The Best Seafood Restaurants in Moreton Bay

Moreton Bay has always been a place where the coast shapes the way people eat. The bay sits right on the doorstep, trawlers come in and out of the harbours daily, and seafood turns up on almost every menu between Woody Point and Bribie Island. It is one of the easiest parts of South East Queensland to eat well by the water without needing to plan much at all.

The options are genuinely varied. You can grab a paper-wrapped parcel of fish and chips and eat it on a park bench overlooking the water, sit down for a longer waterfront dinner with harbour views, or head to a seafood market and take home prawns, oysters and whole fish to cook yourself. All three are legitimate ways to enjoy seafood in Moreton Bay, and the best choice usually comes down to the day you are having rather than the venue itself.

This guide covers the best seafood restaurants in Moreton Bay, spanning Redcliffe, Scarborough, Woody Point, Newport and Bribie Island. It looks at waterfront restaurants, casual takeaway venues and seafood markets, and groups them by the kind of outing they suit so you can pick quickly.

If you are travelling to the area or planning a weekend around the bay, Petrie Mill Motel sits just off the coastal run without being in the middle of it. Redcliffe is a straight 20-minute drive down Anzac Avenue, and Scarborough, Woody Point and Newport are only a few minutes beyond that. Anyone searching for seafood restaurants near Petrie will find the whole peninsula sitting comfortably within an easy afternoon’s reach.

Why Moreton Bay Is a Great Place for Seafood

Fresh Seafood and Queensland Coastal Flavours

The Moreton Bay region wraps around the bay itself, and that proximity shapes the local food culture. Working trawlers still moor at Scarborough Boat Harbour, and several venues in the region source directly from local fishers, which is why seafood features so heavily on menus across the peninsula.

The relaxed, warm-weather dining style of coastal Queensland suits seafood particularly well. Meals here tend to be casual and unhurried, often eaten outdoors, and seafood fits that rhythm better than heavier fare. Popular choices across the region include:

• Prawns
• Oysters
• Fish, both local and imported species
• Calamari
• Moreton Bay bugs
• Crab
• Fish and chips

Availability changes with season, weather and catch, so it is always worth asking what came in that day rather than assuming a particular species will be on.

Waterfront Seafood Dining

Eating seafood within sight of the water is a large part of the appeal here, and it is not just atmosphere. The waterfront seafood restaurants in Moreton Bay tend to cluster where the boats are, which usually means shorter supply chains and fresher product.

Scarborough, Redcliffe and Woody Point are the three standouts. Scarborough has the working boat harbour and marina. Redcliffe has the Parade, the jetty and a long stretch of foreshore. Woody Point has its jetty, waterfront parks and views across Bramble Bay toward Brisbane. In each case you can pair a meal with a walk, a swim or simply an hour sitting and watching the bay, which is what most people are actually after.

From Casual Fish and Chips to Restaurant Dining

One of the strengths of seafood dining in Moreton Bay is the spread of price points and formats.

None of these is better than the others. A family with restless kids after a morning at the beach is far better served by a takeaway pack eaten in a park than by a two-hour sit-down meal, and the reverse is true for an anniversary dinner.

Best Seafood Restaurants in Moreton Bay

The venues below cover the main coastal centres in the region. Menus and trading hours change, so treat the details as a starting point and confirm directly before you travel.

Tempest Seafood Restaurant & Teppanyaki Grill – Scarborough

Tempest is one of the most established sit-down seafood restaurants on the Redcliffe Peninsula, located at Bird O’Passage Parade on Scarborough Boat Harbour. It occupies an absolute waterfront position, with the trawler fleet moored directly outside.

What sets it apart from most seafood restaurants in Scarborough is that it runs two dining experiences under one roof: a seafood restaurant serving lunch and dinner across the week, and a separate teppanyaki room where chefs cook on the grill in front of guests. The teppanyaki sittings run to set booking times and need to be reserved in advance, so it is not something to turn up for on spec.

Best for: waterfront seafood dining and a more substantial restaurant experience.

It suits couples wanting a longer meal with a view, families celebrating something, groups after a shared table, and anyone who wants a proper sit-down seafood dinner rather than a counter meal. Bookings are strongly advised, particularly on weekends and for the teppanyaki room.

Yabbey Road – Redcliffe

Yabbey Road sits at 133 Redcliffe Parade, directly across from the Redcliffe foreshore and a short walk from Redcliffe Jetty. It is a traditional English-style fish and chip shop with a well-known Beatles theme running through the fit-out and the music, and it offers both dine-in and takeaway.

The location does a lot of the work. You can eat at the tables out front, or take your order across to the foreshore and eat looking at the water, with Settlement Cove Lagoon and the jetty within easy walking distance.

Best for: classic fish and chips by the waterfront.

This is a strong pick for families, visitors who simply want good fish and chips, beachside meals and budget-conscious diners. It gets busy, so phoning an order ahead during peak periods is a sensible move.

The Boat Shed Scarborough

The Boat Shed is on Landsborough Avenue in Scarborough, in the middle of the suburb’s main dining strip and a short walk from the beachfront. It is a counter-service fish and chip shop with outdoor seating, offering single and family-sized packs for dine-in or takeaway.

The menu keeps to seafood classics rather than trying to cover everything, and there is a park directly opposite that makes it easy to take your food outside. Check the current menu for what is available on the day, as offerings vary.

Best for: a relaxed seafood meal in Scarborough.

It suits anyone who has spent the morning at Scarborough Beach or the harbour and wants something straightforward, generous and quick.

Seafood Town – Woody Point

Seafood Town operates from Oxley Avenue at Woody Point, right beside the Woody Point Jetty on the Redcliffe Peninsula. It is a useful venue because it functions as both a seafood and fish market and a fish-and-chip shop, which means you can order a cooked meal or buy fresh seafood to take away from the same counter.

The setting is a genuine drawcard. The venue looks out over Moreton Bay toward Moreton and Stradbroke Islands, and there is a park and playground nearby, which makes it practical with children in tow.

Best for: casual seafood around Woody Point.

Woody Point works well as a half-day outing generally. It is quieter than Redcliffe Parade, parking is usually easier, and the combination of jetty, foreshore parks and a seafood counter covers most of what a relaxed afternoon needs. It is one of the more convenient seafood restaurants in Woody Point for families.

Morgans Seafood – Scarborough

Morgans Seafood Market & Takeaway is on Bird O’Passage Parade at Scarborough Boat Harbour and is one of the region’s best-known seafood destinations. It is important to understand what it is, because it is not a conventional restaurant.

The appeal is scale and proximity to the source. You are buying and eating in a working boat harbour, and the range on the counter is broad. It is not a table-service restaurant, so if you want a formal dinner with a wine list, this is not the venue.

Best for: seafood lovers who want plenty of choice.

Worth noting that trading hours here are daytime-oriented rather than late-evening, so plan it as a lunch or early-afternoon stop.

Fishport – Gourmet Seafood – Newport

Fishport is at Newport Market Place on Lakeview Promenade, Newport, a few minutes from the busier parts of the peninsula. It is a casual dine-in seafood restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, and it also does takeaway and keeps a retail cabinet of fresh seafood.

Newport is a sensible alternative when Redcliffe Parade and Scarborough are at their busiest. Parking is generally simpler, the setting is calmer, and you still get a waterside dining environment. It is currently one of the few dedicated seafood restaurants in Newport, which makes it worth knowing about.

Best for: seafood dining around Newport without the crowds.

Trading hours vary noticeably between weekdays and weekends here, so check before you head over, especially for an evening meal.

Savige’s Seafood – Bribie Island

Savige’s Seafood is at First Avenue in Bongaree on Bribie Island, and it is a long-running, family-owned operation that combines cooked seafood with a fresh seafood counter. It is licensed and offers takeaway, with outdoor seating available.

Bribie Island rewards a longer outing rather than a quick detour. Once you have crossed the bridge, you have beaches on both the passage side and the surf side, waterways, walking tracks and the island’s own small-town pace. Savige’s fits neatly into that as either a lunch stop or the place you buy prawns before heading to a picnic spot.

Best for: a Bribie Island seafood stop.

Pigface Seafood – Woorim, Bribie Island

Pigface Seafood is on Rickman Parade at Woorim, on the surf side of Bribie Island and a few steps from Woorim Beach. The name comes from pigface, the low-growing native succulent with pink flowers that spreads across the dunes right outside the door, and the venue sits directly among them.

It is a small, casual operation serving seafood and takeaway meals with outdoor seating, and it also makes its own gelato. The whole feel is unfussy in the way a beach venue should be.

It works as an alternative to Bongaree if your day has taken you across to the ocean beach rather than staying on the passage side. For visitors who want something simple after a swim, without changing out of beach clothes, it fits the brief.

Best for: casual seafood takeaway on Bribie Island.

Best Seafood Restaurants in Moreton Bay by Dining Style

Best Waterfront Seafood Restaurants in Moreton Bay

• Tempest Seafood Restaurant & Teppanyaki Grill, Scarborough Boat Harbour
• Morgans Seafood Market & Takeaway, Scarborough Boat Harbour
• Seafood Town, beside the Woody Point Jetty

Waterfront dining in this region is about more than the view, and it is worth knowing which way each spot faces before you plan an evening around it. Scarborough Boat Harbour sits at the northern tip of the peninsula and looks north-west across Deception Bay toward the Glass House Mountains, so late afternoon there does give you the sun going down over the water. Woody Point faces south-west across Bramble Bay toward Brisbane and catches the western dusk glow too.

Redcliffe Parade is a different proposition. The foreshore there faces east into Moreton Bay, which makes it a sunrise stretch rather than a sunset one. Late afternoon still gives you soft golden light across the water and the islands, but the sun itself drops behind you over the mainland.

Whichever you choose, most of these venues sit within a few minutes’ walk of a foreshore path, jetty or marina. Building in a walk after the meal turns a one-hour stop into a proper outing.

Best Fish and Chips in Moreton Bay

• Yabbey Road, Redcliffe Parade
• The Boat Shed, Landsborough Avenue, Scarborough
• Seafood Town, Oxley Avenue, Woody Point

All three do the same core thing well, and the difference between them is mostly location and setting. Choosing between eating in, taking away and eating outdoors is worth a moment’s thought:

• Eat in if the weather is poor or you have a group that needs seating and shade.
• Takeaway to a park or foreshore if you want the view without the wait for a table.
• Takeaway to the accommodation if you have been out all day and want a quiet evening.

If you are chasing the best fish and chips in Moreton Bay, be aware that opinions here are extremely local and extremely firm. Trying two or three across a weekend is the only honest way to settle it.

Best Seafood Restaurants for Families

Casual venues are almost always the better call with children. The Boat Shed, Seafood Town, Yabbey Road and Savige’s all offer counter service, quick turnaround, outdoor seating and takeaway flexibility, which matters far more than menu sophistication when someone small has run out of patience.

Seafood Town’s position next to a park and playground at Woody Point is particularly practical, and Yabbey Road’s proximity to the Redcliffe foreshore means kids can move around before and after eating. Family packs and shared portions are common at these venues, though specific offerings and any children’s options should be confirmed on the current menu.

Best Seafood for a Date Night

Tempest is the clearest fit here. It offers table service, a licensed bar, an absolute waterfront position at Scarborough Boat Harbour and a menu built around a longer, slower meal. The teppanyaki room is an option if you want the evening to have a bit of theatre to it, though it requires booking ahead to set sitting times.

Fishport at Newport is a lower-key alternative if you would rather avoid a busy room, with indoor and outdoor seating and a quieter setting.

Best Casual Seafood Restaurants

Morgans, The Boat Shed, Seafood Town, Savige’s and Pigface all sit in the casual bracket. This is the category most visitors end up using, and for good reason. After a few hours at the beach, walking the foreshore or exploring the peninsula, most people want food quickly, in whatever they are already wearing, somewhere they can sit outside. Casual seafood does that better than anything else on the coast.

Best Places to Buy Fresh Seafood in Moreton Bay

Markets and restaurants serve different purposes, and it is worth separating them:

Buying fresh seafood in Moreton Bay makes more sense than dining out when you are catering for a group, when you want to eat at your own pace, or when you are putting together a picnic or a holiday meal. It also tends to work out better value per person for larger numbers, particularly with prawns.

What Seafood Should You Try in Moreton Bay?

Moreton Bay Bugs

Moreton Bay bugs are a type of slipper lobster found in Queensland waters, named after the bay itself. They have a flattened shell, sweet white tail meat and a texture somewhere between prawn and lobster. They are strongly associated with Queensland seafood for obvious reasons.

Preparations vary. Halved and grilled with garlic butter is common, as are versions served cold in platters. Availability is seasonal and can be inconsistent, so check the current menu rather than planning your evening around them.

Fresh Queensland Fish

Queensland waters produce a wide range of table fish, and the species on offer at any given venue shift with the season and the catch. Barramundi, snapper, coral trout, red emperor, whiting and flathead all appear regularly on regional menus, alongside imported species used for standard fish and chips.

The most useful thing you can do is simply ask what is fresh that day. Staff at market-style venues in particular will usually tell you straight, and the answer often points you toward something better than what you were going to order.

Prawns

Prawns are close to a default choice for casual coastal eating in Australia, and Moreton Bay is no exception. They need no cutlery, they suit sharing, they work cold on a hot day, and they travel well from a market counter to a picnic table. Buying a kilo to share between a few people is one of the simpler pleasures of a day around the bay.

Oysters

Oysters turn up on menus both natural and cooked, with Kilpatrick being the most common cooked preparation. Some venues also carry them at the retail counter. Supply and origin vary through the year and not every venue stocks them consistently, so it is worth asking rather than assuming.

Calamari

Calamari is a staple across the region’s casual venues. It is usually offered fried, sometimes salt and pepper style, and occasionally grilled where the kitchen supports it. Grilled versions tend to be lighter and let the flavour through; fried versions are the classic pairing with chips. Both are common at fish-and-chip venues around the peninsula.

Fish and Chips

Fish and chips remains the simplest and most reliable way to eat seafood around Moreton Bay. It is inexpensive, available across all five destinations covered here, and portable enough to eat wherever the view is best.

Most venues offer a choice of battered, crumbed or grilled fish. Battered is the traditional option, crumbed is a middle ground, and grilled is the lighter choice that suits a hot day or a bigger meal later on.

Seafood Dining Experiences Around Moreton Bay

Redcliffe Seafood Dining

Redcliffe Parade is the region’s most walkable dining strip, running along the foreshore with the beach on one side and cafes, restaurants and takeaway venues on the other. Redcliffe Jetty anchors the precinct and is worth walking out along either before or after a meal.

For seafood restaurants in Redcliffe, the casual end dominates, with fish and chips and seafood takeaway well represented. Combined with the foreshore paths, the lagoon and the parks, it makes for a straightforward coastal outing from Petrie that does not require much planning.

Scarborough Seafood Dining

Scarborough is the region’s seafood centre, largely because of the boat harbour. The marina, the trawler fleet and the seafood businesses that have grown around them give it a working-waterfront feel that the other suburbs do not have.

Tempest and Morgans are the two key examples, sitting on the same stretch at Bird O’Passage Parade and covering opposite ends of the spectrum: one a sit-down restaurant, the other a market and takeaway. Add the views across Moreton Bay and the beachfront reserves nearby and it is easy to fill an afternoon.

Woody Point Seafood Dining

Woody Point has a slower, more residential feel than Redcliffe or Scarborough. The jetty, the waterfront parks and the views across Bramble Bay give it a pleasant, unhurried character, and it is generally easier to park.

Seafood takeaway is the main format here, and the nearby parks make it a practical family stop. If your group includes children, this is often the smoothest of the peninsula options.

Newport Seafood Dining

Newport is a newer part of the peninsula’s dining scene, built around the Newport canal development and its small retail precinct. It is quieter than Redcliffe and Scarborough and functions well as an alternative when the more established areas are busy, particularly on weekends and school holidays.

Bribie Island Seafood Dining

Bribie Island is worth committing a full day to rather than treating as a quick stop. It is the only island in the region connected to the mainland by bridge, with Bongaree and Woorim offering different characters: the passage side is calm and sheltered, the ocean side has surf beach.

Savige’s Seafood at Bongaree and Pigface Seafood at Woorim cover both sides. Pair either with a swim, a walk along the passage, a visit to the local museum or simply an afternoon on the sand, and seafood on Bribie Island becomes part of a proper day out rather than just a meal.

How to Choose the Right Seafood Restaurant in Moreton Bay

Decide Between Waterfront Dining and Takeaway

This is the first fork in the road and it settles most of the rest. Waterfront table service gives you atmosphere, a licensed bar and a longer meal, at a higher price and with a booking to organise. Takeaway gives you flexibility, speed and the freedom to eat wherever you like, including places with better views than any restaurant.

Check the Current Seafood Selection

Seafood availability genuinely changes. Weather affects what the boats bring in, seasons affect what is running, and menus shift accordingly. Ask what is fresh or locally sourced on the day, and do not assume a venue always carries the same species just because it did last time.

Consider Your Budget

• Fish and chips and takeaway: the most economical option, with family packs offering good value for groups.
• Mid-range seafood venues: casual dine-in with a broader menu and licensed options.
• Premium seafood experiences: table service, waterfront positions and specialty offerings such as teppanyaki.

Consider the Occasion

Check Opening Hours Before You Visit

This matters more than people expect, particularly for seafood takeaway businesses and markets, which often close earlier than restaurants and may not trade every evening. Hours also change around public holidays and seasonal peaks. A quick phone call or website check before you drive over will save a wasted trip.

Planning a Seafood Day Trip from Petrie

Start Your Day in Petrie

Begin with breakfast or coffee locally, then take a short walk before heading out. Petrie itself has village shops, supermarkets and green spaces along the North Pine River, and the Petrie local area guide covers what is close by if you want to build in a stop before the coast. Starting from the motel means you are heading toward the coast rather than fighting your way through it.

Head Towards the Redcliffe Peninsula

Anzac Avenue runs east from Petrie through Kallangur and Rothwell and delivers you straight onto the peninsula, which keeps the drive simple and largely turn-free. Start at Redcliffe Parade, walk the foreshore, head out along Redcliffe Jetty, then stop for a seafood lunch. This is the natural first stop because it is the closest part of the peninsula and the easiest to orient yourself in.

Continue to Scarborough or Woody Point

From Redcliffe, both are only a few minutes further. Scarborough gives you the boat harbour, the marina and the seafood businesses clustered around them. Woody Point gives you the jetty, the parks and a quieter afternoon. Either works for a second stop, whether that is more seafood, dessert or a coffee, followed by a walk along the water.

Return to Petrie for a Relaxed Evening

Head back inland in the late afternoon. The advantage of basing yourself off the coastal strips is practical rather than sentimental: parking at the motel is free and onsite, so you are not circling for a space or feeding a meter after a long day, and evenings in Petrie are quiet in a way that Redcliffe Parade and Scarborough are not during summer weekends, school holidays or event periods like KiteFest. If you would rather not go out again, a takeaway pack collected on the way back works well.

Staying at Petrie Mill Motel While Exploring Moreton Bay

Petrie Mill Motel is a practical base for this kind of trip. Petrie sits between Brisbane, the bayside and the northern hinterland, with the Bruce Highway and Petrie Station both close by, which makes moving around the region straightforward whether you are driving or using rail for part of your stay.

Redcliffe is roughly a 20-minute drive straight down Anzac Avenue, with Scarborough, Woody Point and Newport within a similar range. Bribie Island sits further north and is better treated as a full-day outing. Travel times vary with traffic and your exact destination, so check your route before you leave.

Parking is free and onsite, which is worth more than it sounds when you are running a coastal day trip. You can leave early, come back between stops and head out again without paying for parking twice or hunting for a space on a busy foreshore.

The motel suits:

• Couples exploring Moreton Bay over a weekend
• Families wanting a base with easy access to beaches and casual dining
• Weekend visitors and road trippers moving between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast
• Guests attending local events, functions or campus visits

If you want to widen the net beyond seafood, the guide to the best places to dine in the Moreton Bay region covers waterfront restaurants, cafes and hinterland venues across the wider area.

Frequently Asked Questions About Seafood Restaurants in Moreton Bay

What are the best seafood restaurants in Moreton Bay?

It depends on what kind of meal you want. For a sit-down waterfront dinner, Tempest at Scarborough Boat Harbour is the most established option. For fish and chips, Yabbey Road at Redcliffe and The Boat Shed at Scarborough are both well regarded. For fresh seafood and casual takeaway, Morgans at Scarborough and Seafood Town at Woody Point cover both. There is no single winner, because these venues are not really competing for the same occasion.

Where can I get the best fish and chips in Moreton Bay?

Yabbey Road on Redcliffe Parade is the best known, with a long-standing reputation and a waterfront location. The Boat Shed at Scarborough and Seafood Town at Woody Point are strong alternatives. “Best” is genuinely subjective here, and locals will disagree with each other cheerfully, so it is worth trying more than one.

Are there seafood restaurants near Redcliffe?

Yes. Redcliffe Parade has casual seafood venues along the foreshore, and Woody Point and Scarborough are both only a few minutes away by car. The whole peninsula is compact enough that all three are realistically accessible from a single base.

Where can I find waterfront seafood restaurants in Moreton Bay?

Scarborough Boat Harbour is the strongest option, with Tempest and Morgans both positioned on the water. Woody Point offers waterfront seafood beside the jetty, and Redcliffe Parade sits directly opposite the foreshore.

Where can I buy fresh seafood in Moreton Bay?

Morgans Seafood Market & Takeaway at Scarborough Boat Harbour is the best-known option, with a large fresh seafood counter alongside its takeaway. Seafood Town at Woody Point and Savige’s Seafood at Bongaree also sell fresh seafood as well as cooked meals. These are markets rather than restaurants, so check trading hours before heading over.

What seafood is Moreton Bay famous for?

Moreton Bay bugs are the signature, given they carry the region’s name. Prawns, oysters, mud crab and a range of local Queensland fish are also strongly associated with the area. Availability varies through the year.

Are there family-friendly seafood restaurants in Moreton Bay?

Casual venues and fish-and-chip shops are the most family-friendly, largely because of quick service, outdoor seating and takeaway flexibility. Seafood Town at Woody Point has a park and playground nearby, and Yabbey Road at Redcliffe sits opposite the foreshore, both of which make a meal with children considerably easier.

How far is Redcliffe from Petrie?

Redcliffe is around a 20-minute drive from Petrie, running straight down Anzac Avenue with very few turns. Scarborough, Woody Point and Newport are all in a similar range, which is what makes a seafood outing from Petrie so manageable.

Making Moreton Bay’s Seafood Part of Your Stay

The appeal of eating seafood around Moreton Bay is that it does not require much organisation. Pick a stretch of coast, pick a format that suits the day, and let the rest follow. A morning at Redcliffe and a lunch at the Parade, an afternoon at Scarborough Harbour, or a full day on Bribie Island all work without a detailed plan.

Basing yourself slightly inland makes that easier rather than harder. You get the coast during the day and a quieter evening afterwards, without the parking pressure and weekend crowds of the waterfront suburbs.

If you are planning a trip around the bay, explore our comfortable Deluxe Queen rooms or book your stay direct online and save. For questions about availability, group bookings or anything else, contact Petrie Mill Motel and our friendly team will help you sort out the details.