Heading North for the Summer?

My Foodified Road Trip of Australia's East coast. 

Sugarcane

Driving from Sydney to Queensland’s Gold Coast should be a rite of passage for every East coast Australian dweller.  For this twelve or so hour drive covers some of the most pristine beaches, rivers, and breadths of land this country has to offer.

But for every foodie comes the critical decision of where to eat! Well I’ve got some of it covered. Stopping at two half way points, Coffs harbour on the way up and Port Macquarie on the way back I managed to find some fantastic eats with fantastic views of our beautiful Pacific coastline.

Coffs Harbour, the coastal town of bananas and roaming goats.This is a town that is directed towards the water. The banana trees line the hills with their canopies of yellow fruit and encircle the town below. A drive up to the lookout is a must, but be careful, we seemed to find the one roaming goat in the whole of Coffs! And trust me, they don't hesitate to get in your car.

Banana Plantations

Break wall view at Latitude 30

Breakfast at Latitude 30

Places to eat in Coffs Harbour… I would recommend Lakiss Jetty Pizzeria  to compliment a long day of driving. Great crust with creative toppings that don’t go too 'over the top'. We had the “Magic Mushroom” which had a variety of delicious mushrooms. My kind of pizza.

Dine in eating? I would have to say Lattitude 30.  Sitting right on the break wall overlooking the ocean and Muttonbird Island  you will not be disappointed.We went for breakfast and ordered an Eggs Benedict which had delicious home-made Hollandaise and accompaniments of spinach and asparagus – delightful! But the most impressive of meals was the man favourite: Big Breaky which came with a big fillet steak perfectly cooked! Not to mention two fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomato and spinach! Just a great meal all in all with delicious coffee from MarcoVianei to finish! And don’t worry if you eat too much. A walk around Muttonbird Island, to overlook the ocean and the town of Coffs, will sort that.

For your classic eats of fish and chips go to the Coffs Harbour Fishermans Co-op. The fish is fresh and you can pick from local cuts caught straight from our North Coast Australian shores.

Fisherman's Co-Op

Leaving Coffs we made a quick stop off in Byron bay for some lunch. And what else is there to have in Byron if not Mexican! The Mexican Cantina does delicious Burritos, 
as well as soft tacos. Not to mention their good value lunch deals which can be sloshed down with some of their house-made Cinnamon Sangria. Deliciously filling.

Crossing over into Queenslad territory we stayed in Coolangatta, a cove that looks out towards the high-rise buildings of Surfers Paradise, but is a quiet haven just far enough away. From here we could venture out into lower Queensland, while also take in the beautiful beach and coastal walks Coolangatta had to offer. I found some fantastic eats here as well as Main beach and Broard beach all on or around surfers paradise.

Kirramusu Coolangatta is a great spot for Brunch. Right on the beach. Good coffee and good sized portions. Simply Thai Cooolangatta has authentic thai food and is right on the beach aswell. They have my favourite, cocunut rice! Good flavoursome curries and great service.

Coolangatta views. 

Pancakes 

Pancakes in Paradise seem to be peppered all across the coast but it is NOT for the faint hearted. If you want simple and cheap pancakes this chain will keep you happy. 9.95 all you can eat pancakes with Maple syrup and butter. Just be careful when you are served the pancakes… that scooped heap of white in the middle of your stack is not in fact icecream but butter. Don’t make the same mistake I did, spread it around!

Main Beach Surf Life-Savers Club is a great spot for oceanside dining and supporting the local surf life savers, its also close to Sea World if you were planning on seeing the dolphins.  Sitting up high and looking over the ocean, you may even see a few whales waving you hello from a distance if it’s the right season. This is a casual eating experience that’s all about the serenity.

Sunset Queensland.

Broad Beach is another eating destination with a variety of restaurants to choose from. This is an area where you can either eat on a budget or go all out. All cuisines are covered and the walk ways are decorated with pretty tree lights to show you the way. For something special try Moo Moo.

But overall I must say I wasn’t overly impressed with the food in lower Queensland, they seem to be missing the boutique factor, leaning more towards chain outlets and same-same food menus. 

In saying that I was in a tourist area, which means big menus with lots of tastes- so as to cater to everyone. So I can’t be too critical.

Making our way back from Queensland we came across something special for the long drive home. Freddos pies are scattered all along the roads heading north and south.  From Kangaroo to Crocodile to beef burgendy this classic Aussie eatery is worth the stop over. Just your authntic pie experience with a range to suit all taste buds.

Driving home we stopped in Port Macquarie to break up the trip. A town that is again all about the water, with a beautiful break-wall that takes you out into the tumbling waves where you can watch the body boarders the town is known for. 

Break-wall Port Macquarie

The Maharaja Indian Restaurant in Port Macquarie is as Authentic as it comes, and with a view of where the river meets the ocean its got a great location too. Mooreish curries, samosas and crisp but chewy nann straight out of a traditional oven.

Rivermark café is not in the centre of Port Macquarie but its worth the small drive. Positioned with an incredible view of hastings river this is a well thought out dining experience. A casual and comfortable enviroment, with food to match. I enjoyed the mediteranean blt. Mushroom, roasted tomato, pesto, poached eggs and crisp prociutto weged between two pieces of toasted ciabatta. The eggs benedict has an olive oil hollandaise which is delicious and suits well with the ambience of being outside. 

Rivermark Cafe.

In terms of food on the go nothing beats the classic bakery and I found a few in my travels. There was the K’pain artisian bakery in Coffs Harbour who have a chewy delicious sourdough bread . And Burkhardets organic bakery Port Macquaire who did amazing crossiants and authentic vanilla slice.

Driving along the sugarcane-hugging roads and getting a real taste of Australia's East-coast was what this trip was about. I recommend it to each and everyone reading this and hope you too will get a taste of our delicious and breathtaking coastline!