There’s a story my friend told me recently about her driving for two hours to get to a particular coastal town to have fish and chips. She arrived at 2:45pm and, after what seemed like an age searching for decent places to eat, found that by the time she’d found one that was okay, they’d stopped serving lunch. In the end, she sat in the car park of a service station and ate a rather dismal service station sandwich. It’s a true story and I think about it every time I’m planning a coastal food trip – which is probably more often than most people.
I have mentioned before that there is a special kind of meal best eaten near the water. A salt-laden smell in the air, the distant crashing of waves and the smell of paper bags containing the freshest of produce all combine to create something greater than the sum of its parts. But someone has to pay attention.
What “fresh” actually means at the coast
The real test for ‘fresh’ fish and chips is actually not that hard to work out. Typically every seafood restaurant will be saying their fish and chips are ‘fresh’ but when you dig a little deeper there are a number of simple indicators of whether a restaurant is actually using fresh produce or not.
- A menu that shifts based on what came in that morning (not a laminated card with 40 identical options across every season)
- Staff who can actually tell you where the fish came from — not just a vague regional wave of the hand
- Smell, honestly. A genuine seafood counter smells briny and clean, like the ocean. If it smells like yesterday’s catch, that’s your answer right there
- Whole fish or shell-on options, which tend to signal less industrial processing and shorter supply chains between sea and plate
The places that serve up the best fresh seafood typically have simple menus with few choices. Some of the best places that I have been to for a coastal food lunch have menus with as few as 6 choices. These types of places are typically far superior to places that have many choices on the menu.
Timing is everything (and most people get it wrong)
Most coastal restaurants are open for lunch, some close up earlier in the day. A handful of quality places, usually the smallest and sourcing locally, will finish serving for the day by 2pm, sometimes as early as 1:30pm. So by 1:30pm the best places for lunch while on a coastal food trip will have stopped serving for the day. It doesn’t matter what time your body feels that it is. In fact, it’s probably best to ignore what time your body feels that it is. Instead, focus on getting to the best places for lunch early. The best places for lunch, while on a coastal food trip, are going to be the busiest places for lunch. They are the best places for lunch. So, plan to arrive at the best places for lunch while on a coastal food trip early for lunch. In fact, arrive by 11:30am for lunch.
Go early. You’ll get the freshest fish of the day, the best table and the staff will still be enthusiastic. Get there at 11:30am. It’s not early, it’s just smart.
Season is a huge factor when it comes to planning a food trip around coastal food. The season in which certain types of shellfish are available can have a huge impact on the way that they taste. Some of the best types of seafood include crayfish and rock lobster, which in some areas have a season. In these areas it is best to plan your food trip around the time of this season, as often when it is out of season crayfish and rock lobster are pulled from the freezer and dressed up to look nice for customers. A simple call to the restaurant to confirm whether the seafood that you are after has been freshly caught or not can save a lot of disappointment.
The menu question: simple or adventurous?
Most places, when they have to serve fresh seafood, will opt for the simple, fresh dishes. However, a lot of coastal restaurants will offer the more elaborate seafood dishes for special occasions. And, when you think about it, what better occasion to have a big, seafood-based meal than when you’re on holiday, or celebrating something. The dishes are often elaborate, to make an impression. So, be sure to check out the more elaborate seafood dishes when you’re at a coastal restaurant. They’re really good.
I have previously written that simple is better than occasion of seafood. This does not mean that on special occasions of your trip that you must have the most elaborate of seafood meals. Often the simplest of meals will provide you with the greatest of experiences.
A rough guide for thinking through the decision:
| What you’re after | Best choice | What to avoid |
| A real splurge moment | Whole crayfish or lobster, in season | Anything described as “seafood medley” without specifics |
| A relaxed, casual stop | Fish of the day, grilled or in a roll | Deep-fried everything if you’re eating outside in full sun |
| Feeding a group with mixed tastes | A sharing platter if available, or fish and chips as the reliable anchor | Overcomplicating it — someone always, always wants the simple option |
Actually slowing down
I skip this part, and it is very frustrating to watch others do it too including myself.
So, you managed to get to the coast of Australia (a long way), you found a really great place to eat seafood, you were ordering great seafood. And then, within 20 minutes of arriving, you ate and left for your car, which had been left parked outside of the restaurant for a wonderful occasion, that had just occurred.
The lingering part of a coastal seafood lunch is best summed up by the list of activities above. Yes, a great meal and setting is all about the little details that add up. In this case, watching something unhurried happen on the water, a great setting for lunch like the lobster shack cervantes above, a great meal, is all about the little details. It’s the food settling in the stomach, the golden and oblique light of the late afternoon sun. A setting is an ingredient and the above restaurants use this in their meals to add the finishing touches. So remember to build an extra hour into your coastal seafood lunch plans and include it in your plans. You will thank yourself for it and probably cut it a little short anyway.
Add an extra hour to your itinerary for a leisurely lunch at the best coastal seafood lunch spots. You will be grateful for the extra time but more than likely to be cut short.
One practical checklist before you go
- Call ahead to confirm hours and whether bookings are needed — don’t assume
- Check what’s currently in season for that specific stretch of coastline
- Arrive before noon if you want first pick of the fresh catch
- Pack sunscreen. Eating outside is the whole point and you will, with near-certainty, forget
Coastal seafood doesn’t have to be hard to find or cost too much to eat. It can be a simple resource to access, requiring only a little planning to secure a great lunch. Then all you have to do is take your best to not eat it too fast. The rest of the resources will follow.
