A local’s guide to 17 of the best restaurants in Cronulla

Long-time local Carla Grossetti suggests some of the best restaurants in Cronulla no matter the occasion.

Locals have pretty strong opinions about which are the best restaurants in Cronulla. We’re not here to play favourites, but we have rounded up some of the waterfront suburb’s best places to eat. Each provides a compelling snapshot of where the dining scene in the southern Sydney suburb is.

Here are the Cronulla restaurants, from family-friendly places for pizza to a swanky new supper club, that should be on your radar.

1. Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare

The community of Cronulla has quite a bit of ownership over the ivy-clad space that was once the ‘old library’, now a bright and breezy Italian fine diner that been reimagined by restaurateur Matteo Margiotta. The coastal-chic venue is an offshoot of Pino’s Vino e Cucina in Alexandria and has been thoughtfully redesigned by Nic Graham (behind the quirky QT Hotel Sydney) to complement the bones of the community building.

Although Matteo’s executive chef Cristiano Patacca now heads both venues, customers from the Alexandria iteration should expect “a sea change” when they visit its stylish sibling.

The restaurant features handmade terracotta tiles from Italy, bespoke terracotta sconces from Byron Bay, and a palette of olive greens. It also has a private dining room with more than 1600 bottles of wine and pretty potted olive trees. You’ll be whisked away to Italy with a menu that features handmade pasta, fresh seafood, and tiramisu.

Best for: Maccheroncini alla vodka, spanner crab
Address: 1/15 Surf Rd, Cronulla

2. Benny’s

Bobby’s in South Cronulla is now bookended by Benny’s perched on the shores of Gunnamatta Bay on the other side of the peninsula. The new sun-starched restaurant has handed the reins to talented hatted chef RJ Lines (ex-One Penny Red) to serve a finely tuned roster of seasonal seafood-centric dishes that speak to the waterfront location.

Lines has a very distinct style and does exceedingly well by relying on simple, honest ingredients to do the talking. Think bluefin tuna carpaccio. Sydney rock oysters shucked to order. And the delicious ‘barra in a bag’ with clams and cherry tomatoes that is set to become a signature.

Designed by SISU Interiors, Benny’s is all sandstone and brass with large cut-out windows offering stunning views of beach and bay. Nelson Braid (Australian Gin Champion of the Year) is behind the drinks list and his cocktail list is light and refreshing and infused with local botanicals. The good news is you can enjoy a few bevvies while watching the sun set over the sea as the west-facing restaurant is just a few minutes’ walk from Cronulla Train Station.

Benny’s also has a takeaway window for beer-battered fish and chips, gelato bars and ice cream cones that can be enjoyed on a nearby grassy knoll after a day spent paddling in the bay or doing bombies off the pier.

Best for: Fish and chips in the park or the barra baked in a bag.
Address: 27 Tonkin St, Cronulla

3. Hurricane’s Cronulla

Hurricane’s Grill & Bar Cronulla is the fifth Hurricane’s establishment by restaurateur Tony Teixeira and his wife Pauline. And one of the couple’s master strokes was to engage the folk at award-winning design studio Luchetti Krelle, who seem to have colour-matched the patina of sandstone from nearby South Cronulla headland and applied it to the walls of the 300-seater venue.

The restaurant is all curved walls and textured arches that evoke a sort of Meet the Flintstones aesthetic. Add a few earthy terracotta pots overflowing with fruit and flowers, a cave-like grotto for private dining and cantilevered shelves and this coastal beauty feels perfect for the beachside culture of Cronulla.  Yes, the menu is still full of meaty dishes that diners like to gnaw on, such as the signature ribs and dry-aged steaks. But there have also been a few more micro adjustments to the menu with a raw bar curated by Brazilian-born head chef Allan Keidi Mikami that nods to his Japanese heritage.

Best for: Hiramasa kingfish with white soy and sesame followed by a full rack of flame-grilled, basted signature ribs with beef, pork and lamb.

Address: 49 Gerrale St, Cronulla

4. Bobby’s

Bobby’s is exactly the sort of place that first-time visitors to Cronulla want to be beamed into with everything from the food and the fit-out perfectly suited to the waterfront location.  But best get out the bronzer. The crowds at Bobby’s are generally young and good looking and that starts with the staff who greet you at the door, wearing terracotta-toned linen, all grins and sun-kissed glamour.

Executive chef Pablo Tordesillasis (ex-Totti’s, Otto) has talent and flair, and the menu makes perfect sense in this prime waterfront location. Start with fresh and contemporary dishes such as stracciatella with fried rosemary, honey, hazelnut and focaccia. And follow with whole snapper with burnt butter, citrus and caperberries. The focal point here is the ocean and owners Adam and Kylie Micola have displayed an unerring instinct for knowing what this neighbourhood needed.

Best for: Egg tagliatelle with prawns, cuttlefish, garlic, chilli and chives.

Address: 6R The Esplanade, Cronulla

5. The Pines

This elegant beachside pavilion is a place for special occasions. Nab a seat in the dining room near the large cut-out windows that frame a swirling scape of sea and sky to enjoy signature dishes such as the crispy pork jowl or angel-hair prawn pasta with XO sauce.

The menu at The Pines is designed by Michelin-trained chef James Metcalfe, while the global wines list is selected by local sommelier Noel Sorrenti. The restaurant is now open for breakfast seven days a week and has captured the early-morning crowds who convene here for breakfast burgers, sweetcorn fritters and maple granola. The bottomless bellini brunch is also a favourite.

Best for: Sea breezes over plates of crispy pork jowl and cured flank steak.
Address: Unit 1/8-18 Kingsway, Cronulla

6. Yalla Sawa Restaurant

This family-run restaurant has been going strong for about a decade. Yalla Sawa means to ‘come together’ in Lebanese and the family-run restaurant is a fine example of the kind of quality restaurants locals flock to for Sunday lunch or dinner.

This is home cooking done right with parsley-rich tabbouli and herb-flecked falafel staying true to family recipes. The quality and freshness of the ingredients is remarkable. Feast on flavoursome hummus and Lebanese flatbread and lamb shank tagine in this beautiful space which is distinguished by its colourful design.

Best for: Chicken shwarma, falafel and chermoula eggplant.
Address: 2/59-65 Gerrale St, Cronulla

7. CC Babcoq

CC Babcoq has taken the notion of the humble roast chook shop up a notch and in doing so created one of the most jumping joints in Cronulla. The name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the character in The Nanny, C.C. Babcoq and was initially conceived of by Harry and Mario Kapoulas (who have the ever-popular HAM cafe and Rushi, near Chain Reaction).

Go for the rotisserie chook with crinkle-cut chips and baby cos salad and stay for the cocktails. Mussels in a tomato-rich broth are also a must-order when they’re in season. Portions are generous at the colourful eatery, which has both indoor and al fresco seating arrangements.

Best for: Crumbed chicken with baby cos.
Address: Shop 4/5/66-70 Cronulla St, Cronulla

8. Eat Lebanese

Ideally located on Cronulla’s high street, this low-key eatery is a top spot to come for lunch after a swim or a surf at South Cronulla. Eat Lebanese does what it says on the tin. It serves sensational share plates of Lebanese food in a light, comfortable dining area a pebble’s throw from the beach.

Once seated in this intimate venue, diners are encouraged to pick out their own mix of mezze dishes. A starter that should not be missed is the fattoush, a home-style salad made from rocket, fresh thyme, purslane, tomatoes and toasted flatbread. Round out your feast with falafels and a mixed grill plate.

Best for: The kafta fold-up, which is a seven-serviette affair.
Address: 98 Cronulla St, Cronulla

9. Queen Margherita of Savoy

In spite of the fact Cronulla has no shortage of pizzerias, this dark and atmospheric family-run joint has long been considered one of the area’s best. Jorga Carroll has earned her place as a pizzaiola in just a few short years for her mastery of the traditional Neapolitan-style pizza, which is typically eaten folded over for easy consumption.

There’s also an impressive selection of starters at Queen Margherita of Savoy such as nduja arancini and lamb polpette as well as pasta options and sensational salads. The pizzeria recently launched its Bottomless Sundays which includes pizzettas and spritzers, wines and Italian lager.

Best for: Pizza capriccioso and pasta gamberi.
Address: 2 Surf Road, Cronulla

10. El Rey Cronulla

El Rey means ‘the king’ and this neighbourhood hangout is a great place to gather for a few tacos, chilli margies and a chat. You can see the waves rolling in from this sun-drenched terrace where you will be waited on by staff wearing light-washed denim and haircuts that nod to the 90s. Favourite dishes include red tuna ceviche, chorizo croquetas, and the signature nachos del ray.

The earthy dining room with its terracotta tones and warm, natural timbers sets the stage for a menu of modern Mexican favourites.  The service is unpretentious and the wait staff so friendly they’ll likely share the day’s swell forecast.

Best for: Nachos and tacos de Pescado.
Address:  1 Kingsway, Cronulla

11. Johnny Hu

Locals have long liked to linger at Alphabet St and Giro Osteria. But the Natale Group have stepped it up another notch with Johnny Hu, a restaurant and bar by day and night that transitions into a supper club. From kung pao chicken and Peking duck pancakes and dumplings made in-house daily to Japanese whisky sours. Go to the supper club on a lazy Sunday and order the set menu in this up-and-coming corner of Cronulla.

Sea-changers waiting for Sydney’s property market to fall should catch the train here and do a reccie as Johnny Hu’s is a definite draw. Think curved banquettes, fine service  and Chinese classics where a very local Cronulla crew converge for late-night supper.

Best for: Pork, prawn, garlic and chive dumplings.
Address: 134 Cronulla St, Cronulla

12. Giro Osteria

Giro Osteria is a discreet eatery tucked away on the second level of the Cote d’Azur building in Cronulla, which belies its charming interior. This upscale space was gifted to the community by the Natale Group, which has been spreading the gospel about the Shire for about a decade.

Take a seat on the aubergine banquette and watch the chefs plating up at the pass. Everyone from tradies with their missos to local politicians doing business and groups of girlfriends going out to lunch are drawn to the intimate osteria. Undoubtedly, for dishes such as linguine with lobster and cacio e pepe.

Best for: Pork belly arancini and linguine with lobster. There’s bolognese for bambinis.
Address: 3/1 McDonald St, Cronulla

13. Summer Salt

Ride a right-hander at Elouera Beach in Cronulla and you’ll be deposited right out front of Summer Salt. The restaurant has long been known as one of the most compelling places in Cronulla to dine with a waterfront view. And being able to carry that beachfront location with great food and wine is all part of the experience at the newly reimagined Summer Salt restaurant.

The venue has been taken over by the acclaimed Sydney Restaurant Group, which has aimed to forge its own identity by hitting refresh on the interiors and further capitalising on those sweeping views.  The Sydney Restaurant Group has some of Sydney’s best waterfront venues: think Aqua Dining, Manta Woolloomooloo, Sails in McMahon’s Point and Ormeggio at the Spit.

And Summer Salt, like the waves out front, is worth lining up for. Start with chargrilled WA octopus followed by seppia linguine with a rich buttery sauce infused with Cinzano and sea urchin. The roving dessert trolley demonstrates a high level of confidence when successfully competing with that view. Go for an Aphrodite cocktail and Sorrentine limoncello tiramisu layered with a refreshing yuzu-limoncello curd. Then do as the locals do and bookend the experience with an amble along the Esplanade.  

Best for: Salt Sessions on weekends with music and cocktails.
Address: 66 Mitchell Rd, Cronulla

14. Alphabet St

You can choose your own pan-Asian adventure at Alphabet St with its menu divided into bites, snacks, starters, salads and rice courses. As well as being the first Natale Group restaurant to open in the Sutherland Shire, Alphabet St embodied a shift in the local dining scene that was a long time coming.

Alphabet St is the culinary complement to the coastal lifestyle on offer here. The menu blurs borders and is a mix of bold flavours and culinary refinement. Order the papaya salad, the Hiramasa kingfish sashimi, the big boyz chicken wings and the Massaman lamb curry with a coupla appletinis on the side.

Best for: Appletinis and steamed whole fish with lime and chilli broth
Address: 5/8 Kingsway, Cronulla

15. Salt Meats Cheese

There are dozens of places to dine and drink in Cronulla. But not all are created equal. Salt Meats Cheese is housed in the iconic heritage-listed former Commonwealth Bank in a hip pocket of the pedestrianised plaza. While the Sammut Group helped transform the mixed-use building into a local landmark, Guru Projects worked on SMC’s interiors.

Twirl your fork around a tangle of crab tagliolini. Stab a little square of spinach and ricotta ravioli fragrant with ricotta and pecorino. The dining room is a shiny Art Deco fantasy of what a neighbourhood Italian bistro should look like. It has a light, playful spirit anchored to some great talent in the kitchen.

Best for: Smashing a super truffle bros pizza after a surf.
Address: Shop 1/66-70 Cronulla St, Cronulla

16. Summer Salt

Locals have been watching the transformation of Summer Salt with great interest. The waterfront venue has been taken over by the Sydney Restaurant Group and is undergoing a total refresh designed to capitalise on those sweeping views.

The Sydney Restaurant Group has some of Sydney’s best waterfront venues: think Aqua Dining, Manta Woolloomooloo, Sails in McMahon’s Point and Ormeggio at the Spit. The one thing that won’t change at Summer Salt is those million-dollar views of breaking waves and beachgoers. Summer Salt is a great place to stop off after an amble along the Esplanade.

Best for: The cold seafood plate and salmon sashimi.
Address: 66 Mitchell Rd, Cronulla

17. Sealevel

Sealevel is the local’s go-to for giant, tiered platters of fruits de mer. Besides Sydney rock oysters, blue swimmer crab, Moreton bay bugs, smoked salmon, fresh and barbecued prawns there’s barbecued octopus and beer-battered fish.

The beachfront restaurant becomes more like an aquarium when there’s a swell running, with waves rushing over the footpath out front. This is not the kind of place where you dust the sand off your feet and wander in off the beach. Channel your nanna from Nantucket and dress to impress.

Best for: The seafood plate for two.
Address: No.2 The Kingsway, Cronulla

Looking for a pre-dinner drinks venue? Follow our guide to the best bars in Cronulla.

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