Fish & Chips at Pickled Octapus Cafe, Tuross Heads, South Coast

The Pickled Octapus Cafe at Tuross Heads on the South Coast offers a good casual fish and chips option with a great view and lovely setting.

Upstairs is a more upmarket dining option (mains around $24, corkage $10) which is lovely, but it’s also good to have an equally nice, more relaxed and less expensive option, especially if dining with kids.

Downstairs you can grab a table from 6pm to about 8pm (it finishes earlier if it’s busy) and order take away which includes..

…two yummy pieces of fish with chips for $12.50…

…very nice calamari (although not as good value as the fish and chips) for $10…

….and a Greek salad for $8.

…downstairs BYO is $6 per bottle and glasses are provided.

Prices are similar to Obriens Boatshed next door, although Obriens has a wider menu, ice creams for dessert and doesn’t charge corkage (take your own glasses though). Obriens is also open earlier, from 7am but also closes about 8pm.

Neither spot is book able so go early if it’s a busy time at the coast.

Dee-licious at Altenburg, Braidwood

The Braidwood café attached to Gallery Altenburg on the main street through Braidwood has always been a good spot to stop for a coffee on the way to the coast.

It has a gorgeous garden setting, homely service and food and there’s the opportunity to browse the lovely gallery while your order is being prepared.

Coffee is good and there are always delicious home-made cakes and slices at a good value price.

However, it’s also worth considering the well priced interesting brunch and lunch options.

The Claypot Taverna – a useful spot near UNSW Sydney

This is a lovely small Greek eatery on Anzac Parade with a warm and homely feel. It’s BYO and corkage is low.

Service is quick. Arni Kleftico (slow baked lamb) $24.50 in the clay pot is good as is the fish with olives, psari plaki $24.50 also cooked in the claypot.

However, the very best choice is the mixed greek delicacies mezeklikia $15.50 (includes the dips and bread). It’s worth ordering more than one to share.
It includes delicious dips, clamari, mousaka, keftethes (meat balls) and spanakopita.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am-2:30pm and 5-10 pm. Phone 02 96970721, 180 Anzac Parade, Kensington.

Tilba Valley Wines Restaurant, Tilba Tilba, South Coast NSW

Tilba Valley Wines restaurant, Tilba Tilba, has much going for it. Friendly service, a great view and a very relaxed atmosphere. It gets busy and it pays not to be in a hurry, as ordering can take a while, but there are gorgeous wines to taste while you’re waiting. In fact it was very difficult to pick a glass to go with lunch with such excellent choice.

The smoked salmon pate is very good as is the Tilba trilogy cheese on the plough mans lunch.

Artichoke and Haloumi Tart special

For more information.

Isabella’s Randwick, Sydney – great for breakfast any day

Close to UNSW and easy to find, opposite Alison Park, this very popular cafe-restaurant offers exceptional value, with a wide range of attractive, delicious breakfasts or brunches under $10.

Breakfast tortilla $9 (Homemade baked beans, avocado salsa, eggs on sourdough)

Melted cheese breakfast $9 (on grilled sourdough with grilled bacon, avocado. mozzarella, and two poached eggs

With good service, Isabella’s is also helpfully open every day for breakfast lunch and dinner. Hard to beat.

Pickled Octopus, Tuross, South Coast NSW

The Pickled Octopus at Tuross is a true South Coast favourite. Offering both casual fish and chips and BYO (cheap corkage) down by the water , under the verandah, if you go early as well as a la carte dining (BYO corkage $10) upstairs. Great views where ever you decide to eat.