10.4 C
Byron Shire
July 14, 2026

Roca: Byron’s newest restaurant

Latest News

From refugee to community contributor – a personal story

When I first arrived in Australia from Syria, I carried many emotions with me. Like many refugees and newcomers, I was grateful to be safe, but I was also overwhelmed by the challenges of starting over in a completely new country.

Other News

Forcing a reminder

Forces are constantly at play and work determinedly to give people the life we have. The minds of women and...

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Why I Love Being Dry

On 13 July I am four years sober. I am one of a growing number of people who decided to quit alcohol. It’s one of the best decisions of my life. My only regret is I didn’t do it sooner.

Imminent disaster

Is the Tennyson Street Marvell Street intersection a disaster waiting to happen? Wally Hueneke, Byron Bay

Mammalian meat allergy and my heart valve replacement

Increasingly, people living in bush areas of the Shire are becoming aware of Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA). Also known as alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), the disease is caused when a tick bites you and transfers a sugar called alpha-gal into your bloodstream.

Bigger community say on hospital land

Byron Council has voted to give the community a greater role in shaping the future of the former Mullumbimby Hospital site, despite concerns from some councillors that additional consultation could further delay the delivery of desperately needed housing.

Inaugural DINGO Music & Arts Festival to light up Bangalow in October

It is a fusion of local and international art, music, performance, food, and thought that will be coming to you in Bagalow as part of the inaugural DINGO Music & Arts Festival across four days from 8 to 11 October.

Photo by Jillian Mchugh

Based in Lawson St, Roca offers dishes you won’t easily find in the Northern Rivers.

The hum of construction and the rumble of trucks have been a constant backdrop to the transformation of Lawson Street, but hidden amidst the commotion, something extraordinary was taking shape. With its distinctive apricot walls and a striking thatched hay roof, Byron Bay’s newest restaurant, Roca, has quickly become a standout feature of the bustling street.

At the helm of the kitchen is acclaimed head chef Diego Vallenas, a culinary maestro flown in directly from Peru. With over 20 years of international experience across South America, Asia, and the Middle East, Vallenas has curated a menu that is both innovative and authentic.

Enjoy casual dining like the cevichería with prosecco, fresh oysters and ceviche, or treat your partner to the full experience with authentic tapas, grilled anticuchos, larger share plates, and indulgent desserts. For a feast to remember, opt for the signature, ‘Eat Like Papi’ banquet with an optional 1.5-hour unlimited drinks package. There will be classics, which you won’t find easily anywhere else in the Northern Rivers, such as arroz chaufa (Peruvian Chinese fusion prawn fried rice) and flan with dulce de leche.

Complementing the food are signature cocktails like the classic pisco sour and an extensive wine list. With locally-sourced ingredients from the Northern Rivers, Roca promises a true celebration of flavour, culture, and community.

  • Roca offers all-day dining, open from 6:30am to midnight every day. To celebrate its grand opening, Roca is offering half-price ceviche and prosecco every day from 3pm to 5pm for a limited time only.


For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.

If you are a local business owner help us and in turn we help you. All The Echo asks for is advertising, not a free ride. It is every advert in The Echo and on www.echo.net.au, which creates the space for all the stories and coverage of community events, happenings and concerns.

If you are a reader you can become a sponsor of The Echo. Your support keeps the us independent.

Even a small one-off or regular donation from you will help keep the echo’s independent voice alive and strong.

Support Us

Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire

You’re supporting The Echo, thank you

Your contribution is keeping independent, local journalism alive in the Northern Rivers.

Because of supporters like you, we can keep every story free for everyone — no paywall, no exceptions. Your money goes directly to funding our newsroom of 40-odd local workers covering the stories that matter to this community.

Tell us what you think, give us your opinion

The Echo loves your letters and comments and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people of the NSW north coast. So don’t be a passive reader, email us your epistles at editor@echo.net.au.

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor. Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number.

Online comments are no longer available.

Oz Grom Open wraps up in Lennox

The 2026 Soundboks Oz Grom Open saw a fairytale finish to competition yesterday with huge performances, bluebird skies and local wins in dreamy two-foot conditions.

Jeff Dawson captures Mullum Roots Festival

Did you make it to Mullum Roots Festival on the weekend?

Coorabell art show inspired by natural world

'Elemental: Conversations with Nature' is the title of a forthcoming exhibition featuring eight established and midcareer artists working across painting, drawing, weaving, ceramics, and textiles.  Inspired by the natural world, each artist explores the forms, patterns, materials, and forces found in nature.

NSW Women of the Year nominations closing soon

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is calling on residents of the Lismore electorate to get their nominations in for the 2027 NSW Women of the Year Awards.