Month: September 2025

We’ve entered an exciting new chapter in the SBCC story. What started in 1934 as a local pub has grown into a precinct for all occasions, and every generation. Our refreshed brand celebrates everything we love about the Bay – that easy holiday feeling, the buzz of a local favourite and the little moments that make Shoal Bay special.

 

A venue reimagined

We’ve just completed a major renovation with the aim of to creating more light, more connectivity and more holiday moments across the entire venue. We’ve extended the Patio out towards the Courtyard to add 40 more seats and a perfect view of the soon-to-come Courtyard screen.

 

 

In the Cane Lounge, higher doors, a raised roof and new tiled flooring bring more natural light and a sense of flow from the front to the back of the pub. Brand-new bifold doors make it easy to open up and connect the spaces while still allowing us to host private events in the Cane Lounge.

 

The Beach Bar now features new bifold doors opening directly to the street – letting in more light and sea breeze – while the Courtyard has been completely re-floored and re-furnished. Our new fully retractable roof in the Courtyard means the space can be completely open on beautiful days and fully weatherproof when you need it. We’ll soon be adding an upgraded big screen (6.5 m wide!) mounted higher for a better view from every seat.

 

 

A brand-new menu

Our Executive Chef Leonard has crafted a brand-new spring menu. With some of the best seafood in the country right on our doorstep, expect vibrant new dishes alongside your SBCC favourites – the perfect complement to a cold drink and waterfront view.

 

 

Be part of the story

We’ve been part of Shoal Bay’s story for generations, and this next chapter is about giving locals and visitors more reasons to enjoy the Bay. Whether you’re here for a sunny lunch, a night out, or a family get-together, you’ll find more pockets of space, more comfort and more of what you love about SBCC.

There’s something about Shoal Bay that stays with you. Maybe it’s the sunlight glinting on the water,

the rhythm of the ocean, or the way life seems to slow down just enough to savour it all.

Since 1934, we’ve captured that feeling – and shared it with everyone who walks through our doors.

 

A Local Icon, Reimagined
What began as a humble seaside pub has grown into a modern coastal precinct – a place where sun-drenched mornings roll into golden evenings, and every visit offers something new.

 

Today, we’re proud to bring together the best of Shoal Bay – from laid-back beachside breakfasts to long lunches, Greek feasts, live music, family moments, and spontaneous celebrations.

Our walls hold generations of stories; in the 1940s, SBCC was listed as a hub for swimming, surfing, fishing, tennis and dancing – even serving as a meeting place for the revival of big game fishing in Port Stephens.

 

This dinner menu from 1971 lists seafood cocktails for 70 cents, with coffee served in the “Cane Lounge”, a space that still stands today, albeit with a few modern facelifts along the way.

 

More Than a Venue – A Way of Life
Nestled just steps from the sand, SBCC is grounded in the spirit of Australian hospitality – relaxed, inclusive, and always welcoming. We’re here for all seasons, all generations, and all reasons – a place where locals gather, visitors unwind, and moments turn into memories.

 

Built on Belonging
We’re family-run, community-driven, and proud to be part of Shoal Bay’s story – past, present and future. Whether it’s supporting local events, showcasing regional produce, or simply being a place where familiar faces meet, we believe in hospitality that goes deeper than service. We believe in connection.

 

No matter the reason. No matter the season. Make it yours at Shoal Bay Country Club.

 

Transport yourself to the mesmerising shores of the Aegean Sea with the aptly named Aegean cocktail from Atmos. Infused with elegant, subtle flavours of cucumber, elderflower and lemon, this mouth-watering sip offers a refreshing taste of Greece without the jetlag

 

After much begging and grovelling with our Group Beverage Manager, we’ve managed to wrangle this top-secret recipe so you can make the Atmos Aegean cocktail at home! Impress friends and loved ones at your next dinner party when you break out this delicious cocktail

 

 

What you’ll need:

30ml Finlandia vodka
30ml elderflower liqueur
30ml lemon juice
30ml fresh cucumber juice
15ml agave syrup

 

What to do:

1. Blend Lebanese cucumbers in a food processor and strain the liquid
2. Place all ingredients into shaker with ice and shake vigorously
3. Double strain over ice into an old fashioned glass
4. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and enjoy!

 

Or book a table at Atmos and let us do all the hard work.

 

We sat down with our Executive Chef, Leonard Faust to talk about his role at SBCC, his vast experience spanning the globe, and we get an insight into the Atmos menu.

 

How did your career start?

By default, a friend asked me if I wanted to try out an apprenticeship. I wasn’t enjoying school so I decided to give it a go. It wasn’t until I was towards the end of my apprenticeship that I began to love it.

 

What excites you the most about being a chef?

The fact that there is so much more to being a chef than just cooking. There are also so many directions as a chef one can go. Some choose to go Executive, still loving food but also working from more of a business perspective, some choose to go culinary and work as Chef De Cuisines and create amazing food with less focus on the financials, and there are many more avenues.

 

What makes you so passionate about cooking?

The freedom to be able to create pretty much anything I would want to eat.

 

What is your career highlight?
I am lucky to have so many, but a few include:
I have prepared a set caviar lunch for a Russian Zaar.
Catered for one of Thailand’s Princesses.
I’ve been on TV in Thailand for cooking shows and competitions.
I created an event in Thailand to raise money for the 2019 Australian bushfires and it sold out.

 

What does it involve being the Executive Chef of Shoal Bay Country Club?

The role itself evolves with demand. Currently the role is more of a development role in terms of implementation of new food management systems, developing the food safety standards, working tightly with suppliers for best quality / prices, menu creation, new restaurant planning and opening (currently Atmos).

 

What is your favourite dish on the SBCC menu?

I always go for the Barramundi; I don’t like eating heavily at work so this light dish hits the spot. The crisp skin matches well with the salad, the tender fish itself a great compliment to the salsa verde which is made from herbs and has a nice tang.

 

When I feel more peckish I will go for the ribs; they are both tender and still maintain that elasticity, the sauce is to die for and the chips soak up the remaining sauce well.

 

 

Is there anything about working in a kitchen that you think would surprise people?

How civil it can be in the kitchen these days.

 

Who is the most famous chef you’ve worked with? What did you learn from them?

Most of the chefs I have worked with were through promotions that we had done with overseas hotels, Michelin star chefs invited for dinners and other Executive chefs from the hotel group.

 

The most important thing I have learnt was that the career of a Chef can be taken a lot higher than people may think. The level of detail, organisation and food safety are the main things I have taken away from them, as well as new cuisine ideas.

 

What do you always have in your pantry at home?

Rice, garlic, curry pastes, eggs.

 

What’s your go-to comfort meal?

John West flavoured tuna mini tins with rice for a quickie. Otherwise, nothing beats a real good roast.

 

Tell us about your experiences working overseas.

I spent 15 years in Thailand, working in hotels picking up different skills here and there. This experience taught me how to run food and beverage operations on a large scale, while ensuring that each restaurant was tailored to a specific customer. I also learned to cook many different cuisines across South East Asia and Europe.

 

What can you tell us about the Atmos menu?

Atmos will take you on a culinary journey to Greece. The food and the recipes are centred on solid basic culinary pillars of homestyle cooking, family recipes, and authenticity. In Greece it’s traditional to share; so, we have created sharing menus that take you on a discovery of local flavours.

 

Welcome to Atmos, where the sun shines brighter and every day feels like a holiday.

 

Atmos was designed by Athenian architects Karagianni Karamali, bringing the traditional architecture and relaxing atmosphere of the Greek islands to Port Stephens.

 

Two containers were at sea for two months bringing the interiors of Atmos to Shoal Bay. Render, joinery, and thousands of pieces of wood were shipped from Greece to be installed by local trades.

 

 

The Atmos design was drawn from multiple visits to the Greek islands, in particular Mykonos. With a design unique to the local market; the colour palette is dominated by the Greek rendering, which has been softened via the natural timber, neutral colours of the furniture, hero lighting features, and use of different textures.

 

 

Taking inspiration from the venues with a similar geographic location (waterfront) it was important to use materials that are sustainable, while remaining comforting and inviting. The interior styling also celebrates our seaside location to ensure a relaxing, fun and social environment.

 

If you’re overdue for a holiday, Atmos is the escape you’ve been waiting for.

 

BOOK NOW

 

Yiayia Sylvia lived on the tiny and beautiful Greek island; Kastellorizo for many years, and her legacy lives on as her baklava recipe is actually famous on the island, here’s why…

 

Sylvia has been making baklava since she was young, but 20 years ago she developed her own recipe that became well known to many locals, including the mayor who frequently asked her to make it for them.

 

Each year in June The Lycian-Kaş Culture and Art Festival is held between the city of Kastellorizo and Kas, Turkey which is 2km away by water. Keen to showcase the local delicacies at the festival, the mayor of Kastellorizo asked Sylvia to make her baklava and enter it into the cooking competition, competing against many other local dishes and judged by a cooking school in Kas.

 

Sylvia went on to win first prize; a green kettle that is still in her house on Kastellorizo. Since then, the award winning baklava has become famous across the island and is well known throughout many Greek communities in Australia.

 

The secret? It’s in the simplicity. Traditionally baklava is a much heavier pastry with walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, but this recipe is a much simpler dish using just filo, almonds and lemon, sugar syrup.

 

To celebrate Yiayia Sylvia’s winning dish, we’ve created a baklava cocktail to pair it with; hazelnut, walnut, honey, almond, cream, filo disc, pistachio dust.

 

 

Check out the Atmos menu here.

 

We’re giving you one of our most famous recipes so you can enjoy a little bit of SBCC at home!

 

Seafood lover? You are going to love our famous Blue Swimmer Crab Spaghetti. Rich with delicious, fresh flavours you’ll be surprised at how simple it is to make this at home.

 

What you’ll need:
45g blue swimmer crab meat
250g spaghetti
handful cherry tomatoes
30g prawn bisque
2 garlic cloves, crushed
pinch of chilli flakes
tsp salt
tbsp unsalted butter
tbsp bread crumbs
splash of olive oil
parsley to garnish
lemon

 

What to do:
1. Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté garlic

2. Mix in crab meat, tomatoes, chilli, salt, cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently

3. Add prawn bisque and bring to a simmer

4. Boil a pot of salted water, add spaghetti, cook until al dente

5. Add pasta to crab meat and stir with butter

6. Plate, top with bread crumbs, parsley, lemon wedge. Enjoy!

 

Ouzo is the national drink of Greece, and it has quite an interesting history dating back to the 18th century.

 

Here’s a short lesson on what you need to know about Ouzo to become an honorary Greek.

 

History

Ouzo originates from Tirnavos in Greece, it came about in 1865 by distilling Tsipouro (Grappa). The first Ouzo distillery was opened by Nicolas Katsaros and it is still open today! Ouzo can now only be made in Greece and nowhere else, after receiving an EU-approved label of Protected Designation of Origin in 2006.

 

There are many well-known Ouzo brands but one with an interesting origin is Ouzo 12; this brand was born from the Kaloyiannis Distillery in 1880, when Ouzo was served direct from the barrels and customers would frequently request the Ouzo from “Barrel No. 12”.

 

 

How to drink Ouzo

Ouzo is often enjoyed ‘neat’, however it is commonly served with ice, with a dash of water, or both. How it is consumed is purely down to personal preference.

 

At Atmos, we will serve a shot of Ouzo in a glass, accompanied by a small bucket of ice and small carafe of chilled water on the side, so you can choose your own experience.

 

In Greece, a single serve of Ouzo is often enjoyed over several hours, slowly adding ice and water as desired. Traditionally enjoyed in the afternoon over a ‘meze’ of bread, cheese, olives etc., or a game of backgammon.

 

We have four types of Ouzo to try at Atmos, check out the drinks menu here.

 

Yia Mas!