Three Northern Rivers restaurants just received two hats each in the Good Food Guide

THREE Northern Rivers restaurants have again proven the region’s culinary strength, each earning hats in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide 2026 Awards.

Byron Bay’s Raes Dining Room, Pottsville’s Pipit, and Murwillumbah’s Bistro Livi were all awarded two hats in the latest edition, released after the annual awards night at Sydney’s Carriageworks.

The Good Food Guide reviews more than 600 venues across New South Wales and the ACT and remains one of Australia’s most respected dining benchmarks.

Editors this year noted the growing strength of regional kitchens and the creativity of coastal chefs.

At Raes Dining Room, chef Jason Saxby and his team continue to deliver refined coastal dining at the edge of Wategos Beach. The guide praised Raes for “two to three courses of poise and polish right at the edge of

Wategos Beach,” highlighting the “cracking brik pastry cone concealing cultured dashi cream and cured egg yolk under pops of smoked salmon roe.”

Saxby said the recognition meant a great deal to his team.

“It’s an incredible recognition of the hard work and dedication our team puts in every day,” he said. “The past few years have challenged the industry in many ways, so to be acknowledged at this level means a lot to everyone in our team.”

He said one dish best captures the restaurant’s philosophy.

“Our Tuna, tuna, tuna dish (raw tuna, tuna bone soy & native kosho dressing, tonnato, mojama, onion, Nashi pear, Geraldton wax) really captures that philosophy — it looks effortless on the plate, but every element has to be perfectly balanced,” he said. “It’s all about simplicity, freshness, and precision.”

Balancing fine dining with the relaxed Byron atmosphere, Saxby said, “It comes down to knowing our guests and understanding what they’re here for. It’s about balancing consistency with ambition, and always letting the produce speak for itself.”

He added that it has been “a consistent year for us” and said the team is looking ahead to “a really exciting chapter with The Bonobo set to open in town next year.”

In Pottsville, Ben Devlin’s Pipit continued its run for innovative, sustainable dining, while Murwillumbah’s Bistro Livi earned two hats for its “well-crafted food in a relaxed, community-minded setting.”

The awards reaffirm the Northern Rivers as one of Australia’s most dynamic food regions.