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The best Forster restaurants for contemporary coastal dining

Credit: Thirty Three Degrees

Kristie Lau-Adams Kristie Lau-Adams
Dive into a flourishing NSW foodie scene right off the coastline with the best Forster restaurants.

While the NSW North Coast town of Forster isn’t massive – it’s home to less than 15,000 people – its hospitality scene is unexpectedly immense. Yes, every good beach town has a Pantone-perfected cafe or two, and a minor-signage eatery, but what knocked my socks off during a recent visit was how diverse and genuinely enjoyable every meal out proved. Grounded with polite and patient staff, unpretentious crowds and menus seizing local ingredients (hello, Sydney Rock oysters), Forster restaurants thrill throughout central Wharf St and its surrounding pockets.

The shortlist

Most Instagrammable: The Sicilian
Fine dining gem: Mezza Eatery
Best views: Thirty Three Degrees
Best for seafood: Waterline Boathouse

1. Mezza Eatery

Mezza Eatery in Forster
Mezza Eatery offers a contemporary take on Middle Eastern fare.

Full disclosure: it was Valentine’s Day when I dined at Mezza Eatery, so love was in the air by default. But sitting in this Forster restaurant’s enclosed outdoor terrace, decked out with red leather banquette seating and faux bougainvillaea hanging from the ceiling, I’m immediately swept into special occasion territory. My waiter was exceptional, gracefully tweaking the menu’s large-group Amir Banquet (with pita bread, hummus, falafel, baba ghanoush and shish meats) to suit a table for two, while the food was appropriately packed with garlic, abundantly plated and layered with flavour. Furthermore, the team pinpointed a lovely Argentinian Malbec that paired beautifully with everything, including an obligatory walnut baklava with ice cream. If you’re driving, there’s street parking around the corner, plus ramps that lead to either side of the restaurant for guests with access needs.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Buzzing

Location: 1 Wallis St, Forster

2. The Sicilian

The Sicilian’s menu in Forster
Indulge in hearty Italian bites. (Credit: The Sicilian)

From the team behind Mezza Eatery, The Sicilian’s fit-out shook me from the moment I climbed its stairs to the first floor (there’s a lift for guests with access needs). An eclectic sensory overload, dressed top-to-toe with dried floral arrangements, gold-framed Renaissance-esque paintings, mismatched garden party tables and even a hanging ornate rug (above the staircase on your way out), it’s one of the most fantastical hospitality fit-outs I’ve ever seen. The food is driven with like-minded flair, as pizza and pastas – the Ragu with beef cheek and fresh chilli was sensational – are nailed alongside local oysters (a must when in Forster, which excels at producing Sydney Rock), a chicken schnitzel with creamy mushroom sauce and plenty of sides.

Cuisine: Italian

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Living room-esque but romantic

Location: 32 Wharf St, Forster (enter from Memorial Drive at the rear)

3. Thirty Three Degrees

Thirty Three Degrees restaurant in Tuncurry
Dine by the lake. (Credit: Thirty Three Degrees)

In Forster for the oysters? Let’s go. Thirty Three Degrees is the place to slurp up local crustaceans in the most elevated of settings – quite literally as the Forster restaurant’s open-air deck sits right above Wallis Lake. I loved the extensive oyster menu, which invites you to choose natural or flavoured Sydney Rocks with a choice of toppings including Japanese Fish Roe, Aged Chardonnay Mignonette, Kilpatrick and Truffle Salsa. Additionally, everything I ate was bursting with freshness thanks to produce being plucked from the team’s very own local oyster farms. If you’re here for everything but the oysters, I can confirm that the seared tuna with a sesame crust is delicious, as are the fish cocktails (that arrive with chips for $12 per plate) I stole from my kids.

Cuisine: Modern Australian, focused on seafood

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Breezy

Location: 1 Palm St, Tuncurry

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4. Spice Monkey

Spice Monkey, Forster
The menu leans towards Asian cuisine. (Credit: Destination NSW)

If you’re hankering for top-quality Asian (Forster restaurants seriously scale the globe), Spice Monkey is your best bet. I visited for Happy Hour, staged from 3:30pm to 5pm, Monday to Sunday, and loved it as a waterfront cocktail spot with bar snacks like traditional Japanese Takoyaki (deep-fried octopus balls) and umami fries. But as the afternoon darkened and my $12 Aperol Spritz disappeared, the Forster restaurant was revving up for dinner and the atmosphere built accordingly. Menu standouts include the crab and king prawn noodles with fish skin crumbs, while the family-friendly spot also caters for kids via a $16 bento box with your choice of teriyaki chicken, tempura fish or panko-crumbed calamari. There’s parking on Wharf St and limited parking around the corner on Memorial Drive, but I wouldn’t advisedriving to a party like this.

Cuisine: Asian fusion

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Fun and loud

Location: Shop 4, Reef Apartments, Wharf St, Forster

5. Si Señorita

Travelling around the globe to the Americas, Si Señorita is one of multiple Mexican spots in town, and my favourite for offering beautiful lake views. It’s far breezier than your regular cantina as the team open bifold windows to let in those serene views, but the food is authentic and lashed with spice. I went for the ‘Feast Like Frida’ set menu for $58 (make sure you give the team notice as they require 48 hours to prepare) which rolled out corn with smoky paprika, paprika squid, chicken quesadillas, chilli garlic prawns and two mains spanning barramundi with chipotle butter, salmon with mezcal honey butter and more. Churros are thrown in for good measure, but if you’re going a la carte, opt in because the salted caramel sauce is heavenly.

Cuisine: Mexican

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Upbeat

Location: Shop 1, Reef Apartments, Wharf St, Forster

6. Anatolia Turkish Cuisine

Turkish donut balls for $10 a box? Anatolia Turkish Cuisine reeled me in during my first day in town. The Forster restaurant, located next to the car park on Head Street, which is a main traffic thoroughfare, nails authentic cuisine in a deceivingly casual setting. The facade features festoon lighting, leafy pot plants and four-seater tables but the vibe is almost takeaway, making for delicious grab-and-go options. Don’tmiss the rear of the restaurant where Bazaar, the restaurant’s shop filled with shishas and other homewares, lies. I defy you to walk out without a few speciality baklavas, like Dubai chocolate and biscotti, or Turkish delights in every colour of the rainbow.

Cuisine: Turkish

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 25 Wharf St, Forster

7. Waterline Boathouse

Waterline Boathouse, Forster
Slurp on fresh oysters. (Credit: Waterline Boathouse)

After hiring one of the team’s boats for a skim across Wallis Lake, one of the best things to do in Forster, I settled into Waterline Boathouse for a taste of what lies beneath. I loved the easy-going vibe of this place despite such magical views over the lake, and I adored the baked seafood boil for $56 that included blue swimmer crab, mussels, king prawns, chorizo and chips. A fuss-free spot to savour some of the east coast’s freshest seafood as sunshine illuminates calm waters just beyond, the Forster restaurant is within walking distance to the middle of town but there’s a car park if you can’t be bothered. Also, call ahead to book a table as I lucked out getting a spot the day I visited – guests alongside me were entering thick and fast.

Cuisine: Seafood

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Buoyant and friendly

Location: 15 Little St, Forster

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8. Pezzella’s Pizzeria and Bar

Pezzella’s Pizzeria and Bar, Forster
Cosy up with Sicilian Nero D’Avola red wine and gnocchi. (Credit: Pezzella’s Pizzeria and Bar)

Snag the town’s tastiest slice at Pezzella’s Pizzeria and Bar where pizza, pasta and other homemade superstars are ravished with authentic flavours and fresh ingredients. The doughy, beautifully blistered woodfire pizzas are tempting but whatever you do, don’t miss the meatballs drowning in red sauce (there are three big whoppers per order) and dressed in herbs. They’re tender, flavour-crammed and, evidently, memorable. As for the crowd? I was flanked by both families and couples, so everyone’s invited to carb-load inside a beautifully moody fit-out.

Cuisine: Italian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Fun-loving

Location: Shop 6, 24-30 Memorial Dr, Forster

9. Beach St. Seafoods

There are several takeaway fish and chips shops in Forster, but I favoured Beach St. Seafoods for its genuine fish market feel and unique takes on classics. There was a Mango Chilli Prawn deal for $26 when I visited, which included five prawn cutlets, a salad and mango-chilli sauce, and it hit the spot as my kids smashed deep-fried Mars bars without coming up for air. They also sell fresh and Kilpatrick Sydney Rock oysters from $18 per half dozen. It’s a few doors down from Cafe Toscano – one of the best Forster cafes – so you’re at the foot of central Wharf Street and there are a couple of tables out front if you’re too famished to take away.

Cuisine: Seafood

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Takeaway

Location: Corner Beach St and Head Ln, Forster

10. Dorsal by the Sea

It’s a Forster accommodation highlight but Dorsal by the Sea’s restaurant is also a great spot for quality grilled meats, including ribs. It’s right on Main Beach so slipping in for breakfast before hitting the surf is often the done thing, but the Forster restaurant’s dinner menu is equally delightful. Stuck on those aforementioned ribs? Choose from beef, pork or lamb, or go a half rack of each for $82. There’s also classic pastas, plenty of seafood options and a Chicken Surf with bearnaise sauce and chips.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Salty-aired and relaxed

Location: 1 West St, Forster

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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This surprising regional town is making its mark on the culinary world

(Image: Visit Griffith)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    With more than 60 nationalities calling it home and a century of Italian influence shaping its paddocks and plates, Griffith is a regional Australian town with serious culinary cred.

    It might feel surprising to learn that Griffith is one of Australia’s leading food destinations. In-the-know Italians have understood this for generations, drawn to the Riverina region’s fertile soils that reminded them of the terrain they’d left behind more than a century ago. These days, Griffith supplies much of the nation’s pantry: 95 per cent of Australia’s prunes come from the region, it’s the country’s largest citrus-growing area, and it’s a leading producer of almonds and walnuts. Even the pickles in every McDonald’s burger nationwide are produced in Griffith. This is not just a farming town; the Griffith food scene is leading the way.

    Here, culinary confidence is rooted in migration. Italian families began arriving from 1913, with a second wave settling after the Second World War. Today, Griffith has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry of any Local Government Area in Australia. Add to that more than 60 nationalities represented across the community and you have a town where food is driven not by trends, but by tradition. Griffith’s motto, ‘Taste our culture’, isn’t marketing spin; it’s the reality.

    Where the vines tell a story

    A hand pouring wine into a glass, with a table filled with food.
    Uncover the stories behind every glass. (Image: Destination NSW)

    The Riverina has long been dubbed the food bowl of Australia, but it’s also a wine region that remains largely under the radar. What sets Griffith apart is that every one of its wineries is family-owned, many spanning generations.

    Calabria Family Wines is one of the region’s standard-bearers. The Calabria story began in 1945 when Francesco Calabria planted his first vines; today, the family continues to shape the region’s identity while also stewarding the historic McWilliam’s Wines brand. McWilliam’s was the first winery to plant vines in the area, and its barrel-shaped cellar door – complete with a soaring stained-glass window – remains one of the most distinctive in regional NSW.

    Yarran Wines, run by the Brewer family, showcases estate-grown fruit across Mediterranean varietals that thrive in the warm climate. Expect bold reds and textured whites that reflect both heritage and innovation.

    Set inside the old ambulance station, Harvest HQ is owned and operated by the Riverina Winemakers Association and pours a rotating selection of local wines under one roof. It also features spirits from The Aisling Distillery, reinforcing the region’s collaborative approach to craft.

    At the table

    A flat lay of a steak.
    Dine where tradition meets a bold new generation. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    If the vineyards tell one story, the dining rooms tell another. Griffith’s restaurants are where tradition and next-gen confidence meet.

    Zecca Handmade Italian occupies the former Rural Bank building, an imposing Art Deco landmark from the late 1930s. ‘Zecca’ means money print, and the name is a nod to the Zecca di Venezia in Venice. Here, find the Riverina’s only producer of dried artisan pasta and traditional Italian recipes. Importantly, the growers and producers supplying the kitchen are listed on the menu as a transparent expression of the region’s farm-to-table ethos.

    Established in 1977 and still run by the Vico family, La Scala puts authentic Italian cuisine on centre stage. Expect handmade pasta, traditional wood-fired pizzas, slow-cooked sauces and dishes that follow recipes guarded like family heirlooms. For something more contemporary, Bull & Bell in Gem Hotel is a shrine to the Euro-style steakhouse that works closely with local farmers and artisans to showcase Riverina produce.

    And then there are the institutions. Bertoldo’s Pasticceria, now in its third generation, draws locals daily for cannoli, biscotti, crostoli and house-made gelato, alongside classic sausage rolls and potato pies. La Piccola Grosseria feels like stepping into an Italian alimentari, its shelves lined with continental goods that wouldn’t feel out of place in Puglia.

    Meanwhile, Limone celebrates local and seasonal produce across breakfast and lunch menus, enriched by the produce and stories of Piccolo Family Farm. Find pastries and sourdough baked daily, and pop into the onsite retail pantry for products from regional producers – including the Piccolo family’s own wine range, Caro Piccolo.

    From the source

    A plated Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod dish.
    Taste world-renowned Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, straight from its source. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    Behind every menu is a producer. Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod is perhaps Griffith’s most high-profile export; the brand’s Murray cod and Aquna Gold Murray Cod Caviar have achieved global recognition. In October 2024, Aquna presented its products to King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the NSW Premier’s Community BBQ in Parramatta. Impressed by the producer’s sustainable farming practices, the King requested the cod be sent to Buckingham Palace – not bad for a fish farm in regional NSW.

    Mandolé Orchard champions almonds grown on a family-run farm, transforming them into almond milk and value-added products. At Morella Grove, olives are pressed into premium olive oil and pantry staples that speak to Griffith’s Mediterranean heart. These producers are not peripheral; they are central to the town’s culinary ecosystem. Learn about local sustainable farming practices during a farm tour.

    Mark your calendar

    A woman walking past a food mural, something you can spot during A Taste of Italy Griffith.
    Plan your visit around A Taste of Italy Griffith. (Image: Visit Griffith)

    For a town that helps stock Australia’s supermarkets, Griffith has remained curiously absent from the national dining conversation. That’s beginning to change. If you’ve been searching for a regional food destination with substance, heritage and a clear sense of identity, you’ll find it here in the Riverina, right under your nose.

    Time your visit to the Riverina region to coincide with A Taste of Italy Griffith, held every August. This week-long celebration of Italian heritage and culture offers a wide range of Italian-inspired events and experiences to enjoy. Expect long-table lunches, wine tasting experiences, cooking classes and a Makers in the Piazza market. The headline event is a ticketed long lunch – Festa delle Salsicce (Salami Festival) – where winners of the best salami are announced.

    Start planning your foodie getaway at visitgriffith.com.au.