Lately I’ve noticed that more and more of my lovely students, especially on Saturdays, are visiting Avalon Beach for the morning, the day or the weekend.
Without fail, these people fall in love with our little corner of the world and wish they could stay longer! I always give these visitors my top tips for activities, restaurants, cafes and beaches, so I thought I’d do a little series online to make it easier.
This post is all about eating out… (note: I am pretty much vegetarian, but these places are great for carnivores too!)
Coffee, Breakfast, Lunch – so many, but here’s the shortlist:
- Careel Bay Marina – invisible from the road, mostly servicing boats, and only coffee, muffins and pies on the menu – but you can’t beat it for location. A real secret!
- Girdlers – just down from Paradise Yoga, this healthy, buzzing place will satisfy any breakfast requirement. My fave is the savoury pancakes.
- Swell – a local institution, be sure to tell Barry we sent you, and on a weekend cross your fingers the Breakfast Panini is still available.
- Beach House at Avalon Surf Club – coffee with ocean views, serves brekky too. Casual area downstairs for earlier in the day; head upstairs for lunch and dinner.
- Sneaky Grind – hidden up a laneway, try it for great coffee and go retro with eggs and soldiers.
- Hungry Ghost – up a different laneway, and you’ll be sitting on upturned milk crates (or head to the park or beach), but worth it for the coffee and the toasties (aka jaffles).
- Graze n Cakes – this is a hidden gem, tucked away in a backstreet in North Avalon with a Vietnamese-French influence. Try it for the amazing croissants (with pastry imported from Paris, no less!), delicious banh mi and authentic Vietnamese coffee.
Dinner: Sa-Biang Thai – bookings recommended
I love Thai food, so I am biased, but I do love this place. Hard to pronounce (we call it SheBang!) but fabulous to dine at.
It has all the classics, as well as some pretty special specials – and a bustling atmosphere.
Try the Crispy Tofu or (I’m told) the Crispy Pork Belly. The Papaya Salad is a spicy winner too, and the Pork Ribs always get a thumbs up.
I never go past a Chilli Basil Stirfry, but if you want something more adventurous, give the Ka-Ree Kai Yellow Curry a go (it’s hot!).
We are blessed in Avalon with two other great Thai restaurants in the village – Sky Thai and Bangkok Sidewalk – plus a couple of noodle places up in North Avalon too…
Dinner: Bistro Boulevard – bookings in advance – absolutely essential
An authentic slice of Paris in the heart of Avalon – this place cannot be missed (and for a vegetarian to say this about a French restaurant is big!).
If you’re short on time, just pop in for 5pm Happy Hour – bubbles and oysters, sitting on the street watching the world go by.
Otherwise, indulge yourself in the full experience.
This herbivore’s faves? Twice-baked cheese souffle. Zucchini flowers. If you eat fish – definitely try the Sole Meuniere (Tuesdays only).
Top carnivore picks: Steak Frites. Steak Frites. Steak Frites. Fish of the Day. Bouillabaisse. Steak frites.
Tell Patrice or Hila that Miles and Claire sent you!
Other top picks for dinner include Alma (modern Mexican), Pizzico Italiano (Italian) and Alfonso’s (check if they’re doing a pizza or paella night on a Friday – they’re legendary!). There’s loads more too, but this will get you started 🙂
