The Lucky Bee

If you're after great cocktails matched with fiery Asian fare on your next visit to the Central Coast, you'll want to park yourself up at The Lucky Bee. It's run by Matty Bennett and Rupert Noffs, who closed their acclaimed NYC eatery of the same name, swapped the city for the beach and opened on the Central Coast. Located at Hardys Bay, The Lucky Bee is right on the water, so you'll cop some stellar views while you're there. The share-style Southeast Asian menu is influenced by a combination of Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese  flavours — think pork-stuffed bao, dumplings, curries, green papaya salad, bánh xèo (crispy Vietnamese pancake) and salt and Sichuan pepper fish. Expect good levels of heat, too. The drinks are extravagant and the atmosphere is always buzzing — so make a reservation.

Images: Lisa Haymes