Devour Mooloolaba’s best restaurants

Trawler to table seafood and paddock to plate produce, meet the flavours of the world at Mooloolaba, a sun-bathed strip of golden beaches on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Think fresh barramundi by the Mooloolah River, spatchcock chicken sinigang along the esplanade or soft-shell crab bao at a Japanese Izakaya-style dive bar—Mooloolaba is foodie heaven.

Licking your lips yet? To help you plan your food adventure, we’ve put together a list of Mooloolaba’s best restaurants, from chef-hatted fine dining to tapas bars where the good times never stop.

Pier 33

Moor yourself at Pier 33, a nautical-meets-the-Hamptons styled restaurant at The Wharf that serves up contemporary Australian cuisine with a focus on fresh seafood. Gaze out over the fishing trawlers as you choose from an eclectic, modern menu brimming with sustainably sourced local produce and seafood curated by head chef Davide Incardona.

Feast on Mooloolaba king prawn spaghetti and Stanbroke black angus beef sirloin or stop by for a sundowner and savour the signature Spiced Sour Aperol Spritz.

Spice Bar

Red velvet seats and origami decorations set the scene at Spice Bar, an award-winning fine dining restaurant just across from the beachfront along Mooloolaba’s famed esplanade.

Hear the waves rolling in as you step inside where you’ll find an Asian fusion menu serving up dishes such as fresh sashimi with yuzu and ginger, fat roasted duck and spatchcock chicken sinigang, alongside an extensive wine list.

Not sure what to choose? Let the head chef decide for you and journey through the menu with the five, seven or nine-course degustation—the only decision you must make is whether to add the wine-pairing menu.

Fish on Parykn

With beach views on one side and a flotilla of fishing trawlers along the Mooloolah River on the other, it’s no wonder that Fish on Parykn has been a (sea)foodie favourite for over 20 years.

This icon of the Sunshine Coast food scene centres around a ‘dock to table’ philosophy that serves up dishes like grilled snapper with foie gras or macadamia crusted Humpty Doo barramundi or—for serious seafood lovers—the signature crispy whole snapper.

Effortlessly elegant and somehow casual at the same time, Fish on Parkyn also provides plenty of options for non-seafood lovers, from slow cooked lamb shank to Mary Valley grass fed eye fillet.

Rice Boi

It’s Tokyo, Sunshine Coast style! Walk through the big red barn-style doors at the Wharf and you’ll find Rice Boi, a grungy waterfront restaurant with graffitied walls, neon lights, red lanterns and an Asian street food inspired menu.

Think charcoal chicken rice bowls, banana leaf BBQ ocean trout or pork bao, washed down with an Asahi Super Dry Black or a smoked pineapple paloma cocktail. Vegan, gluten-free and takeaway menus are also available (but trust us, you’ll want to dine in).

Keep the party going and head upstairs where you’ll find a Japanese-inspired dive-bar with million-dollar views alongside the full Rice Boi menu, together with live music and DJs.

RB Dining

The legends behind Rice Boi are also the brains behind RB Dining, so you know you’re onto a winner! RB Dining offers the same tastebud tingling flavours as Rice Boi, but with a fine dining edge. Oh, and unlike it’s more casual sister restaurant, you can book a table.

Set amongst a sleek, mood-lit space with a sophisticated vibe, RB Dining’s modern-Asian menu celebrates the Sunshine Coast’s bountiful seafood. Local catches blend into must-try dishes like zesty prawn ceviche and succulent teriyaki salmon.

Prawn Star Mooloolaba

Prawns float your boat? Then head to Prawn Star Mooloolaba and enjoy locally caught seafood cooked right there on a restored timber fishing trawler.

Head to the wharf and take a seat at one of three moored restaurant boats and taste your way through the fresh seafood on offer. From tiger prawns, bugs and crayfish to salmon sashimi that melts in your mouth, the menu here is truly your oyster.

Il Vento

Named after ‘the winds’ which swept the flavours of Italy to Mooloolaba’s Wharf, Il Vento blends ham from Parma, flour from Napoli and Emilia Romanga cheese with local Sunshine Coast produce.

Step inside and you’ll find rustic styling with stone walls, leather booths, marina views and a giant sign that reads ‘Seven days without pizza makes one weak’ (we couldn’t agree more!).

Just like back home, the menu boasts traditional Italian cuisine. Dig into wood-fired pizzas, devour antipasti options like baby calamari and burrata and delight in fresh handmade pasta recipes that come straight from Nonna’s kitchen.

Pavilion Mooloolaba

No European Summer holiday this year? Don’t worry, head to Pavilion Mooloolaba for the next best thing, where rattan chairs, cream archways, terracotta feature tiles and sea views set off Euro vibes.

Pass share plates around—like the dukkah roasted cauliflower bites and tacofini fish tacos—or try one of the 72-hour fermented base pizzas. Oh, make sure to check out the cocktail menu, featuring their take on the classics such as sunset negronis or pavilion coladas.

Pavilion is set to reach new heights in 2024—literally—when a new rooftop bar opens, featuring a chic-fit out and sub-tropical greenery alongside sweeping views from Point Cartwright to Noosa.

Backlane

Tucked away in–you guessed it–a back lane (just a block away from Mooloolaba’s sandy beaches), Backlane fuses Australian, Asian, and Mediterranean flavours in a hip urban space with graffiti wall art.

Take your tastebuds on a journey with chefs turning locally sourced produce into a delicious selection of creative dishes. Trade tapas with friends, down the dip of the day or sneak in late for a plate of dumplings followed by crispy baklava.

The Dock

Anchor yourself at The Dock and sink your teeth into wood-fired steaks or classic pub grub like fish and chips or burgers, alongside 16 beers from 52 taps—the most you’ll find anywhere on the Sunshine Coast. 

Head chef’s ‘fresh and local is best’ philosophy shines through both on the menu and the vibe, with local live music featured weekly.

Open from 11am until late every day, this riverside spot nestled along the Mooloolah River is perfect for your next long lunch, an ice-cold sundowner, or casual dinner with friends.

Bella Venezia

Did someone say awards? Bella Venezia is a multiple AFGF Chef Hat award-winning Italian restaurant that has been a Sunshine Coast favourite for 40 years—and with good reason, too.

Bella Venezia pairs 'paddock to plate' and 'port to plate' ingredients with fresh produce and Italian favourites to create a fine-dining menu so tempting you’ll be hard-pressed to choose.

From yellowfin tuna crudo to wagyu rump to a complete vegan menu, there's something for everyone. Wine-lovers will be in heaven too, with an impressive wine list of over 470 bottles to select from. 

Ton Khao Bistro

Thinking of Thai? Ton Khao Bistro is your go to for Thai cuisine with a Sunshine Coast touch, from pad Thai with Mooloolaba jumbo king prawns to Phuket yellow curry with Moreton Bay bug.

While Ton Khao Bistro has a takeaway menu if you feel like staying in, we think the best way to enjoy their massaman beef or green curry is to dine in al fresco under the lanterns out on the esplanade.