Best new restaurants on the Sunshine Coast

Mapleton Public House

Here we take good food and drink seriously –with some of the country’s best seafood caught here and award-winning local produce at our fingertips – can you really blame us?

Its little wonder chefs are finding inspiration in their surroundings to create innovative menus that rival any inner-city eatery, and we’ve rounded up nine new restaurants to book a table at next time you’re in town.

Mapleton Public House

Tucked into the town of Mapleton in Sunshine Coast’s hinterland you’ll find the picturesque 113-year-old pub - Mapleton Public House. This historic tavern has been bought by the owners of The Falls Farm – located down the road – offering a true paddock-to-plate experience. On the menu you’ll find all the classics like Chicken Schnitzel, Fish of the Day and Prime Rib, which in Head Chef Cameron Matthews’ hands, are definitely not your usual pub grub. But it’s the share plates where you’ll find something truly special, with Red Kuri Pate with Squash from The Falls Farm, Beef Tartare and Wood Roasted Octopus just some of the must-haves.

The Doonan

Sitting loud and proud on two hectares of land, The Doonan is a multifunction venue sporting a whole lot of wow-factor. This one-stop-shop hauls everything from buzzing bars to beer gardens and indoor/outdoor dining areas where you’ll find a pizzeria, ice creamery, cellar door and even an outdoor playground for the kids. While there’s a lot to be excited about here, it’s the alfresco dining that really takes the spotlight (and sunlight). We’re talking green and white tassel brollies, brick archways, suspended ferns, fairy lights—without a doubt the perfect place for a long lunch on a sunny day.

Tziki Bar

If you love tasting paddles and an endless supply of spanakopita arancini balls—look no further than Tziki Bar. Tziki Bar is a Greek brewpub with all the flair your local watering hole needs. Naturally, you’ll find various specials rotating throughout the week (including Yiros night every Wednesday and souvlaki night every Thursday) plus a famed five-course mezze banquet loaded with tziki dip, cured salmon, lamb ribs and cauliflower salad.

Your Mates BowlsPub

Your Mates brewery

One of the Sunshine Coast’s most prolific breweries, Your Mates, has thrown open the doors to their very own Your Mates BowlsPub in the Noosa Hinterland town of Cooroy, reimagining the traditional ‘bowlsy’. If you’re wondering what to expect think epic craft brews, banger live entertainment and of course—barefoot bowls. An ideal spot for birthdays or a Sunday session with your mates (and then some), the menu here is a serious contender for being one of the region’s best. There’s no roast of the day here, it’s all about beer-battered pickles, a kilogram of chicken wings served with a jug of craft beer for $35, chicken schnitzels served up with mac ‘n’ cheese, a ‘dirty’ vegan burger and hey, even fresh churros tossed in cinnamon sugar and condensed milk.

Prawn Star

The Wharf Mooloolaba has long been hailed as an unmissable foodie destination and one of its latest additions proves exactly why. Enter Prawn Star, a cheekily named converted fishing trawler moored permanently at the Wharf allowing you to dine on deck and dig into local seafood like a platter of world famous Mooloolaba prawns, crab and fresh oysters—an absolute seafood lover’s paradise.

Virtue Bar & Eats

Native saltbush and wattle seed squid with coconut Margaritas—it really doesn’t get much better than Virtue Bar & Eats, an absolute must-visit destination for foodies and couples looking to get a taste of the Sunshine Coast. Located on the beachside Mooloolaba Esplanade with views over the water, do yourself a favour and book in for a long lunch. As well as an impressive cocktails list they have Sunshine Coast craft brews on tap and an equally impressive menu with everything from share plates like Sticky Plum Hoisin Pork Belly Bites, to burgers and fresh fish.

Bottarga Restaurant

The world can never have too many Italian restaurants so if you’re impartial to big bowls of homemade pasta and an Aperol Spritz, make track to Bottarga Restaurant. Perfect for date night, the menu here is dotted with an antipasto line-up well-worth your time including fresh burrata cheese with pickled peach, grilled Fremantle octopus and fish carpaccio served alongside caramelised watermelon, radishes, mandarin and olive oil. For main, you can’t go wrong with the slow-braised duck ragu or the milk braised pork loin—an unholy creation with confit garlic, kipfler potatoes and milk curd sauce.

Wat Den

If you have a predisposition for whisky and tequila (and mezcal, for that matter), you are going to love the feel-good and late-night vibes at Wat Den. This cheeky bar can be found on Mooloolaba Esplanade and whips up an array of fancy cocktails like their Rum ‘n’ Raisin Espresso Martinis, an ‘ancient’ take on an Old Fashioned with Dalwhinnie 15-year-old whiskey, sugar and Angostura bitters.

Frank Maleny

With a brunch menu lasting until 2pm daily, deli toasties, milk-brewed chai tea and a dinner menu rocking Mooloolaba king prawns, cognac pate and Gold Band snapper—there’s no doubt Frank Maleny should be top of your bucket list when visiting the Blackall Range. Unsurprisingly, the team here are passionate about healthy, delicious and ethically sourced food and coffee which looks like a food offering with certified free-range meats, free range eggs plus seasonal vegetables and herbs harvested from Frank’s own gardens.

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