The Best Exmouth Food (And Where to Find It!)

After four days of camp-stove meals through Karijini, rolling into Exmouth and finding actual breweries, real coffee and a proper sit-down dinner felt like a real luxury. This Exmouth food guide is built entirely from our own stops in Exmouth while on a Perth to Exmouth road trip: the pizzas we ordered, the beers that knocked us sideways, and the cafes where we sat with the locals (and their dogs… and the seagulls). If you’re planning where to eat in Exmouth, here’s our honest take on the local Exmouth food scene.

We’re not going to pretend we visited every restaurant in town. What’s below are the spots that earned a return visit, or that we still think about months later, and they’re a fair, honest snapshot of the Exmouth food scene.

A quick note before we get into it: every spot in this Exmouth food guide is somewhere we’ve actually eaten and paid for ourselves. No invites or gifted meals, just our honest take after a few days living out of a car and a campsite in Exmouth WA.

Where to eat and drink in Exmouth

Whalebone Brewing Company: stonebaked pizza and fire pits

If there’s one stop that sums up Exmouth food culture, it’s this one. Whalebone was our first stop in Exmouth, straight off the Karijini to Exmouth leg of the drive, and it could not have been a better welcome. We ordered the stonebaked margherita pizza, fresh, properly charred, and exactly what we needed after days of one-pot camp meals, our first real Exmouth food after a week of camping. There’s a solid range beyond pizza too, burgers, tacos, nachos, so it’s an easy place to take a group with mixed tastes.

We sat by the fire pit and watched the sky go from pink sunset into full dark, surrounded by large families, couples and what was clearly a good chunk of the local crowd. That’s the thing about Whalebone: it doesn’t feel like a tourist spot, it feels like Exmouth’s actual backyard.

We also tried the Whalebone NEIPA, which was delicious, but fair warning… it’s strong! We were both a little tipsy a few sips in, and were grateful the pizza was there to soak it up. Whalebone Brewing Company brews and distills everything on-site (they make their own Ningaloo Spirits gin too), and you’ll find them at 27 Patterson Way. For more on what makes it a local institution, Tourism Western Australia has a good rundown as well.

Mantarays Bar & Brasserie: our one camping-holiday treat

Mantarays Bar & Brasserie, inside Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, was our treat night. We stayed at the resort for two nights during the trip and ate outside, in the space between the restaurant and the pool, with the Exmouth Gulf in view.

We started with bread and olives, moved onto a lovely pasta and the roasted eggplant, and shared a bottle of WA Riesling, a Pemberton-region wine, alongside the meal. We finished with tiramisu (obvs!!). After a week of instant coffee and one pot dishes at camp, it was exactly the kind of reset a long road trip needs, and proof that high-end Exmouth food exists alongside the pub and brewery scene. The menu leans modern brasserie with a European edge and a strong focus on local seafood, and the resort sits on Sunrise Beach, so if you time it right in the morning you can watch the sun come up over the water from your table. You can see the current full Mantarays dining menu here.

Froth Craft Brewery: the tasting paddle with a sunset view

We’d heard about Froth before we even left Perth, so trying it in Exmouth was non-negotiable. On a different night to Whalebone, we headed in for the tasting paddle and grabbed two of the tall window seats, which turned out to be the best seats in the house for watching the sun go down over town.

The beers were unique and properly fresh; Froth opened Exmouth’s first brewpub back in 2017 and they’re still brewing small-batch and seasonal beers on-site alongside their larger Bunbury operation. The food looked just as good as the beer, modern Australian, locally driven, and a strong reminder that Exmouth food doesn’t mean compromising on quality just because you’re remote. If you’re after where to eat in Exmouth with a live music backdrop, Froth regularly hosts gigs, trivia and even outdoor cinema nights, so it’s worth checking what’s on. You’ll find Froth Craft Brewery at 5 Kennedy Street, right in the town centre, and you can read more about their story via Tourism Western Australia’s listing.

Bullara Station: stonebaked pizza in the middle of nowhere

Bullara Station sits roughly halfway between Exmouth and Coral Bay, and it’s become one of those stops everyone on the Coral Coast route ends up talking about. It’s a slightly different category to the rest of this Exmouth food guide, since it’s 45 minutes out of town, but it’s too good to leave out. We ordered the stonebaked pizza from the outdoor bar one evening. Bullara rotates its dining nights, expect everything from the famous Friday Burger Night to a more refined sit-down dinner at The Table, where the head chef cooks with produce sourced as locally as the station allows, including their own station-grown beef.

We’ve written up our full stay in detail, including what to expect from the rooms, the bush showers and the scone situation (it’s serious), in our Bullara Station stay review. If you’re road-tripping the Perth to Exmouth corridor, it’s worth building a night or two around it rather than just stopping for food, and it rounds out this Exmouth food guide nicely with something a bit different. You can check current dining nights directly on the Bullara Station dining page.

Best cafes in Exmouth

The Social Society: the community cafe with the best vibe

The Social Society, known locally as Soso, is the sort of cafe that makes a town feel lived-in rather than just visited. It’s vegan and vegetarian-friendly, with posters on the walls advertising what’s happening around Exmouth that week, plus a little boutique selling gifts, clothing and local crafts.

We ordered coffee alongside a cinnamon bun and an avocado and tomato croissant and easily could have stayed for another round. If you’re after where to eat in Exmouth that isn’t a pub or a brewery, this is it, relaxed, community-minded, and good coffee. For us, it’s one of the most underrated Exmouth food stops on this whole list. You’ll find The Social Society Exmouth on Thew Street.

Early Bird Cafe: matcha waffles and seagull dodging

For daytime Exmouth food, Early Bird Cafe was our go-to. We ordered the matcha and strawberry waffles (yummy, though a little too sweet for my taste) and their poached eggs, alongside an iced latte that was genuinely good coffee. We sat outside among the locals and their dogs, which is very on-brand for Exmouth.

Early Bird is a solid breakfast and lunch spot with juices, smoothies and a rotating taco night, and it’s an easy stop before or after a morning on the water. But, one warning here: there are a lot of seagulls. Keep an eye on your plate, because they are bold.

A few more on our list

Everything above is somewhere we’ve personally eaten. These next four are consistently well reviewed by locals and other travellers, but we haven’t tried them ourselves (yet!), so take them as leads rather than a first hand Exmouth food recommendation. We’ll move them up (or drop them) once we’ve been.

• Exhale Exmouth, Thew Street. Tapas, cocktails and a big gluten-free menu, open for breakfast and dinner with regular live music on the verandah.
• Whalers Restaurant, inside Exmouth Escape Resort. Seafood-focused fine dining around the pool, a popular pick for a special occasion night.
• The BBQ Father, Murat Road. Texas-style smoked meats meet an Italian kitchen, plus a deli and gelato out front.
• Ningaloo Bakehouse & Cafe, Ross Street Mall. An Exmouth institution since 1963, award-winning pies and easily the busiest bakery in town.

A note on opening hours

Exmouth is a seasonal town, and hospitality venues here scale up and down with it. Some places trim their hours or close a day or two a week in the quieter months, and a few wind right back (or shut entirely) over the wet season. Always check a venue’s website or socials before you head out, especially if you’re driving in specially for Exmouth food at dinner time.

For a sense of how the seasons shift here and when things are likely to be busiest or quietest, our Exmouth monthly weather guide has the full breakdown.

Planning your Exmouth food and drink stops

A few practical notes from doing this Exmouth food guide as part of a longer Perth to Exmouth road trip:

• Book ahead in peak season. Whale shark season (roughly March to August) and the winter school holidays bring crowds, and venues like Mantarays and Bullara’s dinner nights can fill up.
• Bring cash as backup. Most places take card, but Exmouth is remote and EFTPOS outages do happen, and not every Exmouth food vendor or food truck takes tap-and-go.
• If you’re coming from the south, our guide to camping stations between Perth and Exmouth covers where to break up the drive.
• Coming from Karijini? We went straight from the gorges to Exmouth, and if you’re doing the same loop, our Karijini National Park guide has the full itinerary.
• Save a day for Charles Knife Canyon. It’s a short drive south of town and one of the best free things to do around Exmouth; here’s what to know before you go.

FAQ: Exmouth food, weather and getting there

This last section covers the practical questions that come up most when people ask us about Exmouth food and how to plan around it.

What’s the best time to visit Exmouth for food and drink?

May to October is the sweet spot. The weather is mild, whale shark season runs from roughly mid-March to early August, and most venues are open and fully staffed for the peak tourist season. If you’re chasing the best time to visit Exmouth more broadly, winter (June to August) is also the most comfortable for sitting outside at places like Whalebone and Froth without the summer heat.

What’s Exmouth weather like?

Exmouth has a dry, semi-arid climate. Summer (December to March) is hot, often into the high 30s and low 40s, while winter is mild and sunny, typically high teens to mid-20s. We’ve got a full seasonal breakdown in our Exmouth weather guide, plus a dedicated look at Exmouth weather in winter if that’s when you’re planning to go.

How to get to Exmouth

You can fly into Learmonth Airport, about 36 km from town, with connections via Perth, or drive the full Perth to Exmouth route, roughly 1,250 km and 13 hours non-stop, though we’d strongly recommend spreading it over several days. Coach services like Integrity Coach Lines also run the route if you’re not driving yourself. However when you arrive in Exmouth WA, you’ll want a hire car or your own vehicle once you’re there.

Where should I look for Exmouth accommodation?

Exmouth accommodation ranges from caravan parks and station stays like Bullara, to resorts like Mantarays right on Sunrise Beach. Book early if you’re travelling in whale shark season or the school holidays, options near town and the marina sell out fastest.

Do I need a car to get around Exmouth?

Yes, pretty much. The town is walkable for the cafes and breweries in the centre, but Cape Range National Park, Charles Knife Canyon and most of the best snorkelling spots require your own transport. A 2WD is fine for the sealed roads; you’ll only need a 4WD for tracks like Shothole Canyon.

Is Exmouth food expensive?

Yes, generally. Expect Sydney or Melbourne city prices, sometimes higher, because almost everything has to be trucked in. It’s worth it for the quality on offer, but budget accordingly, especially for resort dining.

Have you got a favourite Exmouth food spot we missed from this guide? Let us know, we’re always adding to the list before our next Exmouth food trip up the coast.