The best 10 restaurants and places to eat in Nelson Bay, April 2024

The Little Nel Cafe

87/100 (2546 ratings)

Restaurants

Australian

Gluten Free Options

Cafe

Healthy

Australian

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Cafe

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Breakfast

Dinner

Lunch

Brunch

Juice & Smoothies

Pasta

Salad

Cakes

Salmon

Pesto

Fish

Tapas

Pork

Tacos

Prawns

Burger

Juice & Smoothies

Eggs Benedict

Toasts

Pancakes

Waffles

Sit down

Australian

Café

Healthy

Outdoor Seating

Takeout

Accepts Mastercard

Accepts Visa

Street Parking

Cash Only

Serves Alcohol

Reservations

Parking Available

Free off-street parking

Highchairs Available

Seating

Full Bar

Table Service

Free Wifi

Wheelchair Accessible

Accepts Credit Cards

Brunch

Breakfast

Dinner

Lunch

Mid-range

"We first tried this place on the 3rd april and have been coming here every day since. And will continue till the 10th april. You'll wish you could..."

Samantha Stephens

"Awesome Service, Amazing Food, Lovely Little place. I recommend booking a table as it gets very busy - I can see why with the quality of food. Need a..."

Maddi McCormick

"i rate the LITTLE nel cafe, 5 .. went there for brunch on Saturday with 7 other people, and we could not fault a thing ... the friendly staff..."

Audrey Mansfield

"Was recommended this cafe and it didn’t disappoint once we found where it was lol Food was fresh large servings. Quick service by friendly young..."

Sharyn Ryan

"Exceptional food, wonderful service, lovely warm spot to sit for a winter breakfast. The food was very flavoursome & the coffee was very enjoyable!..."

Kellee Thomson

"It was my first visit to Little Nel Café. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. It was very busy, but the staff were all very happy and..."

Marilyn Simpson

"Went to The Little Nel 3 times for 3 consecutive days and the food and service was faultless! I came last year and loved your porridge, but I'm..."

Elizabeth Rose

"The Little Nel Cafè is always fantastic!! From the friendly staff and beautiful location, to the exquisite food, I don't think I could recommend..."

Anne Oliver

"The BEST cafe in Port Stephens. The food is AMAZING & the staff are all so lovely, nothing is ever a drama for any of them. I highly recommend this..."

Dana Price

"Have been there a few times now meals were great staff a great will always go back and recommend it to anyone ..."

Regi Mc Donald

"this would have to be one of the best breakfasts we have ever had the service was excellent the food was fantastic the staff wonderful Will be..."

Edward Hall

"Beautiful food and coffee. Was a real treat coming up from Melbourne and experiencing such great service and food. Thank..."

Michelle Kramer

"The best breakfast ever! Loved every moment and mouthful. Even my 2 year old enjoyed his food and felt special when he got a colouring pack...."

Lisa Tabua

"Great service great food especially with the weather and a crowd of people trying to get out of the rain we will be..."

Haydn Graham

"Thank you for the absolutely flavorful dishes served this morning. Have been told about this cafe many times and finally got to experience it for..."

Taz EV Boorer

"Fabulous breakfast in the winter sun, some twists on the menu, everything was delicious and great..."

Allison Scott

"This is the best cafe in Nelson Bay! The food was quite amazing, however very expensive. The only downside was that it took really long to wait,..."

Rakelg

"A busy place and rightfully so. Not just an average breakfast place but something that would be on par with what's in Sydney.Ordered the..."

Angehaha

"I’ve been here a few times now with my family and have always enjoyed it. The food is delicious and fairly priced too. The service is pretty good..."

The Bearded Pom

"Best breakfast place in the area. Yet to find one better, but why bother looking when the food and coffee here are great! Always come here when in..."

MadDogMel

"Came here for the seafood lunch degustation and for breakfast the next day.Lunch: everything is well plated and fresh. Showcasing good..."

Hayley

"We live around the point in Shoal Bay which has some great cafes but thought we’d try Little Nel for breakfast & it didn’t disappoint. A great..."

YuMMM.com

"Really great food and really nice atmosphere! One of the best cafes I’ve been to in a really long time, keep up the amazing food guys. I had a hard..."

Morgan Taylor

"Excellent foods and amazing service. When you are in the area, you must try little nels cafe. I would love to go back here in the near future...."

Joyce Lorbest

"Beautifully set up for indoor outdoor dining. The service is a little slow, despite having so many staff. The food is absolutely delicious, make sure..."

Britt And Shane

"Friendly service, lovely ambience & excellent food We felt the Fish of the day was a lil over battered but the rest was fabulous! The green..."

Steph Eddy

"This was recommended by my friend and is one of the best cafes in Nelson bay! The breakkie was amazing and loved it! The omelette was fluffy like a..."

Tulika Kabra

"Stayed next door at The Nelson. The Little Nel Cafe is a small cafe made even smaller with the outside area closed due to rain. We had the crispy..."

Mal Ma

"Lovely dinner here tonight. Service was great and all of the waitresses were very welcoming and friendly. Food was of a very good standard. We all..."

Wendy

"Breakfast here was very good. Well prepared food, attentive staff. Breakfast servings are quite big for an Australian restaurant - the most bacon..."

Stephen A

"Awesome breakfast had the waffles with bacon and also the polenta with fried egg and avo corn salsa, good coffee, good service. Will be..."

Loz

"✔️ Located elevated high and looking out onto the Marina water, this cafe is so fresh and enjoyable to sit for ages and have a relaxing meal. The..."

Vic Aoun

"Really enjoyed our brunch at the Little Nel! Lovely relaxed atmosphere, a family-friendly and spacious interior. Everything was plated..."

Penne Lane

"Very lovely location and great place for brunch. All portions were massive, I had the eggs benedict ($20) and couldn't finish my meal. Everything..."

Chewie

"Came here originally as the breakfast images looked tasty. The lunch menu didn’t look appealing after we sat down but food was amazing. Ordered the..."

Grace Gulalala

"A beautiful cafe tucked away on a quiet street. Upon arriving for breakfast, we were greeted and seated swiftly. The menu had a great mixture of..."

KC

"When travelling, whether it be somewhere nearby or overseas, I love trying out the local cafe's and restaurants and really engrossing myself into the..."

The Miniature Life

"Staying in the hotel, so had breakfast here. It was lovely. Nice presentation on all dishes and taste good. Nice environment, friendly staff...."

Loretta

"Ate here for breakfast since we were staying at 'The Nelson Resort' and was extremely happy with the quality of the food and the bubbliness of the..."

Sophie 👑

"This place is the best and quickest service i have received in Nelsons Bay since ive been here. The food was delicious and the quality was..."

INKBASS

"Loved this cafe just behind the main promenade near the water. Nice views of you sit outside and just delectable food for brunch. Big serves and very..."

Mykim

"The food here is really nice. Yes it's a little bit pricey but most of the cafés in this area are. And if you're going to pay that price you want to..."

Janelle

"It was a good time having breakfast here.We ordered the beacon and eggs and eggs benedict. It was gorgeous and tasty especially the added..."

XuseFans

"Amazing. We were getting desperate to find any nice eats in Nelson Bay, but this place restored my faith! Couldn't fault it. We had 6 adults, 2..."

Lisa Burgin-Goulding

"Really fantastic breakfast experience. We went here three days in a row because we liked it so much. Delicious, well prepared food. Excellent..."

Shokomon

"Very nice brunch, friendly service and reasonable wait. We had the chak chouka and the eggs benedict, both of them really yummy... ..."

Ricardo Nemirovsky

"The place was nice and the food and coffee was good. The only downside to it was the time it took for the food to come out. We ordered a natural..."

Jhille43

"I reckon best place for iced coffee in the area and amazing staff service. My friend and I went there for breakfast and lunch, and we were very..."

Camille.diolazo

"Best place in town enjoyed breakfast and lunch here for our whole stay! Amazing..."

Victorian Dinner Critics

"Sunny, bright breakfast atmosphere. Yummy light French toast. Friendly..."

Hendo

"Good coffee & good food, set in a nice little outdoor..."

Gary

"Surprising gem. The setting is contemporary and cool with attractive inside decor, and leafy outside. Breakfast menu had enough variety to cause..."

Wendy O

"A little cafe that speaks volumes with their vibrant breakfast menu is what is found when you visit The Little Nel in Nelson Bay. Located on one of..."

Samuel Liu

"Great cafe that is just perfect on a sunny day when you can sit outside, but if not, the whole menu is available as takeaway. Dog friendly so you can..."

Bojan Kovacevic

"The Bacon Benedict at The Little Nel was the best way to start off our trip. It’ll definitely be hard to top that feed. The yolk perfectly cascaded..."

Monica L

"One of our favourite cafes in Nelson Bay. The food is always really interesting, taking a fresh twist on traditional meals and we have always enjoyed..."

Damien Chan

"Didn't disappoint. Great breakfast option. Tasty breakfast. Great coffee. Yummy Smoothies. Quick service. Not too pricey. Good spot (only issue is..."

Mark Abella

"The vibe was great, the food was awesome, and the coffee was excellent too! I had the "Bombay Potatoes and Onion Bhajis". The portion size was great..."

James Unwin

"Really popular and cute little cafe with delicious food. We went for breakfast and I really enjoyed the food here. Wait times are on the longer side..."

Annie Lin

"Not much to choose from in Nelson Bay but this is the best of the lot. Plenty of parking next door. This cafe is open everyday, and is super..."

Peta McConachie (Postcards from Peta)

Sandpipers Restaurant

77/100 (2114 ratings)

Restaurants

Australian

Seafood

Australian

Gluten Free Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Vegan Options

Seafood

Gluten Free Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Vegan Options

After-hours

Dinner

Lasagne

Arancini

Crab

Scallops

Duck

Garlic Prawns

Oyster

Calamari

Lamb

Calamares

Pesto

Salmon

Fish

Pork

Chowder

Swordfish

Prawns

Dumplings

Pasta

Salad

Hot Pot

Chili

Sit down

Seafood

Australian

Gift Cards Available

Highchairs Available

Accepts Credit Cards

Reservations

Outdoor Seating

Accepts Mastercard

Seating

Accepts Visa

Table Service

Serves Alcohol

Dinner

Mid-range

"Probably the best chefs sampler plate I've eaten, every part of the dish was spot on and plated perfectly 👍 The only thing to better the perfect..."

Grant Gill

"The best restaurant between Sydney & Brisbane! All dishes were amazing: oysters (super fresh), carmelised carrots & pomegranate salad, seafood taste..."

Magda H All

"My wife and I Lisa loved this place. Mario is so passionate about his food and client satisfaction. It's a must eat while in the Bay. Thanks Mario..."

Jamie Peel

"Absolutely delicious. We are visiting from Brisbane and this is by far one of the best meals We have ever had. All dishes, from entree to desert was..."

Sofie Mac

"The pork dumplings are to die for. Yummy. Highly recommend. Great service Great..."

Jodie McRae Fenton

"Sizzling Garlic Prawns was a shared entree and amazing. Main meals was Pork Belly and Swordfish which both was incredible. Service was first class..."

Goi Saengthian

"Food was fantastic with the mixed oysters than the sample plate following the desert. The nicest food I've had in the..."

John Minchin

"Such friendly, attentive and helpful staff. Could not have asked for more. Atmosphere and ambience was welcoming and relaxing. Food was delicious and..."

Kareena Treharne

"Best food we have had in a long time. Couldn't fault anything. Food was amazing and staff are wonderful. Definitely made our anniversary dinner..."

Denise Schneider

"We had a large group having the 3 course set menu. Great menu, excellent value and amazing service. Highly recommend this restaurant. Don't think..."

Kevin Giudes

"Lovely little place really nice food and highly..."

Kim Finch

"The Taste plates are awesome and the white chocolate spring rolls for dessert finished the meal off on a high. Will go back..."

Andrea Faye

"Absolutely delicious! I loved every dish. Beautiful little restaurant with the most welcoming and friendly team of staff. It's a MUST when in..."

Daniella Jankulovski

"Great food and great service 😍 We walked in as a late decision to go out and even though they were very busy, they managed to move some bookings..."

Danny Lawrence

"Loved it. Fresh amazing flavours and textures. Excellent service. Most personable wait staff I’ve had the pleasure of being served by, in a long..."

Kelly12yager

"We had been here for dinner twice this week in Sept. One time just my husband and I. And tonight was with family a group of 5. My husband were very..."

Jeanny Yuki

"Fantastic restaurant and lovely waiter. The oysters are fresh. Food are good. Seafood chowder is lovely. Beef pasta is great, soft and juicy. Super..."

Loretta

"Amazing service! Waiters were very attentiveFish of the day and the arancini were amazingWould definitely come back when I visit Nelson bay..."

Jessica Huang

"Garlic Parmesan bread is 10/10Mixed oysters were 9/10Arancini was 10/10Fish if the day 10/10: the sauce was 11/10Service..."

Raymond Song

"Devine!!!We shared the sesame seed halloumi and the pan fried chicken. The flavours were delicious, fresh and delicately seasoned to..."

Candi Charles

"Decided to have dinner tonight due to the rating on here, and it was right on the money. Starting with the boutique Pale Ale and a glass of bubbly,..."

Neil The Foodie

"We had dinner here and quite liked it. I had the king prawn stack entree with avocado salsa and it was delicious. I also had the Sesame crusted..."

Janelle

"Took my partner here for his birthday and it was perfect. Food was great and the service was amazing, they even sang him a happy birthday and gave..."

Jhille43

"My family and I dined here whilst in the area on holidays. A superb experience dining out with kids. They offer a kids menu with a main meal with ice..."

Peter O'Farrell

"The best seafood in the Bay without the tourist trap food of others in the area. Frequented by locals one is treated to great service and excellent..."

GreggJ

"Best we had in Nelson Bay!. Everything was great at Sandpipers. Staff were professional, friendly, and took good care of us. Did was amazing, and all..."

Craig.j.hughes

"Excellent restaurant. Great environment. Dishes are very well prepared and service is very..."

Caro Cubitos

"Amazing food and wine and beautiful service. Made for a gorgeous night out, no complaints and can't wait to come back..."

Rachael Hyde

"We went for a nice dinner and the service was attentive, but not over the top. We both went for the midweek two course special for $40 each. The..."

Anja

"Amazing rest in port stephens. Service was brillant without being pretentious attentive profesional yet friendly food was gorgeous and a great 3..."

Kate

"Amazing food and amazing service. The pork crackling is a must.. Do urself a favour and..."

Costa Leto

"Exceptional food and service! Nothing more to say. Will definitely be..."

Jwswong

"Great service -very attentive. I had two entrees - scallops & calamari -both delicious! Reasonable prices and a decent sized glass of wine. I'll..."

Rosie

"Awesome meals, good sizes, reasonably priced, well worth the money. Great atmosphere. Impeccable service, didn't have to ask or want for anything...."

Kelly Griffin

"This was the best meal of the trip! We started with a pan fried chicken breast with an avocado puree on a bed of salad with tomatoes, capsicum and..."

Lily Ouk Eat Food

"Where do i start... the food was absolutely delicious and every bite was full of flavour! The service was 10/10 and i was happy with everything. The..."

Alisha sharma

"Had dinner there on Saturday with my wife. Great experience from the lovely waitress Monica who was friendly and knowledgeable to the food. I had the..."

Stuart White

"For such a touristic town at the peak of the travel season (between Christmas and NY), I was expecting restaurants to be open (majority is not) and..."

Jackie Erat

"Beautiful food..The Octopus was great and the Salt & pepper squid with the wasabi dressing was yumo! Great service Friendly staff😉Highly recommend..."

Dee Mitchell

"Excellent friendly service and delicious food. The best prawn pasta I've ever had in my life. I'll always suggest it to everyone visiting Nelson bay..."

Angeliki Panagiotakopoulou

"Had a dinner with family and was worth visiting. Food was delicious and staff was friendly with very warm and cozy environment. recommend all to..."

Shirish Shadows

"Probably one of the best Resturant we visited and the service we had was the best whilst we stayed at Nelson bay. We had momo soup (Nepalese dish)..."

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