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Relaxed beachside living meets a cosmopolitan dining scene to make this Sunshine Coast destination a favourite with food-lovers around the country. Matt Preston tests the waters.

WORDS matt preston PHOTOGRAPHY Jason smItH

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with a blood orange, baby fennel and asparagus salad. Cnr Hastings St and Park Rd, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 4235.

season restaurantPull on the pelt-soft Gucci loafers and slink into this perfect habitat for Noosa’s beautiful people. Season makes the most of its narrow beachfront location with an indoor/outdoor feel – tables here are hotter property than a Noosa Sound waterfront. Order the Dominique Portet sparkling rosé and some top-notch desserts for a decadent afternoon of post-beach contentment. 25 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 3747.

LIndonI’s rIstoranteOften written off by food trendies as being a little old hat, the bustling and exceedingly popular Lindoni’s (make sure you book!) is actually both great fun and a damn fine feed. Come here if you want your Italian just like Mamma used to make it, but you also want those old favourites to be finessed to restaurant quality. Examples of this include delicate beef carpaccio, baked pumpkin, kumara and ricotta gnocchi, spaghettini with bug meat and zucchini in a white wine sauce, and veal scaloppine with lemon butter. 13 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 5111.

BIstro CA light, modern soundtrack; wood, concrete and dove grey tones; and a killer view of the beach framed by palm trees – airy Bistro C could be the model Noosa cafe, yet it’s chic enough to dress up for dinner. The corn and chive fritters are a breakfast must-have, but don’t overlook the specials board where you might find an omelette filled with Noosa Red tomatoes, smoked salmon and Charella goat’s cheese, or the dessert menu with its apple and rhubarb crumble. An interior revamp should give this long-time fave some added va-va-voom. 49 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 2855.

Noosa has built quite a reputation as a beachside playground, for Queenslanders as well as Sydney and Melbourne’s upper crust. Not only is it a sun-kissed resort town, but it’s also somewhere demanding southern gourmets have their culinary cravings met by a stellar line-up of smart places for dinner, casual spots for a light lunch or languid breakfast, and eclectic cafes. The neighbouring areas of Noosaville and Sunshine Beach also have their fair share of gems, with the latter becoming our own answer to Malibu, thanks to the rollcall of rich and famous now calling this surf beach (a second) home.

noosa headsBerardo’s restaurant and BarThis quintessential Noosa experience is now more than 10 years old. The cool, white, softly lit Queenslander interior is part Hamptons, part Ralph Lauren tropical chic. Service is as crisp as the tablecloths (also white, naturally), and the promotion of Shane Bailey to executive chef has lifted the food to new heights. Come for his light, bright treatment of black kingfish, prawns or tuna – all climatically ideal tucker. The Noosa spanner crab ravioli with tomato consomme is perfection. 52 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 5666.

saILs BeaCH restaurantAt the national park end of the beach, this open-fronted restaurant has one of the best decks (and views) on the coast. Sails is great for a laid-back lunch but also good for a more formal dinner – thanks in part to the huge wine list. The atmosphere at Sails is beachside relaxed, but now executive chef Paul Leete has returned after a spell of long service leave, he has reinvigorated the modern Australian menu. Expect dishes such as crab rolls with an orange miso sauce, chargrilled octopus with almond paste, olives and white anchovies, or barbecued lamb fillet

Clockwise from right: grilled Mooloolaba prawns at Berardo’s Restaurant and  Bar; Damian and Lucy Roberts from Mooshka; Season Restaurant; a selection  of Season’s desserts; Fratellini; Shane Bailey of Berardo’s; Berardo’s cool  white interior; beach fishing.

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Berardo’s on tHe BeaCHThis casual branch of the more formal Berardo’s Restaurant and Bar has a bistro feel with a sunny outlook and clean, unpretentious food to match. Choose perhaps a simple salad of plump red tomatoes, marinated buffalo mozzarella and crisp pancetta or beer-battered fish with rosemary-flecked chips. For brekkie try the Tasmanian smoked salmon with brioche, asparagus and a poached free-range egg. 49 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5448 0888.

aromasThis Parisian-style pavement cafe is the ideal spot for a bit of people watching with a good coffee. Need sustenance? Then plump for a classic breakfast of poached eggs and bacon with velvety hollandaise, accompanied by a freshly squeezed pineapple and mint juice. Come sunset, head here for post-beach cocktails and something to pick at like smoked salmon with avocado salsa or the steak sandwich. 32 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5474 9788.

massImo’s GeLaterIaHead to another Noosa institution, Massimo’s Gelateria, for decadent gelato flavours such as Ferrero Rocher, or for the true tropical taste of something like coconut or mango. A promenade down the beach with a cone in hand makes a nice alternative to a restaurant dessert. 75 Hastings St, Noosa Heads.

For dinner on a budget, it’s worth heading up the hill to Noosa Junction. For Asian classics such as beef rendang, nasi goreng or pad Thai, try A Taste of Spice (36 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Junction, (07) 5448 0311). Next door is Snack Noosa (2/32 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Junction, (07) 5447 3087), a great little cafe with a very cool, pulled-back interior – OK, so the name is daggy, but it’s a favourite hangout for locals escaping the tourist hordes. Other top coffee spots include Fuel Cafe (Shop 5/1 Arcadia St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5474 8833) around the corner, or Food by Cooking Company (see ‘Where to Shop’).

noosa soundWasaBINamed Queensland’s best Asian restaurant at the Restaurant & Catering Awards last year, Wasabi has moved from its former location in Sunshine Beach to a far more fitting home perched over the Noosa river. It’s a sleek, modern, sexy space – all cool minimalist design and low lighting. Either sit at a table and watch the ebbing waters, or hunker down in the tatami mat area. Chef Shinichi Maeda continues to impress with not only his ability to cut and select impeccable fish, but also the art of his presentation, whether it’s his simple nori rolls or a more decadent sashimi platter. Combine this with owner Danielle Gjestland’s assured ways on the floor and you have one of Noosa’s true gems. 2 Quamby Pl, Noosa Sound, (07) 5449 2443.

parque mexICoThere’s something a tad impulsive about Paul van Hamond. After two trips to Mexico, he closed his nice little cafe and re-opened it as the rather louche Parque Mexico. With more than 70 tequilas on offer, sangria by the jug and a true-Mex menu with snacks such as soft tacos, he’s given Noosa the bar for grown-ups the area was crying out for. 8/2 Quamby Pl, Noosa Sound, (07) 5474 8785.

rICky’s rIver Bar and restaurantThis long-running riverside icon of Noosa, with Pascal Turschwell at the helm, is still a popular haunt. There’s no doubting the cocktails at the intimate little bar, or the lure of the chairs out under the palms with a view of the water. 8/46 Quamby Pl, Noosa Sound, (07) 5447 2455.

noosavilleHumId restaurantAlong with Berardo’s and Wasabi, Humid has been one of the most talked-about Noosa restaurants of late. It seems as if the partnership of Michelle Gordon-Smith’s cooking and Mary Morrison’s excellent front-of-house service and canny wine list has really hit its straps. The food, in particular, is now keenly focussed, with

clearly defined flavours in dishes such as wasabi-battered prawns with papaya salad, or a wonderful dish of spatchcock with fried white polenta, mushrooms, corn and a basil and caper jus. It’s not in the sexiest of locations but the urban warehouse interior adds some edge. 195 Weyba Rd, Noosaville, (07) 5449 9755.

rIver HouseIt’s all change at this cool, airy restaurant just off Noosaville’s main drag. The restaurant that David Rayner made famous is now in the safe hands of new owner Bernard Wright and chef Nathan Nichols, who’s previously worked for Longrain, Giorgio Locatelli and as Elle Macpherson’s private chef. He’s kept the menu’s focus on regional produce, sensitively handled – maybe smoked trout with a warm salad of baby beetroot and crispy pancetta or pan-seared duck breast and braised duck leg with globe artichokes and parsnip puree. 301 Weyba Rd, Noosaville, (07) 5449 7441.

Gusto rIverfront restaurantNathan Hall and Kay Callander’s 10-year-old restaurant serves the sort of vibrant modern Australian food that’s synonymous with Noosa. A relaxed cafe feel is matched to such easy-eating dishes as roast pancetta-wrapped figs with goat’s curd, crisp-fried cuttlefish with chilli mayo, or prawn ravioli with leek and a lemon beurre blanc. A reliable winner. 257 Gympie Tce, Noosaville, (07) 5449 7144.

sIroCCo noosaThis comparatively new arrival, run by Laila Jones and Andy Slavin, is a jolly cafe-restaurant with a burnt orange colour scheme and a menu that plays on the equally warm flavours of North Africa and Southern Spain – think spiced lamb tagine, fish cakes with preserved lemon aioli or a dessert of honey and date creme brulee. A morning on the terrace is also recommended, for baked eggs on chunky tomato and capsicum sauce with merguez sausage, and a rosewater and mint-spiked watermelon juice. 2/257 Gympie Tce, Noosaville, (07) 5455 6688.

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Clockwise from left: Wasabi; Shinichi  Maeda and Danielle Gjestland from  Wasabi; Wasabi’s Hervey Bay scallops  on spanner crab sashimi with red  shiso-pickled cucumber; Aromas;  Gusto Riverfront Restaurant.

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BLue anGeLChef/owner Daniel Mosedale worked with Bill Granger at his signature Sydney cafes, and his food shares a similar lightness of touch – meaning this a casual spot with credentials to match the menu’s aspirations. Examples include grilled asparagus with crispy duck egg and truffled beetroot salsa or local yellowfin tuna crudo with shaved fennel, ruby grapefruit and citrus salt. His oysters topped with “hot ice” – granita flavoured with lime and jalapeno chilli – are a sure-fire summer signature. 1/235 Gympie Tce, Noosaville, (07) 5473 0600.

tHe BoatHouse fLoatInG restaurantIt might pride itself on its seafood platter, but we love this floating restaurant for the rooftop bar with fantastic river views. It’s a great spot for late afternoon socialising and sunset drinks. Bartender Jetty, 194 Gympie Tce, Noosaville, (07) 5440 5070.

sunshine beachCoConut GroveWith Wasabi moving to Noosa Sound and Alegria closing, it looked like Sunshine Beach was set to be a restaurant-free zone,

but then Coconut Grove came along and changed all that. Here, 24-year-old chef Damon Porter delivers simple, flavoursome dishes that offer a nod to classical Italian technique. His antipasti with house-baked bread is worthy of a mention, as are dishes such as chargrilled beef sirloin on the bone and a zingy Noosa spanner crab salad. The kitchen team might be young, but there’s plenty of experience on the floor, with Noosa notables Leonie Palmer and Steve Fisher, formerly of Ricky Ricardo’s and Palmer’s, keeping a keen eye on things. 46 Duke St (above Mooshka), Sunshine Beach, (07) 5449 2333.

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Clockwise from top right: River House’s smoked golden river trout with a salad of baby beetroot and crisp pancetta; Parque Mexico; River House. 

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Left to right:  Maison Noosa; Sirocco Noosa;  

Quay West Resort Noosa.

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moosHkaThis could be our favourite funky cafe in the area. A laidback vibe complete with mish-mash furniture and a love of bright retro fabrics, is the perfect match for Damian Roberts’ new internationalist menu. Options jump from hand-cut chips with aioli and a simple pizza, to sesame tuna with wakame seaweed or lamb kofte with yoghurt dahl. 46 Duke St, Sunshine Beach, (07) 5474 5571.

frateLLInIThis is another quirky interior that would feel right at home in Sydney’s Newtown or Brunswick in Melbourne. Great coffee and a cafe-style menu served throughout the day – think bucatini all’amatriciana or egg and caponata with pork and fennel sausages – make this another top choice for lounging. 36 Duke St, Sunshine Beach, (07) 5474 8080.

tHe deCkOla Andresen is one of Sunshine Beach’s characters, so come here for coffee and a chat. Maybe pair it with the grilled banana bread with lemon curd, scrambled eggs with pesto and smoked salmon, or some roast pumpkin pie with salad. 2/46 Duke St, Sunshine Beach, (07) 5474 561.

marBLe BarCraig Prasser’s slick, open-fronted bar is more than just somewhere to hang out over a beer or a cocktail – there’s also a concise menu of crowd-pleasers, such

as crispy calamari, sesame-crusted eye fillet or a curry of the day. And for the wheat-sensitive, there’s a dozen or so gluten-free options, too. 40 Duke St, Sunshine Beach, (07) 5455 3200.

where to shopBeLmondos fresH food marketThis wonderful deli, greengrocer and gourmet food store would be a jewel in any city. Major attractions in this huge warehouse are the fantastic cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish, olive oils and an excellent onsite butcher offering classic ready-to-cook meat dishes and very fine snags. The greengrocer is a world-beater, so always ask if you’re looking for something specific that you can’t see. The more esoteric stuff – whether it’s tropical longans or fresh wasabi – is usually hidden away out the back. 59 Rene St, Noosaville, (07) 5474 4404.

tHe CookInG CompanyMissing that silicone spatula or favourite sharp knife while travelling? Looking for some holiday cooking inspiration? The Cooking Company can solve your problems with its shelves of kitchen equipment and cookbooks. But the real foodie attraction is next door, where they’ve opened a very cool deli-cafe, Food by Cooking Company. It’s great for a coffee and berry slice, or for stocking up on excellent smallgoods, cheeses, crackers or frozen meals. 20 Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 4480.

noosa JunCtIon seafood marketThis exemplary seafood shop is worth visiting for everything from fresh cuttlefish and Mooloolaba prawns to Hervey Bay mud crabs, as well as beautiful whole fish. Cnr Cooyar St and Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads, (07) 5449 2655

spanner CraBs noosaIn the shed where Jason Sgro keeps the tanks for his wonderful Noosa spanner crabs, his partner, Alison Reed, has opened an excellent boutique seafood counter. Alison offers such delights as yabby-like red claw from the hinterland, tiger prawns and Hervey Bay scallops on the half shell, alongside local fish such as flathead and whiting and freshly cooked prawns and crab. It’s a pity it’s only open on Fridays at the moment. 2/15 Production St, Noosaville, 0427 766 778.

dukes deLIToo pooped to cook thanks to the beating sun and a pounding in the surf? Dukes Deli may be the solution. This narrow little shop has loads of simple take-home ideas, such as frittatas and quiches, as well as the usual gourmet food store attractions. 40 Duke St, Sunshine Beach, (07) 5455 3222.

noosa farmers’ marketGreat fruit and vegetables, seafood and artisan cheeses are among the main drawcards at this notable little farmers’ market each Sunday. Noosa AFL Oval, Weyba Rd, Noosaville, 0418 769 374.

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map keyAromas ...................10A Taste of Spice ........7Belmondos Fresh  Food Market.........1

Berardo’s ...............10Bistro C ..................10Blue Angel ...............2Coconut Grove ........12Dukes Deli ..............12Fratellini.................12Fuel Cafe ..................7Gusto Restaurant .....2Humid Restaurant ...4Lindoni’s Ristorante 10Maison Noosa ..........9Marble Bar .............12Massimo’s  Gelateria .............11

Montpellier  Boutique Resort ..2

Mooshka .................12

Netanya ..................11Noosa Farmers’  Market .................4

Noosa Junction  Seafood Market ...6

Parque Mexico .........8Quay West Resort ....4River House..............3Ricky’s River Bar  and Restaurant ....8

Sails Restaurant ....11Season Restaurant 10Sirocco Noosa ..........2Snack Noosa ............7Spanner Crabs  Noosa ...................1 

The Boathouse ..........2The Cooking  Company ..............5

The Deck ................12Wasabi ......................8

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where to staymaIson noosaThis fully refurbished resort is nestled on the beachfront at the quieter end of Hastings Street. The one-, two- and three-bedroom air-conditioned apartments are all well equipped and feature terraces or balconies. From $320 per double. 5 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 4400, maisonnoosa.com.au.

quay West resort noosaThis new five-star resort development set among bushland is home to 108 spacious and luxuriously appointed apartments ranging from studios to three bedders. It’s due to open this December, so it’s worth seeing what opening specials they’re offering. 94 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads, (07) 5447 3126, noosasanctuary.com.au.

netanyaNestled at the Sails end of the beach with great views over the Pacific from most rooms, these beachfront apartments range from studios to the swank three-bedroom, three-bathroom Starlight Suite for a truly decadent Noosa holiday. From $390 per double. 75 Hastings St, Noosa Heads, 1800 072 072, netanyanoosa.com.

montpeLLIer BoutIque resortJust off Noosaville’s main drag and a short stroll to Noosa River, Montpellier’s self-contained apartments offer luxury with convenience. From $175 per double. 7-11 James St, Noosaville, (07) 5455 5033, montpelliernoosa.com.au. d.Thanks to Tourism Noosa for their assistance with this story. For more information, go to: visitnoosa.com.au.

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