Where to eat on the South Coast
The South Coast eats the way it holidays — relaxed, seasonal and built on the sea and the farms around it. Sydney rock oysters straight off the lease, fresh fish from the harbour, farm-gate produce, a Rick Stein seafood restaurant and a clutch of hatted country kitchens make this one of NSW's best-kept food secrets. Here's where to eat, whatever the occasion.
Mollymook, Rick Stein & the Gunyah
Two names lead the fine-dining scene. At Mollymook, celebrated chef Rick Stein's Rick Stein at Bannisters serves the local catch with a clifftop view — a South Coast institution. And near Jervis Bay, the treetop Gunyah Restaurant at Paperbark Camp offers contemporary Australian dining among the paperbarks (seasonal, and open to non-guests). Both need booking ahead, and both are worth planning a night around.
Berry, Milton & the hatted tables
Inland, the heritage towns punch well above their weight. Berry brims with cafés, bakeries and the hatted South on Albany, while nearby Shoalhaven Heads has the hatted Bangalay Dining. Down the highway, tiny Milton is a genuine foodie village, led by the hatted Milton Hotel. Add local wineries (Cupitt's Estate, Coolangatta), craft breweries and distilleries, and the Shoalhaven table is a highlight in its own right.
Oysters & fresh seafood
Don't leave without eating Sydney rock oysters at the source. Greenwell Point, near Nowra, is the classic oyster village — Jim Wild's Oysters shucks them fresh off the Crookhaven — while the Clyde River at Batemans Bay has its own famous farm gates. For fish, the Ulladulla harbour supplies some of the freshest on the coast, and Huskisson's pubs and cafés put the local catch on the plate with a bay view.
Where to eat: your questions
The food scene clusters around a few towns. Mollymook has the celebrated Rick Stein at Bannisters; Berry is a hub of cafés, bakeries and the hatted South on Albany; Milton punches above its weight with the hatted Milton Hotel and good cafés; and Huskisson serves up relaxed bay dining. Add farm-gate oysters at Greenwell Point and you have a genuine food destination.
Seafood above all — especially Sydney rock oysters from the Shoalhaven and Clyde rivers, plus fresh fish from the Ulladulla fleet. The region is also known for its farm-gate produce, dairy and cheese around Berry and Kangaroo Valley, a growing wine scene (Shoalhaven Coast wineries, Cupitt's Estate) and craft beer and spirits around Nowra and Milton. It's relaxed, produce-driven coastal cooking.
Yes. In the 2026 Good Food Guide, the Shoalhaven–Berry belt holds several one-hat restaurants, including The Milton Hotel (Milton), Bangalay Dining (Shoalhaven Heads) and South on Albany (Berry). Rick Stein at Bannisters in Mollymook is a renowned destination restaurant too (though not currently hatted). Hat listings change each year, so it's worth checking the latest guide.
Head to Greenwell Point, near Nowra, where Jim Wild's Oysters sells Sydney rock oysters shucked fresh off the Crookhaven River — you can't get closer to the source. Further south, the Clyde River at Batemans Bay has farm-gate outlets like The Oyster Shed. Many local restaurants and pubs (including the Huskisson Hotel) serve the same local oysters if you'd rather sit down.
For the destination restaurants — Rick Stein at Bannisters, the hatted venues, and Paperbark Camp's Gunyah Restaurant — yes, book well ahead, especially on weekends, in summer and around events. Cafés, bakeries and casual spots are mostly walk-in, though Berry and Milton get busy at weekend brunch. We're happy to help with bookings as part of your trip.