Bunbury Restaurant Tips by robertgaz Top 5 Page for this destination

Walkabout Café: True blue Aussie dining

The first known VT meeting in Bunbury was held on a chilly Friday night on the 15th June 2007.

The occassion was to welcome imstress (Jen) and hubby, Basil to Bunbury in WA.

The Walkabout Café was the chosen venue for a bit of good ol' Aussie food and atmosphere.

Steaks are served as a half kilo cut of meat cooked to your liking. I wanted to give my good friends from Singapore a taste of good Aussie fare washed down with a glass of local red wine.

It was a real pleasure to sit down and "chew the fat" with a couple of good friends at a popular local eatery.

Favorite Dish: The restaurant is open 7 days a week from 11am for lunch right through till late for dinner and has it's own licensed bar with local beers and wines.

The steaks are cooked exactly to your liking and are served in half kilo portions with salad and chips. Medium to well cooked steaks take an extra half hour to cook so please take this into consideration when ordering.

I can highly recommend the 450g rare Pepper Steak which is a sirloin cut and coated with a crust of black peppercorns.

Address: 66 Victoria Street, Bunbury

Comparison: about average

Directions: On the main street in Bunbury's cappuccino strip in the CBD.

Other Contact: email: agoodtime@walkaboutcafe.c

Phone: +618 9791 6922

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Steakhouse

Aunty Ria's Restaurant: Italian Food with a view

Aunty Ria's Restaurant is beautifully located on the waterfront near the CBD overlooking the wide expanse of Koombana Bay.

The main fare is Italian with a good selection of entrees & starters and a typical array of main courses including Pesce (fish), Carne (meat) and Pollo (chicken). There are also pasta dishes and a variety of woodfired pizzas.

The selection of wines isn't extensive but more than acceptable for all wine tastes. Most of the wines are local and priced from $26.00 a bottle.

To finish off there are also cakes to tempt your sweet tooth with freshly brewed coffee to wash it down with.

Favorite Dish: Being a carne lover I really enjoyed the Koombana Beef which is a tender Scotch Fillet cooked exactly how you like it and is served with fresh prawns in a creamy port wine sauce.

I'm not a big fan of sauces particularly with rare meat because it detracts from the flavour of the natural juices so I simply asked them to serve mine without sauce. The bottle of Churchview Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was all the sauce I needed ;~)

Address: 15 Bonnefoi Boulevarde, Bunbury

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: On the waterfront near the CBD

Other Contact: email: admin@barbados.com.au

Phone: +618 9791 6555

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Italian

Ex-tensions On The Beach: Tasty fresh salads

Ex-tensions On The Beach is right on the Back Beach which is Bunbury's most popular and safest beach.

Enjoy fresh salads, succulent seafood or a tender steak with great views of the Indian Ocean. The restaurant is fully licensed and has a good selection of local beer and wines.

Favorite Dish: The Caesar Salad with tender pieces of grilled chicken breast, crisp lettuce and other greens, seasoned croutons and a few slivers of anchovies is my favourite. The seafood crepes looked worth trying as well.

Address: Ocean Drive Bunbury

Comparison: about average

Directions: On the beach near the Bunbury Surf Lifesaving Club

Other Contact: email: fred@ex-tensions.com.au

Phone: +618 97912141

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Parade Hotel: On the water

The Parade Hotel is right on the Leschenault Inlet with picturesque views to the city and white mangroves. You can easily walk there on the footpath all the way from the CBD.

It's a beautiful spot to relax with a drink or two, watch the boats on the Leschenault Inlet or seeing locals trying their luck at catching crabs.

And after watching the setting sun you can enjoy a blackboard meal which features fresh local fish, steaks or even a kangaroo fillet. All meals come with an all-you-can-eat-salad-bar which included a crisp green salad; Waldorf, bean or pasta salad with bread rolls.

Favorite Dish: I tried the kangaroo fillets crusted with native wattle seed and a sweet fig jus. Very tasty but the roo was just a little dry. Being a low fat meat it has to be cooked just right to retain the all natural juices.

Address: 1 Austral Parade, Bunbury

Comparison: about average

Directions: 10 min walk from CDB

Phone: +618 9721 2933

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Mojo's: It's on everyone's lips

Mojo's is Bunbury's only Gold Plate winning restaurant for 2008 and are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

The decor is modern with either indoor or alfresco tables. The best time for alfresco is in the afternoon when you can catch the sun.

The service is friendly with a great selection of foods and drinks. The restaurant is licensed with a variety of local and imprted beers and wines.

This would be the place to celebrate a lotto win... I spotted a botlle of 1990 Krug going for $1,100!



Favorite Dish: Chilli salt squid, bok choy, Singapore sauce & jasmine rice $23.00.

They could have put the Singapore next to the Chilli Salt Squid to prevent them from going soft.

It still tasted great though!

For an entree do try their salted and steamed soya beans still in their pod. Delicious with a crisp white wine :~)

Address: Victoria Street

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Near the Grand Cinema Complex

Other Contact: fax: +618 9721 1818

Phone: +618 9792 5900

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 3

Theme: Eclectic/International

Website: http://www.mojosrestaurant.com.au/

Kinkellas Bar & Restaurant: Great value

Great value pub meals with an average price of around $20 per meal. The most expensive is the Reef 'n' Beef which is a steak topped with grilled prawns.

My tender sirloin steak was priced at $21 and came with chips and some greens. There is also an all-you-can-eat salad bar where you can help yourself.

Beer and wine prices are very reasonable. I paid $19 for a bottle of Howling Wolves Shiraz from Margaret River. Normally I would expect tp pay around $30 at other licensed restuarants.

Favorite Dish: I thoroughly enjoyed my juicy rare sirloin steak which was cooked to perfection right down to the thin chargrilled crust.

Address: Parks Centre

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Corner of Bussell Highway and Brittain Rd Bunbury.

Phone: +618 9792 4677

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Nicolas Ristorante: Delicious home-style Italian cooking

Nicolas won the 2006 Gold Plate WA Division for Unlicensed Dining and is well known for its delicious home-style Italian cooking using good quality local produce.

Because this restaurant is such a popular spot you may need to book in advance or be prepared to wait for a table.

It's usually full to the rafters with diners so it can be a very noisy place. I would not recommend it if you are after an intimate dining experience!

Is is a licensed reataurant with a good selection of beer and local wines.

Favorite Dish: A rare Dardanup eye fillet topped with prawn cutlets and Queensland scallops in a creamy garlic sauce on parmesan scented mashed potatoes... yum!!!

Address: 62-64 Victoria Street, Bunbury

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Right in the heart of the CBD

Other Contact: email: nicolasristorante@bigpond

Phone: +618 9791 3926

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Italian

Website: http://www.nicolaristorante.com/index.htm

Jivin J's: Empty your wallet here

Not far from the CBD and overlooking the sheltered waters of Leschenault Inlet is Jivin J's waterfront bar and eatery.

I stopped by for a hot coffee and a piece of cake one fine sunny winter's day to quench my thirst and to take a break from cycling around Bunbury.

But be warned... there were no prices on the menu and when it was time to settle the bill for two coffee's, two milkshakes and four pieces of cake it came to a whopping $56! I guess you gotta pay for the view and the ambience.

Jivin J's has recently changed ownership and now trades as Casellas Wine-Tapas-Grill at the same address.

Address: Bonnefoi Boulevard Bunbury

Comparison: most expensive

Directions: Near CBD overlooking Leschenault Inlet

Phone: +618 9721 6075

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 1

Theme: Local

Jesters: We're serious about pies

The humble and popular Aussie pie has been elevated to gourmet status at this WA based franchise. Jesters specialise in pies that are based on home-style recipes and using premium, all-natural ingredients.

Favorite Dish: My favourite is the Stockmans which is filled with tender chunks of lean beef which is simmered in a thick, rich gravy.

Other pie styles include Minced Beef & Onion, Beef, Bacon & Mushroom, Beef Stroganoff, Curry Beef, Satay Chicken, Chicken Carbonara, Spinach, Mushroom & Feta and Lamb & Vegies.

If you have a hankering for something sweet there is also the Apple & Custard or the Blueberry & Custard.

Address: Parks Centre

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Corner of Britain Road & Bussell Highway Bunbury

Other Contact: fax: +618 9721 7465

Phone: +618 9721 7432

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Fast Food

Website: http://www.jesters.com.au/

Hungry Hollow Tavern and Brasserie: Ocean views!

With a name like Hungry Hollow Tavern you would think that the name has something to do with food... wrong! This spot has been known as Hungry Hollow for as long as I can remember... it has more to do with the surf break that you find on the beach than the appetite of patrons. The "Tavern" bit was added much later especially for the brasserie. Long before that it was called the Seacrest Restaurant but that's a story long forgotten by now.

The Hungry Hollow Tavern and Brasserie enjoys a high position overlooking the Indian Ocean and is a great spot for a sun downer... literally! You can sip a quiet drink or two while enjoying the spectacular sunsets over the ocean. Then afterward you can dine alfresco or amble on inside if it's a tad uncomfortable outside.

It's a very relaxed and contemporary atmosphere if touching on a little run down. But there is an extensive a la carte menu with a good selection of beers on tap and local wines. On Sundays they do a $6.90 roast for lunch. Very good value!

Favorite Dish: The specialty of the house is the stone grill steaks. A succulent piece of sirloin steak is served on an slab of super heated volcanic rock and you cook it to your own liking.

The down side is if like me you enjoy a rare steak you need to eat very quickly because it will be medium rare by the time you finish. The upside is that your meat stays hot. As much as I like rare steak I don't enjoy it if it's gone cold. You take the good with the bad... and if you don't like it take your complaint to the chef ;~)

The stone remains very hot for a long time. After I finished the steak I sauteed some tomato and onion from the salad that comes with every meal. Delicious!

Address: Ocean Drive Bunbury

Comparison: about average

Directions: Corner of William Street and Ocean Drive Bunbury

Other Contact: Fax +618 97918756

Phone: +618 97915577

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Local