Taverna is located in one of Kingscliff’s most historically rich buildings. After being occupied by various restaurants over the last 40-odd years, the beachside house has been respectfully transformed by Taverna’s owners Lia Wilson, Lee Middendorf and Mark Wilson, who also own Osteria in Casuarina and were former owners of Spice Den. The dishes are created with produce that is treated well with just a hint of Greek flavour – an intentional shift away from being too traditional. The menu is designed to share, with smaller plates like fried local squid with seaweed and sesame and pink peppercorn mayonnaise, grilled octopus with fava bean whip and sweet pickled vegetables, and a Greek-style beef tartare. Larger plates feature dishes like 48-hour slow-roasted New England lamb with jus and soft garlic, grilled white fish with cauliflower skordalia, and confit ocean trout with a salad of broad beans, artichoke hearts, goats cheese and apple.