The best holidays start with a good brekkie and great coffee…
From beachside kiosks and waterfront terraces to the warehouses of specialty coffee roasters, here are the local favourites — the places that earn repeat visits from people who actually live here.
The Best Cafes in Port Macquarie: Quick Reference
Best all-round cafe: Rainforest Cafe, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre (brekkie pictured)
Best beachside kiosks: Salty Crew Kiosk at Town Beach, Town Beach & Coast at Lighthouse Beach
Best specialty coffee: Haus of Alma on Clarence St, or Group Therapy Coffee Co, Blackbutt Road.
Best riverfront cafe: Little Shack, Town Green or Rivermark on Hastings River drive.
Best farm-to-table cafe: Cafe Red, Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberry Farm
Best family-friendly cafe: A tie between Pancake Place, & Drift Cafe, Port City Bowling Club
Best cafe to take very young kids: Home at Roto, Roto House, or Billabong Zoo’s Cafe.
Best takeaway coffee with a river view: Hastings Coffee Co, Westport Club
Best hinterland cafe: Byabarra Cafe, Byabarra
Best dog friendly cafe: Coast at Lighthouse Beach or Chop n Chill on Town Green
Scroll on for the delish details!
Best All-Round Cafe: The Rainforest Cafe
The setting is sublime. Among the tall trees, birdsong and ocean breezes is the Rainforest Cafe, nestled in Sea Acres National Park. The food is fab (eggs benny pictured above), and, as it’s in the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, you can walk it off on 1.3km timber boardwalk through the rainforest. Magic. A great spot for brekkie, morning tea, lunch or an afternoon treat.
Best Beachfront Cafe: a tie between Salty Crew Kiosk & Coast at Lighthouse
Salty Crew Kiosk at Town Beach is exactly what a beach town kiosk should be. Acai bowls, decent coffee, and your feet practically in the sand. Post-swim (or sunrise beach yoga), pre-surf, or just chilling by the ocean - this is where Port Mac locals start their beach days. Dogs welcome. A few minutes south, above the golden sands of Lighthouse Beach, is Coast(located at Tacking Point Surf Club). Great coffee and light inventive meals served under fringed umbrellas with ocean views just a few footsteps to the sand. And whale spotting is free. Dog friendly, plenty of space for kids to run around, and a favourite with locals.
Best Specialty Coffee: Haus of Alma
Haus of Alma Espresso Bar has a bit of a cult following, with friendly local barista/owner Ant at the helm. It’s coffee window is open from 6am, 7 days, on the upper-end of Clarence St, and is part of the popular Haus of Alma boutique. Sunny outdoor seating available.
Best Riverside Cafe: Little Shack
Little Shack has become a Port Mac institution for good reason. Right at the Breakwall with a coastal backdrop that's hard to beat at any time of day. A firm local favourite for coffee, bites and general good vibes. You may want to swap out the coffee for a sunset margie or buckets of Coronas & prawns in the arvo/evening. Dog friendly in the alfresco area.
Best Family-Friendly Cafes: Pancake Place, Drift at Port City Bowling Club or Kove Cafe at Panthers
Pancake Place is a Port Mac holiday staple. They do brekkie and lunch, sweet and savoury crepes and pancakes, often loaded with the freshest fruit and salads. Don’t miss the Nutella pancakes and their iced chocolates are delish, plus there’s a small play space for toddlers.
At Panthers on the riverfront, theKove Cafe does barista coffee and homemade treats daily. The big advantage is ‘The Backyard’ - a playground which includes a basketball court!
Drift Cafe at Port City Bowling Club has a great value cafe. It’s a beautifully renovated club with a fabulous outdoor playground for the kids. Highly recommended.
When we’ve got really little kids in tow, we love Home at Roto, in the historic Roto House. This gem has acres of lawn to spread out (picnic blankets provided), and is just so peaceful and pretty. Has regular parent group catch ups and kids activities in school hols.
Best Takeaway Coffee with a River View: Hastings Coffee Co
The Hastings Coffee Co at The Westport Club has a clever coffee window so you can pop over and grab your takeaway on your riverside walk. Pull up a stool and admire the view. Dog-friendly.
Best Hinterland Cafe: Byabarra Cafe
About 30 minutes from Port Mac on the Comboyne Road, the Byabarra Cafe is in a charming heritage cottage with a back deck offering glorious views right down the valley. The food is genuinely excellent and has become a destination. If you're doing the Comboyne day trip, this is a perfect stop.
Other Cafes/Coffee stops we love:
Cocoa Cartel Patisserie, directly opposite Flynns Beach. Incredible artisan hand-crafted pastries and macaroons. Epic hot chocolates. Great coffee. Get a takeaway and wander across the road to the beach.
Also on this stretch opposite Flynns Beach is Roam Cafe, a local favourite and it earns that reputation every single day. Family-owned, locally sourced produce, and consistently good. Brekky through to lunch. Do as the locals do and take a dip at Flynns then grab a sunny spot outside at Roam!
If you’re further south of Port Mac, pop intoBonny Hills Garden Centre Cafe. Enjoy lush surrounds at the cafe, browse the gift shop and plants.
Oh, and our fave hidden gem is Group Therapy Coffee Co On Blackbutt Road (in the industrial part of town). Next-level coffee and the brekkie wraps are to die for. Join locals who know it’s worth the detour. Plenty of seating inside and out, listen to funky records and enjoy the buzz.
Dog-Friendly Cafes in Port Macquarie
Most cafes in Port Mac welcome well-behaved, leashed dogs in their alfresco areas. The most reliably dog-friendly options are:
Salty Crew Kiosk, Town Beach (pictured with @frankiethelabradoodle)
Little Shack, the Breakwall
Coast Cafe, Lighthouse Beach
Chop n Chill, Town Green
Hastings Coffee Co (takeaway coffee window)
LOCAL TIP Grab a free copy of the Discover Port Macquarie magazine from your accommodation, the Glasshouse Visitor Information Centre, or cafes around town. Published every season with the latest local recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cafes in Port Macquarie
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The best coffee in Port Macquarie is consistently found at Frankie’s Cafe on Clarence St, Haus of Alma Espresso on Clarence St, Group Therapy Coffee Co and Holy Goat (both in the industrial area off Lake Road), and Salty Crew Kiosk at Town Beach. These local favourites have specialty-roasted coffee. Also highly recommended is Frankies, Casualties and Four Espresso, all at the intersection of Clarence & Murray streets on opposite corners!
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Salty Crew Kiosk is right at Town Beach for bowls, coffee and quick bites, and Milk Bar cafe is across the road. Walk along the breakwall towards town and you’ll find Little Shack overlooking the river.
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The most popular cafes with locals and visitors are Frankie’s Cafe on Clarence St, Roam Cafe at Flynns Beach, Little Shack at the Breakwall, Salty Crew Kiosk at Town Beach, and for early risers (from 6am), Haus of Alma on Clarence St. All are consistently recommended by locals.
Which cafes are kid-friendly in Port Macquarie? Kids (and therefore parents)will love Pancake Place for breakfast or lunch, Chop n Chill (overlooking the river and a playground), Kove at Panthers, Drift at Port City Bowling Club (both with playgrounds), Breakwall HQ (next to large beachside playground and skate park), and Home at Roto (they supply picnic blankets under the trees and regularly host parents & bubs get togethers).
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Yes there are many. Most cafes in the Port Macquarie region welcome well behaved, leashed dogs in their alfresco areas. These include Salty Crew, Little Shack, Coast Cafe, The Terrace, Sea Salt at the Marina, and Roam Cafe.
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Little Shack, Salty Crew, Chop n Chill, Coast, Panthers, Zebu, Seasalt, The Boathouse, Sandbox, Rivermark, Water’s Edge, The Point Cafe, and Hastings Coffee Co all offer up exceptional river or ocean views. Further south, there’s Sunshine’s Cafe at Lake Cathie, Bonny’s Beach Cafe in Bonny Hills, and Beach Break in North Haven.
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Is there anything more ‘Port Mac’ than enjoying a cuppa next to a koala? There are three special spots to consider: The kiosk at Guulabaa, Place of Koala, Home at Roto (next to the soon-to-be reopened Koala Hospital), and The Meeting Point Cafe at Billabong Zoo.
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Cafe Red at Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries has consistently been voted as having the best scones. They also come with lashings of Ricardoes Strawberry jam, picked fresh from the farm surrounding the cafe!
Locals Love
