The 50 best coffee shops and best cafes in Port Stephens

Delicious food, great cocktails, friendly staff and a fabulous view. Went there for my birthday dinner and thoroughly enjoyed myself, and even got a birthday song. Will be back next time we're in town. Lots of great seafood options which were fresh fresh and included some native additions, good selection for kids and a delicious looking vegetarian/vegan menu as well.

Loved this place, situated in an idyllic spot overlooking Nelson Bay. Watching the late afternoon light merge into sunset made for a delightful experience. Our meal started with Shark Bay half shell scallops with candied blood orange and jamon. This turned out to be a perfect blend of flavours. The other entree was rare sliced house smoked duck breast with citrus, radicchio, cherry caramel and wattle hazelnut. It tasted delightful. Following this, the main course consisted of fresh local sword fish with spinach and ricotta ravioli in saffron pasta, saffron beurre blanc, broccoli, blistered tomato and toasted pepita. We chose the recommended wine with each course and were not disappointed. Dessert was a tasting plate for two with a sample of each desert. Accompanied by coffee, this was a pleasant way to finish the meal. We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening and are happy to recommend this delightful restaurant.

We celebrated our anniversary here. We were sat overlooking the water which was beautiful. The staff were amazing and super inviting. Food and drinks were delicious. Chicken supreme and Cauliflower risotto are a must. Can't wait to visit again!

The entire experience was amazing. Sherwin really looked after us. Not too much and not too little attention. From the get go, he knew our names and had a great attitude. The black ink squid spaghetti with the halopenos was just perfect, as well as the fresh oysters. Thank you Dean for running such a great restaurant. We WILL return...

My partner and I shared an anniversary dinner here tonight and everything was fantastic, service was lovely and the food was amazing. We had beautiful seating overlooking the water sunset as well! We shared the 3 course set menu and thoroughly enjoyed the lamb rib, ravioli, pork belly, market fish (Murray cod), panna cotta, and the Black Forest semifreddo, everything was quick, hot, and delicious. They were also very easily able to accommodate my dairy allergy which is always immensely appreciated!! We will be sure to be back next time we are in the Nelson Bay area!

My partner and I had an amazing experience. The food was delicious and the service was spot on. Sherwin looked after us which made the whole experience so enjoyable.

Thoroughly enjoyed. Warm and friendly staff enhanced the experience. Food excellent. We love fresh tasty seafood. Wine varied, offering recommendations to be enjoyed with each course, if that’s your vibe. We had the Riesling with the delicious fish of the day. You cannot beat the views, perfect. My new favourite restaurant.

We went to the cafe for breakfast. The cafe is located outside of Hotel Nelson. The decor and the atmosphere were good. We order the Nelson special, burritos and 2 coffees. The coffees came out quite fast, but not sure why my matcha latte was in the paper cup? The waiters were quite busy, so I didn’t want to bother them. However we had to wait at least 25 mins for our meals, the waiter and I made an eye contact before I was going to hassle her about our meals. The serving of Nelson special was generous for $29. The bacon in burrito was a bit salty, and it could do with some more salad or vegetables. The coffee was nice though.

We came in towards end of service for lunch and the food was excellent. The prawn linguine and the acai bowl were both delicious and great value. Our food arrived quickly and we never felt rushed. Every time we come back to Nelson Bay, we drop in here for a bite and have never been disappointed.

We stopped by The Little Nel Cafe and really enjoyed our breakfast! We ordered the Shishito Scrambled Eggs and Eggs Benedict, and both were delicious. The shishito scrambled eggs had a nice, mild kick from the peppers and were creamy and well-seasoned, a fresh twist on regular scrambled eggs. The Eggs Benedict was classic and tasty, with perfectly poached eggs and a rich hollandaise sauce that wasn’t too heavy. The vibe of the cafe was cozy and welcoming, perfect for a relaxed morning. Service was friendly and attentive. Would definitely recommend for a chill breakfast spot in town.

This breakfast place was one of the recommended places to go to when we're in Nelson Bay. So we decided to give it a go, apart from slow service the food was good. We ordered some items through the counter while waiting, but even after we got a table and informed the table no, they still served the coffee in a takeaway container with no table service. Recommended: Smashed avocado on sourdough.

My new favourite place @thelittlenel in #portstephens Nelson bay. With a brilliant menu it was hard to choose and plates so big I had to takeaway my leftovers. Food, coffee and juice was delicious and I love the little touch of having throws to keep warm while we ate in their beautiful patio setting. Looking forward to visiting over and over and making my way through the exciting menu choices.

Food was well served with good flavors. Service was prompt and outdoor sitting was cosy.

As recent new residents in Nelson Bay we have tried Little Nel on five occasions, with very mixed experiences. Visit 1, the wait time for a coffee was far too long. Visit 2, the coffee came on time but the banana bread didn’t come at all until we asked at the counter. Visit 3 was lunch and that was ok, good food and service was swift, but asking for a carafe for the water was problematic for the staff and when they found one rather than bring it to the table, the server just pointed to the water station and said you pick it up yourself. Visit 4, food and service were good, but it was a Tuesday and a quiet lunch. However, visit 5 exposed the lack of customer service. We have a small dog so can only sit in a few locations outside. But the floor was messy with plant debris. We asked if they had a broom to clear a bit for him to sit under the table and they said no, so we moved to a different table and because he then sat on the bench with us they said he couldn’t sit there and had to go on the floor (the floor that they couldn’t be bothered to sweep quickly). So we left. Unfortunately the attitudes of the young staff is lacking, with very little care for the customer that would have spent close to $100 that day. Although we want to support local businesses, this is an example of one that must lift its game to build loyalty. Sadly, that’s the last time we will try Little Nel. For anyone wanting breakfast or lunch I would suggest The Home Interior or Magnolia where the food and service are consistently excellent.

I came from Sydney for the weekend it was my second visit, and I loved it even more this time. Penny, who looked after me, she was so professional, friendly, and attentive. Her warm smile and kind attitude honestly made my day. The steak was delicious, the coffee was great, and the whole place was bright, clean, and beautifully designed. The manager was also very welcoming and genuine. Everything was just perfect definitely one of the best places I’ve visited in the area . I’ll be coming back for sure!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🫶

We had a beautiful yummy meal with great service - Tayla was such a lovely waitress! Super sweet, always smiling and made us feel right at home. The location was also perfect, thanks team for being so awesome — we’ll definitely be back!

We had dinner upstairs at the Country Club Hotel and it was such a great experience! Tegan, the manager, was absolutely amazing — so friendly, welcoming, and went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for us. You can really tell she cares about the guests and runs things beautifully. And a big shoutout to the lovely girl with the New Zealand accent — she was just as fantastic! So kind, helpful, and full of good vibes all night. Thanks to the whole team for making it such an easy, relaxed, and enjoyable night. We’ll definitely be back!

Shoal Bay Country Club is one of the most beautiful seaside spots to relax and enjoy great food in Port Stephens. The restaurant has a lively yet cozy atmosphere, with stunning ocean views that make every visit feel like a holiday. The menu offers a wide variety of dishes — from fresh seafood and wood-fired pizza to juicy burgers and refreshing cocktails. Everything is well-prepared and beautifully presented. The service is friendly and efficient, and the staff make you feel genuinely welcome. Whether you’re here for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the vibe is always warm and inviting. It’s also a great place to enjoy a drink with friends while watching the sunset over Shoal Bay. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the area — perfect for both casual dining and special occasions!

Had the most amazing service by a young girl called grace. We came in for breakfast that morning then she served us again at our friends wedding. The venue is amazing from the food to the venue to the staff will definitely be coming back

Ordered the seafood basket for two, very disappointed the panko crumb prawns not too bad but so much calamari and over supply of chips and some of the fish escaped from the batter for $72 we could only eat a small portion. Just not nice. The only happy part was meeting Lisa she is a delight

Undoubtably the number one venue in Port Stephens for food and entertainment. Also attached is the Ramada, a high-end accommodation venue. This place has the best views and the best bands out of anywhere in Port Stephens. Book lunch at the bistro upstairs and check out the chicken wings and cocktails.

Last school holidays we went there and couldn’t get a table as they were fully booked out, recent school holidays we called and booked a table two days earlier and we were able to get in! The cafe is a great place to enjoy the sun! Make sure you check out their trading hours. The food and service was amazing! We also tried their specialty scones with fresh cream and jam! It was delicious! Peaceful but tiny and cozy place to be!

The restaurant offers a spectacular view and is easily accessible, which makes it a great spot to visit. The food was decent — not exceptional, but enjoyable enough. However, one major disappointment was that although the advertised closing time was 2:30 PM, the kitchen closed at 2:00 PM without any notice. This caught us off guard when we tried to place one more order. It would be great if the management ensures the staff adhere to the stated hours or at least inform guests in advance. Many people visit from far and wide, and such inconsistencies can leave a poor impression.

We went to visit Nelson bay lighthouse and went to the cafe for brunch. The service was good, the ladies worked very hard, and price of the food was reasonable. The beef burger and the chicken wrap were very generous in serving. I also ordered beetroot latte, which was nice too. The view was beautiful. Will come back again

Was prompty served and had a good spot facing the waters. Single scone $8 and coffee $5.9....plus nearly 2% card fee. Definitely paying higher for the location and its views.

Just a must see and must go . Spectacular views, great food, good people, easy to get to. Scones and jam/ cream were amazing. Will definitely go back next time in town

We enjoyed sitting overlooking the sea while having a scone. I recommend trying a scone from here. The scone was large and moist on the inside with a side jam and cream. Rainbow lorikeets were in the trees.

Hats off to the chef today ! Food is served immaculate with such care and presentation. Such friendly service upon arrival. The cafe is so tidy and so inviting ! Such a beautiful atmosphere and vibe at the inner light tea rooms, with an amazing view. The food is so fresh and the coffee was delicious. It was a humid day and the staff were still smiling and were so helpful thank you. Can’t wait to be back and enjoy more of the chefs beautiful food and wonderful coffee from the barista thank you again ! ☺️

Fantastic trendy atmosphere with superb coffee. Had breakfast here and was very happy with the high quality of food. Staff were very friendly. Loss of a star due to some small disappointments.... No Wifi, Very little to no mobile reception in building and some cutlery was a bit unclean.

Lovely staff and tasty food. Burger was good. Happy hour in the day 🍷 my order came out incorrect and the back kitchen got it wrong second time too. The floor manager was very apologetic and insisted I take the money for the meal back. I paid for the meals and thanked her for the hospitality. The cafe has just reopened from a long close due to COVID so it is understandable for staff to be slightly thrown off when returning back to work with the extra restrictions they need to be mindful of. Other restaurants and cafes in Sydney district are not so mindful so it was nice to be treated well by the staff here at Evviva. I will return again on my next visit to the area.

Nice and cozy atmosphere to go with family or friends. Good food as well as good service. Portion size could have been bigger though.

Loved the cute backyard with stunning food! Vegan options where amazing and the smashed avocado serving was huge! Will be back! 😁

Lovely food, I did enjoy a Spanish Omelette beautifully cooked, my congratulations to the chef, coffee also good. Service needs to improve, waitstaff performance in lazy way, lack of welcoming manners towards costumers.

Went there after reading some reviews here. The staff there was wonderful. Quick service. The food is very mediocre though and the place is very expensive. This is an only Tapas place. The baked Camembert was very ordinary and the spicy chicken had no spice whatsoever.

What a hidden away gem this is. An oasis in an already beautiful location. Breakfast & lunch then on Thur, Fri & Sat nights they have tapas. Highly recommend from having a delicious breakfast and lunch to the quiet drink in the afternoon. Thanks girls loved our quick breakfast ❤️

The staff were lovely, the food was ok for the price. We were looking for some fresh local seafood, we were sorry we chose Mavericks for seafood. The oysters Kirkpatrick were plump and creamy, some had shell in them, the sauce was too overpowering. The hot pot was ok. Only 1 muscle, it was so small , wasn't worth eating. There was plenty of squid, prawns and scallops, the fish had alot of brown flesh, The music and location were fantastic

Ambience is great with the place view of the marina from every angle while dining. Food though for the price, I'd say mediocre, we had garlic bread, that if it didn't have the olive oil/balsamic vinegar would have been very bland barely taste the garlic on the bread, kids steak is what you'd expect my daughter said "it's ok" she didn't touch the chips, salad which I usually have is funny, my wife had her usual seafood marinara she was looking forward to this but was extremely disappointed, pasta taste like Asian noodles stir fry that lacks that marina flavour maybe due to the lack of seafood in it, no muscles just a few pieces of prawns, our description for this would be egg noodles with olive oil dressing and prawns, it is not all bad though, the oysters I ordered turned out great! Oysters with Japanese dressing. Perfect mix of ponzu seaweed and seasoning and the Oysters meat is huge. Pricey maybe because of the view, serving sizes not that generous for the price.

Seriously delicious oysters. Good food and great views 👌 Best oysters I ever ate, fantastic pairing with black caviar and sour cream. Yum! Chill vibes

Was delicious. Will not disappoint. We enjoyed everything on the seafood platter.

Excellent live music on Sunday, the musician really got the crowd up and dancing and singing along, great place to chill, have a drink and people watch. The view other than the people, out the window is spectacular, looking out into the boats in the marina. Recommend

This restaurant conveniently don’t take any phone calls. Customers are told to email which I find very poor service. I ordered a seafood plate which was nice but small BUT was acceptable. As for the deconstructed pavlova, I need to say it was LAZY….was not as described at all. Broken bought pavlova with strawberry topping and ONE strawberry cut into quarters. An absolute disgrace considering the prices here. I’ve emailed BUT as you’d imagine they haven’t returned my emailed complaint. I was in a metered car park and couldn’t find anyone to complain to before I left. Very ordinary, certainly a Maverick. A deconstructed pavlova normally has at least passionfruit and fresh fruit. Strawberry topping, a blob of ice cream and a strawberry doesn’t cut it. We need to not accept this extortionate pricing for lazy effort by chef or cook.

Disappointing. Had salt and pepper calamari, it was tasteless and underdone. My husband had the seafood basket. Hollow batter with little fish inside. Chips were tasteless. Poor choice for us on holiday today. Only positive was it is in a good position.

Great food, quick service despite being close to capacity. The coffee was perfection, made by an experienced barista and the food was delightful. Prosciutto scrambled eggs were delish with cheese on top and toasted Turkish soldiers. Brioche Benny was good too.

In House Kitchen is a return cafe for us. We have friends that live locally and they have coffee and food there at least weekly. Reason is simple, consistency. Consistent service, quality and presentation. Well done IHK.

Don’t order the reuben, super disappointing with a barely visible shaving of meat. Whoever made it has clearly never seen a New York reuben. Hubby had the bagel, this was a much better choice. Friendly enough staff and nice to wander through the homewares after an average meal.

Been here two days back to back now - the coffee has been consistently great. Smooth, good temp and hits the spot. One downside is they charge an extra dollar for lactose free milk.

The food was very bland and unpleasant to eat, for a place that’s called “in house kitchen” everything is pre made. I do not recommend this restaurant it’s also over priced.

Great place to enjoy some brunch! Had the French Toast and it was delicious. Love that they added some berries to the dish!

A popular coffee shop for a reason. Coffee was good and the food was delightful, I haven’t had eggs Benedict that good in a while. 10 points to the chefs for getting the eggs and bacon near perfection! The atmosphere was a bit too loud inside to enjoy, the drone of people talking can make it difficult to have a conversation if you have any hearing difficulties (like tinnitus). It would be lovely in quieter periods but holiday period it was packed out and loud. The staff were efficient, polite and courteous. We were given one of the last two tables as a walk-in, and even with how busy they were our food and coffee came out in 15-20 mins. Overall a great experience.

Ordered açai bowls $18 each plus $3 for extra Nutella Waited 20 minutes and it was relatively quiet. People that ordered after us were getting their chips and coffees etc before us? Once received there was barely any açai, a smear of Nutella on top and the smallest cup ever?! Ridiculous. Won’t be going there again. Overpriced for what you get and the açai was pretty much runny liquid

Turned up on human whale day, so they were really busy.... Food and service was outstanding especially for them being under the pump. Definitely try the falafel bowl... Or/and the eggs Benedict.. with bacon..

The best breakfast we had in Fingal Bay and surrounding area. The service was friendly & outstanding. The location is relaxed and chilled offering various indoor and outdoor seating options. The eggs bennie with mushrooms was so delicious!! Thanks ❤️

Longboat is the one and only Cafe along the waterfront at Fingal Bay. As such, the location is perfect, but the lack of competition it a problem. Longboat had outdoor tables baked in sunshine, takeout tables by the beach, and more tables inside. It's located almost literally on the beach and thus is blessed with an incredible location. The coffee was sadly underwhelming. There was almost no flavour to speak of (and I had both takeout and dine in a few hours apart), and latte art was average. I will say that the decaf tasted much better, so maybe their regular blend just needs dialing in. The food was good quality, but expensive. Without any local competition there's really no reason for them to lower their prices, but the price of their pancakes for example is frankly extortionate for 2 small pancakes. The staff were very friendly, highchairs were available and there was plenty of parking. If I was in the area I'd go back, but only because there's no alternative.

Seriously cannot fault this place. Locals doing their best with a smile on their face. We moved 4 months ago and it’s our favourite breakfast/lunch spot for sure. It is dog friendly too and there is a dog park just 2mins walk away where your pups can run free. Great food and great coffee, right next to the beach with loads of free parking. If you’re in Port Stephens, give them a go. You won’t regret it.

Nice cafe by the Fingal bay beach. The location is a plus as it is bang next to the beach. There is plenty of parking available. They have option for outdoor tables, indoor tables and takeaway window. The food is a bit of the pricey end as there are no other options close by. There is a bit of wait for food and coffee especially on a public holiday or weekends. Food and coffee could be better. The cafe is good for a beach cafe experience.

Lovely cafe in a great location. Had breakfast there yesterday (Sunday 25th May). My wife had the masala scramble, and she said it was awesome. Her coffee was good. I had the eggs benedict on mushroom. As someone who is not a big mushroom lover, it was fantastic! I'm not used to having a big crispy mushroom, but it was well worth it. My hot chocolate was awesome too. Staff were great, made sure our order was right. The only complaint is that a 15% surcharge on a Sunday makes it a bit steep, so we'll probably go on a different day in future.

Parked out front, it was busy inside. Rang to order take away pizza, realised a man in his 30s ginger ish hair was taking my call, after saying what I wanted he asked me to hold, he walked to the back of the store out of sight, return to my vision moments later and I clearly seen him look at the landline he was holding and hang up as I hear the disconnect in my ear. I also could hear inside the shop as he mocked to his colleague about takeaway orders. So I went in pushing through the busy dining area to place an order with a lovely young girl. With an approximate 25 min wait return to my car to free up space. 20 mins later I hear MR NOT INTERESTED softly call my name. The pizza base is thin and super crunchy, nice but my 3 little pigs has roast beef, I'm serious, I guess the little pig went to market! The supreme is not very supreme, overall both pizzas are what I'd describe as " lite" and so little cheese, I honestly don't know if there was any at all🤔. I've now deconstructed it to find cheese, it's there but wafer thin and sporadically sprinkled and melted around.Overpriced but you pay for convenience of not having to go to Shoal Bay. Perhaps if you had a carafe or pint at the Cellar it would be acceptable.

The best salad we’ve had in the whole of Port Stephens! So delicious and reasonably priced. Friendly staff and option to have a cheeky pint whilst you wait for your takeaway.

Very expensive for what it is: $65 for 2 soups, 1 coffee. And a very salty seafood chowder. Is the cook a smoker? Edited to respond to owner: The difference here is that my question makes sense. Cooks who smoke are likely to blunt their taste buds and consequently over-season the food. Your question to me in response? Well, if I was a smoker AND noticed the excess saltiness, then for sure the dish was not just spoilt but destroyed with salt. You want me to admit to being a smoker? Really?

Lovely food and service 🩷🩷🩷 we had the chicken burger which pleased my fussy daughter and the halloumi cheese bites my son said they were amazing.

Had a late afternoon lunch here yesterday and loved everything about the whole place. The food was really delicious, loaded with lots of fresh herbs and ingredients. The decor and atmosphere was excellent, could see myself sitting here having a beverage and enjoying the atmosphere of an afternoon. There's an awesome back deck area that is tucked out of the way and great place to sit. The staff where really genuine and friendly. The amenities where clean and suitable for the area. I will be definitely returning here for a meal or beverage.

Came on a Sunday for brekky. Didn't need to book, sat inside although outside was more popular. Nice food, quick service and good staff. Had a brekky roll on Turkish bread for $16 and a good milkshake $5. Serving was a decent size but could of done with a little more for the price. Situated just back from the beach, parking isn't a problem.

Was a great little spot for a Saturday night dinner.Pizzas were amazing,frozen margs were awesome and the service was awesome too.Didn’t have to wait long for meals to arrive

What fails is the ratty, torn, faded, dirty chair cushions that can't even be washed of the crud that lays within . I felt like I would contract pubic lice or intestinal worms!!!!!!!!! However a spacious cafe with local art pieces and curious pieces. The food was nice and reasonably priced.

Dropped into Essence Espresso for breakfast on Anzac Day, looking for a casual spot near the centre of Nelson Bay. The café has a nice vibe and a convenient location. The coffee was good, though not as hot as I would have liked—a small detail but something that makes a difference, especially on a cool morning. I ordered the shakshuka baked eggs, which was a special on the day. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. The onions were undercooked, and the overall flavour was a bit too sharp rather than rich and balanced. While the service and setting were nice, based on this experience, I wouldn’t rush back

Had a lovely breakfast and coffee here over the weekend. The staff are very inviting and friendly. The coffee was top class. The bacon egg roll I had was the best I’ve had in a very long time. Nice decor and clean.

I reached out to Essence Cafe to provide food on the day of my wedding whilst we were getting ready! Without hesitation they said yes! Throughout the whole process the communication with Roxy was very prompt which made it stress free! Roxy kindly delivered the food right on time which was perfect. Dietary needs were met without any issues and everyone was well fed. I ordered a fruit platter, bagels & banana bread for breakfast which was a hit! To graze on later in the day in between photos before heading off to the ceremony, I ordered a large variety of sandwiches! I should have taken better before photos but it was also presented so nicely!! Thank you again! Xx

23 August 2025, I had breakfast at 'Essence cafe' on the recommendation from the staff at Landmark Hotel Newcastle. Great coffee and good food. What impressed me most, was the staff - professional, friendly and staff that look at you in the eyes, smile and welcome you. A special note for the young man who served me - great manners and a 'magical smile.'

Epic coffee, and the first to open in the area. What more could an early bird seemingly want until you’re greeted with a big smile and great service. Thank you…

Essence Cafe catered a lunchtime event for 60 people, offering a delightful selection of sandwiches and wraps that were beautifully presented. The entire process, from organising the event to collecting the food, was smooth and hassle-free.

Had dinner here for the first time (have had breakfast here before) when couldn’t get into other restaurants as too busy and we were pleasantly surprised with their dinner menu. The pasta we had was really nice. The scallops were ok. Pricing fair also. Waiters were attentive. Overall a good option if in Shoal Bay.

A must visit when in the bay Went for brunch after a walk along the shoreline. Staff friendly and welcoming. Cafe - clean, and tidy. Furniture looks new. Soft music playing in the background Tables spaced out and not squished together Cafe directly opposite the water - so decent view Food - we ordered the bacon and egg roll, pear and banana bread, granola plus smoothies and coffee. Food delicious! Very tasty and flavoursome. Coffee was served extra hot - which is what I requested and how I like it - was perfect. Good value for money A must to visit next time you are in the Bay Area

Our new breakfast spot! We have absolutely love the food and service at Zenith Cafe. Staff are friendly and welcoming. The breakfast bruschetta and açai smoothies are our favourites. Can’t go past the toasted pear and raspberry bread either. Definitely a wonderful way to start the day!

Dropped in for lunch. Had a pizza and coffee. A bit too much cheese on the pizza but I think it was the version we chose. Coffee was good and service was attentive and friendly

We arrived at Shoal Bay last night and were heading out for a meal. Had planned on somewhere else but stumbled across Zenith first. Inspected the menu and decided to stay. Best decision ever. Sensational meal and service. We are only here for 2 nights but have decided to go back again tonight. Can't wait. We had the pork cutlet and surf and turf. Have never had a sirloin steak so thick. Juicy, tender and cooked to perfection. Lovely attentive service as well. Highly recommend.

Feels like a Family Cafe and tastes like a five star restaurant.. Thank you for taking care of us HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 💯

Wonderful breakfast with my son. Generous serve for my egg and bacon roll, my son enjoyed his waffles. Great staff, good prices, great food. Really good coffee!

Sit down early morning coffee Xshot wasn't to bad a coffee but lacked in flavour and strength unfortunately. The service was ok but the speed was slow in regards to Coffees being made, also a regular customer who ordered well after us left with their Coffee while we sat and waited. Overall a below average experience.

We went to cafe Kin today for brunch. When we went inside the cafe, we could smell very nice coffee smells. The decor and the atmosphere were very nice. We ordered mushroom medleys and the prawn burger. The coffee and the food were delicious. The service was good too, and the price was reasonable.

We live in Sydney and come to Nelson bay 2 times a year and we only want to get our coffee and breakfast from here. The service, food and atmosphere are ALWAYS 5 stars. Love everything about this place.

Absolutely awesome breakfast and coffee yesterday. Took my two sons for a breakfast experience that they enjoyed immensely.

A lovely eclectic style cafe with excellent food and coffee. There is also a big dog friendly courtyard at the rear. Friendly and quick service.

This place is so cosy and has such a great atmosphere with great music. The food was delicious and the bagel+beef burger was loaded and definitely worth the money! Staff were also super lovely and helpful.

Our experience was great. We were pleased to find vegan options for breakfast in Nelson's bay. Both our coffees were lovely, alternate milks are available, as was cold brew coffee and batch brew filter coffee. The vegan loaded bagel with avo was absolutely loaded and awesome value for money. The maple espresso buckwheat porridge didn't hit the mark though and resembled and tasted like a hot oat coffee with buckwheat and pomegranates In it making it a soup. Atmosphere was beautiful and I loved the living plant decor, it was beautiful.

Fantastic Cafe, wonderful staff. They were so friendly and accommodating for a group of 6 yr 12 girls celebrating together and opened a little early for them. Included a treat of a little fairy floss at the end. How special. Our breakie today was fabulous. Highly recommend Nice Cafe.

Delicious breakfast and great service! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the experience even better. A perfect spot to start the day!

Best pick for our breakfast while staying in Soldier's Point at Bannisters. Short drive to the waterfront in Nelson Bay for the most tasty eggs benedict, outstanding hot chai latte and a blt with cheese on Turkish bread. Great value for money. Good spot for a bit of retail therapy too!

THE MOST 5 STAR OF 5 STAR CAFE. Incredible food, the display, the taste, the size - just beyond outstanding. Not only one of the best places to eat in Nelson Bay but truly one of the best cafes I have ever eaten at. Could not recommend more.

Beautiful little spot for a coffee and fill for the afternoon. The service was excellent, chef and front of house were very kind and welcoming. I had the Damn Good B+E Roll and it was exactly that, set me right up for the day!

Delicious fish and chips! The fish was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the chips were perfectly cooked. Simple, satisfying, and full of flavor — definitely worth trying!

My husband and I visited during a holiday and the staff were lovely, the meal we ordered for breakfast was delicious, and my husband says it’s the best coffee he’s had since moving to NSW! We then went back the next morning for breakfast again. It’ll be our go-to cafe now anytime we visit Nelson Bay. Thank you for your hospitality and kindness.

Excellent location. Amazing views. Beef brisket was very hard to chew and swallow. I ate one piece and stopped. They offer "buratta", but it is not buratta. It is mozzarella, slightly heated up from the freezer and still half frozen, disgusting. The place is a bit dirty. They have bundaberg lemon lime and bitters though, good choice.

The food and service was amazing, we had the avocado smash and it was to die for. The staff are very polite and cannot be faulted. The pricing is very reasonable, the only fault if you could call it a fault is that it needs a bit of a face lift.

Stopped in for some cake today and we were so impressed, firstly with the young man who greeted us at the door. He was so friendly and welcoming, all of the staff were great. The cakes were so good as were the milk shakes. I was looking at the food on other tables and it all looked amazing. I’ll definitely be back for the Smashed Avo.

The Fish and chips were absolutely delicious! Our whole family all agreed it was probably some of the best we have ever eaten! Thank you for a perfect view, service and lunch!

From the moment we arrived we were instantly welcomed by the team at Crest, we do go there quite regularly and requested our favourite table (#28).. beautiful views, amazing breakfast and great coffee - the bonus was the amazing pod of 10-12 dolphins that swam past, almost on cue ! Thanks to Brad and the team

The Eggs Benedict with Bacon and Salmon were very good as well as the Pancakes with Berries and Mapple Syrup. Worth the Stop and I will recommend that cafe to the Michelin Guide with 2 Stars. The targer is high but wothwhile... :) :) :)

Cracking place to spend Fathers Day, weather was perfect, seating was awesome, staff were really friendly, food was quick to serve, fresh and tasty, we’ll be back☀️🌊

Lovely restaurant that has good food and a view to die for. Right in the water at the wharf. The grilled barramundi with chips and salad was pretty good. We opted for one normal and one Cajun. Both were lovely.

The snapper had a light crispy batter and was very fresh. The tartare sauce was also nice and zingy ! The location is great. You are right on the water Food and coffee came quickly, even though it was busy. It somehow feels a lot more quiet and peaceful than the hustle and bustle of crowds on the waterfront. A few more chips would have been nice.

The food and service was fabulous and the view incredible. Unfortunately inclement weather came in and we had a 15 minute walk to our ferry in the rain. The staff offered and we accepted to drive us to the ferry. We found this above and beyond what is expected. Excellent!

If you want to get away from the crowds and enjoy a seafood/fish and chips meal to the sound of waves lapping on the shore right next to you, this is the place! Service is outstanding. Food is… ok.

View is absolutely stunning especially in lovely weather☁️☀️ Food is above average, with lightly battered fish and fresh chips. Nothing spectacular though. 🤔 Overall a pleasant meal enjoyed with friends and family. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Ice not provided for drinks. BYO!!🥴

Great fresh fish and stunning views! This is tucked away at the end of Teramby Rd and past the Marina and what feels like the back of a fish market. The walk is worth it. I stopped by for lunch and we were able to get a table for 4 easily with stunning views of the bay and we even managed to see a few dolphins! We ordered a mix of plates from Calamari, Barramundi to the Orange Roughy which was a seasonal recommendation. The Calamari was fried but was fresh and not rubbery like you may get in a Sydney food court. The Barra was also good. The highlight was the Orange Roughy. The portion was a little small but it was super fresh, flaky and cooked to perfection. Will definitely eat again.

Stopped in for lunch after reading all of the good reviews. I was not impressed, the atmosphere was dull (no music), the service was dull- no interaction from the person taking our order. We had to ask for the table to be wiped as it was very sticky, it was cleaned but we were told the varnish reacts with the salt in the air and causes the surfaces to remain sticky. So sticky that our plates were stuck to the table at the end of the meal. The flathead was nice, thinly battered and crispy. The calamari looked like it had come from the freezer. The was ok but nothing to rave about. Sorry, won’t be back.

Pasta Di Porto have a small selection of sweet treats and make coffees in the morning. The cannoli is delicious. They have an awesome selection of pasta that they make themselves, but unfortunately, we were unable to bring some home. I wish they were not a five hour drive from us! Do note they are not a restaurant, and they don't sell pasta ready to eat. It's to take home or is sold to local restaurants. This is not particularly clear when reading the Google reviews.

We stayed the night in Nelson Bay and stopped in along our travels and just had to mention that the lemon cannoli were amazing! We came past a second day for more, delicious.

--- Great Experience at Pasta Di Porto I would like to give Pasta Di Porto a well-deserved thumbs up! Thank you for your ongoing brilliant customer service, the best coffee in town, and absolutely delicious pasta, lasagna, and cannelloni, just to name a few. Your quality is truly restaurant-standard without a doubt. I highly recommend this place to everyone visiting the area!

The best coffee I have ever had, not to mention the outstanding pasta, platters and toasties! Everything I buy from here is absolutely DELICIOUS!! You can tell all ingredients are carefully sourced resulting in the most divine food. I am always talking up this place to all friends and family as a must try! Big love for pasta di porto ❤️❤️❤️

My husband and I have been traveling across Australia for our honeymoon and so as you may think we have hit a lot of coffee shops on this trip! Pasta di Porto has been by far our favorite one. The coffee, cannolis, sandwiches… Everything is hard to beat by a long shot. This is an authentic Italian cafe with local vibes and kind people!!

Best coffee in town, best cannoli’s around & the pasta & lasagna to die for! Things that make you go mmmmm

We were slightly surprised at how cordoned off the shop was. Pasta came highly recommended or we would have walked away. Yes the pasta and lasagna were delicious and we noticed their pasta on the restaurant menus around town.

Mum and I were looking for breakfast and it was only thanks to Google Maps that we found out about this cafe; there was no signage on the road we approached on, and we even had to ask a staff member of the adjacent museum where the cafe was when we did arrive. We were advised there would be a thirty minute wait on the food (it’s always appreciated to be forewarned), but our meal arrived much sooner. I had the big breakfast (I forget the cafe’s local name for it) and it was huge! Seemed like half a packet of bacon. I’m a big fellow and even I was struggling a little to finish. Now, by her own admission, in her dotage?l, my mother has become, shall we say, finicky about her food. She is not shy about requesting alterations to her meal if she is not satisfied. (Note: She has many years of frontline food service experience so has been on both ends.) She said it was possibly the nicest toastie she had ever had and was THE nicest iced chocolate she had ever tasted. She was slurping on the dregs for an hour after we’d left. Praise from Caesar!

Quality and presentation of food has drastically declined. Such a shame as it used to be really good and was well priced. Prices are now higher and quantity and presentation is dismal. Took a photo of my $25.00 breakfast with a small coffee from Fighter Beans Cafe and added another photo of another cafes breakfast for $29.00 with a large coffee…. No comparison. Will not be supporting them any longer

We had the grilled GF chicken burger with chips & chicken salt and GF fish & chips with 2 lactose free ice lattes both rated excellent. Highly rated business big outdoor undercover table area to enjoy the fresh air with our lunch.

I had a fantastic experience at this coffee shop! The food service was quick, friendly, and super attentive. Everything came out fresh and perfectly prepared. I especially appreciated how welcoming and helpful the staff were—they really made the visit feel warm and personal. As for the coffee, it was absolutely top-notch. Rich, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Whether you're a fan of classic espresso or something more creative, they've got it covered. This place has definitely become my go-to spot for both great coffee and great service. Highly recommend

A restaurant on ground floor overlooking the runway of Newcastle airport. The food is delicious and the service fast. Loved the Chai tea! Comfortable seating inside and outside.

One of the best cafes going around for value for the food you get. The team are always welcoming and have a great range of sweets stocked in the cabinet able to meet all dietary needs as well. I don’t think you can find any other cafe which has such low prices for the quality and quantity amount of food you get in return. These days that is rare, great job and highly recommended!

We were visiting Fighter World next door and came in for breakfast first. My partner is ex RAAF so she loved watching/listening to the aircraft taking off as we ate. Delicious Bacon & Egg Burger, my partner said it was very good coffee, my tea was better than expected (a teabag, but at least it was a pyramid bag with good leaf inside), and great friendly service. If you are eating outside and the aircraft take off, be prepared to block your ears! But that's all part of the joy of being right on the edge of a military base!

My partner and I are frequent visitors with our little family (2 dogs and a cat). Yesterday we got engaged and we celebrated this morning with a coffee. The owners gifted us a free coffee in celebration! Such a lovely gift of kindness 💘 this will forever live on our fridge as a memory. Thank you guys 🤍

Dog-friendly outdoor seating. We visited in July so we needed our warm gear as this side of the road is shaded in the morning. Delicious food. We had eggs benny and french toast, coffee (excellent - it tastes like people who enjoy coffee are the ones who make the coffee), and a berry&banana smoothie for our non-coffee drinkers. These people make good food. When they say "crispy bacon", they mean it. People drop by to pickup takeaway coffees, but you're missing out if that's all you get. And they have simple or adventurous alternatives (Haggis, black and white pudding for the adventurous along with raisin toast, a range of hot and cold breakfasts/bruchy foods including lovely plump croissants). Thank you Lisa and the whole team!

Best coffee I cold find in the area. Friendly staff and prompt service.

Enjoyed beef and veg casserole. Perfect pick me up. With warm memories of home cooked filling fabulous food.

The food was decent at a friendly neighbourhood cafe, simple meal, and I thought this must be one of the hidden secrets of salamander Bay Area. We spent just over 50 for 2 adults and 1 eating child, which I thought for the food we got felt little pricy given the decor when we walked in, but then again we are at touristy spot and anywhere else would have costed more. And I loved the family vibe there which was wonderful. Portion was alright, the bruschetta was little small (and unfortunately taken the wrong order) but everything tasted great. Sounded funny but our favourite at least for our kid was the buttery toast which really was fluffy and great. Staffs were friendly, and you know this is really the friendly neighbourhood joint when everyone packs their own cups back to the counters. Weighing everything I thought it was a solid 4-5 stars. If you’re in the area definitely worth checking this beautiful little cafe out.

Great food and value for money. Scrambled eggs were light and fluffy, and bacon delicious. Generous servings. Thanks for a lovely breakfast…we’ll be back!

Woman at front of house was a sour individual. We were made to feel unwelcome. The food looked good though.

Took the family here. Ice cream was delicious. Highly recommend. I had 3 scoops. Hokey Pokey, crème brûlée and Turkish delight. Kids had the chocolate … zero disappointment. Only negative would be that they don’t give testers/samples. But I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed.

No doubt a 5 star experience for coffee and gelato/ice cream! Let’s start with gelato: I eat only sorbets and mango is a staple I have had in many artisan places before, mainly in Sydney. The mango sorbet here was brilliant 5 star - both flavor and texture. Lychee was very tasty too. My 5 year old loved the bubble gum flavor. Three flavors in one cup for $15 is a standard pricing for high quality gelato. Coffee: I drink only espresso, so nowhere to hide. Coffee here is excellent. Babyccino was served like my espresso even for a 2 year old in a proper ceramic little mug. Nice indoor seating, very polite and professional staff/great service. All together for $26 is fair for the quality you get. Will come again when I am in the area. Thank you!

Unfortunately my experience at Nero's was not pleasant. For a start they would not allow any tasting. If I'm spending $9+ on an icecream I'd like to know what I'm buying. However the elderly woman serving me became quite rude and her manner was so abrupt that I lost interest in buying an icecream. A disappointing experience. Sadly, I cannot recommend this business.

Stumbled across this cafe when on holidays. The ice cream and the coffee were so good we came back almost every day for a week. The service was quietly friendly. My favourite spot in Port Stephens

Deliciously Irrisistable Best icecream in Port Stephens. Our favourite Ice cream is the sour cherry, Belgium chocolate and turkish delight. So good. Thank you Neros

Really nice place with great decoration and friendly staff. The coffee we had was good. The pistachio gelato was a bit bland but nice and creamy. Just needs more flavour. All in all, would recommend as a nice place for a sit down with loved ones over a nice cuppa and some ice cream.

Best Gelato ever! Love, Love, Loved it! Had the Belgium Milk Chocolate Gelato with Lemon Sorbet in a cup, would come here every week as a treat if only I lived closer! It was so smooth & soft , great on the tongue 👅 mouth feel! Yum Yum yum

Just had THE BEST bacon and egg roll I think I have ever had in my life at Red Eye. $15.50 special including cup of coffee. Good quality bacon and eggs, great flavours, on a beautiful fresh bun. Service friendly and efficient, great range including homemade cakes and slices. Great coffee. Great spot to sit and write and watch the passing parade in Raymond Terrace through the large windows. Everything a cafe should be.

Tried something new. Dined in for breakfast, had Bacon and Eggs and a Chicken, cheese and Avo omelette. They catered to my specific diet needs, and I really enjoyed it. Staff were high class and coffee was great. Very happy. Will be making this my regular haunt. Thanks so much guys.

Had the house pasta and added bacon to it, Absolutely beautiful. So full of flavour and cooked perfectly. The staff were lovely and attentive, and coffee was fabulous! Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Will definitely be going back!

I was disappointed in my banana bread. It came out cold when I asked for it to be toasted, and it tasted terrible. It had a lump of cold butter in the middle I couldn't spread. I just threw it out. The coffee is nice, though.

My family and I come in all the time on our days off, lovely staff great baristas and they always cater to my needs and odd requests. Such a nice place and I honestly think its one of the best cafes in Raymond Terrace. Their waffles and avo smash are to die for!!!!

Burnt toast and sugar sludge coffee. Summary: Toast 1. A. Burnt toast served burnt side down ruined a good meal for the cost of one piece of toast and maybe invest in a toaster if your "chef" can't cook toast evenly on both sides. 1. B. I advise you implement a "Burnt Toast Inspection and Assessment" protocol so that education regarding this issue can be rolled out to all front and rear of house staff involved in ordering, cooking and serving food. 1. C. In relation to implementing a "Burnt Toast Inspection and Assessment" protocol i sincerely advise that there be a "Burnt Toast Inspection and Assessment Protocol Competency Skills Assessment". This will ensure that all staff not only understand the "Burnt Toast Inspection and Assessment" but also have the necessary skills to implement the policy with an acceptable level of skill. I do not, at this stage, allude to any ownership or intellectual property of the titles given here-in as referenced above as "Burnt Toast Inspection and Assessment" and "Burnt Toast Inspection and Assessment Protocol Competency Skills" so feel free to use them as you please or creat your own. I mean there was some creativity in the air today by whomever decided to hide the burnt side of a piece of toast facing down, genius really unless I am mistaken and the toast was burnt to charcoal on one side and not one person noticed prior to it being served to me. Alternatively if you are stuck for a policy or protocol name I suggest you ask your 3rd party provider trainer that you contract in to assist you with this implementation to supply you with what they have and use their policy titles and content. Yes you will require a contractor as it was evident today no one there has the skills to identify charcoal on a burnt side of the toast, otherwise I wouldn't have eaten charcoal flavoured toast today now, would I now? 1. D. Yes still with the toast. It appears that one side of the toast was darker than the other and unless it was a political statement to continue the end of apartheid by placing black and white together then there are some other options . If it was cooked under a grill then staff were aware it was burnt and still served it up to me. There is a Burnt Toast Reclamation process where toast burnt to that extent can be revived to a lesser level of burnt by an age old piece of toast Technology called "scraping with a knife". I dont condone the often used but taboo "scraping" under normal circumstances but given the level of char I tasted today I think any attempt to improve would have been appreciated. Another piece of technology that often results in perfect toast and has been around for figuratively eons is a toaster. Toasters are fully automated these days and toast evenly on both sides. If you are aware of toasters I apologise for the condescension and if your establishment is using one I suggest you have it put in for service as it's clearly not toasting bread evenly bilaterally. 1. F. This section is still section 1 due to the fact that the toast is relevant to this paragraph still. You may want to get your smoke and fire alarms checked. If I was at home or at work and food was Burnt to that extend there would be alarms going off and potentially there would be a plethora of hot fire fighters arriving enmasse which the sight of may have distracted from the burnt toast. 2. The coffee. I found the sugar at the bottom. Thank you I was not aware it was a partial deconstructed cappucino as the barrista put my sugars in for me. Usually when this occurs my sugars are stirred in for me. Had i been made aware it was a team sport with a DIY component i would have gladly messed up my cappucino foam chocolate dust by stirring it in and thus ruining the cappucino. This is probably why i was picked last in team sports due to failure to communicate effectively with the other team members (i suspect your barrista was similarly in the same boat) Give patrons the spoon and the sugar, clearly no body wants sugar so they can hit sludge at the bottom of the cup.

OMGoodness 😃 Angel is indeed both by name and nature 😇 Her service above and beyond ... plus an amazing memory. A great range of loose leaf teas and cakes/slices to choose from ☕️ 🫖 🍪

Stopped in on a weekday morning, very quiet. Coffee was excellent service was great. Also had the eggs Benny and it was very good. Worth a visit. Good food.

The best fish and chips in the bay. The chips were my fav, crunchy and seasoned so well. Homemade tartare sauce also very good. Pricing is great and portions are very generous! Cant beat the location either

I had a great time at Dolphin Watch Cafe in Nelson Bay, NSW! The people there were super nice and everything we bought was worth the price. The cafe felt cozy and old-fashioned, which was really cool. Plus, it’s right by the beach and looks out over the boats, so we enjoyed some amazing views. We ordered fish and chips, a burger, and calamari and chips. Everything tasted really good and fresh. It was just the right amount of food for the price, too. If you’re ever in Nelson Bay, you should definitely stop by Dolphin Watch Cafe. It’s a great place for families and anyone who wants tasty traditional Aussie beach food with a beautiful view.

Love it and the guy's way of talking and explaining is good. Even so supportive. Food was really nice

We always stop in here when visiting the Bay. The food quality and customer service has had a notable improvement over the past year. We were pleasantly impressed with the gentleman who helped calmed our toddler with some complimentary marshmallows last week. We will definitely be returning and recommending A+

I dropped by recently and found out there’s a new owner and honestly this place has never been better. It’s clean, wellkept, and the staff are so friendly. The food was delicious, and the coffee hit just right. I loved how peaceful it felt sitting there it’s the kind of spot you just want to come back to again and again.

Very nice seafood Great service We eat here everytime we come to Port Stephens never disappointed 😊 Highly recommended

What a great little find. Capuccino is on par with the best I've encountered. The froth was absolutely perfect. Coffee ☕ was not watery or bitter. Just right. Now my go to spot in Raymo.

Great friendly cafe with gluten free options and a bathroom. Sandwhiches and bacon and egg rolls were great

Once again a downfall of the 5 star evaluation. Deserves more than a 3 but not a 4. Service was extremely friendly, efficient and attentive. The coffee, whilst ok was your typical slightly overroasted, a little on the bitter side, old school Italian coffee, although roasted in Australia I believe. The Eggs Benny were nice. Eggs tasted of quality, the bacon was delicious, and the Turkish bread nicely toasted and just the right size but the hollandaise sauce was unusually sweet, almost aioli-ish, but there also seemed to be 2 sauces, with a more savoury hollandaise on top. Whatever it was it was unusual, and plentiful. The hash Brown was your typical frozen fare, and a little oily. Prices are on the more expensive side for the standard of food being served.

Good food and coffee with new range of desserts to go again n again for. Plenty of seating In and Out. Must Visit Cafe!!

Two coffees and a 10% surcharge? You’ve got to be kidding! It wasn’t even Sunday or a public holiday. Definitely avoiding this place next time. Service was provided by a lifeless teen boy with not much of customer experience which made our impression even worse.

Had breakfast at this beautiful little cafe. We ordered bacon and egg rolls cooked perfectly and a generous amount. The service and staff were all lovely and we will be back to try more meals

Passing through town on a roadtrip and stopped for breakfast(served until 12noon) and were met with friendly and efficient service. Food tastes as great as it looks(beautiful presentation). We had the chicken and mushroom melt and eggs benedict with salmon. Both were generous portions with great flavour. I also ordered the Dirty Hippy(dirty chai) and it was delicious. Will definitely be back!

Delicious food and friendly owner. A sign outside the door mentioned that they have got the best beans in the bay which I agree after visiting other cafes and Country Club close by. Here is a tip: When asked about the size of your coffees, the waitress could only understand cup size or mug size. So if you are ordering for ur mates off a list, don't forget to convert it in your head before you speak. Cup size = Regular; Mug size = Large. I am sure she would appreciate your effort in making the order taking process much easier for her.

Cute cafe with friendly service and some of the best coffee in town. Wide variety of meals in the menu to keep most people happy. Deliciously tempting treats in the display cabinet. We had the banana and Nutella pancakes which were fluffy and light. Maybe a scope of ice cream or cream would make this dish perfect. The scrambled eggs were nice and the bacon was crispy and divine.

Lovely little cafe tucked away in Tomaree. Generous portions and delicious fries! Chicken schnitzel was a hit among the kids and the Italian desserts are so yummy! Service is friendly and food got served promptly. I wish they had a fly trap because the flies were really annoying. Will come back for gelato next time.

Excellent coffee, very good Italian pastries. Extremely nice staff. I can't give 5 stars just because the spelling of most of the Italian desserts were wrong. Please fix it so I can give 5 stars 😉

Really good breakfasts. Really good coffee. And the banana breads are really thick. Prices are very reasonable too. The young staff are friendly and extremely efficient and the best part is the views overlooking the bay. Came here 3 times during a 2 day stay and each time was equally impressed.

Best place to get breaky and coffee in Shoal Bay. Staff are friendly and catered very well with plenty of gluten free options. Breaky roll is fantastic. Great range of delicious cakes, biscuits and yummy things.

We went there for breakfast this week. I had the best presented and tastiest granola ever. My husband also enjoyed his cooked breakfast. We will definitely go back. Glad for the outdoor seating so that we can take our 2 dogs. We revisited here today( 12 months after our original review) The breakfast is still delicious- best cooked breakfast my husband has ever had. The staff are lovely.

Best Eggs Benny with homemade Hollandaise sauce.....yum!!! Also, one of the best latte's Ive had in a very long time. Well done guys!!! We will be back next time we are in town 😍

The Cafe in Shoal Bay is a lovely and relaxing spot for breakfast or brunch, just a short walk from the beach. The food is beautifully presented and full of flavour — we tried the Wild Mushroom Bruschetta, Beef Burger, and Peanut Butter Toast, and everything tasted fresh and satisfying. The mushroom bruschetta was especially impressive, with a perfect mix of earthy mushrooms, creamy feta, and balsamic glaze on crispy bread. The toast was simple but delicious, and the burger was juicy and well-balanced. The staff were friendly, and the service was quick, making the whole experience very pleasant. The cozy wooden tables and casual atmosphere create the perfect seaside vibe. A great place to start your day in Shoal Bay with good coffee, great food, and a peaceful view!

We found this cafe to be quite peaceful and not too much foot traffic which was great. The service was very nice and all staff were very friendly. The food came out and the presentation was lovely and the overall taste of our meals was great. Definitely worth the price we paid and we will definitely be back in the future!

Went here with four teenagers atmosphere and staff were so nice we had lovely drinks hot chocolates a bacon and egg roll and croissant the wait was fine no issues food was well presented and hot as were drinks people whinging about having to wait please go later or stay at home and cook your own breakfast if your going to whinge about waiting when you can clearly see it’s busy this is a very busy area with tourists people are human and only have one pair of hands I will definitely be returning

This is nice little family run cafe. The service is super friendly and attentive. There is a good amount of spacious alfresco seating with shade. Although, you'd still want to get in early if you want breakfast on a weekend as they can get busy. The menu is your standard cafe menu, but they do bake a lot of their cakes on site. The Brownie is definitely something worth trying. Coffee is done quite well, relatively strong with good flavour. For breakfast, I had the Eggs Benedict with Salmon, in my opinion, I actually prefer the Salmon not to be cooked, but it's no complaint, just a preference. The menu is well priced and won't break the bank. Did I mention the owners are friendly? They are more than happy to have a bit of chat, provided they have the time. Staff are young, but seem to be experienced. I had an enjoyable experience here.

The place is cute and the toastie and coffee was gods. However, the matcha has no taste and even if he was good, there is so much cinnamon on top that you can’t taste anything… If it’s really a ceremonial matcha for me it’s not a good idea to hide the flavour with cinnamon…

Mushroom bruschetta and chilli stack were delicious. Great brunch spot, have no idea why the line isn't around the corner!

Joyful and pleasant people to talk with. Always with a smile

We just went to Gloria Jeans this afternoon for a coffee with my mum in law and a friend. And I have been a loyal customer to this shop and so my other family member and friends. My mum and me decided to go to toilet first before we order. As we head to the toilet the staff said " Are you guys gonna order? " And I replied"yes". So we proceed to the toilet. When I finished and got out from the toilet, my mum went out the shop and so I asked the staff, " where is the lady that was with me went?" and the staff said, "outside".And the staff said "Are you gonna order?" And I said yes, I'm just gonna go outside and find my mum and friend". And then again for 3rd time the Gloria Jeans staff ask me "are you gonna order?. This time I really find it rude to ask me 3 times. I said to her, "I already told yes we are. Do you really have to ask me 3 times, Im just going outside because I need to find them and ask what they want. My friend was just in the nearby post office shop. And I told her to find us in Gloria Jeans beforehand. I think I was treated rudely and in a shameful way. This shop doesnt deserved to have an award (I saw they got an award posted on the wall). An award should be given to overall customer service not just because they make good coffee but how they treated their customer especially their loyal customer. And as far as i remember it was the first time i ever used thier toilet. But really to have a customer service award you have to have a kind heart even to strangers. And if they really just want the customer to use their toilets they should give their loyal customer a card to entitle them to use the toilet. If every single item I have order in this shop will entitle me to 1 use in the toilet I have more than more than 100x entitlement to use thier toilet. This is not the shop that deserve to be patronise. Im not going to this shop ever, because I like to go to the shop who cares even to strangers.

Great service - served by the same girl almost everyday while on our holiday. Always happy and very friendly! 7 days in a row for us.

Great service, good coffee and convenient location

Do not go there coffee is no better than McDonalds food was ok

Good Location, very central, free wifi for customers. Sadly the toilet was messy & smelly.

Coffee was not worth the money. Staff too busy with regular customer who was a knobhead

I think this has changed hands and is now the Black Swan. We had breakfast before heading on to our next destination. If you like simple and honest country cafe food then this will hit the spot. It seems like the burgers are the thing the locals come for by the gentleman that ordered one at 9am on a Monday morning. Think breakfast food you could prepare yourself at home but without the hassle of actually making it at home. We arrived close to opening at 8am and staff were friendly and helpful. I had the deluxe breakfast roll, my partner had the avo smash and junior the banana bread. Everything was a little simple but exactly as described on the menu so no complaints. I was glad they were open at 8am on a Monday morning, they seem to be doing the small town a service.

This restaurant is located at an excellent site on the main street running through Karuah. There is plenty of parking and a cozy indoors eating area. However the service was not professional (it's very wrong for two staff to be engaged in a verbal altercation while their customers are waiting to order!) and the hot chocolate we ordered was worse than ordinary.

Simple spot, not the most organized even though it was not very busy. But the food came out reasonably fast, there was a limited selection but something for everyone. We had fish and chips and a veggie burger. Good chips nice and crispy.

Lovely, tasty food however was surprised at the price of $11 for a bacon and egg roll - about double what I'm used to. Hubby had a massive burger for the same price so not sure how that works out.

Pulled off the highway to stop here for lunch. This cafe wasn't here last time we stopped here. Everything looked clean, and the restrooms were inside. Everyone was friendly. The menu had a good variety. The food was a little slow to arrive, but well worth the wait. The eggs Benny and burger were delicious. Would stop here any time.

About an hour out of Newcastle, we stopped here for lunch. It was a nice little place, with tables inside or a waiting area for takeaway. The menu is quite limited but my Fish Burger was fresh and enjoyable. My chips never made it in the end but that was okay and I got my money back as I felt like being healthy anyway. There was an influx of customers (families and older couple with friends) for takeaway chips after we finished our lunch. Good Clean Bathroom. We went for a walk nearby towards the water. Nice stopover place and friendly service.

After driving non-stop for 4 hours, craving a much-needed coffee and meal, we arrived at this place only to discover,a phone call was more prority then customers. When we got to order, there were no other orders ahead of us. Surprisingly, the customers who arrived after us were served their drinks before we were. Frustrated after waiting for 20 minutes, I approached the coffee machine only to be told that they wouldn't be long. It was evident that this establishment lacked basic customer service skills. One star ⭐ for getting a refund.

Great range of food, very fresh, well staffed and very polite and efficient. Coffee is amazing, quality is very high, close to IGA, a bottle shop and Bar, juice bar and the beach!! Hamburger was delicious, seafood very fresh, pies are awesome, homemade scallops the best!!

We visit this takeaway often when in the Nelson bay/Shoal Bay Area. The best Aussie takeaway by far. Never had a bad meal from here. Expect a longer wait time during the holiday season as they are very popular. I normally order and then head to the beach for a quick swim or call and order before hand. Highly recommend!

Amazing food! Unfortunately, one of your staff ain't amazing, I understand as it was busy on the weekends but no one deserved a service with any rude and harsh interactions.

Absolutely the best Jalapeño n Cheese pies anywhere in Australia, hands down, bar none. I’ve had good ones before, quite a few from all over the place including full throttle, lil birdy and Shmoakseys, as well as various country and city bakeries all up the east coast and these are just next level. We always stock up when we can get there because they really ate the best. Everything i have had from here has been good tho. Really big, good quality burgers, bacon and egg rolls, fish n chips etc.

Possible some of the worst sausage rolls and savory pastries I have tried in many years. We had the butter chicken pie, bacon and cheese sausage rolls, vegetable pasty and spinach and cream cheese roll. Incredibly disappointing and virtually inedible. The staff were lovely though and service was quick.

BEST PIES IN NSW I've had a lot of pies around Sydney and these are the best I've had. Pastry is perfectly soft but maintains structure and filling is generous, tender and flavour. Mainly making this review so I can find this place again in the future💯

The food is always great here, and the service is friendly. Serving sizes are spot-on and price is pretty good. And they have Sprocket coffee which is great for a takeaway!

Thank you to the staff at the Riverhouse Cafe! We were really impressed by the lovely service, yummy food and amazing view. We will definitely recommend and hope to get the opportunity to visit again.

As my kid would say "its mid" Food was ok, prices were ok, the toilets are out the back. Outback if you will, but the most annoying thing was the amount of flies joining us for lunch.

Our Smashed Avo on sourdough with feta etc. was very nice. We added in poached eggs, which were cooked just right. The latte was just 7.5/10 , and my hot chocolate was rather disappointing (lacked body and flavour). Love the outlook from here. We will be back.

I found this perfect hidden gem while on the way to Port Macquarie from Sydney. While the view and its location next to the river is definitely a plus, the food was really good too. I have to say, the bacon and egg roll was definitely better than the ones in Sydney. We ordered 2 bacon and egg rolls, 1 english muffin breakfast, 1 dirty chai, 1 latte, and 1 hot chocolate with a shot of espresso. It cost $65 approx and every item was good. We felt so relaxed after stretching by our legs here and filling our tummies. Happy meal, happy heart. And the cherry on top was that they had parking.

Just had a beautifully flavoursome steak sandwich. Incredibly tender and a good size....taking half of it home. Chips cooked perfectly. Took time out for myself and tried somewhere new. Highly recommend.

Great views of the river and nice balcony to enjoy from, food was okay cafe style nothing too amazing. Service was friendly and brisk.

Great location with the river view. Service was efficient, but could be friendlier.

Visited Port Stephens on holiday last week and ate breakfast here twice. I had the brekky wrap the first time and eggs benny on the 2nd visit. Both meals were delicious, the coffee was great and the service was prompt and friendly. I can imagine service times would increase a lot in the warmer peak periods but that's to be expected.

$13 for two slices of *burnt* toast the size of my palm. This was the "Lubneh slice". Left hand piece, significantly smaller than my palm, and most burnt piece, had what could only be described as a scrape of Lubneh. The scraps of toppings and bread were separated by baking paper, somehow. I placed toppings on top of burnt toast. Hence the presentability. My artistic side. Toast had more olive oil than Lubneh. Must say, the Avo slice was okay, 2/5. Still not worth $13.

We waited over an hour for our food. Ordered the same time as our friends and they received their food 25 mins before ours came out. This was on a public holiday also so had to pay the public holiday surcharge? What were we paying the public surcharge for? Don’t even get me started on the quality of the food that was served to me - my fried egg must of been cooking for that hour. Can’t beat bad service.

Only cafe to open at 6am for a coffee, ordered a soy cap and a smoked salmon bagel for myself, the bagel was fresh and chock a bloc full of avocado, spinach and smoked salmon, definitely decadent and very tasty, it hit the spot. Staff were friendly and welcoming, will be back on my next sojourn to Nelson Bay.

Went for breakfast on Mother's Day, the food was DELICIOUS, the staff were friendly and efficient, the atmosphere was lovely, and it was relaxing. Happy to accommodate food issues, and lots of alternatives , will be back, new Sunday favourite spot.

Naked Alley is one of the few places nearby to stay open mid afternoon, but beyond that there's not much to shout about here. Coffee was bland and poorly presented (see photo), muffin was tasty but nothing exceptional, and staff weren't overly friendly when we visited. Highchairs were available and there's plenty of outdoor seating as well as some indoors.

We stayed over for the weekend and I had to get back home so stopped there to pick up a quick snack. I deliberately chose something from the display to save time and ordered a long back, which takes about 1 minute to make. 25 mins later I’m still waiting, the staff were rude and it was $29 for a bagel and a coffee. Avoid this place, worst service I’ve ever had

Stopped for lunch at Rubi Blue Anna Bay Cafe and we were so surprised by how good it was! The staff were really friendly, and the food was amazing. We ordered a beef burger that was so juicy + crispy fries, and the zucchini fritters was a perfect sweet and sour combo. We also had a cappuccino and a long black that were both great.

The brekkie wrap was great taste in loved it never had this kind of taste of wrap before 🤙🤙 Had great lunch there definitely visiting again 😀 😊

My chicken salad sandwich with gluten free bread was huge, delicious and fresh. The fruit salad was also very fresh and sweet. And my husband enjoyed his burger and chips. The staff were friendly, service was fast, and the price was good too.

Today, I called into Rubi Blue Café for the first time. The young lady at the counter who served me was very friendly and thoughtful … what a pleasant surprise 😃The coffee was very good, but the real highlight was the “burnt cheesecake” (Basque style), it was delicious - well done Chef 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

What a delight to have Rubi Blue open for lunch , and longer again ! Great to have a new owner who serves up great food , and the familiar staff who make you feel so welcome. Make a point of coming here once , the food and staff will ensure you return !

Sunday breakfast was fantastic! Ordered the Big Birubi & Smashed Avocado on sourdough and coffees. Didn’t wait long and it was busy as well. Great work guys !!

I would like to thank michael the owner at Ruby Blue for being there when I really needed it. I was feeling down and a few kind words from michael cheered me up. Sometimes that’s all you need. If you’re going past Ruby Blue,call in and have a coffee or a meal. I highly recommend the bacon and egg roll it’s terrific.

I visit here each time I’m up that way and it’s very popular with the locals. The baked goods have always been good. I went for the big breakfast for something different. Very good and happy with the choice. Coffee is also great.

Stopped in here for a pie and coffee. Big bakery with a huge assortment of hot food and cakes. It was easy to browse the menu, make a selection, and order. Service was five stars because of the red headed chap who served me. He was bursting with charisma and happiness, which out a smile on my face and made it a great start to the day. I ordered a Chilli Steak pie and a flat white. Pie was served the correct way, without a foil base. It was just the right temperature. It was easy to demolish with one hand. It was packed to the brim with filling and the pie maintained its structure until the last bite. A great pie! The coffee was about 7/10. Definitely worth getting a cup. Overall, it's worth your time to stop here and relax with a pie and cake.

We have no complaints on the food as we never got to taste it, the service is something to be desired. I did not get her name but she is middle aged or a bit older, short dark hair and wore glasses. She was rude, did not seem like she wanted to be there, even though I spoke loudly she asked me to constantly repeat myself. She even openly coughed on my food and looked directly at me afterwards expecting a response. I didn’t respond and threw the food away. Never again

I often come here with my son and daughter the 20 minute drive is worth it every time. I got a latte it was excellent. my son got a match stick and my daughter got a cream bun. Service was fast besides being very busy. I understand that because it's so good. Definitely recommend for an excellent breakfast or brunch.

Food is awesome. Always fresh and hot. Best bread getting around. Hot cheese and bacon rolls are a family favorite.

Got a couple of sangas hit the spot, bread was amazingly soft! 5 stars for thr bread! Fillings were quite decent as well

The place is filled with welcoming atmosphere and amazing services, the food quality is top notch, based on my opinion its basically the best bakery in the area.

A good place for a rest stop when traveling the highway. Take the Karurah exit and the friendly staff will serve you up some tasty treats. Hot and cold pastries, cakes and lunch specials are always on offer. Indoor and outdoor seating. Good value tucker!!!

Asked if their cream bun was fresh... told Yes. But after unwrap could tell it was fridged from day before. Don't lie about your produce when such a small business when we want to give you a go.

Beautiful girls and the most delicious home cooked corn beef with homemade pickles and salad rolls. Perfect lunch for the traveller and lovely coffee all with smiles from the girls. Happy days!!

A few of us city lads were on a nice little bender at the RSL and woke up needing a bit of a pick me up.. Ran into a lady at IGA that recommended old mates for good coffee.. We were all back to our normal spirits in no time after what was the best coffee we've had in nsw so far and the ladies were awesome 😁

Won't be back. Over priced and poor quality pies. I paid $5.60 for some overcooked pastry and 3 tablespoons of mince. Had to go to another store in town to complete my lunch.

Old mate, if you’ve paid to be on google maps, and you say you’re open now til 2.30pm on sunday 29/5 - then how about you be open for the people who’ve detoured off the highway to feed the hoards…. Cheers.

Just bought a spinach sausage roll wasnt good at all had no taste to it the curry pie was ok but not the best either will have to try the other bakerys in town.

I paid $11 for a medium chips, which was small for the price and not great in quality. The atmosphere was underwhelming, and I was served by a young child. It seems like they're capitalising on the crowds at Little Beach and the nearby caravan park to make a quick profit.

A very uninviting shop compared to what it was like in the 90s. A teenager waiting to take your order in silence, and not knowing how to give the correct change in cash. After ordering, you are told rudely to get outside. Okay. Then, they call order numbers, which cannot be heard from outside. So people gather near the entrance, obviously. After waiting for a reasonable 10 minutes, the food was ready. The staff grabbed my receipt off me and handed me a bag. Unfortunately, no utensils were included in the bag. We ordered a hamburger, fried fish and the largest chips. The hamburger bun was terrible. It was soft and soggy. All the fillings fell out immediately. The fish wasn't too bad. The chips were soggy and lacked taste. Since this is the only shop in the area, they can serve what they want. I had fond memories of this shop, when it was a proper shop and you could stay inside. It's best to bring your own food to Little Beach if possible.

Fish is good, but not even close to worth the price. Poor atmosphere, service by a child. High prices, yet they run the whole thing on the absolute minimum budget. Total lack of competition allows them to get away with it. Lemons sliced 24 ways. Half a sprinkle of salt on the chips. $12 for a milkshake. Absolute joke

This could be a thriving business but has gone down hill AGAIN! Firstly the atmosphere when you enter is uninviting, why they closed off the access to hot food area is weird, feels like they are trying to hide something 🤔 Bacon and egg rolls are good and potato scallops ok, but that's about it. Ladies that work there are lovely. Could someone show them how to make Iced chocolate/coffee 🙏🙏 We are just around the corner and this would be our go to if it was good.

We tried bites on the bay twice and will never go back.. Once in the morning for smoothies and coffee and once for lunch. The person working on the register was rude and we instantly got the vibe that he really didn’t want to be there working (fair enough, but maybe be a bit more polite or try some customer service skills) The mango smoothie was delicious but the ice coffee was horribly bitter. The next day we ordered and the same person was working and still seemed like he really didn’t want to be there. The fish was chewy and wasn’t very nice half of it was inedible, we were told they don’t do any other fish other than Hoki. The calamari was the processed type and we ate half of 1 each and couldn’t eat anymore as it wasn’t nice. The chips were okay and the only thing that helped the dish was the side of gravy.

The most expensive chips I’ve ever bought, $13 for what would be considered a medium anywhere else, and weren’t even cooked properly. Kid at the front wasn’t rude but need some people skills. And the strange robot voice calling out numbers is irritating.

Rang and made a phone order. Went it to pick up. The shop itself is uninviting. The food was blah. The hamburger rolls aren't fresh, the meat patty is a pre-fab thing, and the BBQ sauce is a horrible smokey BBQ sauce. They charged $2.20 for a potato scollap, which was dodgy at best. (We did order 2 but got 3). They also tried overcharging on the burgers as we got 2 plain burgers but were charged for 1 plain and 1 works. Will not be back. It's just horrible and really disappointing as it used to be a really good takeaway shop.

Good food, friendly staff - would recommend the Dirty Monkey. Just a little slow on the service

The food was poor in taste, and was so salty I could hardly finish it. The staff could easily be more nice and put a bit of effort in the serviced offered by at least giving the right cutlery for the dishes served and clear the tables.

Great place. Good customer service and good food. We had breakfast there and enjoyed it.

Great little Cafe. Helpful staff, excellent food & coffee. Nice ambience. Definitely worth more than 1 visit.

Nice fresh well presented food. Simple and good. Clean cafe. Relaxed. We enjoyed it.

Loved the food in this place, it is amazing.. and also affordable.. just best choice 👍👍👍

Yummy food. Wonderful staff

Excellent, friendly, quick service & delicious pies! We stopped in on our road trip up the highway, and are so glad we did! The service was attentive & so friendly. I had a Breakfast Pie- bacon & egg and cheese and it was so delicious! There was plenty of seating inside and bonus was that it had a clean toilet for customers as well. I grabbed a takeaway coffee also which was very nice. Highly recommend!

Needed to stop for a late lunch. Came here to try the pepper pie - per someone else's google review, it was excellent. Consistency of crust was crispy, not too doughy or stodgy, lovely to bite into, well-seasoned filling, good amount of meat in the pie. Also got a lamington which was also excellent. Good thick coating, soft sponge inside. Would recommend & return.

Very friendly staff, greeted everyone with a warm hello and smile. Coffee was lovely and food very tasty. Will definitely return

Terrace Bake & break is a humble cafe with traditional Aussie cafe style food and atmosphere. They do cooked breaky and sweets, as well as pies. Nothing special in their food or pies, but all fresh and housemade. The sandwich is made on the spot and the ingredients looked fresh! Drinks are the same, no fancy coffee beans or latte-art used but with traditional style coffee and tea. We ordered mushroom pie to have on the table and caramel slice to go. The pie was ok as you expected, flaky pieshell and salty fillings, but the meat was minced, not chunky. Caramel slice was disappointing though.. I could not bite the crust bit because it was way too dry. Staff is friendly, and helpful, with big smiles in their face.. feeling welcomed. The price is reasonable for small business. Always reliable to open any time of the year, like public holidays.. probably to catch holiday travellers who usually take a break in Raymond Terrace.

Great coffee as usual bacon n egg rolls exactly how I ordered

DO NOT STOPAT SERVICE CENTRES…..pull on to this fabulous bakery/cafe!!! This will be our new go to on the way home from Sydney from now on. The food is fabulous and well priced. The service is friendly and swift. We wish that this cafe was close you our hom. Love it!!!!

Really lovely cafe, nice atmosphere, quick service, delicious coffee!!😋☕️

My friend steve shouted me a large flat white with one sugar, and ordered himself a flat white with no sugar. Initially the waitress was unsure which coffee had the sugar, but a more experienced waitress informed her that the blue cup is the default colour for coffee with added sugar, so crisis averted. Nat and Kim came too. Nat got the nachos and he let me have a couple of chips. Kim just got a hot chocolate but she didn't want to share. Next time I come I will get rasin toast.

I love this cafe. Every coffee I have had from here is exceptional - my husband even goes out of his way to get me a coffee from here when I’ve had a rough night with the baby! I also love their banana bread, smooth and delicious. And it’s a really warm, inviting atmosphere when dining in.

Had arrived at 20 past 1 to be told they’ve already closed their kitchen. Change your times on your website so others time isn’t also being wasted like myself and partners. Very disappointed as it’s the only cafe within the centre. Not going to bother trying to eat at your establishment again we will drive to greenhills instead!

Coffee tasted like luke warm milk.Weakest coffee ever so bad i tipped it out. Thats what happens when you use the same pod to make multiple coffees to save money. I have no doubt in my mind thus is what is happening as i have experienced first hand this practice at coffee shops before. There is no other explanation. Thats why when you buy multiple coffees in the same order they are varying strengths

My local Coffee haunt. Each and everyday I'm not at work I simply have to visit the girls at Fibonacci's for their exceptional Coffee and great service. The girls are all super friendly and enjoy a bit of banter and I can't encourage people enough to go there for the great Coffee and service. 5 star rating from me☕😁

Absolutely love to go to this shop for my coffee pick me up in the afternoon. Always get good service and a nice coffee, but recently closing times are a bit hard to gauge. I usually go around 230-245pm but these last few weeks have been hit or miss. I miss my afternoon pick me up 4 days out of 5 😴🥴

Very disappointed with this store. Closing hours stated as 2pm. At 1.10 pm, there was 1 table open with 2 chairs too large to be put on top of that table and one table with 2 people at it. By 1.20pm, all entrances except one were barricaded, counters all wiped down, and it looked very uninviting. The 2 staff were more interested in cleaning up than providing table service. If I wanted a coffee at 1.25pm , I would have thought that the coffee machine was probably cleaned and turned off. I couldn't have sat at the table with the large chairs as they are too low, and the staff were very obviously keen to close asap. The coffees were okay, but the staff could take customer service lessons from those at the Raymond Terrace store

Food & coffee was honest. Service was abysmal. Waited an hour for bacon & eggs.

Average. That's about the only word to describe the food. Coffee was ok. Location is wrong on map. Address is correct.

Run by a lovely couple. Tastiest bacon with great poached eggs.

Totally enjoyed this brekkie Basic eggs your way with bacon, hash brown & tomato added. Coffee was really good. Highly recommended

My mum and I thoroughly enjoyed our relaxing morning tea at The Rectory. We ordered scones and coffee and both were delicious. Thank you to the staff for making our experience so enjoyable. 🌻

Such an awesome Cafe at Raymond Terrace! Was housesitting a friend's dog in Raymond Terrace for a month and was pleasantly surprised to find this hidden gem which is also dog-friendly! The ladies/owners who work there are so friendly and hospitable- always making sure Banjo (friends dog) had enough water and space and the coffee is really good! I also enjoyed their menu. Also really enjoyed the atmosphere-friendly and cosy- There's also a beautiful big old tree which Banjo loved to roam around and plenty of gardens to take him for a nice little walk too! Loved loved the old stone building. A definite must if you're passing through the Terrace, particularly with a 4-legged friend! Thanks ladies for being so kind and welcoming and providing such a friendly, comfy, down-to-earth Cafe in the Terrace! Super happy to have found this hidden gem ☕️ 🐶

This is nice place with friendly staff, unfortunately food portion and ingredient quality was not good. Food had blackish avocado in it. Food portion was not as described in their menu. I hope this is one off incident. Other than this overall I liked this place.

Great little cafe hidden away in Raymond terrace...great food at even better prices

Great food and coffee options. Prices on par with other places in the area

Good food at very reasonable prices. Super convenient to the Tesla charging station - about 2 minutes walk. There are lots of tables set up under trees but it was too cold so we sat inside. Service is quick and friendly. We had a late breakfast plus some of the best scones with lemon curd that I’ve tasted. A much better option than wandering around the shopping centre while your car charges and if you take the back roads you can skip the construction works at Hexham.

Awful customer experience from a badly organised cafe. We were told by the cook food would be 25 minutes. After 45 minutes a young woman asked what the order was and then we were told it hadn’t been started. The young staff stood doing nothing while the older cook took food to tables and kept going out back, maybe for supplies? Rather than apologising for the extra long wait the cook was just rude. Give this place a big miss.

Best place to have your breakfast in and around!!! You’ll just love it they way i did!! Thanks for the wonderful breaky guys!!❤️

Very nice cafe with good inside and outside tables. My big breakfast was just fine. Soft poached eggs as requested and expected!

45 mins for pretty subpar food. Microwaved chips with a dallop of sour cream, tubed guacamole and canned refried beans.

Cheerful staff, awesome vibes, awesome food!!! 💯💯🍻

Amazing food with good prices. Service was above and beyond - they noticed I was making my kids share a frappe - so the waiter kindly brought me an extra glass with the leftovers from the blender. 💜. In the kids own words ‘best breakfast ever!’.

Went there and ordered "Build your own Breakie". The best scrambled eggs, bacon and sides. Definitely "Made With Love". The staff were really friendly, great tea and coffee also. Best cafe in the bay.

In short, I was charged more than the price on the menu for a burger when I asked for a burger with not everything as listed on the menu. After questioning the bill I was told: " if you want something different from the menu we charge more=. Quickly followed by: "Either you pay or we call the Police". So, I paid $18.50 for a burger that had less inside than a burger listed for $ 16.95. Leaving aside the fact that my son,16, did not like it, he managed to swallow only half of it, I decided that to meet the local Police while in holiday it would simply be a total waist of time not worth the extra 3 dollars I was charged for having less than listed on the menu. Most of the times is simply a matter of honesty and other ingredients which at this cafe are not on the menu and most likely if you want them they will charge you extra as they are not on the menu. I hope that this was simply incapacity by the owner to understand a simple rule of business which is you can not charge more when you give less.

Not impressed with the place. Was closed 2 day that it was suppose to be open. Order a takeaway coffee and told to go to the other side to order. Owner needs to learn what good service and hospitality is all about. Coffee was ordinary

Rang and asked to order coffee and phone was put down not sure what had happened so rang back , they didn’t even answer just picked up and hung up , needless to say I didn’t even bother to go to shop and order and never will till I know they have finally sold. I could only post this if a clicked on 1 star!!!

After a long drive a refreshing iced coffee. Still using plastic straws.

just came in for coffee and a quick breakfast. Service was very quick and friendly, food was delicious. Coffee was also very well made, cant complain

Do not recommend this place unless you want to be treated like a criminal. See review by Car Mante. Sums up these uptight, sour individuals. The sooner this place is under new *more contemporary* management, the better. Gave me the shivers. Been there more than once, solo or with others. No more.

Food was nice, quiet little coffee shop. Fresh food and the gourmet sandwiches are beautiful. Staff are very friendly and the restaurant is very clean. Would recommend.

The owner is really friendly and knowledgeable. I got the mortal sin cake which had a cookie base then layers of chocolate, vanilla, and marshmellow. Really, really good. And very aesthetically pleasing. The cakes are around $40-45. This one was $45.

Went for a coffee this morning with my mum and two children, after ordering two coffees, a cake and a cupcake we sat down. Waited about 15minutes for coffee which was okay. We went back asking for our cakes 4 TIMES. By the 4th time I asked for our cakes, it had been over an hour ( I was breastfeeding my son in this time) I ended up standing asking for the cakes to be put in a paper bag and did not enjoy them later on. Not impressed. Only rating one star as the coffee was great taste.

No longer a good place for breakfast that we used to do weekly. Not clean and the service is unreliable (kitchen may or may not be open or limited on what they can make). Sorry to see this happen when it used to be so consistent. Hoping it can turn around soon.

CONSUMERS BEWARE! whilst waiting for coffee my wife and i observed a lady preparing food in the kitchen kept scratching her head and touching her face and rubbing her nose while also preparing food without gloves on OR washing her hands, she kept wiping her hands on her pants, was eating food, touching rubbish then going back to preparing food still without washing her hands, she was seen using her phone then again touching food and eating food again, touching fridge handles and not washing hand's. There was at least 5 bottles of what looked to be Skim milk on the floor in the kitchen area, they were still there when we went back past over an hour later. At the same time A second woman was also witnessed unpacking the dishwasher whist eating food in the kitchen and also didnt wash her hands between eating and touching "clean" dishes. Find this very disappointing as Michele's WAS a very nice place before the previous franchisee moved on.

The only reason I've not given a five is we ordered drinks to be told 10mins later that they could not make a spritz. They were kind enough to give us a large second drink for the price of a small. We have always loved their service so will go back.

Whoa! This place is not kid friendly!! Good for single, older people, I guess. Limited selection of products as well. Fibonacci Coffee is much more accommodating - just around the corner. But if you don't have young kids I'm sure this place is nice. Just not for families :/ which is a shame because I have many childhood memories of going to Michelle's with my parents.

This use to be a ideal place but with the owner becoming more about the money than the customer satisfaction it's slowly becoming a place to just walk on by. Having travelled around and visited other michels I have found this one plays by its own rules. The coffees are more expensive than others , they don't absorb the card transaction fees which is practiced elsewhere. The buy 7 get the 8th coffee free system? ? McDonald's only is 5 and get the 6th free and the coffee is just as good. If I was the staff a would make a offer collectively and buy the owner out because they are the only reason that I still visit this establishment with their smiles and service.

Food is amazing! Staff are so lovely! Highly recommend.

Good food , prices and selection. Friendly staff. Unassuming place but worth the visit, good alternate in Medowie.

Absolutely fantastic food. Great friday night specials

Food and drinks little pricey here, paid $4-50 for a very small bottle of juice, not probably the busiest place around as in a shed with a gym

Best food I've had in a long time

Friendly, efficient and good food.

What a lovely little oasis for the traveller in this quiet little town. We always stop and use the supercharger at the petrol station to charge our car and we saw this cafe across the road. Greeted by a super welcoming person, the atmosphere inside was clean and appealing and the outdoor seating was perfect for this cool sunny day. The milkshake was huge, coffee great and the banana bread was hot with loads of butter. Will definitely stop there again on our travels up north.

We stopped for a coffee and then decided to have an early lunch. The young man and owner was very easy to deal with and even brought a bowl of water for my service dog.

We stopped across the road for a quick car charge and thought we would grab a coffe while we were there. We were surprised to recieve probably the best coffee I have had in my life! From now on I'm stopping there for a coffee whether I charge up or not. Also it was a beautiful, comfortable cafe and great friendly service. I asked where the public toilets were, he said don't go there use our private one.

Delicious coffee 😋 Bailey is running the place in style, doing a good job. Very experienced Barista - even latte art on our piccolo! 👌 Good attention to detail. Food looked good too

Ordered a large iced latte however the milk to coffee ratio was way off to the point where I feel I'm drinking solely milk - hot tip if ordering a large to get an extra coffee shot or two maybe 🤔 the pesto, tomato and cheese Toasties were nice - maybe a little pricey for what we got. Staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was nice 🙂 oh and if you're in a low car I might suggest parking on the street - bit of a ditch at the bottom 👍 otherwise a nice place to visit with plenty of options on the menu! 😊

Great coffee, great bacon and egg roll, and great service- what more do you need ?

Everyone was lovely and kind. Accomodating for Gluten Free and the food is lovely. Food is much better than it looks in my photo. It already cut/man handled it a bit!

Little town Cafe with indoor and outdoor undercover seating areas. Good coffee at a reasonable price, but the mango smoothie we ordered was overpriced as it was really lacking flavour. Staff are nice though.

Great little cafe with friendly staff! Decent coffee and the best you’ll find within 20minutes, will definitely come back

I am extremely impressed with the transformation of this cafe. In its initial days (probably 3 years ago) the cafe, while acceptable, was no where near the standards it is now. As an example, sandwiches were previously “pre-prepared” which is not ideal in my opinion. Now, staff will make sandwiches, wraps and rolls to order which I feel is a far better option. Further, the staff, lead by an amazing manager in Bron, have created a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere which compliments the relaxed nature of the community well. I do not eat a lot of “take away” food and I find Anaitis is perfect for my dietry preferences.. I can still sustain a healthy lifestyle - yet there are fantastic options for the occasional “naughty” meal as I call them. There is a new burger menu and I admit I have tried the deluxe chicken burger and wow, the chicken was grilled to perfection - not dry at all - the extras (salad) were fresh and the flavours worked really well. I will definitely be supporting this local gem!! Thank you Anaitis for bringing something unique, affordable and delicious to the peninsula 😀

So Anaitis does burgers now.... A great little café with a nice selection of cakes and slices that has just branched out with Lunchtime Burgers and have just changed opening hours until 6:00pm to see how it goes. They do takeaway or you can enjoy in the café! Free WiFi is a big plus and you can definitely spend an hour here for lunch + dessert. The staff are excellent! If the hours were extended to 730pm or so it could be a major player for dinner time!

Friendly Staff ; delicious food; lovely coffee. We loved everything we ordered at this Store today. Highly recommended!

Lovely ,friendly atmosphere.Great service and good variety on menu.Nice to drop in for quick visit .Flat area and parking a breeze.In a small centre that has bakery ,newsagent,pathology among other small shops.

Staff are great. Always had great coffee and reasonably priced. Cafe nook is nice too.

I really liked Heather’s Place! I got a toasted turkish, and a hot chocolate, they were very reasonably priced, and tasted fantastic! The lady who served me was very kind, and the wait was not long at all. Something that i loved about the interior of Heather’s was the little business cards on the wall, hinting at Heather’s great involvement in the Lemon Tree community. Heathers is a quiet restaurant, with amazing food and quality service. I would absolutely go back, and would recommend it to anyone passing through, or anyone looking for a good feed.

Great Coffee, cakes & sandwich/toasties. Staff are so lovely! Only thing this place is missing is a dine in / seating area. Although nice to wander across the road and sit by the water with purchases.

Great coffee. We stopped here on a kayak trip and were glad we did. Coffe was great. My husband enjoyed his salami sandwich. There was not a lot of choice for dietary restrictions, but that is ok as it is like this in most places. Staff are friendly and very helpful.

Was really looking forward to coffee from Heathers Place, reading all the great reviews. How disappointing, took one slip and walked across the road and put both coffees in the bin Totally awful & at $14 for 2 coffees I would expect far better quality.

Coffee: mid to disappointing Shakes: bangin - rated by kids as classic goodness Fruit salad: also bangin Atmosphere: take away only but great spot to sip by the water

This place was packed Kings Birthday Public Holiday and I can tell you why... Best coffee in Port Stephens, toasted Roast Vegetable Turkish is bloody delicious 👌. Kids loved their milkshakes. Always great service and lovely staff. Our fav go to in Lemon Tree (and Tanilba). Recommend their platters too! Keepup the great work!

Beautiful , service fast and friendly. Great crew of ladies willing to serve you and help. Cafe cakes, sandwiches, wraps, toasties, fresh fruit, granola and yoghurt, croissants and cookies. Great coffee, lovely iced coffee, milkshakes, ice cream all at good prices. Lovely park opposite shop to sit and enjoy. Heather also caters with food platters🤗💕

This restaurant is a very unique place for brunch! You’re outside among the boats which is lovely but a tad chilly on a winter morning! Fortunately blankets and a heater were happily provided to us. Excellent food and coffee mixed with fabulous customer service will ensure we’re back here again!

Found this little place on the jetty by mistake and so glad we did. Floating on the marina in front of the main building is an awesome little food and coffee stop with outside dining. The coffee was lovely and the bacon and egg burger with hash browns was the best I have had. Give this place some support and drive the extra 5 mins from town and you won’t be disappointed. Why this place is not signposted is crazy. Staff were awesome, if I lived here I would be a regular 👍👍

Lovely fresh food. Perfect serving size for lunch. Salt& Pepper squid was light and fresh. Prawns very clean and delicious. Salads were amazing!

Fantastic food, the best coffee in town and the staff are always so friendly! In such a beautiful location too!

Nice food, amazing view, great service, definitely a good choice!!

I am so glad to be able to visit this place for brunch on our last day at Nelson Bay. Their food and coffee are delicious. Staffs are friendly. Atmosphere is particularly enjoyable as you dine in the middle of a marina with beautiful sea view, combined with some lovely sculptures around the marina, making this a prefect place for some relaxing and enjoyable morning and afternoon.

Food great. Had salt and pepper squid, a little light on the squid but salad accompaniment was delicious. Rain downpour ruined visit but staff went above and beyond to help organising umbrellas. What a nice touch. A+ service.