Kate’s guidebook
Food scene
Our favourite eats on the Surf Coast. From casual coffee to award winning restaurants with a view.
Our regular. Swell is an easy walk. The coffee and pastries are great and the staff are friendly. Cozy inside on a cold day, bustling outside on a warm one. We also like the juices, crumpets and roti wraps.
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Swell Foods & Coastal Catering
Stuart AvenueOur regular. Swell is an easy walk. The coffee and pastries are great and the staff are friendly. Cozy inside on a cold day, bustling outside on a warm one. We also like the juices, crumpets and roti wraps.
Take away or eat in. Also an easy walk from the beach house. Nice crunchy base and quality toppings. A relaxed dining in experience, or grab some take away and take it to Bird Rock lookout for some views.
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The Cave Wood Fired Pizza
20 Princes TerraceTake away or eat in. Also an easy walk from the beach house. Nice crunchy base and quality toppings. A relaxed dining in experience, or grab some take away and take it to Bird Rock lookout for some views.
Our favourite pub on the Surf Coast. Generously sized meals, beer brewed on site. Extensive outdoor dining space for a warm day, and a wood fire for a cold one.
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Aireys Pub
45 Great Ocean RdOur favourite pub on the Surf Coast. Generously sized meals, beer brewed on site. Extensive outdoor dining space for a warm day, and a wood fire for a cold one.
Our favourite casual brunch/lunch cafe. Excellent food and drinks. Outdoor play space for kids. Shady balcony for a warm day.
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The Stoop
1 Cliff StOur favourite casual brunch/lunch cafe. Excellent food and drinks. Outdoor play space for kids. Shady balcony for a warm day.
Small and very popular. Exceptional coffee and highly photogenic lunches.
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The Pond Cafe
39 The EsplanadeSmall and very popular. Exceptional coffee and highly photogenic lunches.
Big, relaxed, and very local. Ocean Grind is a local coffee roaster and cafe. Sustainably minded (no take away cups provided here, bring your keep cup). Table tennis tables, great pastries, and Friday food trucks. Check their Instagram for what is on offer.
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Ocean Grind
10B Sawmills WayBig, relaxed, and very local. Ocean Grind is a local coffee roaster and cafe. Sustainably minded (no take away cups provided here, bring your keep cup). Table tennis tables, great pastries, and Friday food trucks. Check their Instagram for what is on offer.
Open beach kiosk. A favourite with dog owners and kids. Prime location on the beach at Fisho's beach break. A great start/end point for a walk along the Esplanade.
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The Salty Dog Cafe
47 The EsplanadeOpen beach kiosk. A favourite with dog owners and kids. Prime location on the beach at Fisho's beach break. A great start/end point for a walk along the Esplanade.
A new specialist pasta restaurant in Torquay. Just excellent wine and pasta. Dishes are small and more highly priced, but worth it for the high quality and stylish space. Excellent customer service. Constantly changing menu. Great for a special occasion or a date night.
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Pearl Torquay
8 Pearl StA new specialist pasta restaurant in Torquay. Just excellent wine and pasta. Dishes are small and more highly priced, but worth it for the high quality and stylish space. Excellent customer service. Constantly changing menu. Great for a special occasion or a date night.
Fancy fish and chips in a great location. Great outdoor dining or take away meal boxes.
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Fishos Torquay
36 The EsplanadeFancy fish and chips in a great location. Great outdoor dining or take away meal boxes.
Relaxed outdoor dining and delicious Vietnamese. We love the spring rolls and pho fusions. Also great takeaway
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Pholklore
38 The EsplanadeRelaxed outdoor dining and delicious Vietnamese. We love the spring rolls and pho fusions. Also great takeaway
For a really special dinner. By the owners of Geelong's Tulip Restaurant. Experimental and uses local produce. Book ahead.
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Samesyn
24 Bell StFor a really special dinner. By the owners of Geelong's Tulip Restaurant. Experimental and uses local produce. Book ahead.
Delicious fresh Japanese. The secret 'not on the menu' dish Ginger Ninja is our fave
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Roku Den
34 Bell StDelicious fresh Japanese. The secret 'not on the menu' dish Ginger Ninja is our fave
Neighbourhoods
Relaxed, with a bit of a surf obsession. We love it here.
Lovely community and pristine outdoor spaces.
Every bit of Jan Juc beach has something to offer. Nothing beats a late afternoon rock pool dip under the shade of the cliffs at Bird Rock end on a hot day. Watch the local kids jumping off the rock. Sneak around the corner on low tide to explore the caves between Bird Rock and 'Steps' surf break (you can walk all the way around and up the other stairs on low tide). You can also sneak around the point at the Torquay end of the beach on low tide through great rock formations.
The cafe strip has all you need. Milk bar/coffee/dinner/pub/pizza/indoor plant nursery.
The Bob Pettit Reserve has an oval/epic playground/small skate and dirt bike park.
Or take a leisurely stroll through the reserve (ender across the road on Dunkeith through a little alley way about halfway down. It takes you to the Jan Juc Surf Club end of the beach.
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Jan Juc
Relaxed, with a bit of a surf obsession. We love it here.
Lovely community and pristine outdoor spaces.
Every bit of Jan Juc beach has something to offer. Nothing beats a late afternoon rock pool dip under the shade of the cliffs at Bird Rock end on a hot day. Watch the local kids jumping off the rock. Sneak around the corner on low tide to explore the caves between Bird Rock and 'Steps' surf break (you can walk all the way around and up the other stairs on low tide). You can also sneak around the point at the Torquay end of the beach on low tide through great rock formations.
The cafe strip has all you need. Milk bar/coffee/dinner/pub/pizza/indoor plant nursery.
The Bob Pettit Reserve has an oval/epic playground/small skate and dirt bike park.
Or take a leisurely stroll through the reserve (ender across the road on Dunkeith through a little alley way about halfway down. It takes you to the Jan Juc Surf Club end of the beach.
River side walks, heathland bush walks, mountain bike trails and beautiful beaches. The traffic gets busy driving through town (allow extra time), but it's worth exploring.
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Anglesea
River side walks, heathland bush walks, mountain bike trails and beautiful beaches. The traffic gets busy driving through town (allow extra time), but it's worth exploring.
Sightseeing
Torquay has exploded since we have been here, and has brought with it heaps of great places to eat, markets and events. Keep an eye on the Torquay pub for gigs, the Saturday Farmers market, and the monthly Sunday Cowrie Market.
The main centre (Gilbert Street) has everything you will need. If you are finding the traffic/parking hard to deal with, it can be worth heading out to the Woolworths/shopping centre in Torquay North for groceries.
A cruise along the Esplanade should not be missed. Cozy Corner and Fisho's beach are great for calm waters and beach time. We also like the spot of sand opposite Growlers restaurant for easy access to the beach (and a drink after if you desire).
For some history, the Surf Museum is tucked behind the library.
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Torquay
Torquay has exploded since we have been here, and has brought with it heaps of great places to eat, markets and events. Keep an eye on the Torquay pub for gigs, the Saturday Farmers market, and the monthly Sunday Cowrie Market.
The main centre (Gilbert Street) has everything you will need. If you are finding the traffic/parking hard to deal with, it can be worth heading out to the Woolworths/shopping centre in Torquay North for groceries.
A cruise along the Esplanade should not be missed. Cozy Corner and Fisho's beach are great for calm waters and beach time. We also like the spot of sand opposite Growlers restaurant for easy access to the beach (and a drink after if you desire).
For some history, the Surf Museum is tucked behind the library.
Great for a walk in nature. Nice flat tracks easy on a pram. The Koorie Cultural walk has more stairs and slopes and makes for a great mini hike with information on this historically significant site all the way.
Ironbark Basin Nature Trail
Ironbark Basin Nature TrailGreat for a walk in nature. Nice flat tracks easy on a pram. The Koorie Cultural walk has more stairs and slopes and makes for a great mini hike with information on this historically significant site all the way.
Beach spots
The ultimate family friendly beach. A shallow lagoon forms on low tide which is perfect for little ones. Toilets, BBQ's, shower to rinse off, and an ice cream van in the afternoon. Great spot for a beach picnic as there are lots of grassed areas and tables.
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Cosy Corner Beach
The ultimate family friendly beach. A shallow lagoon forms on low tide which is perfect for little ones. Toilets, BBQ's, shower to rinse off, and an ice cream van in the afternoon. Great spot for a beach picnic as there are lots of grassed areas and tables.
If you can brave the steps on the way back up, this is our beach. Low tide reveals great rock pools and allows you to sneak around the corner to explore sea caves. Generally shaded in the later afternoon (leave the umbrella at home) its the perfect spot to wait out a warm day.
Bird Rock
If you can brave the steps on the way back up, this is our beach. Low tide reveals great rock pools and allows you to sneak around the corner to explore sea caves. Generally shaded in the later afternoon (leave the umbrella at home) its the perfect spot to wait out a warm day.
Iconic Surf Break (next to the equally amazing WinkiPop). Not great for swimming, but perfect for laying on the sand and watching the surf.
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Bells Beach
Iconic Surf Break (next to the equally amazing WinkiPop). Not great for swimming, but perfect for laying on the sand and watching the surf.
Kid friendly, heaps of space for walking. Gentle waves.
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Fisherman's Beach
The EsplanadeKid friendly, heaps of space for walking. Gentle waves.
Our absolute favourite beach. It takes a little effort to get there (a 10 minute drive, a walk down the stairs), but it is definitely worth it. A stunning beach, great waves, and set in a marine reserve. Take it all in from the first main lookout on the left if you don't want to hit the sand. Where the locals go when Torquay gets crowded. Plenty of room for everyone here.
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Spiaggia di Point Addis
Point Addis BoardwalkOur absolute favourite beach. It takes a little effort to get there (a 10 minute drive, a walk down the stairs), but it is definitely worth it. A stunning beach, great waves, and set in a marine reserve. Take it all in from the first main lookout on the left if you don't want to hit the sand. Where the locals go when Torquay gets crowded. Plenty of room for everyone here.