Belongil Beach Italian Food

ciao, mate!

Up in the Hinterland, just a short 15-minutes drive outside of Byron Bay’s pristine beaches is Ciao, Mate!. As the name implies, Ciao, Mate! is an Australian Italian small and cosy neighbourhood pizza joint offering your favourites in the heart of Bangalow. The space is humble, with an atmosphere you’d opt for an evening to relax back into. For the vibes, the venue is fitted out with leather booths and dimly lit lights.

Melbourne’s Nick Stanton (Leonardo’s Pizza Palace and the now-closed Ramblr), is heading up the kitchen. It’s a bit of a homecoming for Nick, who grew up on the northeastern shores of New South Wales. Ciao, Mate! combines his love for the Australian coast along with his Italian cooking experience. As for the menu, they do a damn good woodfired pizza. Think spicy pork with tomato, nduja, mozzarella, guanciale, sage and maple. For the pasta, there’s spanner crab linguine and snacks like stracciatella with pickled cauli-florets and baked crab mornay with smoked bone marrow. Yum.

Daughter In Law

Chef and owner Jessi Singh has been serving up ‘unauthentic Australian Indian’ cuisine in vibrant and playful venues across Australia for years. Sydney’s Don’t Tell Aunty and Daughter in Law found in Melbourne and Adelaide, and now most recently the expansion of his popular Daughter in Law eatery to the beachside town of Byron Bay.

The 65-seat eatery has set up shop on Fletcher street, with the venue having more of a coastal feel than its city counterparts. The space encapsulates that of a Byron Bay lifestyle we all love. As for the menu, there is a large emphasis on seafood, vegan and gluten-free options, think hiramasa kingfish ceviche, pickled jalapeno, finger lime coconut sauce with pappadum and grilled prawns cooked in a tandoor oven served with pineapple chutney.