Quick Bites:
🍤 What we ate: The Swordfish Co. Basket, Prawn Roll, Prawn Cutlets with Garlic Herb Butter
🍷 Best for: A casual lunch or dinner by the lake with fresh seafood and generous portions.
🌅 Location perks: Right on The Esplanade with easy access to Warners Bay Foreshore. Perfect for a picnic or lakeside stroll after your meal.
🚗 Parking: Lots of street parking
⭐ Vibe: Laid-back, family-friendly, and easygoing.
Hygiene: Clean but no toilets available
🧻 Amenities: No toilets available – nearest one is at the public park across.
🛜 Wifi: No wifi
📍 Where? 436 The Esplanade, Warners Bay NSW 2282
💰 Price: $$ – Affordable for the quality and portion sizes.
🪑 Reservations: Walks in only
Thank you for reading!
Sometimes my family and I like to switch it up and head lakeside instead of going to the beach. We’re so spoiled for choices here in Newcastle when it comes to nature – a fact that I don’t take for granted having lived in a densely populated city like Manila. On this particular visit, we decided to make a stop at The Swordfish Co, a spot that locals often talk about for some fresh fish and chips and seafood in Warners Bay.
Parent tip: there’s an all-ages playground right across the fish and chippery! If you have children with you, this is quite a perfect spot.
Related reading: Salt Chili and Lime: East Maitland’s Hidden gem
The vibe at Swordfish is simple and relaxed. There’s a mix of indoor and outdoor seating, with tables out the front where you can watch the world go by along The Esplanade. It’s not fancy, but it’s definitely more modern looking than most fish and chips takeaway shops. It’s bright and clean with a casual atmosphere that makes it easy to bring kids or stop by in your swimmers after a walk. Many people choose takeaway and head down to the foreshore or playground, but if you stay, the outdoor tables let you enjoy that lake breeze while you eat.
What we ate at The Swordfish Co Warners Bay
I love coming to Lake Macquarie – the water might not have the big waves and the abundance of people frolicking in it, but sometimes that’s exactly what I need. Looking at the calm lake makes me feel grounded and I can’t complain at all about the relaxed atmosphere at Warners Bay. There are so many nice cafes, small businesses, and restaurants around too – it’s one of our favourite places to visit.
The Swordfish Co is right across the water, so right when you sit down you get spoiled with lake views and fresh breeze. From what I heard, it’s known for serving some of the best Warners Bay fish and chips so it was an easy choice for us. It’s a perfect choice to go here if you want to have a casual family meal or if you are keen for some fish and chips for takeaway.
The Swordfish Co Menu: See here
We were keen to try what could possibly be one of the best Warners Bay fish and chips, so we decided to order… a lot. haha. Here’s what we ordered:
The Swordfish Co. Basket for 2 ($59)
This seafood basket has: N.Z. hoki fillets (2) Prawn cutlets (2) Tasmanian scallops (2) Calamari rings (4) Seafood sticks (2) Potato scallops (2) Chips, lemon wedges & sauces.
Look – I’m not someone who eats a whole tray of fried seafood and chips before it’s even 12 PM, but this tray was something else. The seafood was fresh and every bite felt like an indulgence. For every piece of seafood in there – the batter is crisp and the inside soft and perfectly cooked. Every piece was golden brown, light, airy and fried to perfection. My favourite would be the prawn cutlets, my husband loved the hoki fillets which were flaky and moist, and my daughter loved the calamari rings. The chips could also rival some of the best out there – hand cut and fried to perfection, with a generous serving of chicken salt. It was such a feast.
Prawn Roll ($17)
Fresh king prawns, onion, pickles, cocktail sauce & iceberg lettuce
This prawn roll was my #1. The prawns were stuffed in a soft and sweet brioche bun – there was no dressing to the prawns, which highlighted even more how fresh it was. It wasn’t chopped so every bite felt like a you had a huge chunk of prawn in there. The trick here is in its simplicity – the sweet prawns were a standout and the tangy sauce was so complimentary to it. I loved every bite.
Prawn Cutlets with Garlic Herb Butter ($24)
Juicy prawns served with fragrant garlic herb butter
In humble opinion, this dish is what differentiates the Swordfish menu from other classic fish and chippery’s. This dish in itself felt like suuuuch an indulgence. The grilled prawns are served with a copious amount of compound garlic butter, which you can see melt and become one with the prawns. It coats every piece and is so satisfyingly good when eaten. The perfect appetizer. It’s so good I wanted to it eat with rice (being Asian and all! hehe) This dish is for the garlic butter lovers – so rich and full of flavour.
Should you eat here?
Yes! We went in out of curiousity and now it’s our go to for fish and chips in Warners Bay! What I like most about this spot is how easy it feels. The modern flair – interiors and menu – give it an edge of some local takeaway shops (at least it piques your curiosity!) You can pop in for takeaway and enjoy your meal on a bench by the foreshore or while your kids play in the playground nearby, or you can grab a seat outside and relax while watching life go by on The Esplanade. It’s family-friendly, and the service was quick even on a busy day.
If you’re looking for Warners Bay fish and chips – this is it. The Swordfish menu has a lot of variety, and I believe everyone will come out satisfied and happy. The portions are generous, and the quality of the seafood is impressive for a casual takeaway-style shop. It’s the kind of place that works for a lazy lunch after a walk or an early dinner before sunset over the lake.
Note: They also have a shop at Budgewoi at 1 Budgewoi Circle, Budgewoi BSW
📞 Phone: (02) 4044 0541
🌐 Website: theswordfishco.com.au
🕙 Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 8 pm
