These Queensland restaurants with views make for a memorable meal
List
By Sarah Bristow
Make the most of Queensland’s natural assets, with a meal paired with an outstanding vista. Whether metres from the sand, or under the rainforest canopy, these local restaurants serve up the state’s scenery as their backdrop. Introducing the best Queensland restaurants with views.
Rainforest
Julaymba Restaurant & Gallery, Daintree River
Photo by @photobohemian via Daintree Eco Lodge IG
Dine under the luscious canopy of a World Heritage-listed rainforest at the Daintree Ecolodge in Tropical North Queensland. Julaymba (an Indigenous word for Daintree River) hosts a celebration of native bush tucker, like plates of Szechuan salt & pepper crocodile and braised Innisfail palm heart. Enjoy your meal from a deck overlooking a lagoon full of turtles.
Flames of the Forest
Immerse yourself in an Indigenous cultural experience at Flames of the Forest. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a Queensland restaurant with a better view considering the eatery is hosted in the heart of the rainforest, 10 minutes from Port Douglas. Tuck into a seven-dish banquet, while you follow the story of two local Indigenous brothers who share their culture through storytelling, didgeridoo and song.
Spirit House, Yandina
Photo by @theemasphere
Hidden in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is dining institution and Yandina favourite The Spirit House. The Thai restaurant and dedicated cooking school has forged a firm reputation for its decadent meals, and equally impressive surrounds. Pre- or post-feast or your cooking lesson, take a wander around the gathering of traditional Thai dwellings, surrounded by tropical gardens and a tranquil pond.
Treehouse Restaurant, Mossman
Embrace life amongst the treetops at the aptly named Treehouse Restaurant. Residing within five-star eco accommodation Silky Oaks Lodge, the eatery is one of the state’s most unique - fully open to the elements, Treehouse Restaurant is surrounded by rainforest, perched above the Mossman River. Partner the view with a Pan Asian and Modern Australian menu, and local wines.
Hinterland
The Peak Restaurant, Maryvale
Elevate your next restaurant experience, quite literally, at The Peak Lodge Restaurant. The refined eatery lives in the Maryvale outpost of the stylish Spicers collection, Australia’s highest non-alpine lodge at 1180 metres above sea level. Tuck into a sophisticated take on local produce, while gazing out over the surrounding Spicer’s Gap in Southern Queensland Country.
Waterfront
Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads
Photo by @imrickshores
One of the Sunshine State’s must-visit dining destinations is Rick Shores sitting metres from the sand on Burleigh Beach. The Gold Coast eatery has fast become an institution courtesy of its innovative PanAsian menu and creative cocktails, not to mention its beachfront location. Hot tip? Order the famed Bug Roll.
Salt House Bar & Restaurant, Cairns
Enjoy dinner with a boat show at Salt House Bar & Restaurant in Tropical North Queensland. Sitting on the water at Cairns Marina, the much-loved restaurant offers guests views of not only yachts, but the surrounding Trinity Inlet. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, here you can tuck into local produce cooked on a custom-built Argentinian wood-fired grill.
Nu-Nu, Palm Cove
Make yourself at home in the pocket of paradise that is Palm Cove at Nu-Nu. One of the best Queensland restaurants with a view, the dining destination sits on the beachfront in Tropical North Queensland, fringed by palm trees and sand. Open morning till late the dishes here host a tropical twist, like melaleuca smoked reef fish, and hibiscus and ruby grapefruit granita.
Howard Smith Wharves, Brisbane
You’ll again find yourself up close and personal with the Brisbane River at dining precinct Howard Smith Wharves. Perched underneath the iconic Story Bridge, this suave collection of restaurants, bars, and even a design-focused hotel, is a firm favourite among local foodies thanks to its plethora of eating options.
Noosa Boathouse, Noosaville
Photo by @noosaboathouse
Take your tea atop the Noosa River with a meal at the Noosa Boathouse. A floating pontoon topped with a three-tier eating haven, the dining destination is a local favourite among Sunshine Coast residents. Enjoy the refinement of the restaurant, or keep things casual with a bite of fish and chips from the takeaway.
Among the vines
Kooroomba Vineyard, Mt. Alford
Let a purple cloud of lavender form the backdrop of your next lunch at Kooroomba Vineyard. The Southern Queensland Country resident is a lavender farm and wine producer in one. Not to mention it offers a restaurant where you can enjoy a plate of local lamb, joined by award-winning wine grown on site.
Ocean View Estates, Ocean View
Photo by @oceanviewestates
Combine your love of a good brew with dreamy scenery at cellar door Ocean View Estates. The vineyard just 45 minutes north of Brisbane gifts its guests impressive views of Moreton Bay, and conveniently specialises in both wine and beer, with the cellar door a restaurant and craft brewery combined.
Once-in-a-lifetime
Cape York and the Gulf Country on a plate
Join Rod Dyer’s Air Adventure Australia for a truly memorable tour of Tropical North Queensland’s Cape York and Gulf Country. Get a taste of the country’s top tip with a food-led adventure, feasting on fresh crabs on the side of Lawn Hill Gorge and grabbing a beer at the iconic Birdsville Hotel among more.
Pebble Beach, qualia, Hamilton Island
Photo by @kararosenlund
Treat yourself to a stay at Qualia, the Hamilton Island resort heavy on luxury. While it’s certainly a splurge, a journey to this Whitsundays resident also affords you the opportunity to dine at Pebble Beach, the signature dining experience open exclusively to resort guests. Expect a refined menu with an Asian lean but crafted with European techniques.
