From fine dining to riverside picnics, the Central Coast of New South Wales has it all for oyster lovers.
Avoca Beach House
At Avoca Beach House, you can not only wind down with a G & T, you can have Gin & Tonic on your oysters too. That’s just one of the dressings (you can also have kilpatrick or mornay) and of course you can have them natural too. With its sand and surf views, it’s a treat on any night, but Thursdays are particularly special when you can enjoy a 5-course seafood degustation (with said G & T oysters) for $70 per person.
Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed
Enjoy fresh oysters straight from the source at Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed, a small rustic oyster farm in the heart of the Hawkesbury River at Mooney Mooney. Order your fresh shucked oysters at the waterfront shack, grab a table, pop the cork of your BYO wine, and enjoy a beautiful afternoon of seafood and scenery.
Both Sydney Rock and Pacific oysters are on the menu, served natural with a choice of half a dozen or so dressings including Italian, garlic butter, French, northeast Asian, Korean and Japanese.Oysters Kilpatrick and Oysters Mornay are also served. Seafood and grazing platters also feature on the menu, including locally sourced cheese, olives, juices, lobster, prawns, mullet and mud crabs.
Woy Woy Fishermen’s Wharf
An institution on the Central Coast, Woy Woy Fishermen’s Wharf has been serving locally sourced seafood for more than 40 years, including beautifully prepared Sydney Rock Oysters and Pacific Oysters from local fishermen. Soak in the views from the restaurant, order takeaway, or buy seafood to prepare at home. You can even order online and have it delivered to your door. The recently renovated Seafood Market, open daily except Wednesdays, has a new oyster bar which is proving very popular.
Little Miss
We loved Little Miss Mezza at West Gosford when we dined there not long after it opened a few years ago. Not it has re-located to Terrigal and transformed into Little Miss, still specializing in its fabulous sharing plates but adding what its owners have described as a “Mediterranean seaside vibe”.
The menu is bursting with Middle Eastern flavours and creativity, but it’s the oysters we’re interested in here: Sydney Rocks with a dressing of pickled green apple chardonnay vinegar with a celery and cucumber granita. Cool and refreshing.
The Cowrie
With panoramic ocean and bay views, The Cowrie at Terrigal is the perfect restaurant for anyone with an oyster obsession. Savour Sydney Rocks shucked to order, dressed with lemon/mirin, sesame, ginger, soy/sake, green apple and eschalot. Those who favour Pacific oysters can enjoy them roasted over hot coals with miso butter. And for a truly hedonistic experience, caviar is on the menu too.
The Beachcomber
Savour the breeze at The Beachcomber Hotel & Resort at Toukley, with its water views and Hampton-inspired ambience. We had a wonderful, relaxing stay at The Beachcomber a couple of years ago (read our story about it on Food Wine Travel). There are various dining options in its bars and restaurants, where you can always enjoy oysters and other seafood.
The Box on the Water
Ettalong restaurant The Box on the Water offers a relaxed coastal experience and a modern Australian menu. There’s a kiosk and bar menu as well. The restaurant serves its Sydney Rock oysters natural with lemon, or a choice of two dressings: raspberry and pink pepper mignonette; or shallot and ginger oil topped with salmon pearls. How enticing is that?!
Gosford Sailing Club
What could be better than sunset over Brisbane Water, with oysters on the table and a cocktail in hand? (That’s Brisbane Water on the NSW Central Coast by the way, not to be confused with Brisbane, Queensland.) Gosford Sailing Club has 180-degree water views from its spot at Point Frederick, and you’ll always find oysters on the menu.
If you’re hungry for more, visit lovecentralcoast.com for more great oyster experiences in NSW.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like to read our Food Wine Travel post, Six Reasons To Visit The New South Wales Central Coast.