Sunshine Dining: The Best Restaurants in Mooloolaba To Book

Head north along the stunning coastline of the Sunshine Coast and discover a stunning new coastal destination for your next getaway… Mooloolaba! Less than two hours from Brisbane are incredible views, adventures and top-notch restaurants to dine within. To make your weekend away blissfully easy, we’ve discovered the restaurants Mooloolaba has on offer that must make a cameo on your next escape to this sunshine-filled spot!

You’ll love the relaxed seaside energy, gorgeous beaches and diverse culinary offerings Mooloolaba has on the radar. There’s little doubt in our mind that you’ll fall a little bit in love with the coastal charm of this little town.

Il Vento

Named for the wind that blew them from the shores of Italy to Mooloolaba, Il Vento is one of Mooloolaba’s best spots for some authentic Italian fare. A sister restaurant to popular Brisbane restaurant Il Verde, Il Vento mirrors the popularity and impressive menu with a relaxed, coastal attitude, With the only wood-fired oven in town, if you’re longing for a perfect pizza or handmade pasta, this is the place to be! Location is everything when it comes to coastal dining, and you can’t beat this restaurant's perfect placement on The Wharf, with sweeping views of the Mooloolaba Marina.

Shop 36, 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

Spero

For that family-owned, beach-style eatery experience, Spero is the essential Mooloolaba restaurant for you to try on your next coastal escape. Crafting modern Greek eats from fresh, local meats, seafood and produce, this lowkey restaurant is the perfect pitstop to refuel after a day packed with sun and surf. The fun, fresh and colourful interiors set the tone for a vibrant dining experience, so we recommend booking in and experiencing the Spero difference for yourself!

The Wharf Mooloolaba, 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

See Restaurant

The only restaurant in Mooloolaba offering over-water dining, See Restaurant is a must-do when dining in Mooloolaba! An intimate space that only seats 70 patrons, See is ideal for a romantic date night or special occasion while you’re holidaying on the Sunshine Coast. With a menu of modern Australian cuisine, seasonal cocktails and an incredible variety of wine, you’re in for a treat when you visit this restaurant in Mooloolaba.

The Wharf, 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

Pavilion Mooloolaba

Looking for a chic restaurant in Mooloolaba to visit for breakfast, lunch or happy hour? Pavilion Mooloolaba does it all! Beginning the day with a more-ish breakfast menu, before moving through lunch and dinner with their famous sourdough pizzas or mouth-watering share plates. There’s always something happening at Pavilion, whether it’s their Sundaze special, Sunset Hour drinks, Set Lunch or a refined high tea. With fresh, pared-back interiors and views of the water, Pavilion is definitely the hottest restaurant on the radar in Mooloolaba to dine at on your next visit to the Sunshine Coast.

Sitchu Tip: Bookings are recommended to secure your spot, but in a pinch, walk-ins are always welcome here!

Mantra International Resort, 26/121 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba

Prawnstar Mooloolaba

You don’t have to travel all the way to tropical North Queensland to experience the iconic floating restaurant famed for its fresher-than-fresh seafood! One of our favourite restaurants in Mooloolaba is Prawnstar, a floating fishing trawler-turned-restaurant that plates up the best prawns and local seafood that you’ve ever sampled. Dine on wild-caught crayfish, bugs, oysters and more at one of the most unique dining destinations in Queensland. Gaze out over the water on the Wharf as you dive into shared platters of seafood with your boo or your besties - we can hardly think of a better way to spend a warm, summery night!

The Wharf Mooloolaba, 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

Rice Boi

A buzzy spot along The Wharf, Rice Boi is a Japanese izakaya-feel bar that serves pan-Asian street food downstairs and upstairs is a dive bar with balcony views. The bar upstairs not only offers the full Rice Boi menu, but cocktails and wine are also in abundance with live music setting the scene. It’s a favourite amongst locals and visitors alike thanks to its grungy-cool aesthetic, waterfront views, delicious dumplings and bountiful bao. Rice Boi is the perfect restaurant to visit in Mooloolaba for cold beer and local bites to unwind after a day of sun, surf and sand.

123 The Wharf Mooloolaba, Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

R B Dining

Freshly opened in May 2023, R B Dining is the latest venture from the gang behind the ever-popular Rice Boi. This slick new restaurant serves modern Asian eats, polished cocktails, and has a private dining room perfect for your next special event. If you can’t decide which delish dish is for you, opt to dine from the Chef’s Menu (after all, Chef knows best), and there’s an additional gluten-free and vegan menu to ensure that dietaries in your dining party are easily catered for. With high ceilings, romantic moody lighting and a fine-dining feel, R B is the place to be when you’re enjoying a date night or long-overdue social hour with your closest friends.

Level 1, The Wharf Mooloolaba, 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

The Dock

One of The Wharf’s freshest faces is a restaurant and bar that makes for a spacious hangout. Boasting waterfront views, three bars and 52 beer taps, needless to say, this Mooloolaba restaurant has a penchant for beers. But don’t fret if you’re not a beer person, The Dock is also a haven for gin lovers with an extensive offering. As for the menu, it changes seasonally, but expect smoked meats and charcoal grill whilst staying true to their philosophy of ‘fresh and local is best’.

The Wharf Mooloolaba, 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

Dirty Moes

This bar and restaurant hybrid is an easy-going hangout mere steps from the beach. Inspired by the grungy, communal feel of comparable Melbourne barbecue joints, owners Hazel and Ben decided to fill the gap in their hometown’s dining scene with the launch of Dirty Moe’s. Feel the ocean breeze at one of their street-side tables or head inside for bar tables and stools. Slow-cooked meats and burgers are served alongside bourbon, whiskey and cocktails. Their weekly specials board is deserving of your attention; Tuesday Rib Night, Nacho Wednesdays and Thursday Burger Night.

Shop 8/11 Landmark Resort, Burnett Street, Mooloolaba

Pier 33

Dine where the locals go at this bright and breezy restaurant in Mooloolaba! Pier 33 is a fun casual dining restaurant with a modern and eclectic menu. With a waterfront setting, you know the seafood menu is going to be off the charts and this restaurant does not disappoint. Perfect for long, lazy lunches, sunset drinks and snacks or a sunshine-drenched picnic on their lush lawns, we predict you’ll want to visit Pier 33 time and time again after your very first visit. 

33-45 Parkyn Parade, 
Mooloolaba

Bella Venezia

Award-winning Italian by the water? Say no more! Bella Venezia is one of the best restaurants in Mooloolaba to pop onto your hit list, with a picture-perfect placement on the Mooloolaba Esplanade. This charming Italian spot has called this idyllic spot home for over 40 years and has earned a reputation as a local gem - a must-do for any locals or visitors hankering after a helping of hearty comfort food. Bella Venezia crafts their dishes from locally farmed ingredients, seafood straight from the port and imported Italian ingredients for that authentic touch on their cuisine. Their Mooloolaba Yellowfin tuna crudo is our pick of the share plates, served with fennel, capers, lime, chilli and leek oil.

95 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba

Now that you’re dining like a local at these restaurants in Mooloolaba, it’s time to explore more of the Sunshine Coast. Or, book yourself in for the holiday of a lifetime at these luxe Sunshine Coast accommodation options.