If you're staying in, catching up with friends or spending the Christmas season by the beach, we have you covered.

Stay in

Can’t live without Miller’s Local Bakehouse iconic croissants, mince pies, sourdough and lemon layer cake over Christmas?

Pre-order by 16th December for pick up right before Chrissy for guaranteed best brekkies and brunches. And even better, there’s also pre-packed gelato for those characteristically hot summer lunches.

See the full menu and how to order here.

If you’re wanting to bring the wow to your Christmas table – ie have someone else do all the work – Duck in Heaven at Woonona are offering Turduckens, cooked or ready to cook. If you’ve never come face to face with a turducken before, here’s what to expect: it’s a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey! Yes, really and with three different stuffings between each bird. 

Call 0430 628 488 for details and to order.

Pre-Christmas catch ups with friends

Thirroul's Pickled Poet has two packages to help spread good cheer this season. The Festive Grazing Feast is two hours of unlimited Christmas themed grazing and drinks while the Christmas Wine & Dine is an 8-course menu with two hours of beer, bubbles and Christmas-inspired cocktails – bring your own stretchy pants.

Call (02) 4202 9171 or head to Facebook and Instagram for more details.

If a brewery is more your style, grab the gang and head to Five Barrels Brewing on Keira Street. With a food truck, live music and even a Christmas Dubbel 'Nelly' with all those Christmassy spices available now, it’s the perfect place to enjoy the silly season.

Grab and Go

I first discovered Andy’s amazing Vietnamese street food when he had the food truck and we’d chase him from brewery to markets. 

But now we travel to the Dapto to his Krisp storefront for amazing Banh Mi – yup, vegans and gluten-free folks are catered for – and their vermicelli bowls and bao buns are legendary. Juicy, generous and flavour-packed, this makes for the perfect grab-and-go meal after a hectic day Christmas shopping.

Order online here.

Beachy bites

Shell’s Diner is a bit of an institution in Austinmer. It’s straight across the road from the beach so expect every second person to be still dripping wet after a quick dip. All the usual suspects, including fish and chips that come battered or crumbed (the NZ Hoki is especially good), calamari, fish cocktails and burgers, including a really yummy veggie burger. You can eat inside but why not run back across to the beach, toes in the sand and fight off the seagulls for your lunch. It doesn’t get more ‘Aussie Christmas season’ than that!