Dining, Cafes & Fresh Local Produce | Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

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.

Tropical Lifestyle & Culture

Mudcrab to mangoes: your guide to eating local in Cairns

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.

Palm Cove

Eat your way through these Palm Cove Restaurants

Taste the flavours of the north in the seaside village of Palm Cove, where restaurants take pride in local produce, fresh flavours and providing a warm tropical welcome served with an icy-cold drink.

Cairns & Northern Beaches

Your guide to vegetarian & vegan friendly restaurants in Cairns

You’ll find most cafes and restaurants around Cairns include quality meat-free dishes. The following eateries however, hero plant-based food. Here’s where to eat vegan and vegetarian food in Cairns.

Cairns & Northern Beaches

Mango is on the menu in Cairns this summer

With tropical fruit in peak season, summer is the ideal time to indulge in local produce including the summer favourite, mango. Here’s where you can get a mango fix in Cairns.

Port Douglas

Turning the tide: hunting with Traditional Owner guides near Port Douglas

Under the tutelage of Kuku Yalanji guides, a barefoot and nervous city dweller discovers her hunter’s instincts. Here’s what to expect on a Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tour.

Atherton Tablelands

13 Food trail highlights on the Atherton Tablelands

Foodies take a deep breath and prepare your tastebuds for tantalisation. Here’s fourteen fun ways to get your foodie fix on the Atherton Tablelands.

Cairns & Northern Beaches

10 cafes in Cairns for great coffee

With such a vibrant foodie culture, finding the best cafes in Cairns can be overwhelming. Fuel your caffeine addiction with these local favourites for a guaranteed quality cup of coffee.

Tropical Lifestyle & Culture

Best waterfront bars in Tropical North Queensland

Beaches and bars are a match made in heaven – especially in the tropics, where any excuse to down a cool beverage is welcomed. Here are some of the coolest waterfront and beach bars Tropical North Queensland has to offer.

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

As the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is teeming with an abundance of restaurants offering fresh, local catches and exceptional seafood. Find the stand-out seafood dishes in Cairns below.

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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