Dine at the best restaurants in Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays

44 Coral Esplanade, Cannonvale

Coffee fiends are spoilt for choice in Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. But there’s a local favourite nestled into Cannonvale Beach that’s made quite the name for itself for being the best coffee in the area. The Fat Frog Beach Café has a sunny disposition and a menu to match: full of homemade dishes, ready-to-go cabinet options, sweet little bites for kids, and caters to vegetarians and those with food allergies. It's dog-friendly and wheelchair accessible, too. 

Set on the waterfront along Bicentennial Boardwalk, this is the perfect stop pre- or post-dip. 

Feast on local flavours at Anchor Bar

5 Golden Orchid Drive, Airlie Beach

Ask locals where you should drop anchor and they'll tell you Anchor Bar, a laid-back spot overlooking the Whitsunday Islands that just so happens to be one of the best restaurants in Airlie Beach.

With friendly service and an approachable menu bursting with fresh catch and classics like burgers, tacos and surf and turf, Anchor Bar is the place to go for a relaxed feed. 

Soak up award winning views from Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill

116 Pringle Road, Woodwark

Just like the destination itself, the menu and atmosphere at Northerlies is casual and family-friendly. People come for the views and stay for the food, with its seafood focused menu. A treat for the eyes and the tastebuds, soak in panoramic views of the Whitsundays while you enjoy a menu curated with the local environment in mind. The casual menu is seasonal and changes with what’s available in the area, meaning you’re guaranteed fresh produce straight from the local waters to your plate. While there’s plenty on the menu for pescatarians, they don’t go without a thought for diary free, gluten free and vegetarian dietaries, so no matter your choice of fare, Northerlies has you covered. 

Start your day right at The Deck Restaurant

277 Shute Harbour Rd, Airlie Beach

Line your stomach with one of the best breakfasts in Airlie Beach at The Deck Restaurant, a popular haunt among locals and tourists alike. A far cry from the regular hotel buffet, this a la carte breakfast menu is brimming with fresh local produce, breakfast favourites, free-range eggs, and add-ons to satisfy any hunger level. There's kids breakfast dishes too, making it easy to dine out with the whole family before a day of adventuring on the Great Barrier Reef. 

Spoil your appetite at Elysian Retreat

Long Island, Whitsundays

There’s plenty of reasons to drop your pin on Long Island, but if the lure of having your own private haven isn’t enough, the food philosophy at Elysian Retreat will do all the convincing for you.

This is a truly tailored experience, with all the heart and romance the Whitsundays has on offer. Whether you’re indulging in breakfast, lunch or dinner, each meal is customised to nourish, right down what's in the food hamper you take out on the water for the afternoon. In the ultimate sea to saucepan experience, you can even spend a day catching your own fish for the chef to prepare for you. 

Savour comfort food at La Marina

1/33 Port Drive, Airlie Beach

Detour to Rome for a wholesome meal at one of the best restaurants in Airlie Beach, La Marina. This family-owned Italian restaurant makes everything fresh onsite with recipes passed down through generations, right down to the tiramisu and donuts. A charming little spot where you’ll find the owners working the floor, you can taste the genuine passion for their work in every dish on the menu. 

Find fish'n'chip heaven at Bird's Fish Bar

Henry Darwen Dr, Bowen

Home to the Big Mango and spectacular Horseshoe Bay, Bowen is a popular day trip from Airlie Beach - and the best way to end it is with fresh-from-the-trawler seafood at Bird's Fish Bar. Prawns, coral trout, potato scallops and pineapple fritters, this is classic Aussie seafood at its best. Grab a spot on the deck and enjoy marina views before the drive home.

Tuck into a pub feed at KC's Bar and Grill

382 Shute Harbour Rd, Airlie Beach

If you're looking for a place with character, now you've found it. KC’s is a Whitsunday institution, serving up all your pub favourites alongside live music. This joint will always make you feel like you’ve rolled into your very own ‘local’, greeting you with a family friendly atmosphere, warm Airlie Beach personality and a host of welcoming faces.

While KC's is most famous for the premium steaks, they’ve got a handful of unique offerings you won’t find anywhere else, like a tasting plate of chargrilled croc, kangaroo, emu and buffalo.

Land at local institution Fish D’vine and Rum Bar

12 Airlie Esplanade, Airlie Beach 

Fresh seafood and the best mojitos this side of Cuba meet at Fish D’vine and Rum Bar, Airlie Beach's longest established restaurant. And it's a partnership that makes sense here in the Whitsundays, with the Great Barrier Reef on one side and sugarcane country on the other. 

Continually a front-runner for the best restaurant in Airlie Beach, order a rum tasting flight then work your way through the menu, like tempura battered local tiger prawns caught fresh from the Coral Sea, the chilli mud crab, or retro banana fritters with spiced rum maple syrup, vanilla bean ice-cream and a dark chocolate swirl. You can’t get much more Airlie than that.

Dine poolside at The Rocks Restaurant & Bar

Coral Sea Resort, Oceanview Avenue, Airlie Beach

A restaurant, bar and pool club, The Rocks at Coral Sea Resort plays host to every Queensland flavour you can dream about, in a fun and playful setting. With a menu designed for sharing, whet your appetite with Pacific oysters, then delve into ceviche, Moreton Bay Bug spaghetti, or the giant seafood platter for two. 

Experience a meal to remember at Pebble Beach, Hamilton Island

qualia, 20 Whitsunday Blvd, Whitsundays

If you’re looking for the best restaurants in the Whitsundays, point your nose toward Hamilton Island. A holiday haven for honeymooners and families alike, there’s flavour around every corner, whether you’re heading for a waterside meal at Hamilton Island Yacht Club, making your way to island institution Sails, feasting on bold hawker-style Asian dishes at Coca Chu or tucking into Mexican cuisine at TAKO.

But check into luxurious qualia resort for an experience you’ll never forget – and a dining table you’ll never want to leave. Pebble Beach is one of Australia’s most exclusive fine dining experiences where you can enjoy sunset by the beach while feasting on a six-course degustation and matched wines. Executive chef John Kennedy and his team designs each menu in tribute to the tropical climate, featuring locally caught seafood, produced pulled from his very own kitchen garden, and the very best Australian flavours. 

Watch sunset from One Tree Hill Bar, Hamilton Island

Come sunset, there’s one place you need to say cheers from: One Tree Hill Bar on Hamilton Island’s hilltop lookout. 360-degree views are served alongside refreshing cocktails in this casual space, with small plates available to satiate hungry travellers. It's enough to keep you coming back, time and time again.

How to spend your time in The Whitsundays between meals? Head here for our best things to do.