The Best Jervis Bay Restaurants | Australian Traveller

The pull of a weekend getaway to the NSW South Coast has never been stronger thanks to a plethora of great places to eat and drink in and around Jervis Bay.

The ultimate guide to Jervis Bay restaurants narrows the field to focus on the seaside village of Huskisson. But it also zooms out to include the broader Shoalhaven coast region. Be it casual vibes at a low-key food truck, or a romantic candle-lit dinner hidden in the treetops, or a fine dining restaurant with rooms, here are the best restaurants in Jervis Bay and surrounds.

Hottest new opening: Peter Eva Gusto Italiano
Fine dining gem: Bangalay Dining
Hidden gem: The Gunyah @ Paperbark Camp
Family-friendly spot: The Huskisson Hotel
Great for special occasions: Cupitt’s Estate

Bangalay Dining

Bangalay Dining is both destination diner and restaurant with rooms and one of the best places to eat and drink in the Shoalhaven region of the NSW South Coast. The venue is a standout thanks to the stellar service, cracking wine list and care taken by head chef Simon Furley. Locals and visitors flock to the handsome restaurant to enjoy contemporary dishes such as kingfish with compressed grapes and whole butterflied fish with soured cream and Warrigal greens. Wander back along the boardwalk to your luxury villa.

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: The elegant restaurant overlooks an up-lit pool that glows emerald in the evening light.
Location: 30 Staples St, Shoalhaven Heads

Peter Eva Gusto Italiano

A bowl of gnocchi — Tuck into hearty Italian dishes.

Peter Eva is the bricks-and-mortar version of the pizza truck husband-and-wife team Peter Sanna and Maria ‘Eva’ Guareri opened when they moved to Australia from Italy in 2020. The Jervis Bay restaurant was recently reimagined after the couple returned from a holiday to the Amalfi Coast, where they drew inspiration from the sunshine-yellow lemons of Sorrento. Plump for the pizza draped with prosciutto crudo with rucolo Parmigiano on the side. Bellissimo.

Cuisine: Traditional Italian (handmade gnocchi, woodfired pizza, pasta, antipasti)
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Casual and family-friendly
Location: 2/52 Owen St, Huskisson

Wildginger

Chef Alex Morvai designs inventive takes on Southeast Asian cuisine to an extremely appreciative audience at Wildginger. The menu, best enjoyed in banquet format, is a mix of vibrant options such as baked pumpkin jungle curry, colourful and crunchy pork loin katsu with wok-tossed greens and slow-roasted lamb betel leaf. Despite being in beachside Husky, the atmosphere is more reminiscent of an elegant upscale eatery in Bangkok.

Cuisine: Southeast Asian fusion
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: The dining room is upscale but welcoming.
Location: 44 Owen St, Huskisson NSW 2540

Pasta Buoy

The menu at Pasta Buoy is anchored to the seaside. And you’ve got to hand it to owners Steve and Jess Cantarakis as the nero di seppia (squid ink) spaghetti here presents like a dreamy ode to the Mediterranean. The ‘rock on’ symbol used in the branding for the informal Italian eatery ensures it’s much-loved by a mostly millennial crowd who flock here for Marg & Martini night and live DJ sets. The young, sun-kissed staff also work the floor with grace delivering dishes such as agnoletti filled with spinach and ricotta and rich, rustic wagyu lasagna.

Cuisine: Modern Mediterranean
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Fun and playful mod Med joint known for its good vibes.
Location: 60 Owen St, Huskisson

Cupitt’s Estate

Cupitt’s Estate is a winery, brewery, farm and restaurant. And it’s one of the compulsory pit stops when you’re road-tripping from Sydney to Jervis Bay. The colour of the landscape is lacquered crayon green after recent rains and the vineyard gazes down on the valley toward the sea. Book a table near the glass louvres so that you can drink in the scenery over a glass of Cupitt’s Estate fiano and Ulladulla yellowfin tuna crudo with tonnato dressing. The charred spring asparagus with pecorino custard and salted breadcrumbs also sings of the seasons. Loads to love here.

Cuisine: Mod Oz with Mediterranean accents
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Country charm turned up to full volume.
Location: 58 Washburton Road, Ulladulla

Jervis Bay Brewing Co.

Australia’s booming craft beer scene has rolled into the regions. And one of the best places to eat and drink in Jervis Bay is Jervis Bay Brewing Co . The taphouse founded by four friends transformed a grey square of the town’s industrial estate into a fun, boisterous, beer garden that is ideal for kicking back on weekends. My husband has fallen headfirst into his obsession for craft beer and loves JBBC’s Bay of Plenty IPA. Check the menu at the 5 Little Pigs food truck ahead of your visit so you can decide in advance whether to order the pulled pork tacos or chargrilled cheeseburger.

Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Rowdy, boisterous, beer-lariously fun place for a Sunday sesh.
Location: 3 Duranbah Drive, Jervis Bay

The Huskisson Hotel

Pub barons looking to open a successful South Coast venture should study the Huskisson Hotel formula to see how things are done. The renovated hotel, known as ‘the Husky’ has a dreamy waterfront setting with an outdoor terrace. Start with a dozen of Jim Wild’s oysters in the waterfront bar. Follow up with fish and chips or roast lamb in the bistro. There’s a roster of live music and entertainment. And, best of all, you can stay the night if you haven’t got a superyacht moored out front. Few Jervis Bay pubs have been embraced with such fervour and the Husky deserves its best Jervis Bay pub mantle.

Cuisine: Solid pub grub
Average price: $$$$
Atmosphere: The pub is light, bright and breezy.
Location: 75 Owen St, Huskisson NSW 2540

The Gunyah @ Paperbark Camp

Paperbark Camp is four kilometres as the eastern bristlebird flies from the pristine white-sand beaches and walking trails of Jervis Bay National Park. The camp has been at the forefront of ecotourism in Australia since it opened in 1999 and remains one of the best places to stay in Jervis Bay. Onsite eatery The Gunyah is also one of the best Jervis Bay restaurants. Enjoy a candlelit dinner that focuses on seasonal set menus that celebrate native ingredients. You can also pre-book a night of Indigenous storytelling with Gadhungal Murring under a starlit sky.

Cuisine: Innovative mod Oz cuisine with an emphasis on native ingredients
Average price: $$$$
Atmosphere: A whimsical dining experience; like being in the Magic Faraway Tree
Location: Paperbark Camp, 571 Woollamia Rd, Huskisson

Picnics Naturally Jervis Bay

Picnics Naturally Jervis Bay can help curate all these special moments by either setting up a picnic or dropping off a grazing board to your preferred picnic spot. The pull of a picnic in mystical jewel-coloured Jervis Bay has never been stronger. Bubbles anyone?

Cuisine: Grazing boards and cheese and charcuterie platters
Average price: $$$$
Atmosphere: Choose your own adventure and bush or beach picnic spot
Location: At the world’s perfect picnic spot in Jervis Bay.

Mountain Ridge Wines

Mountain Ridge Wines is one of the best places to eat near Jervis Bay. This is not fancy fine dining. Instead, it’s all about rustic pizzas served at sunset and loaded with everything from hunks of vegetables to circles of salami and blobs of molten fior di latte. Wear your designer trackies with the elasticised waistband so you can tuck into pizzas with a few share plates on the side. Sign up for a tasting then close the deal with a Michelangelo pizza laden with feta, parmesan, pepperoni and flecked with chilli flakes and herbs, and a few glasses of vino.

Cuisine: Small plates, pizzas and grazing platters
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: The bucolic winery gazes down over the vines and valley.
Location 11 Coolangatta Road, Coolangatta

Discover the best cafes in Jervis Bay

Luxury meets hyper-local hospitality with an exclusive Christmas stay package and menu you’ll want to be present for.

An Aussie Christmas is like no other. December signals the start of summer, celebrations and festive cheer. While Mariah Carey might not have defrosted just yet, we’ve got less than 100 days left of the year. So it’s time to start planning. Christmas at Park Hyatt Sydney is reimagined with a luxurious festive stay package. Celebrate with a curated summer tote, a special seasonal menu that captures the flavours of a Sydney summer and cocktails crafted to capture the spirit of a harbourside Christmas.

This is your sign to skip the end-of-year chaos and let Christmas be taken care of for you.

A stay at Park Hyatt

couple with champagne on the balcony of their park hyatt sydney room — Gaze out from your balcony to see Sydney’s icons.

If you love a room with a view, imagine waking up on Christmas Day to the sound of waves and a sunrise over the iconic Sydney Opera House. Step out to your private balcony to soak in the sun, and you’ll find you’re on the doorstep to the coastal cobblestone charm of Sydney’s very own Christmas boulevard, The Rocks.

Enter Park Hyatt Sydney, a 155-room harbour-side hotel, centered in the beating heart of a historic neighbourhood, seamlessly blending life’s little luxuries with living like a local. Spend long, summer days lounging by the rooftop pool with 360-degree views of this harbour city or indulge in tailored treatments at The Spa.

aerial of park hyatt sydney rooftop pool — Spend summer days by the rooftop pool.

Be seated in The Dining Room, overlooking sparkling waters, to taste the vibrancy of an Australian summer. Led by Executive Chef Tyson Gee, discover a lunch and dinner menu that heroes coastal ingredients.

The festive stay package

Park Hyatt Sydney has introduced a festive stay package to up the Christmas spirit. Guests will enjoy an overnight stay in a guest room or suite with uninterrupted views, valet parking and a full breakfast for two in The Dining Room.

The Summer Kit

branded tote bag of park hyatt sydney with the sydney opera house in background — Take home a branded tote bag.

Because it’s an Aussie Christmas, guests booking the package will also receive a curated, limited-edition Summer Christmas kit stocked with seasonal luxuries, including the hotel’s first-ever branded merch.

Think a signature Park Hyatt Sydney sun cap and Aesop sunscreen valued at $300, all in a branded luxury tote bag. This kit will also be available for purchase throughout December, if you’re in need of any gift ideas.

The details

The festive stay package applies to stays from 1 – 27 December, with a limited number of suites available. Guests can book using the exclusive offer code XMAS25 on parkhyattsydney.com . They can also call +61 2 9256 1234 or email sydney.park.accommodation@hyatt.com.

Christmas dining

christmas menu at the dining room restaurant in park hyatt sydney — Taste a special Christmas menu at The Dining Room.

For the gourmands who want to participate in the festivities but are unable to stay as an overnight guest, Park Hyatt Sydney can still be your Christmas go-to. Taste Chef Tyson Gee’s themed culinary creations throughout December .

From 1 – 24 December, diners can book a Christmas Afternoon Tea from $95 pp. Prepare for Christmas flavours like braised turkey pie with cranberry gel, plus gingerbread and salted vanilla bûche de Noël and a chocolate hazelnut bauble for dessert.

On Christmas Day, The Dining Room and The Living Room will both offer a five-course menu from $425 per person. Start with a glass of NV Taittinger Champagne on arrival – accompanied by Sydney’s finest seafood – and end with a reimagined mango pavlova, with rice pudding and pink peppercorn.

“Our vision was to capture the flavours of a harbourside Australian Christmas,” says Gee. “Guests will enjoy seafood at its best, from fresh oysters to cured ocean trout, paired with tropical fruit accents and festive touches like glazed Berkshire ham and roast duck. Every dish has been imagined for a harbourside Christmas celebration.”

Guests can also enjoy a range of seasonal cocktails crafted by Head Mixologist Kevin Botte, including the Christmas Negroni, Christmas Mulled Wine and a Christmas Cocktail/Mocktail.

Exploring Sydney

woman drinking festive cocktail in the dining room restaurant of park hyatt sydney — The best of Sydney is right on your doorstep.

For those planning a visit, Christmas at Park Hyatt Sydney means you’re perfectly situated to explore the best of Sydney.

The hotel is mere steps away from the icons, from Sydney Opera House to the Harbour Bridge, along with the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Add open-air galleries full of murals and explore the nearby cobblestone streets.

Head to the charming Rocks Markets, where the streets transform with seasonal Christmas creations, of the artisan and foodie variety. Then head over to Dawes Point Park for a picnic under the bridge.

Find more 360-degree rooftop views at the Glenmore, or listen to live music at Brewhouse at Squire’s Landing from Wednesday to Sunday (times vary). There’s something for everyone.

For more details on Christmas at Park Hyatt Sydney, visit parkhyattsydney.com or call +61 2 9256 1234.

Our guide to the best Jervis Bay restaurants