Sure, Bondi is synonymous with tourism and is one of (if not the most) iconic beaches in Australia, but to Bondi locals, it’s a bonafide permanent vacation blessed with white sand, turquoise waters, surf culture, and community.
To bring you the best of Bondi, we’ve teamed up with so you can make the most of summer and craft your ultimate coastal hit list with your crew.
Eat
Icebergs Dining Room And Bar
A feast for the eyes (and the stomachs) is Bondi royalty. Awash with turquoise that blends into an unobstructed stretch of the Pacific Ocean, it’s a panoramic perch that tricks the eye into not knowing when the restaurant starts and the ocean ends. Boasting an ever-evolving modern Italian menu, Icebergs is an ideal spot for a decadent long lunch or quick post-swim drink at the bar with mates. Our recommendation? Order a fresh, seafood-laden pasta like the squid ink calamarata with spanner crab and heritage tomato or the spaghetti with Goolwa pipis, vongole and pilu bottarga.
The Shop & Wine Bar
If you’re eager to avoid tourists and hang with the locals, on Curlewis Street is the ultimate reprieve. With community at its core, this hole-in-the-wall-style cafe and bar is open nearly all day every day, slinging awesome brekkie, lunch, dinner and drinks—with a Mediterranean-meets-Australia twist. It was one of the very first small wine bars to open in Sydney back in 2006 and has remained a local favourite ever since.
Sean’s Panorama
A hop, skip and a jump from North Bondi’s shoreline, occupies primo Bondi real estate. Teamed with a rotating, fresh produce-driven menu, this beloved restaurant is one of Sydney’s best and proudly sports an ‘institution’ reputation. Dripping in shell-happy decor, award-winning chef Sean Moran and his team serve up modern Italian dishes from paddock and ocean to plate. Snapping up a table can be tricky, so be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Lola’s Italian And Bar
Smack-bang opposite Bondi’s promenade with a stellar view from one flight above, slings laid-back Italian fare by a welcoming team with second-to-none service. The brainchild of Marco Ambrosino (former Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William St co-owner) and Manny Spinola is led in the kitchen by head chef Toby Stansfield, who brings experience from Sydney’s Fabbrica and The Old Fitz—so you know you’re in for a feast. Load up on antipasti before tucking into carbo-licious dishes like blue swimmer crab risotto with sweet peas, lemon, and bottarga or linguine with grilled Moreton bay bug, cherry tomato, Calabrian chilli. Yum.
Fish Shop
Equal parts casual dining and takeaway joint, is one of the newer outposts from the recognisable Fish Bowl crew. Boasting some of the freshest seafood in the east, you can either book a table, order a dozen oysters to start and settle in for a refined yet chilled dining experience, or grab takeaway—we advocate for the fish burger with crumbed barramundi, slaw tartare layered with optional (must-have) anchovies and fermented chilli— and hoe into it on the grassy patch out the front.
Easy Tiger
When ex-Queen Chow and Mr. Wong chef Andrianto Wirya rolls into Bondi to head up a new restaurant kitchen, you book a table. Serving up incredible Southeast Asian fusions brimming with freshness, mixes the best of Wirya’s Indonesian heritage with revered Singaporean, Vietnamese, Thai and Filipino cuisines. A welcomed addition to Bondi’s Campbell Parade, you can load up on dishes like beef rendang party pies and Balinese babi guling suckling pig bao buns, or order it all with their tasty $42pp banquet menu.
Lox Stock & Barrel
Located in the back streets of Bondi, is a bustling, family-run, cafe dedicated to all-day bagels and feel-good European-style tucker. Baking, curing and pickling since 2013, it’s a warm and welcoming place where everyone knows your name. Whether it’s 7am or 2pm, order up one of their famed bagels, like the Reuben with wagyu corned beef, swiss cheese, homemade pickles and sauerkraut or, for something a little lighter, the avocado with lemon, cucumber, onion, tomato and rocket.
Totti’s Bondi
Headed up by Mike Eggert, is an elevated Italian trattoria-style venue tucked away behind go-to local pub, The Royal. A fave among locals and visitors alike, here, it’s all about sharing incredible Italian food and drinks with your mates in a relaxed atmosphere—the courtyard will instantly transport you to the Tuscan hills. If you haven’t tried Totti’s bread yet (or seen it grace your feed on the ‘gram), consider this your sign to grab a plate this weekend.
Chaco Ramen
Summer might not scream a bowl of steaming hot ramen, but if the mood strikes—or a summer storm rolls in after a sweltering day at the beach— is where it’s at. Serving up a delightful mix of smaller sushi plates, gyoza, ramen and sashimi, this cruisy Japanese spot welcomes guests for quick bites or full-blown feasts. We recommend the Fat Soy Ramen or, for something a little different, the Yuzu Scallop Ramen. Make sure you wash it all down with an ice-cold bevvie for under $40.
Da Orazio
Much like his personality, owner and chef Orazio D’Elia’s approach to his revered Italian cooking is flavourful, family-orientated and fun. After a few years-long hiatus from Bondi, is back in its original brick-and-mortar flagship with a laser-sharp focus on serving up authentic and damn enjoyable Italian cuisine. Order a couple of starters like the cannoncini mortadella and pistachio before tucking into a woodfired pizza and pasta. We recommend the diavola San Marzano tomato, fiordilatte, hot salami and basil paired with the tagliatelle wagyu beef, genovese ragu. One thing’s for sure, if you meet Orazio—which is highly likely as he floats around the restaurant—he won’t let you leave hungry... or without dessert.
The Promenade Bondi Beach
Recently revamped and looking fine, Bondi Beach is fast becoming one of the spots to sit and sip the day away in summer. Boasting a more refined dining room inside, a bar at the front and a takeaway kiosk, there’s something for everyone at every time of the day. But for us, the Front Yard Bar is where it’s at. With unobstructed beach views, you and your crew can kick back, order up a dozen oysters and watch all the action unfold.
Drink
Beach Road Hotel
Everybody’s sunk a bevvie at the at least once in their Bondi travels—it’s a right of passage. Plus, with free pool every Monday, live gigs, trivia Tuesdays (if you’re that way inclined) and an abundance of different spots to choose from, The Beachy is a hive of activity that varies depending on what time you stroll in. Bask in the sun in the beer garden, watch an air-conditioned game inside with your mates or venture upstairs to dance ‘til you drop. Plus, Beach Road will be pouring all summer long for you and your mates to enjoy.
The Royal
Keen for a side of live music after a long beach sesh? delivers. Kicking for over a century, this iconic pub is a short stroll from South Bondi and serves up a chilled atmosphere by day and a rowdy crowd by night. Sporting a couple of pool tables and an old-school jukebox worth cranking, it’s a go-to music-thumping watering hole to hit up across summer. The best bit? You can order a few plates from Totti’s, pull up a stool at the bar and tuck in.
North Bondi RSL
A stone’s throw from the sand and one of the best spots to sink a cold one on a summer’s day, is a reliable local haunt with beloved bistro grub and occasionally free live music. It’s everything you’d expect in an RSL but it boasts one helluva vista. Plus, there's a meat raffle and members' badges are drawn on the reg—because who doesn’t love a meat raffle… amirite?
Bondi Bowling Club
There’s just something about no-frills, barefoot bowling clubs, and thankfully, Bondi boasts one of the best. Serving up straight-up feel-good pub fare and cheap drinks, is dog-friendly and serves three types of potato chips: waffle fries, wedges and beer-battered fries. Plus, a round of bowling will only set you back $15 each for a group of ten—perfect for a Sunday afternoon sesh. It’s a yes from us.
The Stuffed Beaver
Wedged in the middle of Bondi Road, is a cheeky, casual watering hole slinging ice-cold bevies and fried, gooey goodness. A sweet cross between a pokey sports bar and North American diner, it’s loved among locals and hits the spot after a long bake in the sun. Our go-to? The chicken ‘tiddie’ strips (three pieces of damn delicious boneless fried chicken) are served with a side of not one but three sauces: gravy, ranch and hot sauce. Oh, and the poutine doesn’t go astray either. Actually… we might order that now.
Things To Do
Swim And Snorkel Off the Rocks At Ben Buckler
While it pains us to pop this local waterside hangout on the list, it would be a crime to not include it. Yes, North Bondi’s grassy knoll is a go-to for bathers and beach bums alike, but a blissful Mediterranean-style rock shelf awaits just around the corner. Park yourself on a rock for the day and plunge into the turquoise waters of North Bondi sand-free. Or, if jumping off the rock shelf gives you the heebie-jeebies, walk in from the boat ramp. On a calm day, North Bondi is like a lagoon and one that’s ripe for snorkelling and inflatables.
Bondi To Coogee Coastal Walk
Sydney is blessed with an abundance of coastal walks but the famed 6-km (one-way) human highway is up there among the best. Yes, this walk gets busy all throughout the day, but when you catch the banging views, you can see why. Spanning a string of Sydney’s most iconic beaches including Bondi Beach, Tamarama Beach, Bronte Beach, Clovelly, and Coogee Beach, it’s always bustling. Break up the walk with a swim or finish up at the Coogee Pavilion and Uber it home.
Learn To Surf
With varying waves and crystal clear waters, Bondi Beach is one of the ultimate places in Australia to learn how to surf. If you’re a beginner and the only surfing knowledge you have is derived from either Point Break or Blue Crush, places like have a range of class packages to choose from. From group bookings with your mates for a laugh or repeat beginner classes to build up your surf skills, we guarantee you’ll have a blast while getting fit in the process.
Hit The Strip
If you’re after a spot of local boutique browsing, Gould Street—which is parallel to the promenade but one street back—is a must. Sporting Australian brands like Sir The Label, Dissh, Lucy Folk, Tuchuzy, Fox And Dove, Jac + Jack, Saturday NYC, Nude Lucy and more, it’s an airconditioned escape from the midday summer heat and we guarantee you’ll snag something you like.
Bondi Markets
Popping up each weekend and located on Bondi Beach Primary School grounds, is a flurry of fresh produce, handcrafts, gourmet eats, local brands, beautiful blooms and live music. Saturday is dedicated to all things produce, with the farmers markets from 10am ‘til 4pm while Sunday leans into local designers, brands and knick-knacks. Open to a variety of stallholders, it’s a great spot to grab a few local takeaways, trinkets or treasures and is a melting pop of Bondi community culture.
This summer, is bringing the coastline to your coaster, popping up on the beachside with gigs, good times and community events in partnership with Surfing Australia. Check out more of Jim Beam's events and summer happenings .
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