+61 2 4916 4600+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Sun
7:30 am - 11:30 am12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Mon
7:00 am - 11:30 am
Tue
7:00 am - 11:30 am12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Wed
7:00 am - 11:30 am12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Thu
7:00 am - 11:30 am12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Fri
7:00 am - 11:30 am12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Sat
7:30 am - 11:30 am12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
PRICE RANGE
$10.00 – $36.00
CUISINES
Cafe, Healthy, Australian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Does this restaurant serve Romagna food?
Details
About
A leafy cafe popular with the locals, just off the main street and worth searching out for the best coffee in town.
PRICE RANGE
$10.00 – $36.00
CUISINES
Cafe, Healthy, Australian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Mastercard, Visa, Cash Only, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
1,133 reviews
Excellent
744
Very good
282
Average
67
Poor
16
Terrible
24
Crystal B
29 contributions
Feb 2024 • couples
Tasty and fresh food - we came at a busy time and was seated in some conference room out the back next to a loud group but once they left it was a lot quieter. Very popular spot. They messed up my coffee order but were quick to rectify and coffee tasted yummy. Overall bit pricey on some items for the size you get. Spent $66 on two meals and two coffee drinks. Tasty but pricey breakfast burrito and corn fritters (paid $4 extra for two hash browns) Would probably come back but maybe just for the coffee.
Written 18 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luke_for_Dinner
Wollongong83 contributions
Oct 2024 • couples
We are mid-stay in Nelson Bay as I write this. We've had several meals here, enough for me to start a coffee card and get to my 'free coffee stamp.'
6 cups & the 7th is free.
This is impressive considering many coffee places/cards have bumped up the complimentary coffee "reward" to double-digits.
But, that's simply the beginning; for a very busy place the service is prompt, the staff friendly, and the meals fresh + delicious --- all strong signs that The Little Nel is a delightful food experience, anytime.
With a combination of elegance and on the plate and a casual space on offer, The Little Nel feels like home for locals and visitors alike.
Written 27 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abbykat
Wollongong1593 contributions
Sept 2024 • couples
We enjoyed our lunch and drinks. Coffee was excellent (my husband rarely says that), and my vitamin A juice was very good as well. I always ask for no ice, so it was a full glass of just juice.
My husband had the pumpkin and sage ravioli, which was delicious and a very large serve. I had the pumpkin bruschetta on one slice of rather over toasted sourdough, which made it difficult to cut the crust, but it was tasty and of a sufficient size.
Both were beautifully presented and came out quite quickly.
If we we staying another day, I'd go back just to have the ravioli.
Friendly service added to the experience.
Written 11 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Waynev1
Port Macquarie14 contributions
Mar 2022 • couples
Always visit this cafe when in Nelson Bay, the food has always been good, however the service has always been lacking. Which reflects more on management and finally on the owners for not being aware of what their own business delivers. Eg, when asking what the market fish is today, reply “no idea”, I will go find out. Answer two serves of snapper left and blue eye cod. Great we ordered one blue eye cod. A few minutes later the waitress comes back and says we can’t sell the blue eye till the snapper goes as it is older we and don’t want to be left with it, if it doesn’t sell. Words were exchanged about the stupidly of the conversation and the manager was asked to present, they did not but the order was filled as it was ordered. Getting another wine mid way through your meal is a mission in itself, requires a significant wait even when there are nearly as many staff as customers. Sharpen up people make the experience match the food!!
Written 16 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gen
Sydney25 contributions
Apr 2022 • solo
Disappointed tbh. I looked forward to try the Nel after a recommendation but a coffee and hotcakes weren’t worth my $28. I was rushed to order, the coffee arrived after I had finished eating and asked where it was, and overall felt like I was at a posh fast food in-out scene. Not something I’d wake up early to get to on a Sunday again. Apart from being rushed by the person taking orders the rest of the staff were friendly, if a little overwhelmed, and doing their best. Hopefully they can get more training with more time. If I were to give it another chance I’d try an egg dish. Cannot recommend the hotcakes which were overpriced and needs revision.
Written 9 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria
Liverpool37 contributions
Jan 2021 • couples
Price is too high for regular brunch food, waitresses could care less about you. They’ve been trained well to take orders and move around the restaurant quickly but can’t accommodate to you and connect to you personally on a customer service level. We couldn’t enjoy our food as a bunch of flies started hovering around our food. I asked the waitress if we could move as we couldn’t enjoy our food and she brushed me off and never came back to accommodate my request, even a simple “sorry there are no spare tables” would be okay and mean they care about customer service but clearly don’t. Didn’t finish our meals or smoothies as we couldn’t cope with the amount of flies. Costed us $77 for two meals at lunch with two smoothies???? Wouldn’t even care that much if the waitress had ended up moving us!!!
If you go, don’t sit on the deck where the tree is!
I honestly don’t know how this is rated number 1 in Nelson Bay. This place would be 3 stars in Sydney.
Written 14 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kimbarnes2017
Lane Cove44 contributions
Nov 2022 • none
We were in Nelson Bay to experience the Wild Dolphin swim (highly recommended). We stayed at Hotel Nelson (very good) and Little Nel is right next door so we decided to have a quick lunch.
Well, talk about fabulous food. My partner had the tacos which she claimed were the most amazing tacos she's ever had - and she makes a great taco. I had the fish burger, similarly brilliant. That made breakfast the next day a no brainer.
I had the Breakfast Burrito which I promptly declared the best breakfast meal I've ever had and I've eaten in fabulous hotels around the world!! I mean seriously, who puts chilli scrambled eggs, bacon, smokey corn salsa, avocado, coriander, and chilli salt in a breakfast dish? My partner had Turkish Poached Eggs, which she said was her best breakfast ever too. So many "best"!!!
To top it all off, the service is brilliant, friendly, smiling and efficient.
Do yourself a favour and go there!!
Written 19 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vicki S
5 contributions
Feb 2021 • couples
We came for brunch and as well as coffee and a meal ordered sides of mushrooms avocado and toast. We were charged $10.50 for the two slices of plain toast because it was gluten free. Certainly wasn't worth it. We will look at other cafe options next time
Written 25 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
allan s
270 contributions
July 2022 • none
Look, this cafe is great for thh yummy mummys and those who flutter in from hug the trees with the fairies.
Trendy food, not overly large serves but the food was most enjoyable and service great.
I ate at several of the cafes within walking distance and thought many of them had superior food and just as good service
Written 17 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa D
38 contributions
Apr 2021 • friends
The little nel is a nice cafe that is usually busy because the food and coffee are great.
Service is shocking though. On this occasion the staff actively ignore people who are waiting to be seated, it took a long time to have drinks/food orders taken, others (who arrived after us) received their coffee before us, food took ages and was dumped in front of us with the waitress looking in another direction.
Coffee was good, great flavour and temp. Food was great.
In short food and coffee are pretty good but the service is terrible. There isn’t much competition for them and most people here are on holidays so they put up with it.
Written 25 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Col W
Newcastle9 contributions
June 2022 • family
We have been frequenting the Little Nel for several years and while the food and service is excellent, the value for money is not. The food is overpriced. The serving sizes have decreased, although the price remains high. We will be searching for an alternative in Nelson Bay.
Written 11 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aidan C
Sydney59 contributions
June 2020 • none
Second time here, can't help thinking it may have changed hands, menu wasn't as good as at Christmas. Anyways apart from very slow service, we were offered three different coffees prior to even ordering ours. Systems seem a little disorganised. How hard is it to number tables. The food was good quality and tasty, it's a pity they go you for the juice. A fresh juice at $10 came in a large glass packed with ice, I managed to finish it in two sips from the straw. It's just cheating to have 100 ml juice in a 400 ml glad with most of it ice. Apart from that it would have gotten full marks.
Written 16 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndrewM9890
Hey Aidan . No we have not changed hands. Same crew for the past 7 years. Yes we have changed the menu, and we are really proud of it and mostly getting amazing feedback. Sorry you were displeased with the juice - it should be a full glass with a tiny bit of ice to keep tallow for the warmer fresh juice. We certainly are not out to gouge on the juice. There are plenty of places charging big prices for stuff out of the bottle - we prefer the old school, labor intensive method that requires a heap of fresh fruit - hence the higher pricing. Hope to see you again.
Written 5 July 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TheOzTraveller
Warners Bay148 contributions
Apr 2022 • couples
Couldn't fault this little Cafe as we had a perfect breakfast with excellent, quick service and a great view of the water. The coffee was delicious, as were the waffles and the acai bowl with Nutella. Help-yourself bottles of fresh water are readily available. There are seating options both out in the sun and inside in the shade. I will be back
Written 5 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Blonde Foodie
4 contributions
Apr 2021 • couples
Where do I start. The customer service was amazing all the girls working at the cafe smiling working hard. Both waitresses we had where lovely and happy to answer any questions about the food or about what to do in Nelson Bay. The lovely girl with the orange hair was amazing happy to help me out when I asked what to do in Nelson Bay on a rainy day. The atmosphere of the cafe was super bubbly and relaxing everything was extremely clean and tidy. Where do I beginning when it comes to the food. My partner had the Bacon Benedict and I had the French toast. The bene sauce was smooth and creamy which you wouldn’t think being on soy the French toast was the perfect amount of sweetness and the fruit was extremely fresh. The coffee is great but the chai latte is so yummy. I highly recommend The Little Nel for anyone who comes to Nelson Bay
Written 29 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary C
Tuggeranong223 contributions
June 2021 • couples
My wife and I visited here on the back of trip advisor reviews and were NOT disappointed. Booking was easy, using the online system, with Meg confirming the booking via text.
We enjoyed Salmon salad and the Vietnamese chicken salad, with a glass of bubbles and a green smoothie.
The staff were excellent, service was quick, atmosphere lovely, and meals delicious.
Will definitely return to try a couple of other items on the menu.
Written 15 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-15 of 1,125
Best moderately priced restaurants
See all
Best nearby
We rank these hotels, restaurants, and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Best nearby hotels
See all Best nearby restaurants
See all Is This Your Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Free Listing