The gastronomic delights that come out of this kitchen take you to foodie heaven. The food is delicious and the seafood so fresh and flavourful. The desserts are beautifully crafted - these people love and are passionate about what they’re doing. People have been known to travel four hours from Sydney to Nelson Bay just to eat here. The modern Australian cuisine cooked with local produce and beachy furnishing and interiors, the Little Beach Boathouse offers the perfect holiday dinner out in Port Stephens. ‘Below Deck’ is under the main restaurant and has an amazing water view, nice atmosphere with relaxing music and the food is highly recommended especially for a refreshing beverage with exceptional Fish and Chips
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2. Rick Stein at Bannisters Port Stephens
Rick Stein’s name is so synonymous with fresh fish and seafood, that you expect nothing less than one of the best seafood restaurants in Port Stephens when you dine at Bannisters. Fresh, tasty, locally sourced seafood is combined with excellent service. Brace yourself to have your expectations exceeded. The non-seafood options also promise to excel in the flavour factory too. Rick Stein at Bannisters is the perfect location for true lovers of freshly caught seafood and great wine.
Located at the far end of Marine Cove in Oyster Cove, Port Stephens the Bay Harbour Café offers outstanding seafood combined with an amazing water view. Enjoy the casual dining experience either on an indoor or outdoor table. Boasting the not only best fish and chips in Nelson Bay but the best fish and chips in New South Wales. The food is definitely second to none, perhaps try the fisherman’s basket and it will not disappoint. After lunch sitting enjoy the view while you down some beers or a glass of crisp white wine. If you’re visiting Nelson’s Bay, Port Stephens this place is a must for an arvo of relaxed fish and chips.
4. The Poyers
A hidden paradise tucked away near the waters behind your normal pizza and small retail shops, Poyers is a family-owned gem set on the water in Lemon Tree Passage, Port Stephens. The French chef and owner bring a distinct French/European influence to the menu. The treats offered at breakfast, lunch and dinner is an exceptional surprise for many. More than one reviewer has suggested 6 stars out of 5. Stay in Lemon Tree Passage for somewhere nicely distant from Nelsons Bay busy restaurants, shops and numerous spectacular holiday home and apartment options. Lemon Tree Passage is a nice change. Book one of the homes near the water or rent a house with a pool, you’ll find homes great for families, cabins for rent and pet-friendly accommodation.
5. Saltwater Restaurant Fingal Bay
Situated in sunny Fingal Bay in Port Stephens, Saltwater Restaurant Fingal Bay is a stunning, beachfront venue, boasting an idyllic setting with a delightful menu, complemented with tasty cocktails. With "starters", “pretty hungry”, “starving” and "kids" sections on the menu, you’ll find what you need. The separate drinks menu offers jugs of your favourite mixed drinks. Great location, tasty food, and family-friendly. Complete with a sun-soaked balcony overlooking the bay, visit at the right time of the year and you might even see whales.
6. The Point seafood restaurant
The Point seafood restaurant at Soldier's Point Marina offers an extensive, well-planned menu. Featuring local seafood and daily specials, a mainstay is the exceptional opened fresh, Port Stephens oysters that need no embellishments. The Point has views over the water and fine dining touches. If you visit at dinner, you may catch the sunset over the water and if you’re incredibly lucky you may spot some dolphins. Bring your appetite and the cocktails are excellent will hit the mark. Soldiers Point is a lovely little finger-like peninsula in Port Stephens that offers some holiday rentals great for families, there are plenty of Soldiers Point vacation villas and holiday apartments situated a short walk or drive from the Soldiers Point Marina and The Point seafood restaurant.
This family-owned Sandpipers in Nelson Bay is a cozy restaurant, perfect for a peaceful dinner. Serving a menu based around classic steak and fish meals as well as more modern fusion-style dishes where seafood naturally plays a large role. Complemented by a reasonable wine list, the Sandpiper menu boasts the best Prawn linguine with whole butter-fried scampi for miles and the mixed seafood chowder is also a fan favourite. Good food, comfortable servings and friendly staff capture the laid-back vibe of Port Stephens perfectly. Located conveniently in the middle of Nelsons bay, you may be able to walk from your Nelson Bay holiday house, beach holiday rental or waterfront accommodation on Search and Stay.
8. Cookabarra restaurant and function centre
Cookabarra restaurant and function centre sits within a working, world-leading barramundi fish farm and a hydroponic garden in Bobs Farm, Port Stephens. This innovative barramundi farm has an international reputation for its sustainable farming practices and it goes without saying that fish served in the restaurant are grown onsite and harvested fresh daily. You must try the whole fish “Cooka-whole-barra”. Pick Thai Barramundi served with Asian style stir-fry and rice or try Aussie style barra with lemon pepper seasoning served with chips and salad. The restaurant is surrounded by a moat-like pond providing great entertainment for the kids as they can feed the fish that live in these ponds "Koi Carp" while you enjoy a spectacular fresh seafood meal and a refreshing drink. After lunch, take a tour of the world-leading Barramundi farm and meet some big Barry. Pre-order before you come and take home some beautiful fresh fish from your visit. Want to stay nearby look for a holiday cabin in Bobs Farm on Search and Stay or stay a short drive away at an Anna Bay holiday house or Salamander Bay waterfront accommodation or any beach holiday rental in Port Stephens will not be too far away.
For over five generations the Holbert family have been growing and distributing their award-winning oysters to local restaurants and seafood outlets around the Port Stephens area. As Port Stephens leading oyster growing and processing business, buying directly from Holbert’s Oyster Farm means that visitors can skip the middle man and go straight to the source. Located on the shores of Cromarty Bay, this wholesaler has a new waterfront factory designed with direct customers in mind. Drop into the shop front, select from freshly shucked oysters and other local seafood. Which you can enjoy at one of the picnic tables by the water or buy up big and head back to your Nelson Bay holiday house or holiday rental to prepare a succulent seafood dinner buffet.
You find this little surprise in Tea Gardens when you take the ferry across from Nelsons Bay. Try the locally caught fish of the day which is often prepared with the subtle complement of Asian flavours. There are just enough offerings on the small wine list and if you’re lucky you’ll dine with the pelicans and dolphins right outside the window. Whether you’re staying in a holiday house in Tea Gardens, Nelson Bay accommodation found on Search and Stay. or have a vacation rental somewhere else in Port Stephens, it’s well worth the visit to Mumms on the Myall. 
Search and Stay offers some holiday rentals great for families, there are plenty of Soldiers Point vacation villas and Nelsons Bay holiday apartments situated a short walk or drive from these Top 10 Seafood Restaurants in Port Stephens.
For more ideas of where to eat try Australian Traveller.