Experience the finest flavours of Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Reaching from Mission Beach down south to Torres Strait and spanning tourist hubs of Cairns and Port Douglas, this region is a place of unbelievable natural beauty. Aside from its treasure trove of World Heritage sites, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, this region is also home to a fast-growing population of restaurants and cafes serving up a true taste of the tropics.

 Cairns restaurants and cafes

The unofficial capital of Tropical North Queensland, Cairns is awash with restaurants and coffee houses for budgets of all shapes and sizes. More recently, the luxe Crystalbrook Collection of hotels arrived on The Esplanade, bringing three onsite restaurants and a rooftop bar in tow. Recently made over, the restaurants along the Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct deliver stunning views of the Esplanade, lagoon and surrounds while locals and holidaymakers avail themselves of a wide range of options, from authentic Italian to casual bites and an array of Asian flavours.  

For exquisite Thai, paying a visit to Tamarind in the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino is an absolute must. The only hatted restaurant in Cairns, Tamarind offers fine Thai dining delivered either as a la carte or as a degustation in a stunning low-lit dining room and an encyclopaedic menu to pore over while you make your selection. Top picks include the Penang duck curry but be adventurous, explore a little and take your taste buds to the heart of Bangkok as you try something new — there’s plenty on offer.  

At the Cairns Marina, Prawn Star takes the prize with its array of fresh seafood, great location and casual dining atmosphere that makes it appealing to locals and travellers alike. A short stroll away on the boardwalk, Dundee's Restaurant on the Waterfront is another excellent option for as-fresh-as-it-gets seafood and also offers a variety of exclusively-Australian fare, including kangaroo and crocodile skewers and dishes.  

Palm Cove restaurants and cafes 

Foodies also flock to picturesque Palm Cove on Cairns’ outskirts; alongside this beachside village’s gathering of luxury resorts sit some of the region’s best dining establishments, including long-adored Nu Nu, Palm Cove’s ultimate beachfront restaurant dining experience with spectacular views of the Coral Sea. For a more casual dining experience, check out Chill Café with its moreish ‘kick-ass salads’, 27 Degrees for its stellar bowl-inspired menu with ample acai, granola and poke dishes for breakfast and lunch, and Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, hands-down one of the best beachside pubs in Australia and home to the infamous ‘Sunday Sessions’.  

Port Douglas restaurants and cafes 

Holiday haven Port Douglas boasts a dining scene as relaxed as its population, with menus here skewed towards casual all-day dining and fresh local produce. With a slew of dining options, from the casual through to ‘glad rags required’, including the hatted Melaleuca, town stalwart Salsa Bar and Grill and The Sheraton’s Harrisons by Spencer Patrick, Port Douglas restaurants, cafes and bars have something to offer all holidaymakers.  

For seafood that goes beyond the usual fish and chips fare, make Salsa Bar and Grill your first stop when chasing fresh seafood in Port Douglas. With emphasis on using local produce, a carefully crafted wine selection and drinks menu, and as visual flair to rival the abundant flavours, this Port Douglas restaurant is more than deserving of the multitude of awards that it’s won over the years. For a dining experience like no other, head to Nautilus and experience their a la carte options or five and seven-course degustations while immersed in a rainforest grove just off Macrossan Street. And for a drink or casual meal, check out The Courthouse Hotel, known locally as ‘The Courty’, one of the oldest and most popular pubs in Port Douglas with spectacular views over the harbour from its wraparound deck and verandah.