Top 10 Restaurants In Kingscliff And Surrounds

Eat your way along the Tweed coast with these fantastic restaurants that showcase the region’s incredible produce.

From the pristine ocean to the lush hinterland, the Tweed coast is a veritable food bowl of produce that attracts some of the country’s best chefs and restaurateurs. Whether you’re dining at a casual pizzeria or a beachside fine diner, you’ll be sure to sample the unique terroir of the Tweed. Take note of these top 10 picks to ensure your stay is full of flavour.

1. Taverna, Kingscliff

Best for: Long lunches with friends and date nights

This light-filled, white tableclothed restaurant spills through the bougainvillea-draped doorway and onto the footpath outside where, on sunny days, it’s the pick of tables for a lunch sitting.

Pair an excellent beachfront location with a Greek feast and you’ve got Taverna. (Image: Ryan Fowler Photography)

An elegant assembly of Greek classics form the menu, which is well-matched with refined wines and cocktails. Sharing is a good strategy for trying as many of these beautiful dishes as possible, especially if you’re considering the generous slow-roasted lamb shoulder – and you should. Other go-to’s are the chargrilled octopus Byron Bay halloumi and the spanakopita.

The spotlight is firmly on local produce here. (Image: Ryan Fowler Photography)

Open: Dinner Thursday–Sunday; lunch Friday-Sunday
Address: 22 Marine Parade, Kingscliff

2. Fins Restaurant & Bar, Kingscliff

Best for: Special occasion dining

Award-winning Fins has undisputed pedigree having occupied space on the Northern Rivers for more than three decades. Its former iteration was at Byron Bay, but hatted Fins now resides in Kingscliff where you’ll find flappingly fresh, line-caught seafood served within a fine dining ambience.

Interior Fins Restaurant & Bar, Kingscliff

The hatted Fins Restaurant & Bar is fine dining at its best with a dash of coastal elegance.

You can’t go wrong with owner and chef, Steve Snow’s, signature Snowy’s fish, which is simple and superb, or try a medley of seafood doused in a fiery Mauritian-style sambal. Of course, there are other options for the seafood-shy, such as grass-fed beef and handmade gnocchi. Enjoy a two-course set menu or settle in for a five-course degustation.

a hand getting oyster meat from the shell at Fins Restaurant & Bar

Slurp down some oysters at Fins Restaurant & Bar.

Open: Dinner Wednesday–Saturday; lunch Friday and Saturday
Address: 5/6 Bells Boulevard, Kingscliff

3. Jordy’s, Casuarina

Best for: An easy family dinner

This neighbourhood pizzeria uses local, seasonal ingredients to adorn their naturally leavened sourdough pizza bases. Beautifully puffy and deliciously chewy, you can expect some disruption of the usual pizza genre here with toppings named after local towns, such as the ‘Cabarita’ with chicken and mascarpone, the ‘Mullumbimby’ with pickled vegetables and vegan mozzarella, and the ‘Pottsville’ with fennel salami, ham and pineapple. Kids can choose from the ‘grommets’ menu with the likes of the ‘Mooball’ pizza topped with sausage and cheese or the ‘Froggy Beach’ with basil and cheese.

Open: Dinner Wednesday–Sunday
Address: 480 Casuarina Way, Casuarina

4. The Crafty Cow Smokehouse, Casuarina

Best for: Casual nights out

You’ll pick up the scent of mouth-watering smoked meats before you turn the corner of this relaxed restaurant. The ironbark-fuelled smoker gets to work early on fall-apart beef brisket and pork that can be enjoyed as they are or in a burger. It’s a chilled, neighbourhood vibe at the indoor-outdoor space with local beers on tap and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. In summer the Crafty Cow makes a great end to beach days, while in winter the warmth from the smoker is perfect for cosy nights out.

Platters of food at The Crafty Cow Smokehouse, Casuarina

End your beach day at The Crafty Cow Smokehouse for a satisfyingly good feed.

Open: Dinner nightly; lunch Wednesday–Sunday
Address: 3/480 Casuarina Way, Casuarina

5. Lolita’s Mexican Cantina, Casuarina

Best for: Combined family fun or to kick off a night out

A sprawling, brightly accented Mexican eatery, Lolita’s is a riot of colour and flavour with a joyously amped-up atmosphere. Margaritas are free-flowing and you’ll find plenty of Central American staples to help keep you on an even keel, such as kingfish ceviche, tostadas, tacos and plenty of nibbles.

the restaurant exterior of Lolita’s Mexican Cantina, Casuarina

Line up for tasty tacos at Lolita’s Mexican Cantina.

Sit inside or outside, let the kids loose on the playground and lean into the fun. There’s even onsite child-minding, should the occasion call for it.

Open: Dinner Thursday–Sunday
Address: 1 Barclay Drive, Casuarina

6. Paper Daisy, Cabarita

Best for: Celebrating a loved one or a romantic interlude

Housed in landmark luxury hotel, Halcyon House, Paper Daisy has been a headline act for dining out on the far north coast since it opened in 2015. Styled in the Capri-esque palette the hotel is admired for, the dining room is a beautiful place to spend a few hours contemplating the well-executed flavours on the plate. Be sure to arrive earlier than your sitting to sip a negroni and oyster in the bar before proceeding to enjoy sophisticated dishes such as Hiramasa kingfish with verjuice, Bangalow pork shoulder with chestnut mushroom and Jerusalem artichoke or lobster and green tea dumplings.

Open: Daily for lunch and dinner
Address: 21 Cyprus Crescent, Cabarita Beach

7. No. 35 Kitchen and Bar, Cabarita

Best for: Girls’ or boys’ nights out, date nights, long lunch sessions

Elevated yet warmly welcoming and casual, No. 35 Kitchen and Bar is highly attuned to the area with a laidback atmosphere that heroes quality produce prepared simply. The dining room opens out to a roadside outdoor terrace, where it’s most pleasant to spend a warm summer evening working your way through the Italian-accented menu.

an al fresco dining spot in No. 35 Kitchen and Bar, Cabarita

Soak up summer vibes at the al fresco dining spot, No. 35 Kitchen and Bar.

Seasonally driven, you may find a 12-hour slow-cooked beef shin pasta or saffron-baked fish and mussels, and antipasto bites such as cacio e pepe arancini or local burrata. All of which is deftly accompanied by a considered wine and drinks list. From 5pm–6pm, Wednesday to Friday, there’s a happy hour, where you can sip $10 drinks and snacks.

sprinkling cheese on food at No. 35 Kitchen and Bar, Cabarita

The food at No. 35 Kitchen and Bar is prepared with love.

Open: Dinner Wednesday–Friday; lunch Saturday

Address: 35 Tweed Coast Road, Cabarita Beach

8. The Burrow, Bogangar

Best for: Pre- or post-dinner drinks and a dance

Burrow in for a session at this Cabarita Beach bar and institution, where you can grab a tipple of your choice and classic, rib-sticking bar snack while listening to live music.

the restaurant exterior of The Burrow, Bogangar at night

Head to The Burrow for post-dinner drinks.

The walk-in-only establishment is a true local haunt and so popular they’ve expanded next door with a pizzeria. Check their socials for updates on special nights and line-ups.

Open: Tuesday–Sunday

Address: 1/36 Tweed Coast Road, Bogangar

9. Pipit Restaurant, Pottsville

Best for: Intimate occasions

Inspired by the incredible produce of the region, chef and owner Ben Devlin intricately arranges flavours on the plate for exquisite fare that has earned Pipit Restaurant two hats and won Good Food Guide’s Regional Restaurant of the Year in 2022.

Ben and Yen Devlin standing side by side at Pipit Restaurant, Pottsville

Co-owners Yen and chef Ben Devlin opened Pipit Restaurant in Pottsville in 2019.

With a focus on sustainable proteins and championing local ingredients, Pipit uses an open wood fire to achieve deep flavour in every bite. Settle into the Scandi-style dining room for a laidback culinary adventure or ask for a seat at the bar, so can watch the fiery action.

Pipit runs the occasional pop-up and masterclass and a more chilled Penny’s Bistro on Monday nights to start your week out right.

a table-top view of a sample food platter at Pipit Restaurant, Pottsville

Pipit Restaurant champions sustainably sourced ingredients.

Open: Dinner Thursday–Sunday; lunch Friday–Sunday; Penny’s Bistro Mondays

Address: 8 Coronation Avenue, Pottsville

10. Garden Pizza, Pottsville

Best for: Good pizza, good vibes

This charming and authentic pizzeria is somewhat of a local secret, yet its under-the-radar appeal makes it all the more special. BYO drinks from the bottleshop and grab a picnic table under an umbrella for deliciously blistered Napoli classics. There’s a few sides and homemade gelato to fill out your order, but mostly it’s the basics, executed well. You can take yours away, but the chilled, outdoor vibe is best.

Open: Dinner Thursday–Tuesday
Address: 9 Coronation Avenue, Pottsville

For more excellent places to eat in the Tweed region, read our guide to the top cafes and bakeries, Murwillumbah restaurants and where to dine in Tweed Heads and over the border in Coolangatta.

Bringing iconic Aussie sweets to a Northern New South Wales laneway, Public Supply is attracting unprecedented crowds every morning.

For three weeks straight, a cubbyhole cafe has seen round-the-block queues from 7am each morning. The objects of everyone’s affection? Fluffy glazed baked goods and a double shot espresso garnished with Coco Pops.

Welcome to Public Supply, a hole-in-the-wall of a residential apartment block in Tweed Heads, right opposite the Tweed River. It opened at the end of August 2025, and I visit on a mid-September Sunday, hoping early-day processions have dissolved into less-hectic trickles. Peering over from a sandy beach across the road, I see a crowd growing by the second and realise I’m out of luck. Public Supply cements the Tweed Heads, a once-sleepy Northern NSW coastal town located right on the border of Queensland, as a certified foodie magnet.

You’ll find Public Supply in a totally unassuming laneway

Public Supply is the brainchild of two couples, Ross Whitlock and Alysha Buckingham, and Kurt Foggo and Kallie Hunter. The foursome envisioned serious grab-and-go potential after observing several cult foodie operations in the area, including a cowboy-themed cold brew bar (Sun Devil Drinks Co.), which draws queues around the corner, and a Detroit-inspired deep-dish pizza slinger (Franc Jrs), a hot dinner ticket just two blocks over.

Built in a former Japanese eatery, the design is crafty in its simplistic fit-out. One long metal countertop with a silver La Marzocco coffee machine stacks trayfuls of scrolls at one end and drinks down the other. There’s no formal seating, but benches built into the apartment block’s laneway are snapped up by customers and the team puts out folding chairs and glass-topped milk crates to create make-shift tables. Ross and Kurt run the show, leaning on a local commercial kitchen to help whip up the daily dough, before the duo gets to cutting, baking (in the two onsite ovens behind the counter), and lavishly smothering their scrolls in various glazes.

It’s tight in there, but I spot six completely frazzle-free staffers, including Ross and Kurt, on the tools during my visit. Their well-oiled machine — which churns out about 48 scrolls per oven, per bake — undoubtedly contributes to this viral success. Kallie tells me they’re selling a minimum of 300 scrolls per day and a single Friday saw roughly 500 scrolls sold. Incredible.

Coco Pops coffee at Public Supply in Tweed Heads

The Coco Pops mocha is a hit with patrons. (Image: Supplied)

The Coco Pop Mocha is my favourite item on the menu, even compared to the pudgy-perfect, lens-magnet scrolls. A large white, branded mug is filled with Coco Pops-infused milk before a double shot of espresso, crafted from house-blend beans, is added, then finished off with a generous heaping of Coco Pops. It’s entirely photogenic, just like a chocolate milkshake, only crunchy, while still offering the caffeine hit I’m craving. Even more impressive, the coffee is balanced, the taste lingering even as the Coco Pops soften. The genius of it all makes me wonder why I haven’t tried this at home. It’s priced at $11, which is reasonable for a serving of cereal and strong coffee.

The Biscoff scroll and Pistachio scroll at Public Supply

The Biscoff scroll (left) and Pistachio scroll (right) are made fresh onsite daily. (Image: Supplied)

The other non-negotiable is one of their TikTok-famous cinnamon scrolls. I struggled to choose between all six varieties: the Naked Cinny ($10) sans gooey cream cheese topping, the Original Glaze ($11) with vanilla-infused cream cheese, the Pistachio ($11) with pistachio glaze and pistachio dough infusion, the Biscoff Crumble ($11) with Biscoff cream cheese and Biscoff dough infusion, the Choccy Bueno ($11) which tastes like a Kinder Surprise, and the Vegemite & Cheese Scroll ($11). Wherever you land, the dough is pillowy (as though you’re taking from the middle of a bake tray and never from the edges), the portion size is giant, and if you’re holding a glazed one, the topping is abundantly spread. BYO wet wipes because this is a glorious, messy indulgence — you can’t avoid getting sticky.

A variety of inventive Matcha options are on the menu too. (Image: Supplied)

The other trending menu items are the two matcha drinks: the Matcha Blanc ($8) with orange-infused matcha topped with cold matcha cream foam, and the Matcha Cloud ($8) with coconut water and cold matcha cream foam. I’m not a matcha devotee myself, but Kallie tells me the Matcha Cloud is a daily fan favourite.

Additionally, there are two kid-exclusive menu items: the Fairy Bread for $4, which uses the same Original Glaze cream cheese topping, and a Cereal Cup for $5, where you can choose between Coco Pops or Crunchy Nut Cornflakes with milk.

How Public Supply became a viral sensation

Kallie tells me that on opening day, Public Supply sold out of cinnamon scrolls in 45 minutes. The following day, double the amount sold out again. On the day I visit, they’re two hours away from a midday close and figures are sitting at 461 sold. Utterly bananas.

After seeing it myself, it’s clear this cafe went viral on entirely organic terms. Ross, who created the menu and brings more than a decade of hospitality experience to the helm, genuinely loves scrolls (though more savoury than sweet) and he’s baking things he and his mates simply love to eat themselves. Serving customers with real smiles and all the patience, Public Supply is unpretentious and a true product of its relaxed riverside surroundings. The outstanding sweet novelty factor is, quite literally, the icing on the cake of this slam dunk operation.

Details

If you’re driving to Public Supply from the Gold Coast, take the Gold Coast Highway past the Gold Coast Airport to Coolangatta Rd and follow the signs to Tweed Heads. It’s about eight minutes from the airport. If you’re road tripping from Byron Bay or Coffs Harbour, drive up the M1 past the border before taking the Kennedy Dr exit. Tap Wharf Rd into Maps to reach Public Supply in just a few minutes.

Address: Shop 10/29 Wharf Rd, Tweed Heads

Opening hours: 7am to 12pm, daily, but you’ll only score scrolls from Wednesday to Sunday.

10 must-visit restaurants in Kingscliff and surrounds