Shannon Bennett returns to the restaurant scene with a bold new multi-venue dining precinct in Byron Bay, blending barefoot ease with world-class innovation.
Byron Bay is about to welcome a new chapter in its culinary evolution – and it’s arriving with serious pedigree. The Belongil, a new venture from acclaimed chef Shannon Bennett, opens its doors this December, reimagining the way locals and travellers experience food, connection and place.
A precinct, not a restaurant
The Belongil is a new venture from acclaimed chef Shannon Bennett.
Forget the traditional restaurant model; The Belongil is a multi-venue precinct built around contrast, craft and community. Designed as “a living precinct," it blends raw Byron energy with world-class ambition across four distinct spaces: The Kiosk, Belongil Bistro, FEU and Blind Tiger.
Co-founded by Bennett and his neighbour Glen Norman, The Belongil represents a shared investment of more than $10 million – a collaboration built on their long friendship and mutual passion for design, architecture and gastronomy.
The Belongil’s culinary direction comes courtesy of a powerhouse team of Bennett’s long-time collaborators – Cory Campbell, Ryan Henley, Steven Kirkpatrick and Carlos Simoes Santos – all alumni of Vue de monde. Together, they bring a depth of experience spanning Noma in Copenhagen to Gordon Ramsay’s kitchens in London.
Bennett and The Belongil team have journeyed along Australia’s east coast over the past year, meeting the growers, fishers, farmers and makers behind Australia’s finest produce.
“Every ingredient on our menu tells a story. We’ve stood in the dirt, by the ocean, and in the sheds with the people who make it possible. We know them. We trust them. And we want you to taste that connection," Bennett says.
“This project is more than a restaurant – it’s four venues that together reflect how I now see hospitality. There should be something for everyone in the community: from dog walkers, surfers and backpackers to those celebrating their big night out once a year."
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AI Prompt
The Belongil is a multi-venue precinct built around contrast, craft and community.
Kiosk will be open seven days from late November.
FEU fine dining will start on 18 December.
Belongil Bistro opens on 15 December.
Blind Tiger will be an invitation-only cocktail enclave.
First to open will be The Kiosk, an everyday beachside spot serving “high-end simplicity" – think sunrise coffee, fresh snacks and a laidback rhythm that mirrors Byron’s daily pulse. It’s the kind of place for sandy feet and salty hair, open seven days from late November.
Then comes Belongil Bistro on 15 December, a barefoot-friendly bistro where they invite you to come as you are and stay as long as you like. Expect sun-soaked lunches, wine-soaked dinners, and a menu grounded in sustainability and local produce.
The showstopper, FEU, will ignite on 18 December – a 40-seat tasting room that promises a full sensory experience that blurs the line between dining and dreaming. Described as a “culinary uprising," FEU invites guests to choose their own journey through multi-course menus that push creativity to the edge.
For those in the know, there’s Blind Tiger – an invitation-only cocktail enclave that’s part speakeasy, part sensory riddle. Think Japanese-inspired stillness, smoke, mystery and mixology as art. In true Bennett fashion, sustainability and sensory design are deeply intertwined. The Blind Tiger incorporates elements of a 300-year-old Japanese temple that was painstakingly relocated and rebuilt by hand. Across the precinct, a pioneering E-water sanitation system replaces harsh chemicals, while an on-site composter ensures near-zero food waste
Built on connection
The Belongil is located steps away from Belongil Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Belongil stands on the former site of the much-loved Belongil Italian, a spot Bennett remembers fondly. “I really loved the old Belongil Italian, and I feel that since they closed, Byron Bay has been missing something. I felt that I could bring the vigor [sic] back to my own little small community," he says.
Blending barefoot ease with refined craft, The Belongil is set to become a new kind of Byron institution; a sanctuary for travellers, locals and wanderers alike.
The Belongil opens in stages from late November 2025, with the Bistro debuting on 15 December and FEU following on 18 December.
Where: 33-35 Childe Street, Byron Bay, NSW
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.
The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.
The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.
By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.
Dive into the world’s best beaches.
That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.
But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.
Beyond the beaches
Dining
Enjoy a sundowner by the sea at Pippis Cronulla.
The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.
By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.
Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.
A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.
Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.
One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.
Pristine walking trails
Cool off with a coastal stroll.
Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.
Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.
Enjoy whale watching
Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)
Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around.Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.
Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.
