CAFE KIN — Restaurant in Nelson Bay

I just visited Cafe Kin in Nelson Bay and had their Prawn & Scallop Burger with sweet potato fries—absolutely worth writing here about.

The chilli mayo had a real hit of heat—not just flakes, but fresh chilli that gave it a clean, lingering burn without being too much. It added depth and a bit of attitude, which worked so well with the seafood.

The prawns were seriously plump and had a light, crisp bite to them, while the scallops were tender and juicy—both clearly fresh and cooked just right. A real coastal-town quality you’d hope for but don’t always get.

A surprise standout was the inclusion of whole roasted garlic cloves. Soft, rich, and slightly sweet, they brought a unique texture and flavour that really tied the whole burger together. Unexpected, but brilliant.

The bun held its own—well toasted on the outside but still had a springy, spongey inside. It wasn’t soggy, and it supported the fillings without falling apart. Even the rocket, which I don’t usually care for, added a nice bit of greenery and contrast without interfering with the overall flavour. A little wedge of lemon on the side went lovely, too adding tang and freshness overall.

I’ve tried a lot of seafood burgers—lobster rolls, prawn sandwiches, the lot—but most get the flavour profile wrong or try too hard. This one kept it simple but nailed every element. The result was balanced, flavourful, and memorable.

Definitely recommend giving this a try if you’re anywhere...

The beautiful family & their Team running this cafe do an awesome job of looking after the locals & greeting everyone with a smile regardless of their demeanour. They do this every day & Im sure have to listen to all our life stories, both good & bad, so when I was told today that a visitor to our beautiful area had not only made a scene in the cafe yesterday (yes on Australia Day!) & brought a family staff member to tears all because a Nutella croissant had sold out, they then had to rate them a 1 on google reviews. All I can say is please NEVER visit our area again as you are not worth putting up with & we do not need your type here. Awesome coffee, awesome staff, awesome service & they keep it real...

Very frustrating experience. Planning to have breakfast with food and coffee. I always like to have my coffee in a take away cup even dining in, I don't like having in a mug. When I tried to order she said that I couldn't have coffee in a take away cup when dining in...what?!? And I reassured that I was having food as well. She said if I want to have in a take away I have to order after to dine in. I obviously left the place because this ridiculous rule. Never had this situation before in coffee shops. I still can't understand why. So stupid that you stop your customer to have the coffee the way that we want. Doesn't make any difference for the shop what way I am...