Along with beautiful beaches and laid-back vibes, Byron Bay has an absolutely incredible food scene. When I came to visit last year I literally spent my whole weekend hopping from cafe to cafe; eating my way around the bay. I even wrote a food guide, thinking that I had identified all the hot spots. I admit, it is pretty comprehensive. However, when I returned this year I went on a mission to find some lesser known spots to recommend to you guys. I certainly succeeded. These restaurants ended up providing some of the most delicious food I have tasted in Australia!
The Beet
This is the first fully vegan restaurant I have ever been too, and it didn’t disappoint. The diversity and variety of the menu surprised me, and I wanted to try everything. I went for the jackfruit “pulled pork” which literally blew my mind. I was also tempted by the beet burger, which sounded delicious. The restaurant itself is super cute, and has a great atmosphere. It feels but more upmarket than the more laid-back restaurants in Byron, which I enjoyed for a change. I also appreciated that they focused on using local produce and that the servings were super generous. I just wish I had more time to try the rest of the menu!
Safya
You need to try this Egyptian eatery. Bold statement right here, but I think my breakfast at Safya is one of the best I have ever had. Seriously. The setting is incredible, the service is fast, but the real winner is the food. The menu is so different from the usual brunch spots that you want to order everything. We shared the cumin eggs (foodgasmic!) and the dukkah dukkah which were both insanely good. The servings are generous and there is a real focus on flavour, which we loved. Go. Go. Go.
Succulent Cafe
This is a hidden gem down a more quiet back street of town. It serves typical Australian dishes with a North East Asian twist. We enjoyed the chilled vibe, fast service and traditional decor. I tucked into the iced turmeric mylk – an absolute winner – and then the breakfast bowl. It came piled with all my favourite things; beetroot, feta, pumpkin, quinoa, spinach and poached eggs. The dream. They also had a whole host of other wholesome options from salads to courgette fritters. We were spoilt for choice.
The best part about these restaurant and cafes, besides the food of course, is that they don’t have the ridiculous queues that the more well known spots often do! You can rock up and walk right in.
If you combine these recommendations with my previous Byron Bay food guide, you have a seriously long list of cafes and restaurants to try out!
Happy eating,
Zanna x
