The Flotilla

The Flotilla is a must – the fun atmosphere and the delicious, clever and seasonal dishes will have you planning your return visit before you leave. Fall in love with Harrison's Food & Wine’s home-style interiors, stunning coastal artworks and honest, tasty plates of food. Thermidor Oyster Bar and Brasserie serves up water views alongside quality produce cooked with skill and care.

The Flotilla might already be on your radar when looking for the best Newcastle restaurants; if not, it's time to take note. This venue exudes a laid-back coolness characterised by its ample tan banquette seating and a prominently placed kitchen bar, all accentuated by an eye-catching wrought iron spiral staircase. The menu showcases the culinary prowess of the young kitchen team, featuring dishes like smoked bone marrow, pine mushrooms, local wagyu beef, and gnocchi fritto with a hint of anchovy.

There are more that a few diners who reckon that Flotilla is not only one of the finest restaurants in Newcastle, but also one of the areas best kept secrets. Though small, this is a special occasion kind of place that takes premium local produce and elevates it beyond the everyday to something really rather wonderful. And so the current menus tease tantalising flavours such as a Smoked Beetroot Tartare and Shaved Cuttlefish, Scallop, Roe Cream, Fermented Pumpkin and Melon.

Let’s just start by saying that in 2022 The Flotilla was awarded a Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Hat – the first EVER hatted restaurant in Newcastle!. They backed that up in 2023, and well, if that doesn’t set the scene for you – let’s talk about the team. You’ll be hosted by a fantastic line-up including Eduardo Molina who brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his time served in top Californian restaurants and his general love of vino.

Flotilla, meanwhile, is Newcastle's number one dinner spot, starring manager Eduardo Molina pouring natural and Hunter wines with passion and grace. The restaurant's semi-industrial estate surrounds means there are better dining views in town, but chef Shayne Mansfield's flavour-forward cooking is what you're there for. Hello, wagyu tartare with a crackle and pop of crisp-fried tendon, and blushing pink duck breast enhanced by fermented honey.

The space is effortlessly cool, with generous tan banquette seating dominating one side of the venue, the kitchen bar front and centre, staccatoed by a wrought iron spiral staircase. Smoked bone marrow, pine mushrooms, local wagyu beef and gnocchi fritto spiked with anchovies flex the culinary muscles of the young team of cooks in the kitchen. Watch this space too; rumour has it that an overflow wine bar is under construction right next door.

Flotilla spotlights local produce on its uncomplicated but delicious menu, which changes (about) every six weeks to ensure ingredients are at their seasonal peak. Lunch and dinner are delivered as set menus, with standard and "baller" options priced accordingly. The cuisine at this Newcastle restaurant is mostly Mediterranean, with Italian, Spanish and French influences blended with plenty of Aussie flavour and loads of vegetarian options.

Slightly hidden away in Wickham, Flotilla is a foodie's dream. The hatted restaurant updates its menu twice per season and focuses on using Australian produce whenever possible, resulting in a creative and refined sequence of dishes coming out of the kitchen. There's even a full vegetarian menu for both lunch and dinner, so everyone in the group can enjoy Flotilla's exquisite food.

The Flotilla is the third Newcastle dining venue from ex-Silverchair musician Chris Joannou and business partner Zack Scholtz. Inviting frontman Eduardo Molina onboard as a co-owner was a master stroke; the hospitality veteran is integral to the success of the business. This contemporary restaurant is renowned for serving produce-forward dishes.

Refined, yet casual, Flotilla is a great spot located in the up and coming neighbourhood of Wickham. The beautiful modern interior compliments the fresh and modern take on the food menu. With renowned chef Jake Deluca and Restaurant Operator Eduardo Molina at the helm, you’ll experience an incredible evening of great food, mood, and company.

This hatted restaurant makes for a special night out in Newcastle. The menu at The Flotilla is diverse and creative, focusing on using fresh and locally sourced ingredients to create dishes you won’t stop thinking about for days to come. If you can, grab a seat at the bar and watch all the action unfold in the kitchen.

Flotilla was designed to mimic the style of Abbot Kinney Boulevard and Venice Beach in California. It is the third Newcastle dining venue from ex-Silverchair musician Chris Joannou and his business partner Zack Scholtz. But with all its California charm Australian produce is championed in just about every dish.

It's a short commute to the inner suburb of Wickham, where Flotilla remains one of the city’s hottest restaurants, showcasing an artistic and thoughtful menu that brings out the best in Australian fresh produce. The dishes change with the seasons, and you can watch chefs prepare your meal in the open kitchen.

This recently hatted restaurant makes for a special night out. The menu at Flotilla is diverse and creative, with a focus on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create dishes you won’t stop thinking about for days to come. If you can, grab a seat at the bar and watch all the action in the kitchen.

For one of Newcastle's best dining experiences head to Flotilla in Wickham. Until recently the restaurant had their sister bar Vecina alongside the restaurant but demand for seats at Flotilla was so high that they expanded the restaurant across to where Vecina used to sit. Vecina is now moving elsewhere.

Arguably the best restaurant in Newcastle at the moment, Flotilla encompasses the same refined-yet-casual effortlessness you’d find in many of Sydney and Melbourne’s popular establishments. From its understated interiors to the knowledgeable staff, Flotilla’s dining experience is hard to fault.

A foodie’s dream, this hatted restaurant makes for one special night out. Flotilla’s chefs are intrepid explorers of taste, championing locally sourced produce in just about every dish. The menu is diverse and creative, updated monthly to keep diners on their toes.