For more than 20 years, acclaimed Sydney restaurateur Maurice Terzini (the man behind CicciaBella and Icebergs Dining Room and Bar) has had his heart set on opening a venue in Byron Bay, so when an opportunity presented itself in one of his most-loved spots, Belongil Beach, he jumped at it. Together with his long-time business partner Deke Miskin and general manager and business partner Dave Owen, Maurice set about planning the opening of Byron’s new neighbourhood hang, Belongil Beach Italian Food. Similarly to its Sydney siblings, Belongil Beach Italian Food’s ethos centres around the idea of celebrating community, both with guests (the restaurant is very family friendly) and suppliers. The menu showcases the abundance of exceptional produce in the Northern Rivers region, with particular focus on working with family-owned-and-operated businesses. In case the restaurant’s name hadn’t clued you in – you’re going to be eating Italian food. The menu lends itself to both long grazing lunches and fun family dinners, spanning across options of spuntini, antipasti, vegetables and salads, pasta, seafood, grilled mains and desserts. Expect the likes of The Bread Social sourdough, Byron Bay ricotta with chilli and honey, fried Moreton Bay bug potato buns with voudavan mayo, spaghetti chitarra with pipis and bottarga, and much more.