What are the best restaurants in Torquay?

Bomboras for upscale modern Australian dinner with sea views, Bottle Rocket Pizza for proper Neapolitan slices, The Salty for brunch, Soulful Brunch for wholefoods café, Blackman's Brewery for craft beer and pub food, and the Torquay Hotel for counter meals. The strip is denser than you'd expect for an 18,000-person town — Torquay's permanent population plus the year-round road traffic supports more food options than smaller Surf Coast towns.

Where can you get good coffee in Torquay?

The Salty is the local benchmark. Soulful Brunch pulls strong shots aimed at the surf crowd. Combi Café (a converted Volkswagen Kombi van permanently parked near Front Beach) is the cult spot. Bomboras serves café coffee during the day. Foreshore cafés open by 7am most days.

Is Bomboras worth the dinner book?

Yes for special-occasion travellers. Bomboras is Torquay's top dinner table — modern Australian with sea views from the elevated Esplanade position. Solid wine list. Book 1 week ahead for summer weekends, 1–2 days off-peak. Mains around AU$36–48.

Where can you get pizza in Torquay?

Bottle Rocket Pizza on Pearl Street. Wood-fired Neapolitan-style, family-run, busy weekends. Takeaway available; expect 20-min wait at peak times. Comparable to good Melbourne pizza. Other options include Pizza & Co. on the highway for quick takeaway.

Are there family-friendly restaurants in Torquay?

Most of the strip is family-friendly. The Torquay Hotel has a kids' menu, kids' play area, and big family bistro section. Soulful Brunch is family-friendly and accommodates fussy eaters. Bottle Rocket Pizza welcomes families. Blackman's Brewery has an outdoor area where kids can run around.

Where can you get craft beer in Torquay?

Blackman's Brewery — local craft brewery on the highway with a proper taproom, tasting paddles, food menu, and family-friendly outdoor area. Their core range plus seasonal beers. The Torquay Hotel also has a strong craft beer rotation on tap.

Are restaurants open early in Torquay for surfers?

Yes — surf-town culture means several cafés open by 6:30am. Soulful Brunch, The Salty, and Combi Café all cater to pre-dawn surfer traffic. Apollo Bay Bakery (60 min east) is the next best early option further along the road.

Do you need to book restaurants in Torquay?

In summer (December–February) and over Easter (Rip Curl Pro week) — yes, book 1–2 days ahead for Bomboras, Blackman's Brewery, and the Torquay Hotel bistro. Off-peak weekdays you can usually walk in. Bottle Rocket Pizza doesn't take bookings; expect a queue at peak summer.

Aerial view of Torquay surf coast at the start of the Great Ocean Road

Torquay dining

Torquay restaurants & cafés

The strongest food strip outside Lorne or Apollo Bay — proper modern Australian dinner, surf-town brunch culture, family pubs, and a local craft brewery.

Where to stay Torquay overview

The food story

A surf-town strip with proper depth

Torquay's permanent population of 18,000 — by far the largest of the Surf Coast towns — supports a year-round restaurant scene that smaller towns can't match. The food strip splits across The Esplanade (foreshore cafés), Pearl Street (mid-density restaurant cluster behind the foreshore), Surf Coast Highway (highway-style options including the brewery and the pub), and Surf City Plaza (food court and casual dining).

Bomboras is the dinner standout — modern Australian with sea views, the most-booked premium table in town. Bottle Rocket Pizza is the casual dinner option of choice. Blackman's Brewery handles the craft beer + pub food slot. Soulful Brunch and The Salty cover the breakfast and brunch scene that the surf community demands. The Torquay Hotel is the family-friendly pub fallback when other options are booked.

Below: every option ranked by what each does best. Booking ahead matters in summer; off-peak weekdays you can walk in almost everywhere.

Where to eat — full strip

Best dinner

Bomboras

Esplanade · Modern Australian

Top dinner table. Modern Australian, sea views, real wine list. Book 1 week ahead in summer.

Mains AU$36–48.

Bottle Rocket Pizza

Pearl St · Wood-fired pizza

Family-run Neapolitan pizza. Best casual dinner. Walk-in only; busy summer.

Pizza AU$26–34.

Blackman's Brewery

Surf Coast Hwy · Craft beer + food

Local brewery with taproom, paddle tastings, and pub food. Family-friendly outdoor area.

Mains AU$26–36.

The Salty

Esplanade · Brunch staple

Best all-rounder café in town. Strong coffee, full breakfast/brunch menu, opens early.

Brunch AU$22–32.

Soulful Brunch

Surfer-favourite wholefoods café

Wholefoods, smoothie bowls, healthy plates aimed at the surf crowd. Strong coffee.

Brunch AU$20–28.

Combi Café

Front Beach · Coffee from a Kombi

Cult coffee spot — converted VW Kombi van permanently parked near Front Beach. Takeaway only, opens early.

Torquay Hotel

Surf Coast Hwy · Pub bistro

Family-friendly pub with bistro, kids' menu, kids' play area. Reliable counter food. Live music weekends.

Mains AU$26–38.

Torquay Bowls Club

Affordable casual dining

Open to non-members. Decent counter meals, family-friendly, very affordable. Local-favourite no-frills option.

Bird Rock Beach Café

Jan Juc · Beachside breakfast

Café at Jan Juc beach with brunch menu and ocean views. Stronger position than the in-town options for a beachside meal.

A perfect day of eating

If you've got 24 hours

6:30am — Coffee from Combi Café. Surf or walk on Front Beach.

8:00am — Breakfast at The Salty or Soulful Brunch.

12:30pm — Lunch at Bird Rock Beach Café in Jan Juc.

4:00pm — Tasting paddle at Blackman's Brewery.

7:30pm — Dinner at Bomboras. Three courses, the chef's seafood selection, glass of regional pinot.

Frequently asked

Torquay restaurants FAQs

What are the best restaurants in Torquay?: Bomboras for upscale modern Australian dinner with sea views, Bottle Rocket Pizza for proper Neapolitan slices, The Salty for brunch, Soulful Brunch for wholefoods café, Blackman's Brewery for craft beer and pub food, and the Torquay Hotel for counter meals. The strip is denser than you'd expect for an 18,000-person town — Torquay's permanent population plus the year-round road traffic supports more food options than smaller Surf Coast towns.
Where can you get good coffee in Torquay?: The Salty is the local benchmark. Soulful Brunch pulls strong shots aimed at the surf crowd. Combi Café (a converted Volkswagen Kombi van permanently parked near Front Beach) is the cult spot. Bomboras serves café coffee during the day. Foreshore cafés open by 7am most days.
Is Bomboras worth the dinner book?: Yes for special-occasion travellers. Bomboras is Torquay's top dinner table — modern Australian with sea views from the elevated Esplanade position. Solid wine list. Book 1 week ahead for summer weekends, 1–2 days off-peak. Mains around AU$36–48.
Where can you get pizza in Torquay?: Bottle Rocket Pizza on Pearl Street. Wood-fired Neapolitan-style, family-run, busy weekends. Takeaway available; expect 20-min wait at peak times. Comparable to good Melbourne pizza. Other options include Pizza & Co. on the highway for quick takeaway.
Are there family-friendly restaurants in Torquay?: Most of the strip is family-friendly. The Torquay Hotel has a kids' menu, kids' play area, and big family bistro section. Soulful Brunch is family-friendly and accommodates fussy eaters. Bottle Rocket Pizza welcomes families. Blackman's Brewery has an outdoor area where kids can run around.
Where can you get craft beer in Torquay?: Blackman's Brewery — local craft brewery on the highway with a proper taproom, tasting paddles, food menu, and family-friendly outdoor area. Their core range plus seasonal beers. The Torquay Hotel also has a strong craft beer rotation on tap.
Are restaurants open early in Torquay for surfers?: Yes — surf-town culture means several cafés open by 6:30am. Soulful Brunch, The Salty, and Combi Café all cater to pre-dawn surfer traffic. Apollo Bay Bakery (60 min east) is the next best early option further along the road.
Do you need to book restaurants in Torquay?: In summer (December–February) and over Easter (Rip Curl Pro week) — yes, book 1–2 days ahead for Bomboras, Blackman's Brewery, and the Torquay Hotel bistro. Off-peak weekdays you can usually walk in. Bottle Rocket Pizza doesn't take bookings; expect a queue at peak summer.

Eat well, then drive south

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