Sips and Bites: Autumn 2025
What’s brewing, cooking and happening…
NEW IN TOWN
Ra Restaurant at Sunshine Beach is your one-stop-shop for superb Sri Lankan flavours! Grab a gorgeous curry, enjoy Happy Hour at Ra Bar from 3-5pm with great deals on drinks or unique small eats and don’t miss the regular Sri Lankan Sunday Breakfast Feast, Sunday Lunch Special or Vegan Detox lunch!
Experience the authentic flavours of Japan, infused with a fundamental philosophy of devotion to nature and local ingredients at Sushi Kuon Noosa in The Pavillion in Noosa Junction.
Also in the Junction, Sabrosa Dim Sum House (by the team at Somedays Pizza and Mariella Mexicantina) has taken over the old Nudge Nudge Wink Wink space! Enjoy bold Cantonese flavours that showcase the master craftsmanship of dim sum + there’s a DJ spinning vinyl ‘till late every Friday, and Saturday night!
Peregian Beach Village has a new family-friendly pizza restaurant and cocktail bar! Delilah Pizza has taken over the old Pitchfork space, and is serving up wood-fired pizzas, craft cocktails, local wines in a relaxed coastal setting!
Experience exciting Asian street food flavours at Lee-Lu Noosa, open daily at Seahaven Resort on Hastings Street.
FRESH FACES
Creative Tours is embarking on an exciting new journey with new owners, Jamie Marshall and Carly Wilkinson promising to build on the special events and adventures started by much-loved Josh and Deb Donohue!
Chinadina has new owners and will retain familiar flavours with a lot of the same faces in the kitchen, including Henry Alvarez stepping up to the Head Chef role. The Gold Medal award-winning chef will bring decades of experience to incorporate new flavours from Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, while keeping some of the Cantonese favourites from southern China (see page 54). Former owners, Tim and Chloe will continue to focus on Gusto with the return of the Famous Sunday Roast, Bottomless Rosé Lunch plus a superb Lobster Roll, happy hour, lunch and dinner specials from $39; locals BYO on Thursdays with no corkage – and more (see page 56).
DINING DELIGHTS
Start your weekend off right catching a few waves before an autumn breaky with killer views at the Sunshine Beach Surfie! Or join the Sunshine Curry Club, with delectable curries served up every Tuesday night! Relish Restaurant at Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort is dishing up every day elegance a daily lunch special of your choice of entrée + main or main + dessert with a glass of wine for $52, or your choice of entrée + main or main + dessert for $45.
Park & Cove Noosa at Pepper’s Noosa Resort & Villas are offering lazy Sunday half-price pizzas from 4-7pm, $1 chicken wings on Mondays; $5 tacos on Wednesdays, or a Locals Lunch from just $29! Plus kids (under 12) eat FREE on Thursday nights! Don’t miss the Italian Long Lunch on the last Sunday of each month at Noosa Waterfront Restaurant & Bar – and why not join Andrea Ravezzani for a guided Gastronomic Odyssey through Italy (see page 60)?! See page 60 for more!).Lucio’s lunch special is back with two courses + glass of wine for $55 and don’t miss half price oysters from 3-4pm and Happy Hour from 3.30-5pm, Monday-Saturday. Sunday sunset sessions offer $15 spritzes, a special aperitivo snack menu and live music in the river lounge from 3.30-6.30pm.
HOP TO IT!
For all your Good Friday and Easter seafood needs, hop along to Noosa Harbour Fish Market for the freshest and tastiest seafood on the coast! Don’t miss the Big Easter Egg Hunt at Park & Cove Noosa on 20 April; and be sure to grab your chocolate treats from Noosa Chocolate Factory who have committed to no price hikes, no cutting corners and no substitute ingredients. Just the same handcrafted, high quality chocolate you know and love – yay! Don’t miss their amazing 6kg Giant Bunny – a chocolate lover’s dream handcrafted over four hours with signature smooth chocolate! Easter orders close 11 April so hop to it!
Hot Cross Bun Gin is back in flavour at Sunshine & Sons – and get ready for the return of Mum’s Rose Bouquet Gin with a bouquet of rose petals, rosellas and other divine botanicals. Meanwhile, the multi-award winning Nil Desperandum celebrated its 5th birthday – why not book a Founder’s Tour or Cocktail Class today?
WINNING FLAVOURS
The results of the 2025 AGFG Chef’s Hats Awards are in! Amongst the 19 venues featured, our hats go off to our faves Locale, Ricky’s River Bar & Restaurant, Lucio’s Marina and Noosa Waterfront Restaurant and Bella Venezia Mooloolaba. for their commended success & constant commitment to showcasing the fine food from our region!
FESTIVAL FEASTS
Autumn is for eating! We’re spoilt for choice with GourMAY Mary Valley running for the entire month of May, including producer talks, long lunches, delectable dinners, farm tours and more (see page 32); Noosa Eat & Drink with divine restaurant events, the Festival Village and Signature Events (see page 34); and The Curated Plate with a feast of fabulous events taking over the Sunshine Coast for ten days (see page 38).
SAKE AT SOKA
Keen to soak up some Sake and find out more about this ancient wine? Join us for Hello Sunshine Magazine’s Soka at Sake lunch at Soka in Ocean Street, Maroochydore on Friday 2 May from 12 noon for a traditional Japanese banquet, including dishes from the Hibachi Grill, paired with sake and insights from the sake expert. Visit hellosunshinemag.com.au/sake-at-soka/ for more.
