Finlay's Kalbarri

Set a couple of blocks back from the beach, this open-air Kalbarri institution has fed travellers and locals for years beneath strings of lights and a scatter of mismatched tables. The kitchen leans on the Coral Coast's catch, with fish, prawns, mussels and generous seafood platters alongside steaks, salads and non-seafood plates for the rest of the table. An onsite craft brewery pours its own beers with the meals, and a fire pit keeps things warm once the sun drops. It runs as a genuinely independent, family-run operation rather than a franchise, and the relaxed outdoor setting draws a crowd most nights, so a booking helps in peak season. Open seven days from midday through dinner, it suits an easy, unhurried evening out after a day in the gorges or on the coast.