8 Cafes In Merimbula & Beyond To Start The Day At

Wake up to the fact it’s easy to find a caffeine fix with our guide to the best Merimbula cafes.

Take the time to stop at a Merimbula cafe and you’ll quickly discover the rhythm of the NSW South Coast town. From the casual kiosks that won’t judge you if you walk in barefoot from the beach to the cafes selling nourishing brekkie bowls. Here is our guide to the best cafes in Merimbula and beyond.

1. MorMors

Best for: The full eggs benny with two poached eggs, spinach, and hollandaise

This buzzy cafe serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch, with highlights including doorstop-sized burritos stuffed with scrambled eggs, bacon, Swiss cheese, spinach, charred corn, capsicum, red onion, and coriander salsa.

a spread of food and drinks on the table at MorMors, Merimbula — MorMors brunch menu is overflowing with generously sized brunch options.

MorMors  is in Merimbula Plaza and spills out onto a leafy courtyard perfect for ONA coffee and catch-ups. Enjoy a fresh juice and corn fritters or an all-day burger with the lot. Open 8am–2pm, seven days a week.

the outdoor setting at MorMors, Merimbula — The leafy courtyard is an ideal spot to sit with a cup of ONA coffee on a sunny day.

Address: The Plaza, Shop 15, 20-22 Market St, Merimbula

2. Bar Beach Kiosk

Best for: A big-arse Bar Beach burger

Customers at Bar Beach Kiosk are encouraged to be chilled thanks to the vibes being put down by the staff.

the beachfront view at Bar Beach Kiosk, Merimbula — Embrace the sunny vibes of this seasonal cafe during the warmer months. (Image: Bronte Shipton)

Sit here long enough and you are bound to meet all manner of sea-changers, from corporate casualties to ageing surfers lured by great waves for long-boarders. Sit at the bar overlooking the break if you’re in the mood to mingle.

a woman ordering a drink at Bar Beach Kiosk, Merimbula — Strike up a conversation with locals during your visit. (Image: Bronte Shipton)

Alternatively, lounge on the lawn beside laid-back locals over a lunch of smashed peas and whipped feta on Wheatley Lane sourdough. The seasonal cafe is open six days a week between the September school holidays and June long weekend.

the al fresco dining at Bar Beach Kiosk, Merimbula — The kiosk’s lawn is a great place to sit and watch the waves roll in as you sip your morning coffee. (Image: Bronte Shipton)

Address: Lake St, Merimbula

3. Nourish

Best for: Soups and salads

This Merimbula stalwart does what it says on the tin. Nourish  will awaken your appreciation for the art of making coffee with alt milk as the line-up of quality lactose-free liquids here is impressive. Enjoy a creamy oat milk latte or a super-food smoothie before perusing the shelves stocked with everything from Pukka tea to sugars and spices and soothing ministrations using turmeric and medicinal mushrooms. The rustic wholefoods cafe also sells racks of upcycled fashion. Open Mon-Sat 8–2pm; Sun 8–1pm

Address: The Promenade, Shop 7/4 Market St, Merimbula

4. Toast Cafe, Pambula

Best for: The sweet potato fritters

Toast Cafe is a perennial Pambula fave that lures diners with elevated brunch favourites that suggest a good time. Plates like the Mexican sweet salad with roasted sweet potato, peppers, black beans, quinoa, corn, feta, guac, tortilla crisps, and a coriander lime dressing. Or the sausage and egg panini with caramelised onion jam.

coffee and brunch menu at Toast Café, Pambula — Take your pick from the brunch favourites. (Image: David Rogers Photography)

There’s an unhurried vibe out the back on the verandah, which is prettied up with flowerpots and a beautiful garden streaked with sunlight. Order an iced latte and a pastry to go.

people dining at the garden-like setting of Toast Café, Pambula — Linger over brunch on the verandah. (Image: David Rogers Photography)

Address: 3/25 Quondola St, Pambula

5. Cranky cafe

Best for: The Philly cheese steak served on a squishy bun

Main Beach Merimbula is where the locals hang out to power up post-kitesurf. It’s not just because the lattes are rich and creamy. Or that the cheeseburgers have a bit of heft and are on a house-made milk bun. Cranky Cafe is a suburban go-to because the staff dispense food and drink with a smile. The cafe is popular with local holidaymakers staying in Merimbula who converge here for ready-made take-home meals.

Address: 33 Ocean Drive, Merimbula

6. Waterfront Cafe

Best for: A big breakfast of house-made ham-hocked beans with the lot

When looking for the best things to do in Merimbula it’s best to follow the locals who mob Main Beach each morning. Follow their lead and start your morning with a swim or a surf followed by breakfast by the water’s edge at the Waterfront Café . The corner cafe showcases the importance of community in a small country town where locals gather for coffee, breakfast and a catch-up. It’s a welcoming cafe near to a quirky pocket of shops and the hip strip of Merimbula’s best bars and restaurants.

Address: Shops 1 & 2 Corner Beach & Market St, Merimbula

7. Wild Orchid Cafe, Tathra

Best for: Avo on sourdough and the crumbed chicken burger

Tathra is just a 20-minute drive from Merimbula and well worth including in a NSW South Coast road trip itinerary. The locals pack in tighter than anchovies in a tin at Wild Orchid Tathra where the customers come in early for breakfast and stay late for BYO lunch. The cafe tweaks its hours over winter and summer to suit the seasons. You’d be remiss not to order the avocado feta with pepitas and black sesame on sourdough. Spice fiends should order it showered in an extra abundance of chilli flakes and wait for the kick to blow their head off.

Address: 1/29 Andy Poole Drive, Tathra

8. Wild Rye’s Baking Co., Pambula

Best for:  The beef curry pie is one of the best in Australia

When is a meat pie worth a six-hour drive? When it’s baked fresh in flaky pastry using the very best seasonal ingredients each day. Your dog’s eye (pie) is not going to transport well back to Sydney so find a spot on a park bench and scarf it down.

bread on display at Wild Rye’s Baking Co. in Pambula — Stock up on freshly baked bread and don’t forget to try the pies.

Then get back in the Wild Rye’s Baking Co queue to inhale the extraordinary aromas and figure out whether you’re going to go sweet or savoury. You’ll find artisan baked goods with unique flavour combinations and specialty blends of freshly roasted coffee, too.

making bread at Wild Rye’s Baking Co. in Pambula — Wild Rye’s Baking Co. is a proud purveyor of fine artisan breads.

Address: 26 Quondola St, Pambula

For more insider tips and expert advice to help you plan your next beachside escape, read our guide to visiting Merimbula.

Aussies might think they know what Port Stephens is all about – but it’s time to take another look.

You might’ve driven through this NSW coast town. Maybe even stopped for fish and chips or a quick dip. But spend a long weekend in the new Port Stephens , and you’ll seriously regret not doing it sooner. We’re talking treks across beaches, reef dives and up-close time with rescued koalas.

All in all? It only takes a day before you see Port Stephens in a whole new light, and not much longer until it’s locked in as your favourite family destination.

1. Stockton Sand Dunes

Port Stephens incredible Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere. They shift like an endless magic trick across the Worimi Conservation Lands , a 4200-hectare coastal co-managed by the Traditional Owners.

Tear over them in a 4WD. Rev through valleys soft as melting ice cream on a quad. Carve down 30-metre slopes on a sandboard. However you choose to cross them, you’re guaranteed a seriously wild ride.

Four rugged 4WDs kick up trails of golden dust as they charge across the sweeping desert landscape. — Chase thrills across shifting sands. (Image: Destination NSW)

2. Scale Tomaree Head Summit Walk

A short climb through bushland opens up to the coastal drama of Tomaree Head . Spot Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches. See the Fingal Island lighthouse and offshore rookeries where Australia’s rarest seabird, the Gould’s petrel, nests.

History buffs can’t miss the WWII gun emplacements. And if you’re hiking between May and November, bring binoculars. Travelling whales might just be breaching below.

Friends enjoying a scenic walk along the Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Tomaree National Park, Port Stephens. — Climb Tomaree Head for jaw-dropping coastal views. (Image: Destination NSW)

3. Watch out for whales

You’ve seen the spouts of migrating humpbacks and southern right whales from shore. Set sail from Nelson Bay to see them up close. Cruise straight into the action, with tail-slaps, barrel rolls and all.

And they’ve got competition from the local show-offs. Port Stephens bottlenose dolphins leap and play. Some tours even spot pudgy fur seals, spending lazy days soaking up the sun on Cabbage Tree Island.

A whale’s tail on the sea’s surface. — Watch for ocean tails. (Image: Destination NSW)

4. Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Pop into the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary to learn about the rescued koalas who climb, nap, snack and heal in this natural patch of bushland. Wander the immersive Sanctuary Story Walk to discover more about their habits, then head to the SKYwalk – a treetop platform constructed for spotting these eucalyptus-loving locals. Peek into the hospital’s viewing window, where sick or injured koalas may be resting in their recovery enclosures.

Not enough time around these adorable marsupials? Stay overnight in silk-lined glamping tents.

Koala sleeping in a tree at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, One Mile — See koalas in their natural habitat. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Diving Port Stephens

Port Stephens has some of NSW’s best dive spots. At Fly Point, float through sponge gardens and coral castles thick with nudibranchs (AKA sea slugs). Halifax Park has blue gropers and crimson-banded wrasse, while Shoal Bay’s seagrass meadows hide pipefish, cuttlefish and octopus.

Accessible only by boat, Broughton Island is home to a vast array of marine (and bird) life. Snorkel with blue devilfish and stingrays at sites like The Looking Glass and North Rock. More experienced divers can head out with one of the many PADI-certified operators.

At nearby Cabbage Tree Island, expect to see shaggy-faced wobbegongs cruising along.

A couple suited up and ready to dive into adventure. — Suit up and dive into Port Stephens’ vibrant marine life. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

Not quite ready to dive in? Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters is the perfect way to spot local marine life without getting too deep. But there’s no obnoxious glass tank tapping here. Instead, this interactive aquarium allows guests to wade into natural-style lagoons that mimic the real thing.

Gently pat Port Jackson and bamboo sharks, hand-feed rays, and feel their sandpapery skin with your fingertips. It is all under expert guidance. If you want to go deeper, pop on a wetsuit and swim alongside tawny nurse sharks, white-tipped reef sharks and zebra sharks in the lagoon.

Family enjoying an animal feeding experience at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Anna Bay. — Meet the ocean’s friendliest faces at Irukandji. (Image: Destination NSW)

7. Fish the estuaries

Fishing fanatics will fall for Port Stephens hook, line and sinker. Here, one of the largest estuary systems in the whole state sees tidal rivers and mangrove ecosystems. Waterfronts are thick with oysters, and residential fish that might include anything from bream, whiting and flathead, to blue swimmer crabs, kingfish and longtail tuna.

If you prefer to choose your own adventure and fish offshore, you can hire a boat from one of the marinas and set your own course.

three men fishing on a boat in port stephens — Join a tour or chart your own fishing trip. (Image: Destination NSW)

8. Taste new Port Stephens flavours

With plenty of activity to fill your days, refuelling on delectable cuisine becomes equally important. And Port Stephens answers the call.

Pop into Holbert’s Oyster Farm for fresh-farmed Port Stephens rock oysters and Pacific oysters, Australian king and tiger prawns, as well as a variety of tasty sauces to try them with.

Take a group to Atmos for an authentic Greek experience over large shared dishes and Greek-inspired cocktails. Or feast on sea-to-plate, modern Australian dishes at the pet-friendly Restaurant 2317.

A plate of fresh oysters. — Slurp your way through the region’s best oysters. (Image: Destination NSW)

Start planning your Port Stephens getaway at portstephens.org.au .

8 of the best cafes in Merimbula and beyond to start the day