Dessert in Bondi Beach
The Bondi outpost of Sydney's most celebrated gelato maker, tucked into the Hall Street hub a short walk back from the sand.
Messina is the benchmark for gelato in Sydney, and the Bondi store pours the same 40-odd house-churned flavours and rotating weekly specials as the flagship, made with genuine care (house-roasted hazelnuts, Warrnambool milk). We'd choose this over any beachfront soft-serve when you want the real thing after a swim. The room itself is worth a look too, designed to feel like an upside-down swimming pool with pebblecrete walls and ceiling.
A scoop or two from the signature range, one of the always-changing weekly specials, or a whole handmade gelato cake if you're feeding a crowd; sorbets cover the dairy-free crowd.
Buzzy, queue-out-the-door on warm evenings, order-at-the-counter
Local tip: It's on Hall Street rather than right on the promenade, so grab your cone here and stroll it down to the beach or Bondi Park rather than expecting a sea view from the door. Go for a weekly special before it rotates out.
Worth knowing: It's a takeaway counter with little seating and no beach outlook, and queues get long at peak times on hot days.
We confirm each venue is currently trading; hours, prices and menus still change, so check the venue's own site for those before you go.
Italian · Bondi Beach
The hatted, ocean-front Italian fine-diner perched above the Bondi Icebergs pool, serving hand-rolled pasta and seasonal seafood with the best beach view in Sydney.
Best for: Milestone celebrations and long lunches with a view
Modern Australian · Bondi Beach
The original bills, the Hall Street cafe where Bill Granger reinvented Sydney brunch, still turning out its ricotta hotcakes and creamy scrambled eggs a couple of minutes back from the sand.
Best for: A landmark Bondi brunch a short walk from the beach
Italian · Bondi Beach
A buzzy Hall Street institution serving wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and rotisserie porchetta, back in its original Bondi home under founder Orazio D'Elia.
Best for: A lively Italian dinner with friends or a couple, a short walk from the beach.