Blending creativity with some of the most nutrient-dense produce on the planet, the best restaurants on the Sunshine Coast simply dazzle.

Pristine beaches and year-round sunshine are indisputable drawcards, but my favourite part of the Sunshine Coast is the food. Home to some of Australia’s best restaurants and cafes, the Queensland region is a subtropical playground of volcanic-enriched soil, so seasonal produce is big, juicy and always sourced locally. Whether I’m craving a breakfast of farm-fresh eggs and greens, crustaceans for lunch, or choice cuts with vibrant veg for dinner, restaurants on the Sunshine Coast nail it. Here, my favourites right now.

In short

It’s a tough call, but if you can only eat at one of the best restaurants on the Sunshine Coast, make it Spirit House. The lush tropical garden setting is entirely unique (and breathtaking) and don’t even get me started on their beautiful plating.

The shortlist

Great for special occasions: Spirit House
Fine dining gem: Mapleton Public House
Best views: Rickys River Bar & Restaurant
Best coffee: Fellowship Drive Cafe
Hottest new opening: Playa Mexican

Restaurants for breakfast

The Sunshine Coast knows how to start the day right. From Caloundra to Noosa, artisinal coffee roasters, deliciously dressed plating and serene settings awaken the senses to a brand-new day.

1. Fellowship Drive Cafe

First, coffee. While the bean scene is strong in this corner of the world, I’m a sucker for Flying West Coffee Roasters’ blends after falling head over heels at its Eumundi Markets coffee cart some years ago. The team launched Fellowship Drive Cafe in 2024, where I now find my consistently smooth (a feat for any multi-barista operation), caffeine hit that’s always heated to perfection (no burnt tongue ever). There’s also affordable meals like the confit flat mushroom plate with cashew cheese, dukkha and pesto on charcoal sourdough, baked at nearby Ten Acres Sourdough in Ninderry. I also love a slice of the beetroot feta loaf which mixes in parmesan for maximised deliciousness.

Cuisine: Cafe

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Local

Location: 9 Fellowship Dr, Doonan

2. The Coolum Social

Flowing with Instagram-friendly vibes is The Coolum Social, a Sunshine Coast cafe dishing up hearty meals and great coffee using Sydney’s Gabriel Coffee. Focused on transforming the region’s seasonal produce into edible art, the team love playing with whatever’s delicious at the time. Expect classics like chilli eggs and bacon and egg rolls alongside more exotic creations like bao buns and poke bowls. Craving a juice? I love their bashed-up brews turning tropical fruits into frappes, milkshakes and smoothies, while their just-juice options invite create-your-own creativity.

Cuisine: Cafe

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Warm and friendly

Location: 26 Birtwill St, Coolum Beach

3. Tollys

Fuel an adventure through the famous Eumundi Markets with brekkie at Tollys, located in the old Bella 101 site. Situated right across the road from the weekly hot ticket (which opens twice weekly, actually), this Sunshine Coast restaurant was built inside a beautiful historical building known as The Old Bakery. Find a seat on the deck overlooking the street as dishes span seasonal fritters, French toast with addictive berry coulis, avocado smash with a poached egg and other AM classics.

Cuisine: Cafe

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Chilled out

Location: 101 Memorial Dr, Eumundi

4. Moffat Beach Brewing Co.

While it may seem unusual to have breakfast in a brewery, Moffat Beach Brewing Co., just metres from the sand, is such a vibe. Gaze over the ocean (a bench seat by the street is my favourite spot) as breakfast classics, including a bacon and egg burger and avocado on toast, speedily roll out of the kitchen.

Cuisine: Cafe

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Breezy

Location: 12 Seaview Tce, Moffat Beach

Restaurants for lunch

Swap out caffeine for carafes as the best restaurants on the Sunshine Coast for lunch take advantage of brilliant coastal views, locally caught delicacies (including the region’s famed seafood) and laidback wine time.

5. Mapleton Public House

Totally unassuming at first glance, Mapleton Public House oozes understated charm. I walk up a set of stairs from a carpark in the sleepy hinterland town to find, admittedly, more of that casual vibe before the scene switches gears via standout hospitable wait staff who bring warmth and joy to every interaction. My table on the wraparound deck overlooks the main road down low while breathtaking mountains paint a stunning scene out yonder. I’m blown away by the ‘Buffalo carrots’ fried in buttermilk and hot sauce, a collection of crunchy, chubby flavour hits that burst with spicy caramelised goodness. The slow-cooked short rib is similarly fabulous with garlic potato cream and house-made onion rings. It’s the dedication to detail in this place that shines, an all-round winner that technically serves as a pub (there’s a bar and bistro seating inside) but refines Sunshine Coast dining with every seating.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Casual cool

Location: 2 Flaxton Dr, Mapleton

6. Bistro C

I’m one face in a thick daily crowd waiting for a table at Bistro C, but I’m not deterred. Offering uninterrupted Noosa Main Beach views and intoxicating holiday atmosphere, it’s a Sunshine Coast restaurant that never grows tired. Breakfast after a morning dip is the norm, but I’m here at lunch during my latest trip and I’m ready to party. Overlooking Laguna Bay, I indulge in the crispy skin barramundi which melts in the mouth. Seared local scallops are equally soft and flavoursome, before the triple cream brie fondue I eyed off when I first opened the menu finally makes its way into my belly. Delicious. My children are sorted too thanks to a kids’ menu offering the likes of ‘I Want Macca’s’ (a chicken slider with chips), ‘I Love You Mum’ (spaghetti bolognaise) and ‘I Don’t Know’ (calamari and chips). The staff here are as fun-loving and entertaining as those kids titles, making for guaranteed good times.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Vibrant

Location: 49 Hastings St, Noosa Heads

7. BASK Restaurant

Peregian Beach’s favourite long lunch spot is BASK Restaurant, located in the beach town’s vibrant centre. The paddock-to-plate eatery moved into the village after a successful run in Eumundi where it originally opened its doors in 2021. Once word of Chef Jack Madden’s culinary flair caught on, demand grew and so the team found a larger space elsewhere. The result is flawless; a European-inspired feast that flows to al fresco tables from a warm, stylish fit-out. The food, spanning fresh sea catches and the finest seasonal meats, such as quail with roasted chestnuts and foraged mushrooms, is reliably excellent.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Location: Shop 3-4/218 David Low Way, Peregian Beach

8. Brouhaha Maleny

Another great spot for a chilled-out meal is Brouhaha Brewery in Maleny. The beer is outstanding, renowned throughout the state, and the food menu is equally crafty. Think pork scratchings, sourced locally, with apple sauce, crumbed fish cakes, a Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and about half a dozen woodfired pizzas.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 6/39 Coral St, Maleny

9. Rickys River Bar & Restaurant

My favourite Sunshine Coast restaurant on the water, Rickys River Bar & Restaurant is such a special spot. Located on the Noosa River and featuring its own jetty plus sparkling water views from every angle, the refined fine diner is a special occasion affair – my heels don’t feel out of place at all. Request a table by the window (no guarantees) where the water shimmers and sea birds soar to the wetlands lying beyond. I did seafood for starters (the spanner crab spaghettini with garlic and chilli) before diving into a heavier main (the 200g eye fillet with generous sides) and relished every second of it. I also toasted the end of the afternoon with extended drinks in the bar area, a moody lounge where martinis roll past sunset.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Elegant

Location: 2 Quamby Place, Noosa Heads

10. Warrior Restaurant & Bar

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge’s fine dining eatery is a sophisticated homage to native ingredients and locally sourced supplies. Engaging the Sunshine Coast’s finest farmers and suppliers to nail an inventive menu that’s super generously plated, Warrior Restaurant & Bar embraces its natural surroundings which flow with native flora and fauna. I notice more non-hotel guests at lunch and dinner than breakfast, which helps transform the in-house hotel restaurant into a dining destination on its own accord. Ask for a table by the window (they can be requested) to overlook the infinity swimming pool and resident kangaroos and emu, and I highly recommend the slow-braised beef rendang curry with cardamom rice as the meat is melt-in-your-mouth perfect and the sauce is thick and rich. I also really loved the warrigal greens and broccolini with toasted almonds and house-made lemon myrtle salt, too.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Tranquil

Location: 88 Irwin Rd, Beerwah

11. Mooloolaba Fish Market

With the sun shining and waves crashing, lunch al fresco is always a good idea. I love the Mooloolaba Fish Market where parcels of fish and chips are collected before they’re devoured overlooking the beach town’s Spit. Crumbed, battered, grilled, it’s all good as local catches span whiting, barramundi, swordfish, snapper, yellowfin tuna, salmon and more. Meanwhile, Pluto Pups and Chicko Rolls deliver the nostalgia, while natural and Kilpatrick oysters dial up the decadence.

Cuisine: Takeaway seafood

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 201 Parkyn Pde, Mooloolaba

Restaurants for dinner

As the sun sinks and the Sunshine Coast’s glorious coastal and hinterland views melt away, all lights shine upon the region’s slick hospitality, beautiful dining spaces and more of those seasonally led delights.

12. Spirit House

You can’t talk about the best places to eat on the Sunshine Coast without mentioning Spirit House. Set within tranquil tropical gardens, this iconic restaurant, bar and cooking school is really on another level. This is fresh and bold Asian-inspired cuisine unlike anything else in the region as a set menu soars you through far-flung corners of the continent, lighting up plates with Picasso-like artistry. Signature creations include whole fishes, like a Humpty Doo barramundi, prepared with beautifully blended sauces and seasonally charged flavours, as well as the mango-braised pork belly on the entrée menu. But honestly, it’s flat-out excellent every step of the way.

Cuisine: Asian

Average price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Fancy

Location: 20 Ninderry Rd, Yandina

13. Ethos at Alsahwa Estate

Another new addition to the Sunshine Coast dining scene, Ethos at Alsahwa Estate opened its doors in June 2025. A light-flooded dining dream located within the growing agricultural tourism operation that spreads across 30 acres of lush hinterland, the Sunshine Coast restaurant focuses on farm-to-table plates with Mediterranean-inspired flair. Think fish carpaccio with smoked bone, mushroom cream and native lime and a chicken Maryland with pumpkin saffron cheesecake.

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Average price: $$$-$$$$

Atmosphere: Homely

Location: 20 Rifle Range Rd, Palmwoods

14. Playa Mexican

Visiting the Sunshine Coast after September 2025? Drop into Playa Mexican, a highly anticipated eatery bringing authentic Mexican cuisine to Bokarina beach. House-made tortillas and the team’s signature dish, boneless BBQ chicken with pineapple butter, pickled pineapple and scallion oil, plus yummy margaritas shaken with mezcal, will no doubt attract the cool kids in droves.

Cuisine: Mexican

Location: Corner Bokarina Blvd and Longboard Pde, Bokarina