Aside from fish and chips and award-winning oysters, Merimbula, on the New South Wales far south coast, hasn’t always had the most memorable food scene. But thanks to a handful of passionate hospitality lovers who’ve returned to their hometown in their thirties brimming with big-city experience and enthusiasm, that’s changing.

The murmurings started with the return of Kirsty Pongratz, who opened good-time burger bar Dulcie’s back in 2015. But, knowing there could be more, Pongratz joined forces with Diane MacDonald, Ryde Pennefather and chef Ashleigh Cotter to open the slick Mediterranean-leaning Valentina in 2020. The seafood-focused fine diner has only wowed, and continues to set a local benchmark.

Things have only escalated in the last 12-ish months. So here where the ocean temperature is a bit fresher and the pace a little slower, you’ll be sufficiently fed and watered at these new venues while exploring this stunning corner of the state this summer.

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Bar Superette
Pennefather, alongside business partners Nick Parkinson and Cam Charnock, recently realised a long-held dream to open a cosy natural-leaning wine bar focused on excellent small plates. Bar Superette is flush with Parisian vibes, with petite tables to perch at, a bespoke spotted gum bar, banquette seating and wraparound shelving. Standouts from the tiny kitchen are the ham hock and cheddar croquettes and a classic steak frites, smokily grilled on a hibachi. Taking its name from the small supermarket that occupied the premises in the 1960s, Bar Superette doubles as a wine store with everything in the help-yourself wine fridges available to sip in-house or take home. There’s also excellent lunchtime sandwiches and a curated range of deli goods – like salumi by LP’s Quality Meats and Fabbrica pasta packs.
@barsuperette
16/20 Market Street, Merimbula

Sunny’s Kiosk
Tess Podger and her partner Matt Johnston (ex-Madalena’s, Fremantle), opened Sunny’s Kiosk right on the water’s edge of Merimbula’s Back Lake in late 2022. Arrive bright and early via the meandering boardwalk track or by car for coffee and brekkie. Sri Lankan-inspired avo on toast is a tasty riff on a classic with peanut nam jim, feta and coriander, but the real magic happens on weekend evenings when Podger’s beverage know-how and Johnston’s funky-fresh small plates only add to the view from the go-to sunset spot. Opt for the crudo of whatever fish has been caught that day and anything featuring locally grown veggies.
@sunnyskiosk
68 Lakewood Drive, Merimbula

Bar Monti
Jamie Sverdrupsen (ex-Restaurant Hubert) and his wife Kat moved their young family back home in 2022 to open neighbourhood Italian joint Bar Monti. Sverdrupsen’s excellent pizza and house-made pasta filled a gaping hole in the local food scene – and the aesthetically pleasing scoops of tiramisu are a non-negotiable way to finish up. Bar Monti has carved out a space all its own: casual enough for a spontaneous midweek dinner, and special enough for any sort of celebration.
@barmonti.restaurant
6/11 Merimbula Drive, Merimbula

J-Bird Cantina
During the pandemic, the Sverdrupsens – together with local chef Brett Kryskow – began running pop-up Asian-leaning takeaway nights along the coast under the J-Bird banner. As of December 2023, they have a permanent nest for their renowned good-time vibes on the main street – J-Bird Cantina. It’s a mishmash of rotating small plates and booze in a laid-back space. The new digs bring plans for a full rebrand and more focused cuisine direction after the holiday chaos subsides.
@j_bird_au
56 Market Street, Merimbula

Aristotelis ke Anthoula
The emerging dining scene is attracting other young’uns to the area, too. Partners in life and winemaking Tony Zafirakos and Maddison Park-Neilson made the move to Merimbula – which Park-Neilson says “feels like paradise” – from the Southern Highlands in 2022. And it was all to make natty drops in nearby Pambula for their label Aristotelis ke Anthoula. What started as a hobby for Tony’s parents – Aristotelis and Anthoula – decades ago in their Sydney garage (with boxes of grapes from the markets) has been honed and finessed by the next gen into a boutique label with a solid following. You can sip their vibrant low-intervention drops – like the juicy orange number Sonnyboy or oyster-ready White-ish – on local wine lists or at the cellar door on select days this summer (bookings essential). Simply holiday dreaming? Pick up a bottle from their stall at Carriageworks Farmers Market.
@aristotelis_ke_anthoula

Despite the venues that would still shine bright in even the slickest city, Merimbula still boasts small-town charm. And rather than be concerned about increasing competition, the fresh cohort has a more-is-merrier approach. “There are so many young business owners like us here,” Park-Neilson says. “It’s been really fun working alongside like-minded people and it’s inspiring. There’s a beautiful community element to it. Whether it’s sharing staff, staff accommodation or finding local suppliers, the venues here work together.”