You’ll find a contender for the best fish and chips in the country, a retro servo with snacks and a fun vibe, outstanding baked goods and more.
When was the last time you stepped out of the car in Wollongong after driving over the Sea Cliff Bridge? If it’s been a while, you should seize the day, because from Coledale to Port Kembla, there’s excellent food to experience.
Here are 10 delicious reasons to explore the ’Gong region in the form of charming restaurants, top-notch coffee and bars.
Rosie’s Fish & Chips, Coledale
No trip to the area is complete without taking a hot parcel of fish and chips to the beach and watching the waves barrel in. And the best place to get that bundle is from Rosie’s – a contender for the best fish and chips in the country. That’s because it fries its chips in grass-fed beef tallow (like the ones in northern England), resulting in potato hunks that are wonderfully flavoursome, and because co-owner Ben Sinfield is committed to working with local fishers and avoiding more common imported fillets.
Couple Sinfield and Tania Ho are used to serving patrons who’ve come from the city in pursuit for flavour, and while you’re likely to have to line up, it’s an efficient operation. The catch of the day can be grilled or battered, but if fish doesn’t concern you, it’s OK to get just the chip butty. Sinfield and Ho also own Banh Xeo Bar in Rosebery and the local RSL kitchen, where they serve schnitzels, pies and fish and chips. The vibe? Regional club chic, ugly carpets and all.
757 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale, rosiesfishandchips.com.au
The Servo, Port Kembla
No night at this community hub will ever be the same, whether that’s because a new food truck has bumped in, you’re seeing an up-and-coming band or you’ve made new friends playing shuffleboard. The only thing that’s a given at this renovated Ampol service station is sipping from its great selection of locally brewed beers (and a damn good time). When we visited The Servo last, we snacked on steamy prawn har gow from Pop Up Dumpling Bar, but you might come across deep-fried lasagne sangas by Roy’s Restobar or butter chicken jaffles from popular Indian market stall Pocket Rocketz.
6-8 Wentworth Street, Port Kembla, servoportkembla.com
Ciro’s, Thirroul
Judging by the flocks of locals loading up with Ciro’s takeaway boxes, Thirroul residents are quite aware their town has great pizza. The base is thin, blistered and subtly sour, and you can also have it in flatbread form to mop up stracciatella with pistachio vinaigrette, or whipped ricotta underneath charred butternut pumpkin. A pizzeria is only as good as its margherita, and this one has the ideal balance of San Marzano tomato sweetness and creamy dollops of fior di latte. The white-sauced pizzas are just as good, including the garlicky, earthy “shroom” number.
1 Raymond Road, Thirroul, cirospizzathirroul.com
Restaurant Santino, Wollongong
For an occasion-worthy meal, look no further than the hatted Santino, serving generous, refined Italian cuisine. The walls of the cavernous space are lined with preserves and old photos of Sinatra alongside Italian greats. Euro disco grooves in the background, while groups fight over a gigantic, velvety polpetta di manzo sitting in a rich, sweet sugo. Twirl house-made chitarra dotted with lobster, and continue your night at its new Iberian sibling, Bar Lina, next door (hello, wood-fired pastel de nata).
2/17 Globe Lane, Wollongong, restaurantsantino.com.au
Roy’s Restobar, Wollongong
Roy’s Restobar is two years old, but we can’t imagine a time before it existed, thanks to its creative Euro-leaning menu and fun wines. At $75 a head, the set menu for groups is good value, and leaves more space to focus on a natural-led wine list. If you’re dining a la carte, choose grilled and fried octopus charged with zingy black-garlic sauce and pair it with a glass of Roy’s custom beer made by Southern Highlands Brewing Co. For dessert, stewed rhubarb and velvety white chocolate custard beneath a crunchy, caramelised sugar crisp is one for everyone, whatever the occasion.
Shop 4/166 Keira Street, Wollongong, roysrestobar.com.au
Halfday Deli, Wollongong
Halfday leads a double life as pizza bar by night and cafe by the day, when it makes Italian-inspired sandwiches on bouncy ciabatta. During the day, we love to get the saucy meatball sub drowning in sugo. For dinner, go for the prosciutto pizza with creme fraiche and roast grapes. It also offers Wollongong’s most considered matcha range, and house-made cannoli, cookies and muffins. You can also find these treats at older sibling, Opus, where the main game is hangover-curing bagels.
Shop 1/38 Atchison Street, Wollongong, halfdaydeli.com
Millers’ Local, various locations
You’ll find some of Wollongong’s best baked goods here, with multiple locations and queues at all of them. They move fast, meaning you’ll also have to move fast if you want to try everything before it sells out. Our top picks are its pistachio raspberry croissant, or its famous springy cinnamon bun. It supplies its tangy, hydrated sourdough to Wollongong’s top restaurants such as Santino, so picking up a loaf or two for yourself isn’t a bad idea either.
Various locations, millerslocalbakehouse.com
Casa Lu, Wollongong
The busy team at this small, sunshine yellow grab-and-go joint slings Italian sandwiches that our team have made detours for. Half the joy at Casa Lu is its stone-oven baked schiacciata bread. The other half, of course, are the flavour combinations that lie between the slices, which are never overly complicated. Our top picks are the crunchy porchetta with smoked cheese and apple sauce, or the salty, creamy mortadella sandwich with stracciatella, green olives and crushed pistachio. It also offers a small selection of Italian pastries and baked goods, including pistachio cookies and crisp sfogliatelle.
84C Kembla Street, Wollongong, casalu.com.au
The Black Cockatoo, Wollongong
If you’re looking for a drink or two, Miller’s Local on Kembla Street turns into the dark, easygoing Black Cockatoo bar come nightfall, where good times are always rolling. Gregarious staff are down for a chin-wag and excellent drink recommendations. Always ask about the cocktail special, and you may find yourself rewarded with pineapple hot honey margaritas. Pro tip: The Black Cockatoo holds a coaster drawing competition every Wednesday night, so get in touch with your inner cartoonist and you may score a $50 voucher.
88 Kembla Street, Wollongong, blackcockatoobar.com.au
Duck in Heaven, Thirroul
Get glistening, textbook Peking duck at this dedicated duck hub in Thirroul. It comes in servings for two or four people, at $75 and $135 respectively. The ode to the bird continues throughout the menu with duck wontons, sweet and sour duck and duck fried rice. If you’re after a non-poultry protein, fear not. Char siu pork, scallop dumplings and crispy eggplant are all great, too. You can also plan your day around its dumpling-making classes, or its Tuesday mahjong social club.
303 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul, duckinheaven.com.au
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Isabel Cant – Isabel is a social media editor for Good Food. Prior to joining Good Food, Isabel worked as a freelance journalist. She was also previously a social media producer for Endemol Shine Australia, working on MasterChef Australia and Dessert Masters.
