Staying with us at The Beach Cabarita puts nine of the best Cabarita Beach restaurants within reach, most of them a short walk from our front door and the rest a ten-minute drive at most. This guide covers breakfast, casual takeaway, family pubs and hatted fine dining across Cabarita, Casuarina and Pottsville, all checked and current.
We get asked where to eat more than almost anything else, so we keep this list honest and up to date. Everything below is open and running as we write this, walking minutes and drive times are measured from our apartments, and we have left off anywhere that has closed or moved on. Start your day with coffee down the road, keep lunch casual by the water, and save the drive-worthy dinners for the evenings you want something special.
Cabarita Beach restaurants within walking distance
The village sits right behind the beach, so most of your meals can happen on foot.
Kartel Espresso Bar and Kitchen
Type: Brunch and specialty coffee | Distance: 5-minute walk from our front door
Kartel is where a lot of our guests start the morning. The coffee is the draw, the smoothie bowls and big breakfasts hold up, and it is relaxed enough to wander in straight off the beach. Grab a takeaway flat white and walk it back to the sand, or settle in for a longer brunch before the day warms up.
The Stunned Mullet
Type: Fish and chips takeaway | Distance: 7 to 10-minute walk
This is the classic beach feed. Order at the counter, then carry it up to Norries Headland and eat with the ocean in front of you. Guests keep telling us the grilled fish and the chips are the pick, and it is the easiest low-fuss dinner on the nights nobody wants to cook. You can check the menu on the Stunned Mullet website before you head down.
Cabarita Beach Hotel
Type: Pub bistro | Distance: 5-minute walk
The local pub covers the family dinner and the casual night out in one. Generous bistro plates, a proper bar, and live music some evenings. It is the answer to “cabarita pub” that guests search for before they arrive, and it is an easy stroll from our apartments. Check the board for live music nights if that is your thing.
The Burrow Pizzeria
Type: Pizza takeaway | Distance: 5-minute walk
The Burrow is the go-to for a relaxed pizza night in. It is a five-minute walk, the bases are done well, and it suits a quiet evening on the balcony or a picnic down on the sand. A reliable local favourite that our guests come back to across a stay.
Thai In-fa
Type: Thai, dine-in or takeaway | Distance: 7-minute walk
Thai In-fa delivers bold, well-priced Thai a short walk from the beach. The duck curry gets a regular mention from guests, service is quick, and it works equally well as a sit-down dinner or a takeaway you carry home. You can browse the menu and order ahead on the Thai In-fa website.
What is cooking in Casuarina
A five to seven-minute drive south opens up a couple of spots worth the short trip.
Lolita’s Mexican Cantina
Type: Modern Mexican cantina | Distance: 5 to 7-minute drive
Lolita’s is the lively option: tacos, margaritas and a buzzy room that fills up fast, especially on happy-hour and margarita nights. It is a standout among the Casuarina restaurants and an easy call when you want a night with a bit of energy to it. Worth booking on weekends.
Jordy’s Pizza
Type: Woodfired pizza, dine-in or takeaway | Distance: 5-minute drive
Jordy’s does proper woodfired pizza with crisp bases and a laid-back coastal feel. Dine in or grab a takeaway on the way back to the apartment. It is a no-fuss local favourite and a good pairing with an easy evening in. See the range on the Jordy’s Casuarina website.
A quick trip south to Pottsville
Ten minutes down the coast, Pottsville is where the special-occasion dinner lives, alongside a solid family standby.
Pipit Restaurant
Type: Hatted fine dining | Distance: 10 to 12-minute drive
Pipit is the drive-worthy one. Chef Ben Devlin runs a seasonal tasting menu with chef’s counter dining and a focus on sustainable coastal produce, and it holds a hat for good reason. This is the table to book for an anniversary or a birthday during your stay. Reserve well ahead, particularly on weekends, through the Pipit Restaurant website.
Pottsville Pizza and Pasta
Type: Family pizza and pasta | Distance: 10-minute drive
For a generous, no-fuss family feed, Pottsville Pizza and Pasta is the reliable takeaway pick. Big serves, consistent flavour, and easy to grab on the way back up the coast to Cabarita.
How to plan your meals across the stay
Everything on this list is close enough to enjoy without building the day around a booking. A rhythm that works for most guests: coffee and brunch on foot at Kartel, a swim, then a casual lunch by the water. Keep the walkable takeaways, the Stunned Mullet, the Burrow and Thai In-fa, for the easy nights in. Save the short drives to Lolita’s, Jordy’s or Pipit for the evenings you want to make an event of it. The tables at Pipit and Lolita’s go quickly, so book those ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I eat within walking distance of Cabarita Beach?
Five venues are an easy walk from The Beach Cabarita: Kartel Espresso Bar for brunch, the Cabarita Beach Hotel for pub meals, The Burrow Pizzeria, Thai In-fa, and The Stunned Mullet for fish and chips. All sit within a five to ten-minute stroll of our front door.
Where is the best fish and chips near Cabarita Beach?
The Stunned Mullet is the local pick for fish and chips, a seven to ten-minute walk from our apartments. Order at the counter and carry it up to Norries Headland to eat with an ocean view. Guests consistently rate the grilled fish and the chips.
Is there fine dining near Cabarita Beach?
Yes. Pipit Restaurant in Pottsville, a ten to twelve-minute drive south, is a hatted restaurant led by chef Ben Devlin, serving a seasonal tasting menu with chef’s counter dining. It is the standout special-occasion table in the area, so book well ahead, especially on weekends.
Where can I get good coffee and breakfast near Cabarita Beach?
Kartel Espresso Bar and Kitchen is the go-to for specialty coffee, smoothie bowls and big breakfasts, a five-minute walk from The Beach Cabarita. Grab a takeaway flat white for the beach or settle in for a longer brunch before the day warms up.
Do I need a car to eat well near Cabarita Beach?
No. Five venues are walkable from our apartments, covering breakfast, pub meals, pizza, Thai and fish and chips. A short five to twelve-minute drive adds Casuarina and Pottsville options, including Mexican, woodfired pizza and hatted fine dining, if you want more variety.
Taste the Tweed Coast without going far
Being this close to good food is part of what makes a Cabarita stay so easy. You can begin the day with coffee at Kartel, come back for a swim, and head out for dinner without a long drive or a rigid plan. On casual nights, grab a Cabarita pizza, pick up fish and chips for the headland, or settle in at the local pub.
When you are ready to explore a little further, our Experiences guide and our Cabarita Beach and Kingscliff comparison map out the wider coast. See our apartments and book your stay at The Beach Cabarita to put all of this within walking distance.
Image credit: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons