Sunset Diner

This pretty, pastel-pink diner a few blocks from Avalon Beach is serving the food you always feel like but perhaps don’t often: burgers you need two hands to eat, sundaes you need a buddy to help finish and shakes you can add cream to the top of.

There are palm trees, neon lights and a sunny, dog-friendly courtyard – some locals say it looks like Pop’s Diner in the TV show Riverdale.

There are California-style burgers: classic cheese comes with a meat patty, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles and “sunset sauce”. The beer-battered fish burger has cheese, pickled jalapenos and a herb and cabbage slaw. There’s a selection of griddle dogs (hot dogs cooked on a griddle) and salads, such as the Sencha (green-tea noodles, shredded carrot, wakami, wasabi peas, edamame, avocado and miso mayo).

There are shakes, which can come topped with whipped cream and a cherry, and decadent sundaes. We reckon the banana split – with banana, white-chocolate fudge and chocolate sauce – is ideal for beating the summer heat.