Kiama restaurants are a highlight on any NSW South Coast itinerary.

Food lovers road-tripping from Sydney along the Princes Highway will find a multitude of great Kiama restaurants that make it worthy of an extended stopover. This beautiful part of the NSW South Coast is so much more than its dramatic coastline with a range of dynamic dining venues to suit everyone in the family.

From oceanfront eateries to cosy cafes, here’s our hit list of the best restaurants in Kiama, just a short drive from Sydney.

The shortlist

Hottest New Opening: Frida’s Cantina
Hidden Gem: The Blue Swimmer at Seahaven
Family-Friendly Spot: The Hungry Monkey
Best for Brunch: Diggies Kiama
Casual Eats: Slow Dough
Best Views: The Hill Bar + Kitchen
Best Date Spot: Little Betty’s
Best For Large Groups: Cedar Cutters Bar & Restaurant
Best Pub Lunch: Grand Hotel Kiama

1. Miss Arda

Miss Arda is not your average casual Kiama deli-cafe. Well, duh. That’s because Emily Lewisman (nee Herbert), former head chef of London’s Ottolenghi Belgravia, is at the helm. Lewisman thought she could open the casual cafe in the seaside village without much fanfare. But you don’t work for the Ottolenghi empire and fly under the radar. This stunningly picturesque part of the NSW South Coast is now even more of a draw for foodies thanks to the moreish Middle Eastern-inspired fare on offer at Miss Arda. Be indoctrinated into this Kiama cult by ordering starters such as beetroot falafel, steak tartare, and burrata with grilled peaches and candied pumpkin seeds. For mains, there are options like duck pancakes or orange blossom chicken skewers freckled with dukkha. Thereafter, a cocktail and the tahini brownie times two for dessert.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Cosmopolitan Kiama
Location: 62 Terralong St, Kiama

2. Frida’s Cantina

The atmosphere at Frida’s Cantina is as vibrant and colourful as you’d expect. The name of the restaurant is a nod to trailblazing Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. By embracing her name, the restaurant has also drawn inspiration from her creative style. One of the reasons Mexican restaurants remain so popular in Australia is that they are welcoming, inclusive and laid-back. Frida Kahlo was known for hosting lively parties. Subsequently, the venue is decked out with the sort of objects she had dotted around her home in Coyoacá: from Mexican ceramics to artworks, traditional hojalata (tin craft) and Day of the Dead calaveras (skulls). Order smashed avo for breakfast, but make it Mexican: in this case, the guac on sourdough is topped with pico de gallo and feta. Furthermore, the brightly lit joint is also a fave for flautas, bocadillos and tacos. Great for a group celebration and family-friendly fiesta.

Cuisine: Modern Mexican
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Lively fiesta vibes.
Location: 40 Collins Street, Kiama

3. Little Betty’s

Stumbling across a neighbourhood wine bar like Little Betty’s is the kind of cool experience you want on a getaway. This kick-ass bar in Kiama has a lot of by-the-glass options as well as a considered and concise menu of tapas and charcuterie. Markedly, it’s a great place for a first date and intimate enough so that you can rub elbows and pretend it was an accident while watching local bands. Go for the dry-aged fillet au poivre and stay for the dirty negronis and pisco discos.

Cuisine: pan-Asian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Lively fiesta vibes.
Location: 1/55 Collins Streeet, Kiama

4. The Farmer’s Table

Put The Farmer’s Table on your list of best Kiama restaurants. During the week, The Farmer’s Table doles out wholesome breakfast dishes such as brekky bruschettas, corn fritters and fluffy buttermilk pancakes. Locally sourced ingredients contribute to the quality of the lunch menu, too. Think rainbow-bright harvest salads, sriracha buttered king prawns, and panko-crumbed calamari. Don’t miss dinners on Friday and Saturday nights where you can build your own banquet of specialities such as the prawn and chorizo linguine or farmer’s platter for two. The paddock-to-plate ethos is legit: many of the ingredients have been sourced from the family farm in Jamberoo.

Cuisine: Paddock-to-plate.
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Family-friendly.
Location: 2/42 Collins Street, Kiama

5. Slow Dough

The concept of slowing down while on a road trip of the NSW South Coast is made more alluring with the promise of a stop at Slow Dough. The bakery, which began as a hobby in a garage, has sprouted in the old minister’s cottage where it opens to the public from Fridays to Sundays. Follow the aroma of freshly baked sourdough to the dinky little cottage to pick up a loaf to go or a perfect little piccolo with a pastry treat. Order a six-pack of croissants and a Basque cheesecake in advance so you don’t arrive at your well-to-do aunt’s place empty-handed. Your obsession with carbs will be fulfilled with the chilli oil fougasse and super seed loaf.

Cuisine: Baked goods
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Homey.
Location: 19 Bong Bong St, Kiama

6. Penny Whistler’s

Light floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows at Penny Whistler’s, which concertinas out to create a comfortable place to chill overlooking Kiama Harbour, coloured in inky blues and whites. The kitchen prides itself on sourcing local produce, and there are always delectable daily specials on rotation.

Open for all-day dining, Penny Whistler’s invites guests to enjoy its relaxed village vibes and enviable offerings for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Standout signature dishes on the lunch menu include the tostada bowl filled with smoked sweet corn, crushed avocado, black bean and tomato salsa, chicken, sour cream and jalapeños with a crispy corn tostada. The Wagyu beef cheeseburger and beer-battered fish and chips are also family-friendly options. Pair your meals with either a chilled white, bold red or crisp lager.

Cuisine:  Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Coastal chic.
Location: 5/31 Shoalhaven St, Kiama

7. The Hungry Monkey

There’s only one thing Aussies love more than a tricked-up piece of avocado toast. That’s got to be a big fat burger. It’s a beloved rite of passage for holidaymakers to stop in at The Hungry Monkey while staying in Kiama. It’s also one of the most family-friendly restaurants in Kiama.

Get the cheeky monkeys some loaded fries with bacon and cheese and a couple of sliders. There have been long queues snaking out the door of the burger bar since it was established in Kiama a decade ago. But don’t worry, the chefs know how to keep the line moving. And it will buy you enough time to decide what you’re going to have for dinner: soft-shell crab tacos, nourishing rice bowls or BBQ pork ribs.

Cuisine: American-style fast food
Average price: $$
Atmosphere:  It’s giving salty surfer.
Location: 5/32 Collins St, Kiama

8. The Hill Bar + Kitchen

The staff at The Hill Bar + Kitchen in Kiama’s neighbouring suburb of Gerringong are cheery, attentive and very accommodating. The dishes are almost as dreamy as the coastal views at the light-filled casual diner which is ‘on the hill, by the sea’. The extensive menu features an abundance of locally sourced seafood, alongside juicy hamburgers. And the only thing better than pizzas is the view that goes with it. The carb-conscious will be pleased with the green goddess salad. Bonus points for the 12 taps of local and international beers and ciders.

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Casual coastal dining with killer views.
Location: 98 Fern St, Gerringong

9. Diggies Kiama

Want to understand why residents of Sydney’s south talk about how cool Kiama is? Visit Diggies Kiama, a kind of chic seaside eatery perched on Blowhole Point. Diggies has exceptional views of Kiama Harbour and an exquisite menu. Aussie beach culture is embraced via a seasonal menu featuring local seasonal ingredients. Choices for an indulgent breakfast are endless: from toast with scrambled eggs to buttermilk pancakes, brekkie burritos and French toast with fresh berries.

The Blowhole Roll is also a crowd favourite on weekends, stuffed with bacon and free-range eggs on a milk bun with cheddar, slaw, bacon jam and pickled jalapeños. And you only need to glance at the dishes being paraded past at lunchtime to know what the best-selling items are: battered market fish with tartare, Philly cheesesteak toasties and crumbed fish tacos.  If you dig Diggies, then it’s worth detouring to its other outposts in Wollongong and North Beach.

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: The vibe is all nautical Nantucket cool.
Location: 1 Blowhole Point Rd, Kiama

10. Olive & Vine

Olive & Vine is the sort of place you go to for a fuss-free feed with the kids. This beachside eatery does a cracking beer-battered flathead served with chunky golden fries, a leafy side salad and house-made tartare sauce. There’s also a concise menu for little ones with options like ham and pineapple pizza or penne with a rich tomato sugo. The dimly lit dining room is modest, featuring polished wooden floors and a wood-fired pizza oven as its centrepiece. While pizza purists will appreciate the margarita and pepperoni options, the more adventurous will love the chilli BBQ prawn or lamb and eggplant combo. Wines are mostly Australian and Italian, and beers; ditto with the beers.

Cuisine: Modern Italian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Simple, modest interiors.
Location: 87 Manning St, Kiama

11. The Blue Swimmer

The Blue Swimmer sits on a kink in the Crooked River, which winds all the way to the Gerroa foreshore. It’s one of the best places to eat along the NSW coastline. Book the kids in for a surf lesson and reserve a table for two to enjoy hearty mains, like the Martins Ridge Farm pork ragu with house-made fettuccine. Or a comforting seafood laksa, bobbing with prawns, fish, mussels and tofu. The seared scallops alone are worth the 15-minute drive from Kiama.

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Bright and breezy.
Location: 19 Riverleigh Avenue, Gerroa

12. Grand Hotel Kiama

Be prepared to feel right at home at the Grand Hotel Kiama, regardless of whether it’s your first time or you are a regular. As the sun dips, the Grand Hotel Kiama comes into its own. Nab a spot in the unpretentious bistro for crowd-pleasing favourites such as grilled steaks, schnitzels, flash-fried squid and spicy wings. The pub is a hub for locals and equally pleasing as a pit stop for those passing through, with accommodation upstairs.

The pub flaunts its good looks from its corner position. And, as Kiama locals will tell you, the kitchen kicks it up a gear with classic pub grub like bangers and mash, house-crumbed schnitzel and a ploughman’s plate. Meanwhile, head here for $30 Sunday roast with Yorkshire puddings that includes a glass of wine or draught beer.

Cuisine: Classic pub fare
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Busy and vibrant.
Location: Blowhole Point Road, Kiama

13. Kiama Leagues Club

Kiama Leagues Club is a popular spot for club grub and live music and has a free courtesy bus available to transport you to and from your accommodation from 4pm every day. Head downstairs to the Cedar Cutters Bar & Restaurant for crispy skin salmon and a bowl of wedges while watching your favourite team on the big screen.

Kids are also kept happy at the more low-key Sails Bistro, which offers complimentary cheeseburgers and chips. There are two designated play areas so the little ones can get their wiggles out while waiting for dinner. Lastly, order share plates such as buffalo wings, Vietnamese pork belly bites and crispy fried squid.

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Stylish place to gather for large groups or families.
Location: 109 Terralong St, Kiama

14. Hanoi on Manning

The popularity of this family-owned Vietnamese restaurant remains high 15 years after it opened. In that time, the popularity of Vietnamese food in Australia has spiked as dishes like banh mi and pho have gone from speciality street food to everyday dishes. Hanoi on Manning is quintessential Kiama. As well as being legendary on the NSW South Coast, this hole-in-the-wall does some of the best BBQ duck rice paper rolls this side of Hanoi.

Coriander, garlic, ginger and soy sauce are the building blocks of the chef’s daily specials. Obviously, go for the gỏi đu đủ (green papaya salad) topped with chicken, prawns and crispy fried shallots or the thịt kho trứng (caramelised pork leg and whole egg braised with coconut juice). Unquestionably, the build-your-own bánh hỏi tôm nướng experience using a selection of salad ingredients is the best. In short, the flavours here are very authentic as they are inspired by the foods the family ate on the streets of Vietnam.

Cuisine: Vietnamese
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Family-friendly.
Location: 10 Manning St, Kiama

15. Silica

It was while fishing around the South Coast for the best Kiama restaurants, and beyond that, we stumbled across Silica. The restaurant is named after the principal constituent of sandstone, a nod to its location overlooking Kiama’s Surf Beach and the mighty Pacific Ocean. Above all, the venue’s menu is based around locally sourced, organic, home-grown ingredients that showcase the very best of South Coast produce. Think kingfish sashimi, Riverine eye-fillet, freshly shucked oysters and roast barramundi.

The tasting menu on Saturday nights will knock your socks off with a fantastic spectrum of dishes. Start with the Sydney rock oysters followed by the tempura king prawns with avocado, mandarin, fresh herbs and aioli. Is there anything more satisfying on a Grand Pacific Drive road trip than crumbed calamari and chips with sea views?

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Family-friendly and wallet-friendly.
Location: 72 Manning St, Kiama

16. Cin Cin Wine Bar

Cin Cine Wine Bar serves up tasty regular specials in a sophisticated yet relaxed coastal venue, such as the winter warmer soup special served with warm crusty bread for just $15. Located right by the famous Little Blowhole, the restaurant shares a display of local art from a rotation of regional Illawarra artists, and hosts live music on Sunday afternoons.

Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Average price: $
Atmosphere: Low-key romantic venue.
Location: 6/4 Tingira Crescent, Kiama

Discover the best things to do between eating, in Kiama.