Come September this year, one of Newcastle’s most delicious, dedicated, and downright decadent seafood restaurants, The Kingfish, will be celebrating its fourth year in business.

Brought to us by the seafood-crazed couple, Garry and Melissa Risteski, The Kingfish has continuously built up its seafood offering over the past four years and continues to do so with their unparalleled service and enthusiasm for the seafood industry.

Originally starting out with their cosy hole-in-the-wall styled restaurant, come 2021 saw The Kingfish expand into the empty space right next door. The Kingfish 2.0 came to life with a refined menu, expansive curated cocktail offering, new gelato & coffee offerings, and a revamped and elevated dining space.

The Kingfish 2.0 as they’re referring to, has undoubtedly come into its own with its elevated dining space and matching food and drink menu to suit. Stepping into the refreshed semi-outdoor space, guests are welcomed with full table service in their casual yet modern designed dining area.

What truly is the standout for The Kingfish is, of course, their food. One short conversation with Garry and you’ll be blown away by his dedication, passion, and enthusiasm for the local seafood industry; a dedication which is well and truly featured throughout The Kingfish menu.

Offering both dedicated take-away and dine-in menus, The Kingfish really has become the go-to restaurant for all occasions, and all dietary requirements (more on that later).

Starting with their takeaway menu, you can of course expect all of your typical Aussie fish and chip menu items, with their selection of seafood boxes that are perfect for a picnic or a night in. Catering options are available, contact them to chat about options!

“There are a couple of little items on there that you can only order takeaway as well like Pumpkin Scallop,” Garry shared.

Click here to view The Kingfish’s takeaway menu and order ahead for pick-up!

The dine-in menu is where Garry and his love for quality seafood really get the opportunity to shine, especially in the form of their selection of seafood platters. After one look at it, you might be in agreeance with us that this could be the best seafood platter offering in Newcastle… we’ll let you be the judge!

“Our platters are two-tier and I take two-tier VERY seriously. We use flaked ice for the bottom which features quality cold Aussie seafood. We get all of our A-grade oysters from our local supplier, Dawson's Oysters, and served with a house vinaigrette. We've got local Blue Swimmer Crab, Morton Bay Bugs, Tiger Prawns, and Citrus Cured Hiramasa Kingfish on there as well as housemade sauces, marinades, and seasonal fruit. 

“Up top is all hot. Starting with the freshly cut chips that we cut in-house. Depending on whether you're getting mixed or grilled, it's an array of battered or grilled seafood. The crowd favourites on this tier at the Grilled Scallops with herb & garlic butter, and Chilli Garlic Prawns.

Up next is their The Kingfish's Vegan Platter!

“We’ve literally taken our original Seafood Platter, pulled together the recipes, and the marinades, and figured out a way we could create a vegan version.

“We absolutely love it when an order comes through for a Vegan Seafood Platter. We’re so proud of what we’ve created so to be able to share that with the vegan community is really exciting.”

In addition to their epic Seafood Platters, the dine-in menu features a bunch of small and large plates, battered fish, and grilled fish. Best sellers include AUstralian Lobster Mornay, Grilled South Australian Octopus, and Salt & Pepper Squid.

The oyster offering alone is worth checking out; featuring fresh Sydney Rock Oysters with a housemade vinaigrette; Oysters Kilpatrick with maple glazed speck, chives, and Worcestershire; and Oysters Mornay with classic mornay sauce topped with chives.

“When it comes to the food, it’s still very much similar to what we started with. We actually invest time in making most of our food from scratch including our hand-cut chips, our marinades, and our sauces. Our menu is simplistic, but the beauty is in the product.”

Another huge talking point of their menu is their gluten-free options. With a huge percentage of the menu already naturally gluten-free, the team also creates gluten-free battered seafood using a special fresh batter daily.

As mentioned, the Honeysuckle-based venue has expanded its beverage offering curating its very own dedicated cocktail list as well as partnering with a bunch of local Hunter Valley wineries with its comprehensive wine list.

One little tidbit most people aren’t too aware of when it comes to The Kingfish is their dessert offering. What is it you ask? In-house created gelato! Not ones to do things by halves, Garry, Melissa, and the rest of The Kingfish team have invested in the world of gelato by making their own gelato from scratch in-house.  

“When we decided to add a Gelato Bar, we knew that we needed to do it right. We did heaps of research and had gelato experts come out to really make sure we got this gelato right from the start and we absolutely love it.

“It works perfectly with our menu. A scoop of gelato  is the perfect way to end a seafood feast.”

If the talk of their insane seafood platters, delicious takeaway offering, curated cocktails, housemade gelato, and everything in between hasn’t gotten you over the line yet to book a table at The Kingfish, then this last little bit of information might just do the trick.

Known for always getting people excited about their offerings, The Kingfish has a constant selection of lunch and dinner specials.

Starting with their $69-midweek seafood platter available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5pm, to their $15 lunch specials from Monday to Friday (11am-2.30pm), and lastly, their Friday and Sunday happy hours featuring $10 Mojitos, $5 Stone & Wood, and $9 Tapas S&P Squid.

There’s so much to love about The Kingfish and what they’re doing for our local seafood industry. From their divine menu to their passion for seafood, The Kingfish is one for not only Newcastle locals to experience, but a must for visitors.