Flanagans Restaurant

When you step off the sand into this charming oceanfront restaurant, it's like being at a friend's beach house for dinner - if you had a rock star chef as a friend, that is. This is one of the best brunch/lunch spots around; few things beat eating locally caught wild fish at an outdoor table with the waves crashing just metres away. But it's the degustation dinner that makes this find worthy of a weekend away. The setting is casual but expect to be wowed by clean, creative seafood combinations such as blue-eye trevalla with wakame, finger lime and salmon roe or king prawn topped with a delectable ouzo cream. Edible flowers and veggies from the owners' own garden feature throughout, service is warm and kitchen skill shines in a comforting lamb neck soup and flawless pistachio baklava. Much is based on what's best at the nearby Shellharbour Fish Market and the menu changes each week - good reason to visit again soon.