East Pavilion brings Asian-inspired elegance to Shoal Bay’s dining scene

Shoal Bay has always had the view; now it has a restaurant to match it.

East Pavilion brings old-world glamour and bold coastal Asian flavours to the Bay, adding another layer of indulgence to Shoal Bay Country Club precinct’s already extensive dining scene. 

With dining for 230 guests and sweeping views across the picturesque Shoal Bay coastline, it is the largest restaurant in the precinct to date – and arguably one of its most visually striking. 

More than simply another place to eat, it feels like a new chapter for the Bay; somewhere to settle in and stay a while, whether that means a lazy afternoon by the water or an indulgent night out. 

A new table by the water

The arrival of East Pavilion marks another multi-million-dollar chapter in the evolution of the SBCC. What began as a local pub has steadily grown into a collection of distinct food, drink and hospitality spaces, with this newest venture now joining much-loved venues including Atmos, The Patio, and Mermaids Cafe.

Behind the new restaurant is a collaboration between distinguished Chef Phillip Davenport, SBCC Executive Chef Leonard Faust and Chef de Cuisine Yuke Song, who have brought together their experience to create a menu and dining experience distinctly its own.

Chinese cooking sits at the heart of the menu, but the influence stretches much further across the coastlines of Asia.

A space with a story to tell

The restaurant's pavilion-style design is perhaps the first thing you'll notice.

Built around the waterfront setting, East Pavilion has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Bay, while large doors fold back towards the terrace to let the sea air flow through the space.

It’s a restaurant that can shift with the day – bright and breezy during lunch, before becoming warmer and moodier with lanterns, table lamps, and brass sconces as evening sets in.

Hand-painted botanical scenes of palms, foliage, and cranes stretch across the walls, joined by aged brass, antiqued mirrors, carved timber, rattan, and rose-hued marble. Patterned tiles and textured fabrics add another layer, while a soft palette of cream, faded green and muted gold is accentuated by richer tones throughout the space.

Above, sculptural metal lamps hang from the ceiling, adding a subtle nod to the restaurant’s maritime inspiration, while the wraparound bar gives the room a sense of grandeur without feeling overly formal.

The overall effect feels a little like old Singapore from the movies – regal, refined and beautifully antiquated, but reimagined for a modern hospitality space with every detail feeling deliberately considered.

A taste of Asia’s coastlines

Rather than focusing on one particular cuisine, the menu takes inspiration from Asia’s many coastal cities, with Chinese cooking providing a generous foundation for the flavours.

It’s a menu built for the middle of the table, with fresh seafood, bold sauces and plenty of dishes worth sharing. Start with Port Stephens oysters, Hokkaido scallops with sambal butter, or the bluefin tuna tartare with spicy yuzu and avocado crème fraîche.

Then there’s the scallop and prawn toast with Singaporean chilli and sesame, slipper lobster and prawn dumplings, salt and pepper calamari and crispy eggplant with spiced black vinegar.

For something more substantial, signatures include masterstock pork belly with sticky mandarin glaze, XO pippies, stir-fried black pepper beef and Peking-style roast duck, alongside an Indonesian turmeric seafood curry with grilled snapper and tiger prawns.

There’s also a 500g Hunter Reserve rib eye, heritage roast chicken and plenty of rice and noodle dishes, including the East Pavilion XO seafood fried rice. 

For groups, the banquet menus make it easy to experience a little bit of everything, with set menus available from $80 per person.

Finish with deep-fried ice cream, mango and tapioca or chocolate and caramel crémeux.

Come for the food, stay for a drink 

And if you can’t stay for a full meal, you can still settle in and take in the East Pavilion experience over a drink or two. At around 12 pages long, the drinks list has plenty to discover.

There’s a selection of Australian, Hunter Valley and international wines, Champagne and sparkling, alongside beers from across Asia and Australia.

The cocktail list follows the same spirit, with drinks inspired by Asian ingredients and flavours, including the Mango Dynasty with coconut rum, mango and lime, the cucumber and yuzu margarita, and the watermelon-forward Melon Ball.

A new destination for Shoal Bay

The beauty of East Pavilion is that it can be whatever you want it to be – a casual meal after the beach, a long lunch overlooking the Bay, cocktails at the bar or a dinner that turns into a much later night than planned.

Large groups are welcomed, celebrations are encouraged and banquet menus are built for the occasions where ordering one dish each simply isn't going to cut it.

It’s a fitting concept for a place that has always drawn people to its waterfront, and another sign of how the Bay’s dining scene continues to evolve.

With its grand interiors, generous food and sweeping views, East Pavilion feels less like somewhere to simply stop for a meal and more like a destination in its own right – one that is sure to find its way onto plenty of Port Stephens hit lists.