Looking for the best restaurants in Mooloolaba? Great you have come to the right place, whether you are looking for Thai, Chinese, Italian or fine dining – we have you covered!
Eating is one of life’s great pleasure so it comes with no surprise that when you go away on holidays you want to come to a place with good food.
The good news is that Mooloolaba really does deliver on the food front, in fact it has improved so much in recent years that now visiting restaurants happen to be one of the best things to do in Mooloolaba.
Best Restaurants in Mooloolaba you Must Try!
Italian Restaurants in Mooloolaba
il Vento at The Wharf Mooloolaba
This Italian restaurant is part of a chain, you will find another one of their restaurants in Brisbane so if you miss dining here while on your trip to Mooloolaba, you can always visit their second location on a night out in Brisbane.
I would highly recommend the pizzas at il Vento, they are wood fired and delicious! It is the perfect place to casually dine in Mooloolaba after drinking at the wharf or going on a whale watching trip.
Thsi restaurant is not just the best Italian Restaurant in Mooloolaba but it is the #1 rated restaurant in Mooloolaba as per tripadvisor ratings.
The restaurant is not just a homey Italian restaurant where you will see Nonna cooking spaghetti but more a high end Italian restaurant, right on the esplanade. It might not look much as you walk along the front but venture further inside and the real ambience of the place comes alive with velvet seats and beautiful decorative art from Italy.
Don’t expect a cheap eat here, it is a relatively expensive place to eat in Mooloolaba, perfect for a nice birthday treat or holiday meal.
Best Thai Restaurants in Mooloolaba
This restaurant is perhaps our absolute favourite restaurant to visit in Mooloolaba. The Thai food is out of this world outstanding, possibly the best Thai I have ever had, including in Thailand, which is saying a lot.
Dining is causal and the prices are quite reasonable and won’t break the bank. If you visit, don’t miss ordering one of their currys, you can’t go wrong with any of them but the Thai Green curry is my personal favourite.
Another highly rated thai restaurant in Mooloolaba is the Thai Lotus. If Ton Khao is booked out (which can regularly happen!) we would recommend going here.
The food is good quality, reasonably priced and if you feel like eating at your Mooloolaba accommodation you can also get takeaway here.
Fine Dining Restaurants in Mooloolaba
Mooloolaba has some really nice fine dining restaurants for a special occasion and See restaurant is definitely one of the best. If you want a great over water dining restaurant in Mooloolaba, this is a great spot.
One of the most popular items on the menu is the BBQ Seafood tasting plate which includes King prawns, scallops, rare salmon, Moreton bay bugs, calamari, corn pebre and caper aioli.
Tip – If you want to dine for lunch mid week, this place has an amazing lunch special. For $40 pp you can get an entree, a main and a house wine or beer.
Pier 33 Restaurant is probably one of the prettiest or instagrammable restaurants in the area and has similar vibes to The Pavillion at Burleigh which has similar vibes if you are into hipster spots.
Like See Restaurant it also offers amazing overwater dining. Many people choose to get married here as it is so pretty.
Best Mexican Food in Mooloolaba
The best Mexican isn’t exactly found in Mooloolaba but down the road in Alexandra Headlands.
You know something is good when it’s popular and this place is brimming with people every night. If you feel like Mexican, this place rates itself as serving up the best Mexican on the Sunshine Coast.
Best Chinese Food in Mooloolaba
There’s nothing quite like a succulent Chinese meal!
If Chinese is what you are after, Bauhinia Chinese is where you should go. Known for making a particularly succulent peking duck, you can’t go wrong here.
Best Fish and Chips in Mooloolaba
Mooloolaba Fish Market
You can buy both raw and cooked fish and other seafood here. They have good fish and chip combo deals (which are pretty much the same price as buying the fish alone!). The cooked fish is exceptional, the chips could be better truth be told, but they are a good freebie.
It is nice to eat the fish and chips in the table and chairs across the road from the shop, next to the beach.
Cafes in Mooloolaba
The Velo Project
If you are happy to explore more of what Mooloolaba has to offer, we would suggest visiting the Velo Project, a hidden gem in this paradise beach town and one of the most popular cafes among locals.
If it not located on the Mooloolaba esplanade like many of the cafes in the precinct which mean that many tourists don’t go there. However, it is well worth the walk or short drive from wherever you live or are staying.
Not only do the local owners serve extremely good quality food made from local produce but the coffee is of an exceptionally high level.
The cafe has a hipster vibe which is really fun too.
Bomba Coffee House
Another great place and a fan favourite with locals again in Mooloolaba is the Bomba Coffee House. There is a seriously cool vibe there AND it makes a great cup of coffee. It’s motto of “coffee and chills” really sums up the place nicely!
Again, this coffee shop is located slightly off the Mooloolaba esplanade and doesn’t have an ocean view to enjoy your daily cup, but the vibe and coziness of this hipster cafe is well worth it.
Inside are some cool touches like artwork you can buy from local artists and tables that you can doodle on. If you feel like a cheap breakfast there is a make your own toast station. All coffee some with a free chocolate sprinkle which always gets me in!
Open: Best for the early birds as it is only open to 11am daily.
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