Like any flourishing regional town, the food scene is an integral part of the Lismore lifestyle. The vibrant flavours of the region are embraced by an amazing variety of cafes and restaurants from organic vegetarian eateries through to restaurants showcasing modern Australian cuisine and Mexican tapas. Goanna Bakery and Café produce organic, spelt and gluten free breads and snacks, while Flock Espresso & Eats serve up delicious vegetarian and vegan offerings using local and organic products to complement their Allpress coffee.

Flock Espresso & Eats offer sweet, healthy treats and vegetarian and vegan meals.

Owner and head chef of The Loft Restaurant Grant Gordon, believes warm, attentive service and a seasonal local menu contribute to the success of their fine dining establishment: “We make a conscious effort to focus on local produce which is fundamental to showcasing the abundance of quality ingredients our region has to offer,” Gordon says. “By supporting the farmers and producers, they sustain and grow their business while we help keep the money in our community.” This regional focus is evident in Grant’s seasonal menus – and  he estimates 80% of his fresh produce is locally sourced.

The rustic spcae of the Loft Restaurant is famous for its handmade desserts – and chef Grant Gordon’s seasonal menus.

The market scene is an integral part of the Northern Rivers lifestyle and you’ll find a market being held somewhere in the region every weekend. Community and visitors come together to eat, shop and socialise. The Lismore Car Boot Markets, which were established in 1988, is a perfect place rummage for a bargain, stock up on fruit and vegies, be entertained by buskers and enjoy a meal from the variety of multicultural food stalls. The Car Boot has grown to accommodate over 200 stalls offering fresh food, coffee and produce, plants, garage sale stalls, art and crafts, clothes, toys, antiques and collectables.

Hunt for treasures and grab a bargain at the Lismore Car Boot Markets.

Held in the grounds of The Northern Rivers Conservatorium of Music, The Lismore Makers Market is an art and craft market where local craftspeople showcase their talents with a range of clothing, unique home wares, jewellery and more. This small and charming market offers an opportunity to source quality gifts while taking in some fabulous music and getting to know the makers. Every Tuesday morning at the Lismore Showground, the Organic Markets focus on promoting quality organic produce while reducing food miles with produce that has travelled an average of only 20kms. The atmosphere is buzzing with happy stallholders and chatty shoppers in this welcoming, child-friendly market.

Over the last few years, Lismore has evolved into a thriving hub for shoppers hunting for vintage treasures and quality antiques. The CBD is dotted with stores where you can spend hours trawling for everything from vintage and retro clothing, to art deco lounge chairs and rare, vintage vinyl. The Starcourt Arcade in Molesworth Street is filled with tiny nooks proffering all manner of whimsical goodies. This is where the vintage scene really established itself locally and it remains the central heart of the vintage shopping precinct.

Carrington Street Bazaar is the perfect place to find vintage and retro pieces.

Carrington Street Bazaar is a veritable emporium of treasure crammed with everything a vintage lover could desire. Retro dining tables and antique dressers jostle for space alongside Doc Martins, anodized lamps and religious paraphernalia. Just outside the CBD but worthy of a detour, Two Roads Vintage is a quaint store showcasing quality vintage clothing, jewellery and accessories sourced from around the world. Here you can find an entire festival outfit, hand stitched Kantha bedspreads and the these-days essential Saltwater sandals. Lismore local and owner of Two Roads Vintage Mel Watson says: “After many years as a regular stallholder at North Coast markets, I found the perfect little space to open my own Vintage Store. I love the 70’s bohemian era, ethnic clothing, jewellery and textiles, which are my focus for Two Roads Vintage. I think the whole Northern Rivers has a huge appreciation for, and really values, vintage and recycled goods and I see Lismore at the centre of that focus.”

The Lismore Regional Gallery exhibition ‘It’s my house, but you can’t come in,’ by Rahima Jackson.

If food and shopping are the beating heart of the Lismore area, then the flourishing art scene represents its soul. Home to a large and diverse array of practicing artists, Lismore and surrounding communities have attracted artists from around the world, drawn to the eclectic vibe and creative lifestyle of the area. This vibrant local art culture is showcased and supported via numerous galleries and cafes, the biggest of which is the Lismore Regional Gallery.  The gallery focuses on solo exhibitions by both local and international artists while also promoting artists portraying stories of local significance.Every second Saturday of the month, the gallery encourages kids to participate in a humorously silly tour of the gallery led by guide, Peggy Popart. Miss P takes kids on an interactive tour, which includes an art activity, incorporating her witty and slightly bossy style.

Part of an ongoing initiative by the Lismore Business Promotion Program, The Back Alley Gallery is a canvas for street artists to showcase their art with large-scale murals paste-ups and graffiti art. Aimed at revamping the once neglected laneways of Lismore, the project encourages the community to see street art as an integral part of the local art scene by taking a stroll through Lismore’s now colourfully re-invigorated alleyways.

The Back Alley Gallery offers street artists a canvas to showcase their work while reinvigorating Lismore’s CBD.

As the cultural and economic heart of the Northern Rivers, Lismore’s creative community of retailers, restaurateurs and artists welcome locals and visitors alike to explore all the region has to offer. Situated in an area renowned for its natural beauty and showcasing an abundance of food choices, galleries and a proliferation of unique shopping opportunities, Lismore really does offer something for everyone.

All photographs by Gabby Watson

The post Lismore: Eclectic, entrepreneurial – and full of eateries… appeared first on .