REVIEW
Few dining rooms in Australia are as true to their name as Beach, the foam-white pavilion perched on the dunes of Byron’s Clarkes Beach. It’s the perfect setting for head chef Alanna Sapwell’s concise, Mediterranean-esque stylings; her relaxed-but-refined plates seasoned by the saltwater breeze as they drift through the sunny open dining room. Sapwell’s time at Sydney’s Saint Peter is particularly evident in the daily specials – ribbons of charcoal-licked squid caught two kilometres away, say, knotted over a peppery nasturtium salsa verde. There’s plenty for pescatarians, carnivores and vegetarians alike, but the knockout punch is a sweet one: cubes of pineapple, white peach and rollinia (a native custard apple, sourced nearby) jelly alongside coconut sorbet and guava granita, evoking childhood memories of ice-cream and tinned fruit. It’s a dessert poised to become an instant classic, exactly the right way to end a day at the Beach.
ABOUT
Beach Byron Bay
2 Massinger St, Byron Bay
1300 583 766
Chef Alanna Sapwell
Price guide $$
Bookings Essential
Wheelchair access Yes
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, click here.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2023
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national [Top 82]
