You’ve explored the beautiful beaches. Now where to for coffee, brunch and lunch?

Planning a jaunt to Jervis Bay? Be it coffee and gelato from an Airstream caravan, lunch at a vegetarian institution that is converting carnivores around NSW one curried lentil burger at a time or killer fish and chips enjoyed on the jetty, here are the best cafes and casual eateries in Jervis Bay.

BEST FOR COFFEE

Merciers Gelato & Coffee

A glossy salted butterscotch and chocolate gelato is best enjoyed amid groves of gums standing their ground in the open air or near to the dreamy white sands of Jervis Bay. That’s clearly the vision when the Merciers Gelato and Coffee vans roll into town. Track the cool 1960s Airstream caravan at festivals, festooned with bunting and fairy lights, or join the hordes queuing outside its perma pop-up spot near Kanpai Japanese Restaurant for coffee and a scoop of something comforting.

Address: 32 Bowen St, Huskisson NSW 2540

Albert & Miso

After placing your order at Albert & Miso, you should pay your respects at the shrine dedicated to Albert the rescue dog, who has sadly passed away. The name Albert & Miso nods to the late mastiff mix and his little mate Miso, who belonged to one of the co-owners. The homey cafe, brimming with framed photographs, is located in Vincentia Shopping Village and is a hub for locals who converge here for Little Coffee Co. lattes and B.L.A.Ts on toasted Turkish bread.

Address: 2/5 Burton St, Vincentia NSW 2540

BEST FOR BRUNCH

Salty Joes

Hold the smashed avo. No really. It’s not on the menu. It doesn’t need to be. There’s enough to satiate at Salty Joes, which evokes the essence of salty hair, sea breezes and southern Californian beach vibes. Treat yourself to a breaky burger or a more healthful mixed berry acai bowl with toasted muesli, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, coconut, strawberries and banana in the popular cafe where the walls are colour-matched with the turquoise seas.

Address: 1/54 Owen St, Huskisson NSW 2540

5 Little Pigs

5 Little Pigs is a top spot for a blowout on bacon with options such as the big pig breakfast with bacon, eggs, tomato, spinach and tomato on sourdough or simply eggs on toast served with a few curls of bacon. The rustic cafe in Huskisson, which is part of the Shoalhaven region of the NSW South Coast, serves locally roasted Swell coffee and, thanks largely to its core customer base of barefoot, plaid-clad surfers, has nailed the laidback beachy vibes.

Address: 64-66 Owen Street, Huskisson NSW 2540

Cooked Goose on Hyams

Hyams Beach is certainly no secret spot. But if you go outside the peak scene-y season of summer, the beach is a pretty mellow place to hang. Dust the crumbs of sand off your feet and enjoy lunch overlooking the water at the Cooked Goose on Hyams, which has one of the best outlooks in Jervis Bay. Order fish tacos and prawn linguini for lunch and then have a gander at the goodies you can take away from the cafe, which has an elder sibling in Wollongong.

Address: 76 Cyrus St, Hyams Beach NSW 2540

BEST FOR: LUNCH

Pilgrim’s Vegetarian Cafe

Pilgrim’s Vegetarian Cafe is Huskisson’s hippie headquarters and, hands down, one of the best places to eat in Jervis Bay. If you were to go by the enticing aroma of sizzling onions at the Husky outpost you might swear you’d walked into a steakhouse. And while there’s no mistaking the ‘millenium burger’ is sans meat, that curry lentil pattie hiding between two pillow-soft buns stuffed with salad and sprouts is one of the best renditions of a veggie burger in all the land.

Address: 4,5,6/57 Owen St, Huskisson NSW 2540

Tuna Tail Husky

Poke is a staple in Hawaii and it’s great to see it popping up at dedicated poke bars like Tuna Tail in Huskisson, just a block and a bit back from the beach. Lunching at the light, bright poke bar is an insanely good experience as the healthful creations are made fresh to order: pick a base (rice, noodles or cabbage), choose a bowl (fins, feathers, or flowers), or build your own with add-ons that include avocado, seaweed and sesame seeds.

Address: 2/12 Currambene Street, Huskisson

World Famous Fish and Chips

It’s a big call naming your eatery World Famous Fish and Chips. But that’s been this fish and chipper’s claim for the past 21 years and well, if they believe they can fry, so do we. It’s pretty hard to go past old-school prawn cutlets, but it’s the fish and chips that are on high rotation here at the relaxed chipper where you can dine in or get a side order of fresh air and picnic with your feet dangling over the jetty. Pick up some fresh Jervis Bay mussels for dinner.

Address: 2/54 Owen St, Huskisson NSW 2540

For more great travel tips and itineraries read our Ultimate guide to Jervis Bay holidays here.