The Shire's Best Restaurants For Date Night

Spoil that special someone with a booking at one of the most romantic restaurants in the Shire

Ramp up the romance with a date night they’ll never forget. From lavish seafood platters to Lady and the Tramp-style pasta, these romantic Shire-based restaurants will take your date night to the next level. Now all you have to do is pick the vino! Try not to stuff that one up. Good luck!

Giro Osteria

There’s no better place to share a plate of pasta, Lady and the Tramp style, than at Cronulla’s Giro Osteria. The intimate, dimly lit restaurant serves traditional Italian dishes that are jam-packed full of flavour. To set the mood, start with their famous Apple Martini followed by the Arancini or Antipasto. For main, choose a few pastas to share. Our favourite? The Pasta Con Ragù, Gnocchi Napoletana and Cacio e Pepe (cheese wheel pasta). BYO available every day except Friday and Saturday evenings. 

3/1 McDonald Street, Cronulla

Jensens 

A date night at Jensens is certainly going to pull on those heartstrings. The restaurant is seriously stylish, no matter which way you look, from the expansive and luxurious bar to the blush and blue booths. With a menu that changes with the season, Jensens will surprise you on every visit. There’s always a weekly fish and pasta special too!

Try your luck and request a spot by the fire when booking, there’s no better place to heat things up. BYO available, excluding Friday and Saturday nights.

1/13 Freya Street, Kareela

Sealevel 

Sometimes you just want to impress your significant other and a table with glorious water views over North Cronulla Beach is one heck of a way to do it. Combined with their minimalistic, chic interiors, there’s a real feeling of romance here, undeniable from the moment you enter. 

Sealevel pride themselves on sourcing the finest and freshest produce. They offer a modern Australian menu, heavily focused on Seafood with a French and Italian influence. If you're splurging on their famous Seafood platter, say yes to the Lobster. It’s worth every cent. BYO available.

2 The Kingsway, Cronulla

Alphabet St 

For some of the best Modern Asian Cuisine you will ever try, head to Alphabet St. This is one stylish eatery with comic art, pink walls and a white-tiled bar. There’s certainly a sense of fun here - perfect for a cheeky date night out.

Their exquisite menu is designed to be shared. A few of our favourites are the Roti, Betal Leaf Prawns, Kingfish Sashimi, Massaman Curry and Chicken Salad. Our advice? Save room for their pan-fried ice cream, drizzled in an irresistible layer of butterscotch sauce. BYO available every day except Friday and Saturday evenings. 

5/8 The Kingsway, Cronulla

Omakase by Green Shiso

Omakase by Green Shiso is a dining experience so memorable, we would recommend it to anyone and everyone! Omakase is a form of Japanese dining in which guests leave themselves in the hands of the chef. Each meal is seasonal, elegant, artistic and uses only the finest ingredients available. 

Running Tuesday to Friday with only one seating of up to 8 guests each night, head chef Simon and his team have created an ambience that’s peaceful, romantic and exclusive, and the food, well, where do we start. Seated at the bar, Simon will first talk you through the fresh fish hand-picked at the market that morning. Guests then watch on as each dish is delicately prepared right in front of them. Explaining each course as they go, guests have the opportunity to learn more about Japanese cuisine and the ingredients used. The night features a 9 or 10-course degustation menu that changes daily. We enjoyed the Truffle Salt Edamame, an incredible selection of Sashimi, Tempura, MB9+ Australian Wagyu Striploin, Nigiri and more.

87 Cronulla Street, Cronulla

Rocksalt 

Rocksalt’s modern and luxurious fit-out provides the perfect backdrop for a romantic date night. Looking at their extensive Modern Australian menu, you’ll be sent into a dreamy food haze. A second visit almost instantly becomes a necessity. BYO available.

1/72-80 Allison Crescent, Menai

Jack Gray

Exhausted all of your usual date night locations? You’re in luck! Jack Gray, tucked away in Grays Point is open for dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Their dinner menu is full of small plates, large plates and drool-worthy sides. Cocktails are also second to none, so if you’re after epic drinks and delicious share plates, Jack Gray’s is for you.

110 Grays Point Road, Grays Point

Fior

Textured walls, mood lighting and an undeniable Euro-cool vibe make Gymea’s newest restaurant, Fior, an ideal setting for a romantic dinner for two. Split a bottle of vino and order yourselves a plate of oysters (you know what they say, after all), before tucking into a big serving of pasta that tastes as beautiful as it looks. End the evening with a tiramisu or pick your two favourite flavours from the roaming gelato trolley.

Shop 2, 752-756 Kingsway, Gymea

Yalla Sawa

Yalla Sawa, meaning 'come together' in Arabic, invites you to do just that. This hidden gem is a family-owned restaurant, located in the heart of Cronulla. Taking their family’s generation-old recipes, Yalla Sawa has incorporated local produce, fresh ideas and modern techniques to produce dishes that even their Grandma would be proud of. The menu is full of rich flavours and colours of Arabian Cuisine. Designed to be shared, we highly suggest the Lamb Shish, the 24-hour Beef Rib and the Grilled Halloumi (because is there anything better?). Intimate and softly-lit, Yalla Sawa is a strong contender for any date night.

2/59-65 Gerrale Street, Cronulla

Queen Margherita

If you’re after a more relaxed date night, head to Queen Margherita for some of the best traditional Italian pizza you’ll ever taste. Made to the strict discipline of the 'Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana’, each pizza cooks in 60-90 seconds at temperatures exceeding 450 degrees. The use of mechanical machines is not allowed, meaning all dough is hand-stretched. The result? A light, soft, foldable and satisfying crust. Our favourite pizza is the Prosciutto Crudo E Rucola but they’re all just as good. Buon appetito! 

Shop 9, 2 Surf Road, Cronulla

Johnny Hu

Home to a moody, mysterious ambiance, Johnny Hu provides the perfect backdrop for a spicy date night. Crafted by the talented team behind Alphabet St. and Giro Osteria, the menu features a modern take on beloved Chinese classics. Dive into delights such as Pork Wontons in Chilli Oil, Peking Duck Pancakes, and Steamed Toothfish. The Fried Ice Cream in Butterscotch Sauce is the perfect finale!

134 Cronulla Street, Cronulla

The Pines 

Champagne, oysters and ocean views - you’re guaranteed to land yourself in the good books with a booking here. Perched above the iconic North Cronulla Beach, this Hamptons-inspired restaurant offers an extensive Modern Australian menu, with a focus on simple dishes, bursting with flavour and cooked to perfection. Insider tip: treat yourself to their Chocolate Cigar post-dinner (a chocolate truffle shaped into a cigar). It literally melts in your mouth and pairs perfectly with an Espresso Martini. BYO available excluding Friday and Saturday evenings. 

Unit 1, 8 - 18 Kingsway, Cronulla

Papa Js

Epic share plates and delicious cocktails are exactly what you can expect to find at Papa Js. The lighting is dark, luxurious and moody, with touches of velvet, brass and blush setting the scene for endless conversation over a cocktail. With an extensive drinks menu, Papa Js has everything from the classics to fun, inventive cocktails. If you’re looking to try something new (and we recommend you do), opt for the Come To Papa’s, a delicious blend of Vodka One, Aperol, passionfruit, pineapple and sours, all topped with an apricot foam. If gin is more your thing, we’d recommend the Yuzu Voodoo or smooth Clarified Apple Martini.

7/2-6 Cronulla Street, Cronulla

After something a little more casual?

Try Eat Lebanese or Cony’s!

If it’s a casual, yet tasty date night you’re after, check out Eat Lebanese’s cool and chic Cronulla venue. Founded by brothers Tony and Josh, the menu features secret family recipes and authentic Lebanese with a twist. We highly recommend the Cheese Sambousek, Fattoush or Chickpea Salad, Custom Plates and of course, Baklava. For delicious food and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, Eat Lebanese has you covered.

98 Cronulla Street, Cronulla

Cony’s is another one of our favourites for alfresco vibes, great cocktails and some of the best share plates in the Shire. The venue, whilst sexy and moody, is relaxed and intimate. The guac and homemade chips are non-negotiable and the tacos always go down a treat! Start with a Cony’s Marg and end with one of their famous Salted Caramel Espresso Martinis.

15 Surf Road, Cronulla

Want to extend the night’s festivities?

For pre-dinner drinks head to Next Door or The Alley at Rydges Hotel. For a post-dinner cocktail, try Cony’s, Croydon Lane or Blind Bear. 

Lastly, we totally get it if fine dining isn’t your thing. We’re all about a budget-friendly, yet romantic date night. Lucky for us, there is no shortage of locations to roll out a picnic rug in the Shire. From the sandy shoreline at Darook Park, Salmon Haul or Shelly Beach, to Como Pleasure Grounds and Kurnell National Park, check out the Shire’s best picnic spots here. BYO wine, eats and beats (brownie points for flowers).