Cairns’ Top 5 Food & Drink Spots: A Tropical Taste Tour

Cairns, you know, is that jump-off point to Queensland’s wild north, plus too it’s so often treated as simply a gateway to all the wonders nearby – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest for instance. But listen, what people frequently forget is that Cairns itself is quite the place to explore, specifically if like your looking to treat your tastebuds! Yeah that’s right, from super laid-back cafes to kinda fancy-pants restaurants and a bunch of spots to sip on cool drinks, there’s something to make everyone happy. Are you after some really awesome seafood, do you crave flavors from all over the map, or maybe like a chilled-out place where you can relax after visiting some cool things, like the Kuranda Scenic Railway or the sky rail, this town’s got it going on. This guide’s gonna point you towards just some of the top spots to find eats and drinks in Cairns that folks actually chat about.

1. Prawn Star: Seafood Heaven on the Water

Now, Prawn Star is very much something different; it is this collection of old fishing trawlers permanently docked and serving up really, really fresh seafood right there on the water. You’re not gonna find something super processed or fancy stuff. That is not what the Prawn star offers. No cooking here! Everything’s cold and straight from the sea. This means, arguably, the taste of what you are getting is some awesome fresh seafood and if that’s for you then bingo! So imagine that: you are there, sitting out on the deck, overlooking the harbor, some nice gentle breeze in your hair and you can see how pretty it all looks. All that happening as you like tuck into a bucketful of prawns or oysters and cheers with friends. If that, as a matter of fact, doesn’t scream “Cairns holiday”, I don’t know what does!

Why it’s top-tier: It’s a total experience. I mean it feels very special to eat super fresh seafood on a boat and what I just told you? Really relaxing stuff, eh? They seriously care about where the seafood originates from, so too that’s good if freshness is really really your jam.

2. Ochre Restaurant: A Taste of Australia

If like sampling the Australian indigenous ingredients is what your after in a fancy restaurant vibe, check out Ochre Restaurant. What I mean by that? It’s this awesome spot known, in a way, for creatively putting together local Australian foods with all sorts of other foods, bringing in a little of international flavors as well. Pretty amazing right?

Could be you’re munching on kangaroo or maybe like barramundi, each and every dish tells a story and brings forward all those native flavors you can not get anywhere else on Earth. Ochre is, you know, your place if you want more than some really basic eats, because what is on offer is pretty exceptional – seriously! The venue is what you would assume; an awesome dinning hall.

What makes it pop: These guys use, more or less, so much native produce! You know, they’re making sure you get a fair dinkum, bonza (I really like those last adjectives) Aussie meal and really they have a super solid commitment to, well, the stuff they make.

3. Hemingway’s Brewery Cairns Wharf: Brews with a View

Now for those who kinda, sorta dig craft beer, Hemingway’s Brewery at the Cairns Wharf, like your best choice to sit and grab one or two and relax! Not a bad shout if what you’re looking for, by the way! I mean imagine it – this waterfront location dishes out breathtaking sights, with its, perhaps, ever so slightly chic industrial vibe setting this, almost, chilled tone, or backdrop even!

They like produce all kinds of different beers (as you expect), starting from the light and zippy lagers to these darker beers as well, guaranteeing there is a beer out there just for your taste buds. What’s nice? Why that food options, because that too, very amazing. What kind of food? You know, so those options are super yummy and go nicely with the beers on the list.

What’s the main gig: A whole bunch of beers is like brewing right here. Great spot and also fantastic atmosphere, what more can you want eh?

4. Salt House: Where Cocktails Meet Culinary Art

Right, you after something chic and, umm, bit trendy perhaps? If the answers is yes, get down to Salt House. And what’s the vibe like? A sort of waterfront joint with a real cool tropical look and very nice indeed outdoor lounging, like perfect for that relaxing time. Pretty good location, Salt House is, clearly, recognized by awesome views matched with excellent food & top-tier drinks and really I do like top-tier.

Their thing are probably those yummy cocktails! So yeah they’re known to mix these super good cocktails and got themselves a pretty good food thing going on too, which ranges from these tiny snack things to things you will make a full meal with. Not only does all this do the trick in bringing the cool folks on over but clearly makes things nice too.

And why it stands out: That feel – yeah I dig the feel. Good atmosphere, great, perhaps a little fancy, cocktail joint where folk chill and admire nature; this, arguably, is what many crave!

5. The Coffee Bean Estate: Caffeine with Character

OK right, so what’s a fella’ suppose to do after being out all day?! You know? A darn, decent caffeine beverage from The Coffee Bean Estate and I’m talking caffeine with character. Yeah, yeah, a caffeine hit. Arguably, not always easy when those super mega chains sell the exact same generic beverage everywhere and this just kills individuality if I’m frank! No! So I propose go somewhere that does do things, and coffee, with character.

As a matter of fact, what you could do here is take a bit of your afternoon with The Coffee Bean Estate and clearly, not many local establishments manage to produce all types of fancy pants caffeine drinks and deliver, on an extra, a service that really says Queensland – friendly and honest and stuff – that I like! And as a little plus they do like snacks so hey. Snacks. Why not eh?

Why is it special: Coffee roasted like right in this place! As well as, pretty, chill, happy and really friendly which can always be a, you know, winning ticket. Always winning.