In the coastal calm of Bermagui, where sea air mingles with the low hum of a good afternoon, Elsewhere has emerged as one of the town’s most magnetic new venues.
It’s not trying to shout over the coastline - it’s in conversation with it. Part Italian heart, part Bermagui soul, Elsewhere delivers a dining experience that feels intimate, clever and quietly thrilling, like stumbling upon a place you’ll come back to for years.
An Intimate Coastal Space with a Handmade Spirit
Elsewhere wears its personality in the details. The venue is warm and close in the best way - the kind of room that makes you lean in and stay a little longer. There’s a gentle buzz to it, but never a rush. What sets the atmosphere apart is the way the line between front-of-house and back-of-house softens.
Sit at the bar and the kitchen doesn’t feel like a distant engine behind a wall - it’s part of the evening. You might even be served by the Chef himself. He prefers it that way. Elsewhere isn’t about spectacle; it’s about presence - a restaurant that wants you to feel the people behind the plate.
The handmade character of the space runs deeper than mood. The bar itself is a small artwork in motion, tiled with pieces designed and hand-printed by the owners. Not bought, not outsourced - made. It gives the room a tactile authenticity you can feel before you’ve taken a sip and a sense that the venue has been built with the same care that goes into the food.
A Must-try Pairing: Sonno Cocktail + Crispy Red Braised Pig’s Ear
If there’s a signature move at Elsewhere, it’s ordering the bartender’s pick: the Sonno cocktail, paired with the crispy red braised pig’s ear with fish sauce caramel and chilli oil. The Sonno has that effortless Summer logic - balanced, refreshing and built to sit alongside food rather than compete with it.
When it meets the pig’s ear - all crisp edges, slow-braised depth and a sweet-salty caramel lift sharpened by chilli oil - the combination clicks into place. It’s the kind of pairing that makes a Bermagui afternoon feel like a small holiday: salty air outside, cold glass in hand and a dish that keeps unfolding with every bite.
Elsewhere’s cocktail list also quietly champions the region. Local distilleries are showcased in signature pours like the Oyster Shell Martini - bright and coastal with a clean briny edge - and the Chai Spiced Cider, which brings warming spice into a crisp, refreshing finish. Each drink feels connected to place without trying too hard - a nod to the local landscape, poured with confidence.
A Dining Philosophy: Italian Roots, Bermagui Produce, Butcher-trained Craft
The food is shaped by two forces working beautifully together: the owners’ Italian heritage and Chef Aidan Barry’s distinctive path into cooking. Before he became a Chef, Aidan trained and worked as a butcher and that grounding shows in every plate. There’s a deep respect for cut, texture and time.
His passion sits squarely in braising and BBQ-style cooking, techniques that make local produce sing in a richer register. Think slow heat, patient flavour, careful caramelisation and dishes that lean into comfort without ever losing polish. It’s rustic skill meeting restaurant precision and the menu is built to be shared, explored and returned to.
A Venue with Heart (and a Bit of Mischief)
What truly defines Elsewhere is its balance. It’s intimate but lively, refined but never precious. It suits a date night, a long lunch, a casual catch-up, or a spontaneous walk-in after the beach. Service feels personal without performance and the room invites you to ease into the moment - one more dish, one more drink, one more story across the bar.
Elsewhere isn’t just a new opening; it’s Bermagui’s kind of restaurant. Local in spirit, confident in craft and generous in the way it makes people feel. Come for the Sonno and pig’s ear pairing, stay for the handmade room, the fire-kissed cooking and the sense that you’ve found somewhere you didn’t know you were missing.
