Exmouth, Western Australia is a hot spot for adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts. But after a day exploring the ranges, swimming with whale sharks or snorkeling the reef, a good meal is a requirement. If you’re wondering where to eat in Exmouth, you’re in luck! I’ve compiled a list of 19 Exmouth restaurants, cafes, takeaway shops and breweries in town so you’ll never run out of ideas for places to eat in Exmouth!
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The 19 best Exmouth restaurants
Adrift Cafe
8 Huston St
Adrift Cafe is understated and relaxed, but the food is sure to surprise you. Tucked away on Huston Street, Chef and Owner, Matt, is cooking up duck spring rolls, seafood linguine, South Indian coconut dahl, porterhouse steaks and more. If you have a favorite wine, you’re in luck, because for $2/ person, you can BYO alcohol. Adrift is open daily for dinner and Monday – Friday for breakfast and lunch. Every meal I’ve had at Adrift has been a good one, but I find myself going back time and time again for their arancini balls. Stop by and grab one for a snack today!
Arancini ball at Adrift
Bamboo
37 Maidstone Cres
If you prefer your fish raw instead of deep fried, Bamboo is the place for you! Specializing in sushi, salads and juices, Bamboo caters to a healthy crowd and promotes low-stress living. They also make some of the best coffee in town. For those of us deep-fried food fanatics, try the teriyaki and karaage Japanese fried chicken!
Bamboo Sushi Exmouth
The Beach Shack
Bundegi Beach
Exmouth has a unique and interesting history. From its inception as an American naval base until today, the town is growing and innovating. One of my favorite new additions is The Beach Shack. In the past, if you wanted to have lunch on the west side, you had to bring your own food or stop by the Lighthouse Caravan Park for a snack. Now, The Beach Shack is feeding hungry snorkelers and beach babes with an all-day breakfast menu, juice, coffee and (this one’s very important) ice cream!
During the season, head out to Bundegi Beach on Sunday evenings for local musicians and themed sundowner menus.
Bluelips Fish and Chips
1 Thew St
If you want to eat at home, but can’t be bothered to cook, Bluelips Fish and Chips is the Exmouth takeaway spot for you! As the name implies, you can get your fill of fish (New Zealand Hake, Goldband Snapper or Spanish Mackerel) and chips. But this chippy has a wide selection of burgers, souvlaki, squid rings, and –my favorite– their famous potato cakes. Made with mashed potatoes, leeks and cream and deep fried, let Bluelips make tonight an easy evening! Don’t forget to pick up Simmo’s ice cream for dessert– direct from Margaret River!
The BBQ Father
Murat Rd across from the Giant Prawn
The BBQ Father is honestly good food at reasonable prices. As their website claims, “Nothing curated, foraged or deconstructed – just slathers of juicy smoked meats so tender they fall apart on your fork, rustic Italian style woodfired pizzas that could feed a small town, bowl-lickingly good pasta dishes and generous scoops of homemade gelato to savour after a long day by the bay.” I love this Italian restaurant with a Texan twist! In addition to wood-fired pizzas and tasty pasta, try the veal ribs or smoked barbecue brisket! And don’t forget to finish the meal with a tasty scoop or two of gelato!
Cadillacs
Murat Rd – across from the Ningaloo Centre
Howdy y’all! Cadillac’s is a slice of Nashville, Tennessee right here in Western Australia! When I lived in Exmouth, I worked as a cowgirl, pulling pints of Carlton Draught and serving up redneck ribs and honk dogs. The big screen TVs play all the best country music… straight from the Grand Ole Opry Stage!
Put on your cowboy boots, practice your howdy and prepare for an evening playing pool in this family-friendly restaurant with Willie, Keith and Garth for company!
Cadillac’s Exmouth
Froth Craft Restaurant and Microbrewery
5 Kennedy St
After a day spent hanging ten on a surf board or swimming with whale sharks, replenish your energy at Froth. You’re guaranteed to spot sun-bleached blondes and dreadlocked ‘dos at this restaurant/ microbrewery/ live music venue that caters to a free-spirited crowd. Their Bring on the Heat ‘n’ Cheese spicy jalapeño cheese dip is my favorite thing on their menu.
Try regional and national artisanal ginger beer and cider or enjoy beer brewed on-site by local brewer Tyler Little. I tried a Mango Sour recently that is on my list of top 10 beers I’ve ever tried! Beers change seasonally, so be sure to check out what’s brewing now.
Their Froth Blends offer a selection of beer-infused cocktails, creating a unique spin on old favorites. Don’t miss the Espresso Stout, made with Vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and dark stout. Not a fan of beer? Froth serves up a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Froth Craft Brewery
Prefer your meal with a competitive edge? Try the Frankenstein’s Mongrel Burger, a $60 challenge (or as they call it– a frallenge) which includes 2 beef patties, 2 southern crispy chicken breasts, 2 bacon rashers, a fried egg, Edmond cheese, garlic aioli, housemate coleslaw, tomato relish on a triple stack Ningaloo Bakehouse white bun and a side of Froth fries! If you can finish it all without help in 20 minutes, you earn a Froth trucker hat, a pint of beer, a photo on the Wall of Famine, a high-five, a well earned rest and –of course– respect!
Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort
Lot 900 Madaffari Dr
If you’re looking for a fancy evening out, head to Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort. Dine with a view of their gorgeous resort pool, situated on the shore of Town Beach. Order a cocktail or a glass of wine as the sky fades to cotton candy shades of pink and blue, and make your menu selection as the stars begin to shine overhead.
Mantarays is best known for their seafood and I can wholeheartedly recommend their Red Emperor. I usually don’t like fish, but this buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish, pan fried and served with citrus butter, avocado salsa and garlic mashed potatoes was enough to convert me to a seafood queen!
Mantarays Red Emperor
Cafe Muiron
Inside the Ningaloo Centre
If you’ve spent the morning inside the Ningaloo Centre, hopping inside the grey school bus from the American era, surviving a cyclone simulation and saying hello to the resident octopus, you’ve surely worked up an appetite. Stop by Cafe Muiron for a chicken schnitzel or a burger and some of Darlene’s famous desserts before leaving the Ningaloo Centre!
Nemo’s Cafe at Exmouth Game Fishing Club Sports Bar & Restaurant
64 Madaffari Dr
While many people are familiar with the Exmouth Game Fishing Club thanks to the 1,000+ pound blue marlin caught in the waters near Exmouth recently, Nemo’s Cafe is a hidden gem. The breezy marina-side restaurant offers casual dining overlooking the gulf where you’ll glimpse humpback whales breaching if you time your visit right! Stick with the fishing theme by ordering fresh seafood or fish and chips or choose a burger or steak if you’re a landlubber.
Ningaloo Bakehouse & Cafe
14 Hedland Place – Ross Street Mall
If you need an easy brekky roll or a wrap to take out on the boat, Ningaloo Bakehouse and Cafe has you covered! The bakery was first opened in 1963, and is home to many happy Exmouth memories. Their bread is baked fresh daily (and if you don’t mind a day old bread, you can score some great discounts).
Day old bargains at Ningaloo Bakehouse
I love their Oreo, chocolate, coffee smoothie and can’t get enough of their hot cross buns during the Easter season.
Ningaloo Harvest IGA Deli
4 Ross St
While UberEats and Deliveroo haven’t quite made it this far up the coast, IGA Deli recently launched a ready-made meal section. With fancy sandwiches like the Veggie Turkish roll, these aren’t the sack lunches your momma made. Check out their sides, including rice, noodle or potato salads. Don’t miss their homemade chocolate mousse for dessert or freshly baked cookies that always distract me at checkout!
IGA Deli
Planet Burgers
17 Payne St
Planet Burgers offers fast food that’s out of this world (I couldn’t resist that pun)! After a Friday night dancing until Semisonic blares through the speakers at the Potshot, you’ll need something greasy and filling. Lucky for you, Planet Burgers sets up shop just outside the pub to cater to the Closing Time crowd. Grab a burger and some fries and make your way (safely) home to enjoy the perfect night out burger!
Potshot Hotel Bistro
1 Murat Rd
Potshot Hotel Resort is an Exmouth icon. I love hearing stories from the days when the American base was in its heyday. The coasters at the pub once read “Visit Exmouth, Australia’s No. 1 Nuclear Target. Get Bombed at BURKETT’S POT SHOT INN.” While the threat of nuclear attack has significantly diminished, people still get bombed at Potshot. But this isn’t a story about drinks… it’s about the places to eat in Exmouth.
Photo credit: Jack McMichael
The menu offers a little something for everyone and includes a wide variety of pasta, curries, beer-battered fish, salad, chicken parmigiana and more. The big draw at Potshot is their Stonegrill experience. Cook your steak or seafood on volcanic stone, in a style reminiscent of the ancient Egyptians and Vikings.
Exhale
1 Thew St
If you’re looking for a filling morning breakfast or delicious tapas and cocktails in the middle of the action, check out Exhale!
It’s located right in town center, so it’s the perfect place to meet friends for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Short Order Local
Town Beach
I once described The Short Order Local’s lemon coconut slice with these words: I took a bite, died, went to heaven and was like ‘brb, I’ve gotta go get one more bite.’ This colorful van is parked on Town Beach, where they serve up delicious coffee, hot brekky rolls with relish, and of course those heavenly lemon coconut slices!
This is one of the places I miss most when I’m away from Exmouth. The Short Order Local is family run, and I love getting my iced chili chocolate chai (topped with a cute teddy cookie) from a friend who knows my name!
Short Order Local lemon coconut slice
The Social Society
2/5 Thew St
With an eclectic bunch of cozy seating options, new and vintage clothing, and local artists’ work hanging on the walls, Social Society feels like home. That is… if your home is trendy, eco-conscious, and a haven of mindfulness. Hey… a girl can dream!
I haven’t even gotten to the food yet! Social Society is serving up some of the best breakfast in Exmouth. Their açaí bowls and smoothies are a refreshing way to start the day. My favorite, though, are the Turkish Fried Eggs, with halloumi, green harissa, mint yoghurt, garlic and toasted almonds. If you have any dietary restrictions, just let them know! The Social Society caters to gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarians, vegans and paleo diets!
Turkish Fried Eggs at Social Society Exmouth
When you eat at The Social Society, you can feel good knowing that the owners value sustainability. Waste is composted or fed to chickens, the shop is mostly powered by solar energy, and the cafe serves all takeaway food in biodegradable and compostable containers. If you bring your own cup. you’ll receive a $.50 discount, so you’ll be rewarded for doing your part, too!
Acai bowl Social Society – one of the best breakfast restaurants in Exmouth
Whalebone Brewing Company
27 Patterson Way
Whalebone Brewing Company’s website says they’re “owned and operated by two local families with a love of craft beer who wanted to bring beer back to what it should be; a great, refreshing, true to style brew enjoyed with mates and family in a ‘no frills’ setting under the stars.”
I had the privilege of attending their fundraiser for the Australian bushfires. In just one night, the town came together to raise $28,000. (Lest you forget, this is a town of about 2,500.) Whalebone is a place where people come together– when I visit with friends, there’s always table-hopping involved because it seems like everyone I know ends up at this brewery!
Try the spicy Spyhop Ginger Beer or a Lighthouse Lager, paired with a pizza as you listen to live music or let the kids play on the equipment designed to let their imaginations run wild!
Whalers Restaurant
2 Murat Rd
Thanks to this alphabetical list, I get to save what I believe is the best restaurant in Exmouth for last. Whalers Restaurant is located on the property of Exmouth Escape Resort, overlooking their resort pool. The atmosphere is unpretentious, but the fresh, local seafood and best steak in town make this this perfect location for a special occasion.
I recommend starting with their seafood mezze. The plate of natural Coffin Bay oysters, whole local tiger prawns, marinated Fremantle octopus, crispy soft-shell crab, and hot smoked salmon dip and crostinis is a perfect way to whet your appetite. From surf, move on to turf with a chargrilled bacon-wrapped eye fillet served with garlic mashed potatoes. I’m picky about my steak and this gets two thumbs up from me– perfectly cooked and melt-in-your-mouth good. Of course, no good meal is complete without dessert. Their banoffee pie earned a spot on my best desserts of Exmouth list!
Whaler’s Exmouth
The town may be small, but the list of dining options is not! In addition to these 19 year-round favorites, be sure to keep your eyes open for food trucks like the Spud Van and Kona Joe’s Health Shack. Street food in Exmouth is always cause for queuing when they park their food trucks in the Exmouth Cultural Arts Centre parking lot.
Which of these Exmouth places to eat is your favorite?
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