Eat & Drink

Taste of the tropics

Diversity and abundance make Tropical North Queensland unique as a food-producing region. Some of it is familiar but flag flyers for the tropics include mangoes, bananas and sweet, sun-ripened pineapples, reef fish and wild-caught prawns. Less well-known are the rainforest nuts, fruits and native spices that Aboriginal people gathered from this land for millennia, and today appear in local markets and on restaurant menus.

In the highlands of the Atherton Tablelands, you’ll find coffee and tea plantations and cattle farms, biodynamic dairies producing milk, cheese and yoghurt, aquaculture farms and distilleries. Grab a map and DIY a bespoke food trail, or join an organised food tour to talk and taste bush food with an Indigenous expert.

A wander around the markets at Yungaburra or Rusty’s Market in Cairns also offers the opportunity to see, smell and taste the tropical north. If you prefer your produce plated up rather than hunted and gathered, a melting pot of cultures and the region’s proximity to Asia ensure that Tropical North Queensland’s dining scene is a vibrant, multicultural smorgasbord – from Italian cafes to Balinese diners.

Other restaurants proudly showcase their local roots, with native Australian produce like kangaroo, emu and crocodile on the menu and some of the best seafood in the country, caught locally. With a profusion of experiences and produce, whatever your interests and appetite, you’re unlikely to ever go hungry up here.

Enjoy breakfast on the balcony at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino

5-star dining at Osprey's Restaurant at Thala Beach Nature Reserve

Marron at the only restaurant in Cairns to be awarded a Chef Hat in the Australian Good Food Guide, Tamarind Restaurant

Breakfast overlooking the pool at the M Gallery by Reef House Palm Cove

Bring your appetite

Food trails, bush tucker and eating out in Tropical North Queensland.

Cairns & Northern Beaches

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Atherton Tablelands

13 Food trail highlights on the Atherton Tablelands

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From earthy bush tucker and exotic fruits to ocean-caught seafood and a biodynamic dairy farm, Tropical North Queensland offers up a menu with a unique ingredients list.

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Best waterfront bars in Tropical North Queensland

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Tropical Lifestyle & Culture

It’s a locavore life

Flanked by the coral sea, the Gulf of Carpentaria and tropical rainforest, boasting vast differences in climate and altitude, Tropical North Queensland has arguably the greatest variety of fresh produce in Australia.

Palm Cove

Flavour on the menu

From exotic fruits to craft beers, homegrown chocolate to spectacular seafood, Tropical North Queensland is a food lover’s paradise. Kerry Heaney takes a culinary tour.

Cairns & Northern Beaches

Seafood lovers’ guide to Cairns

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Tropical Lifestyle & Culture

Where to find the best small bars in Cairns

If big pubs aren’t your favourite venue, there are plenty of cosier options for a quiet drink in Tropical North Queensland.

Tropical Lifestyle & Culture

Market Day

Celebrated Palm Cove chef Nick Holloway adores iconic Rusty’s Markets in Cairns. Kerry Heaney joined him for a tour of the stalls.

Tropical Lifestyle & Culture

Top 3 spots to picnic around Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands

Eating outdoors is one of life’s great pleasures in a tropical climate. Here’s our top picks for rolling out the picnic blanket and enjoying a long, lazy lunch.

Port Douglas

Follow the palm trees to paradise: Thala Beach Nature Reserve

Discover a tropical paradise along the Great Barrier Reef Drive between Cairns & Port Douglas at the idyllic coastal eco-retreat, Thala Beach Nature Reserve.

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