
Budget-friendly: Moo and Bean
Best Farm to Table: taste @ Cassegrain
Best outdoor dining: Rivermark
Best for seafood: Bills Fishhouse & Bar

1. Whalebone Wharf

waterfront views at Whalebone Wharf, Port Macquarie
Whalebone Wharf boasts spectacular waterfront views. (Image: Destination NSW)

There’s nothing quite like dining by the water at Whalebone Wharf in Port Macquarie. The seafood restaurant is one of the best in Port Macquarie for its envious location on the banks of the Hastings River. Established in 1971, the waterfront diner is a landmark destination that rises above the river’s choppy shores where paddleboarders and kayakers pootle past. Keep your sunglasses on and get a little tipsy over cocktails paired with fresh lobsters from the tank or a magnificent seafood platter. You can also choose a fish, the style it should be cooked (baked, steamed, crumbed etc) and then a side dish.

• Cuisine: Modern Australian
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: Bright and breezy
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 269 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie

2. The Stunned Mullet

seared scallops from The Stunned Mullet, Port Macquarie
Enjoy elevated food and wine at the iconic The Stunned Mullet. (Image: Destination NSW)

It’s not a guide to Port Macquarie without including the OG fine diner The Stunned Mullet. It’s the place to go for elevated food and wine. Yes, it can be busy and it attracts a well-heeled crowd of sea changers, but the people-watching is all part of the fun. Go for lunch so you can drink in the views over the arc of sea and sand that is Town Beach in the Paris end of Port Macquarie. Explore the flavours of the region with offerings such as watermelon carpaccio splashed with a green gazpacho, silk tofu, jalapeno and asparagus salsa. The Glacier 51 toothfish with shiitake suimono, savoy cabbage, black rice, and daikon with an enoki crisp is another showstopper.

• Cuisine: Modern Australian
• Average price: $$$$-$$$$$
• Atmosphere: Bright and lively
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 24 William St, Port Macquarie

3. Boathouse Bar & Restaurant

alfresco dining at Boathouse Bar & Restaurant, Port Macquarie
Soak up the beachy vibes at Boathouse Bar & Restaurant.

The seafood at the Boathouse Bar & Restaurant is so fresh it looks like it’s been caught by Neptune’s net. The bar and restaurant is at Sails Port Macquarie by Rydges, which is one of the best places to stay in Port Macquarie. Step inside and the Boathouse will still whisk you away to Nantucket with its picture windows, blond timber tones and beach-chic colour scheme. Moor your superyacht outside and strut inside in your deck shoes for freshly shucked oysters, scallop crudo and a seafood tower. This restaurant is the ideal destination year-round if your idea of a holiday involves great food and a tranquil time on the water.

• Cuisine: Modern Australian.
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: It’s giving Nantucket.
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 20 Park St, Port Macquarie

4. Zebu Bar & Restaurant

waterfront views at Zebu Bar & Restaurant, Port Macquarie
Dine by the water at Zebu Bar & Restaurant. (Image: Remy Brand Photography)

Spend the day out on the water in Port Macquarie and then tie up your yacht and join your sailing group for cocktails at Zebu Bar & Restaurant. The restaurant is on the ground floor of the newly refurbished Rydges Port Macquarie. The ‘jewel in the town’ overlooks the Town Green with manicured lawns stretching all the way to the Hastings River. And it celebrates the very best of what Port Macquarie restaurants have to offer. The sophisticated setting is giving Amalfi Coast where diners enjoy live tunes and delightfully fresh seafood beneath an endless blue canopy of sky. Start with hiramasa kingfish, saffron crab risotto and barramundi with zucchini, tomato, spring herbs and verjus.

• Cuisine: Modern Italian
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: Amalfi Coast
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 1 Hay St, Port Macquarie.

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5. Rivermark

food plates by the Hastings River at Rivermark, Port Macquarie
Enjoy a sit-down lunch by the Hastings River. (Image: Rivermark)

This casual neighbourhood cafe serves up some of the most spectacular waterfront views in Port Macquarie. And if there’s one thing Port Mac locals like to do it’s revel in the great outdoors. Rivermark has been earmarked as one of the best cafes in Port Macquarie for coffee and a bite of brekkie. But the captivating views it commands over the Hastings River and surrounding greenery also calls for a proper sit-down lunch. The laidback local is not fancy; it’s more of a casual place for fish and chips, salt and pepper squid, burgers and schnitties. Great for watching the ebb and flow of customers.

• Cuisine: Modern Australian
• Average price: $$
• Atmosphere: Super chill.
• Review: 3/5
• Location: 261 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie.

6. Florence Jones

Florence Jones is a dinky little wine bar that sits alongside the Hastings River and offers a one-two punch with its cellar and deli. Sit at the long communal counter overlooking the water where you can watch joggers puffing past looking envious of your platter of charcuterie and glass of wine. Be sure to offer them the peace sign with a pout. Or choose from the thoughtful selection of wines, craft beer, artisan cheeses, pates and terrines to take home to your Port Macquarie accommodation. Florence Jones has large glass windows so you watch boats bobbing by while enjoying sunset sips.

• Cuisine: Charcuterie.
• Average price: $$$
• Atmosphere: Laid-back local vibe.
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 74 Clarence St, Port Macquarie

7. Bills Fishhouse & Bar

a spread of food on white background at Bills Fishhouse & Bar, Port Macquarie
Bills Fishhouse & Bar takes pride in their sea-to-plate menu.

Bills Fishhouse & Bar provides a compelling reason to make your dream of a sea change a reality. It’s the place to go when you’ve had your fill of sun, sea, surf and sand. As a destination diner, Bills is a broad church drawing a diverse group of people together who cherish conversation and connection. Channel your best mid-life slacker energy and cast yourself adrift for the day over a sea-to-plate selection of seared scallops, torched squid, swordfish sashimi and crisp-skinned ocean trout. The fun-as fishhouse is housed within the new Clarence House development. BYO bib.

• Cuisine: Seafood
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: Contemporary coastal-chic.
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 2/18-20 Clarence St, Port Macquarie

8. Moo and Bean

You won’t have to shell out a tonne of coins for a casual meal at Moo and Bean. In fact, you get a lot of bang for your back with a line-up of local musos such as Max Marvell served alongside $1 oysters. The North Haven cafe overlooks the pristine waters of Camden Haven, some 30 minutes south of Port Macquarie. The Sunday sessions here will defo up your chances of meeting someone IRL as the layout of the bright and airy venue enables a certain kind of alchemy. Trim your neckbeard so you can better impress with those moves you learned on TikTok.

• Cuisine: Ribs, wings and smokey things
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: Clean, beachy aesthetic.
• Review: 4/5
• Location: 613 Ocean Dr, North Haven.

9. Black Duck Brewery

wood-fired pizza at Black Duck Brewery, Port Macquarie
Wood-fired pizza fresh from the oven at Black Duck Brewery. (Image: Destination NSW)

We spent a lot of time fishing around to find the best places to eat and drink in Port Macquarie. And Black Duck Brewery certainly gave us something to quack about. Cue the sound of a guitar being furiously strummed on Friday nights as the brew bar hosts its weekly pizza night set to live music. Black Duck also curates BBQ lunches and platters designed to pair well with its rotating roster of craft beers. You will find this vibrant local brewery in the middle of a scattering of buildings in the town’s industrial estate.

• Cuisine: Beer and bites.
• Average price: $$
• Atmosphere: Jovial
• Review: 4/5
• Location: 6b Acacia Avenue, Port Macquarie

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10. Little Shack

a small kiosk of food at Little Shack, Port Macquarie
Pop into the Little Shack for a quick seafood snack.

Port Macquarie was somewhat of an under-the-radar coastal paradise until places like Little Shack popped up. Lovers of a sundowner are known to camp out here for an afternoon in anticipation of cocktail hour. It’s like a portal to a posh seafood shack in Key Largo with the crowd a perfect cross-section of backpackers, Port Mac locals, and fishos. The Little Shack is now a long-standing landmark by the sea. And, as you correctly assume from the name, Little Shack mastered the art of serving seafood-centric cuisine in an al fresco environment.  Swing by the Town Green to nab a table under one of the towering pine trees festooned with fairy lights.

• Cuisine: Good vibes only.
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: Chill
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 1 Munter St, Little Shack

11. The Local

What a lot of visitors to Port Macquarie don’t realise is the city rivals Newcastle and Wollongong for its live music scene. Yes, Port Macquarie has a chain of beautiful beaches and waterways that keep visitors smitten with the place.  But there’s nothing like tapping into the town’s zeitgeist through its schedule of live performances. Lunch at The Local Flynns Beach is a great way to get to know the city while tapping your feet to live music performed by local acts such as Chris Rose. Soak up Port Mac’s culture while enjoying smokey BBQ pork ribs, Malaysian lamb curry and chicken parmis.

• Cuisine: Bistro food.
• Average price: $$-$$$
• Atmosphere: Laidback beachy
• Review: 4/5
• Location: Ocean St, Port Macquarie

12. taste @ Cassegrain

pouring a bottle of Cassegrain wine into a glass,
Cassegrain wines are as good as the food. (Image: Destination NSW)

Port Mac locals take the restaurant renaissance in Port Macquarie in their stride. Expect the wine list at Cassegrain Wines to be as dynamic as the menu at taste @ Cassegrain, an offshoot of the estate. The Cassegrain family’s history of winemaking dates back to 1643 France and winemaker Alex Cassegrain proudly married the traditions of French winemaking with Australian innovation. Dining here is worth a detour for dishes such as the cured salmon, chicken liver pate, confit duck with sauteed cabbage and bok choy and white fish with baby capers and leek. There’s also a very considered kids’ menu with options such as grilled sirloin and chips paired with sparkling grape juice. We love to see it.

• Cuisine: Modern Australian
• Average price: $$$$
• Atmosphere: Relaxed yet refined
• Review: 5/5
• Location: 10 Winery Drive, Port Macquarie.

13. Bago Vineyards

morning mist at Bago Vineyards
Morning mist hugs the lush landscape at Bago Vineyards. (Image: Destination NSW)

Bago Vineyards is surrounded by a tall eucalyptus forest in Wauchope that caters to the East Coast’s largest koala population. The vineyard – one of five in the region – blankets the surrounding hillside, its healthy appearance belying the effort it takes to successfully grow grapes in this region. The family-run vineyard is very much a family affair and includes a maze to keep kids entertained. Tell the kids to ‘get lost’ while you enjoy a glass of verdelho and a cheese platter and the kids bounce happily around the pruned pathways. Visit for Sunday Music Days once a month and keep your eyes peeled on Bago’s socials for seasonal pop-up mazes.

• Cuisine: Charcuterie platters.
• Average price: $$
• Atmosphere: Family-friendly
• Review: 4/5
• Location: 197 Lambs Road, Herons Creek.

14. Little Fish Cafe Restaurant Vineyard

Having access to the Mid North Coast’s bounty hasn’t hurt The Little Fish Cafe & Vineyard.  Add a Michelin-trained chef who hails from the Cotignac, in Provence, France, and you have more than a few legit reasons to extend your stay in Port Macquarie. Chef Steve Delandemare started his career working at his family’s vineyard and restaurant and he pays homage to French culinary traditions on the Little Fish menu. Order the feuilleté de chêvre au miel et au poivre, salade de mesclun (honey-drizzled goat’s cheese tart with cracked pepper and a mesclun salad) or bouillabaisse to see what the fuss is about. Little Fish is also a must for coffee. Open every Friday for dinner.

• Cuisine: French Australian
• Average price: $$$
• Atmosphere: Charming and boutique
• Review: 4/5
• Location:  147 The Ruins Way, Innes Lake Vineyard.

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Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti has written across print and digital for Australian Traveller and International Traveller for more than a decade and has spent more than two decades finding excuses to eat well and travel far. A prestigious News Corp cadetship launched her career at The Cairns Post, before a stint at The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald gave way to extended wanders through Canada, the US, Mexico, Central America, Asia and Europe. Carla was chief sub editor at delicious and has contributed to Good Food, Travel & Luxury, Explore Travel, Escape. While living in London, Carla was on staff at Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times Travel desk and was part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK.
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After dark: 6 experiences along the Murray lighting up the night

(Credit: Serena Munro)

    Gemma Kaczerepa Gemma Kaczerepa
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    See the Murray region in an entirely different light by exploring its night-time experiences and attractions.

    By day, the mighty Murray River is a majestic and ever-changing sight, with river red gums and wetlands stretching along 2500 kilometres. But by night, its cities, towns, villages and landscapes totally transform.

    From Albury Wodonga to Mildura, and everywhere in between, you’ll be in for a multi-sensory and memorable treat encompassing mesmerising light shows, guided ghost tours and vibrant celebrations that capture the nocturnal magic of the river.

    This is no ordinary nighttime adventure; the region becomes an entirely different world when the sun sets. Discover six must-do activities along the Murray that can only be enjoyed after dark.

    1. Share in ghostly tales

    Port After Dark tour Murray at night
    Hold on to your nerve when learning local ghost stories. (Credit: Campaspe Shire Council)

    If you’re up for something a little more spine-tingling, Port After Dark in Echuca is your best bet. Rumour has it that the Port of Echuca Wharf and the buildings around it have long been home to lingering ghosts and mysterious events – like the vengeful woman said to haunt an old tramway bridge and spirits searching for stolen money through the town centre.

    You can hear all about them on this guided lantern tour, which takes place on Wednesday and Saturday nights after dark. The stories are atmospheric and intriguing – you may even spot a ghost or two yourself. If you’d like a more intimate experience, private tours are also available to groups of 15 or more.

    2. Wander art installations

    Bruce Munroe's Fibre Optic Symphoinic Orchestra Murray at night
    See Bruce Munro’s immersive art installation. (Credit: Serena Munro)

    Right near the Perry Sandhills, sits an experience that feels almost otherworldly. Artist Bruce Munro (of Uluru’s Field of Lights fame) has created a Fibre Optic Symphonic Orchestra, a network of 80 Hills Hoists illuminated with fibre optic light combined with the sounds of an orchestra. The clotheslines glow and pulse in time to the specially composed score, immersing you in a dreamscape of light and sound.

    For a different light experience, you’ll find stillness at Trail of Lights, also curated by Munro. Located just 30 minutes away on Lock Island in Mildura, thousands of lights stretch over the landscape, spotlighting both the river and a series of Munro’s sculptures. The trail is intended to be a peaceful and meditative setting for wandering and reflecting.

    3. Learn through lasers

    Heartbeat of the Murray at night
    Travel 30 million years into the Murray’s past at Heartbeat of the Murray. (Credit: Ewen Bell)

    Discover a fascinating history in this dual act of lights and projections on the banks of the Little Murray River. Legends of the Mallee is a multimedia show in Swan Hill combining lasers and lights, which tells the story of the region’s rich past. Learn about the Wamba Wamba and Wadi Wadi Peoples who first inhabited the area, as well as the figures and events that shaped the Mallee of today.

    The river steals the spotlight in the Heartbeat of the Murray, a multimedia spectacle inside the Pioneer Settlement encompassing lights, lasers, sound and special effects against the natural backdrop. Through a sequence of large-scale animated projections, you’ll go back 30 million years to explore the Murray River’s formation before travelling to the present to learn how it supports modern communities.

    4. Light up the lake

    Lake Mulwala Laser Light Show Murray at night
    Watch the lights and lasers of Lake Mulwala. (Credit: Mulwala Water Ski Club)

    Travelling with kids? Head to Yarrawonga Mulwala and nearby Lake Mulwala for the family-friendly Laser Light & Sound Show. Lights and lasers are projected over the lake and onto curtains of fog, creating a colourful and high-energy visual display. The show suits all ages and tastes, set to a mix of songs that everyone knows and loves.

    You can take in the spectacle from either the grassy banks of the lake or book a table at the Mulwala Water Ski Club’s Malibu Deck Cafe, serving pub-style food and refreshing drinks, including excellent classic cocktails. If you’re watching from the foreshore, the show is entirely free, making it a great budget-friendly option.

    5. Be captivated by local culture

    Bullanginya Dreaming Murray at night
    Soak in the culture of the Bangerang People. (Credit: Laser Vision)

    Set aside an evening to explore Bullanginya Dreaming in Cobram Barooga – you’ll want ample time to take in the stories and symbolism of this immersive laser light and sound trail. The 1.8-kilometre trail explores the storytelling and culture of the Bangerang People, who have long cared for the lands around Bullanginya Lagoon in Barooga. The trail features 12 activations – each telling a different story – and combines dramatic lights and lasers with water and fire.

    Intertwined with the visual displays are Bangerang narratives, giving you meaningful insight into the area’s Indigenous heritage. It’s designed to be explored over 90 or so minutes, encouraging you to move slowly and thoughtfully.

    6. Discover a winter glow

    winterglow festival
    See the streets of Albury Wodonga come to life after dark. (Credit: Visit Albury Wodonga)

    Albury Wodonga comes alive as the weather drops, with an annual celebration of the season on Saturday, 15 August. WinterGlow takes over the CBD and features a vibrant program of things to see, do, learn, eat and drink.

    Take part in hands-on workshops that let you try different art forms and crafts. Feast on street food and winter warmers from local eateries. Browse for artisan wares at the night markets. Watch musical acts on the main stage. Or get involved in different activations, including a silent disco and giant maze. Artificial snow will be falling to add to the festive atmosphere.

    Even wandering the streets and laneways and soaking up the late-night energy will leave you feeling enchanted.

    Start planning a day-to-night adventure along the Murray at visitthemurray.com.au.