A guide to dining in Cairns...

As locals that live in Cairns, we are very lucky to have the widest range of restaurant cuisines in a regional country area of Australia, yes that’s right, there are over 38 different types of cuisine here so whether you want a big steak grown locally or you want Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese or Vietnamese it’s all here plus more. The reason is that the Cairns community attracts many creative and artistic groups and with that over many years, we seem to have had lots of small boutique cafes and restaurants start up. What’s even better is that due to our backpacker visitors that Cairns, restaurants range widely in price from very good value to too expensive.

So as locals that live here, we’re happy to recommend this list below of Cairns Restaurants that we have eaten at many times. There is fine dining, breakfast, cafes and a spread of different nationality cuisines, so we hope you enjoy eating where we eat.

The Treasure Court Seafood Restaurant

Two blocks only from Cairns markets, this new restaurant has the reputation of having the best seafood and best chinese chefs in town. On entering check out the live seafood tanks with pricing written in both English and Chinese. These must be the biggest lobsters and mud crabs…
Lillipad Cafe

Lillipad Cafe Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, Vegetarian, Vegan. The Lily Pad Cafe has a funky, friendly, casual setting where you can enjoy a coffee, snack or full meal. Open daily for breakfast and lunch they serve generous sized meals made from local produce at a…
Dundees at Cairns Aquarium

Offering a local produce with a different view available for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week, also featuring a cafe for lighter casual get togethers. Mesmerizing views of the 70K L saltwater aquarium from your table...
Tamarind Restaurant

Tamarind Restaurant Tamarind is an award winning restaurant offering a contemporary fusion of asian and western cuisine. Their exciting menu changes regularly to reflect the seasons and embracing the freshest of regional produce. A carefully selected Australian wine…
Dundee's Restaurant on the Waterfront

Open 7 days for coffee & cake, Lunch and Dinner, Dundee's Restaurant has a tropical, relaxed atmosphere. One of the best “Cairns Waterfront Dining” spots is Dundee's Restaurant on the waterfront in Cairns. We serve the finest steaks from the grill, seafood, pasta's and…
Ochre Restaurant - Modern Australian

It is like a virtual tour through the culinary delights of Australia in a amazing location right on the inlet. With a dedication to local produce and experience like no other in crafting Native ingredients into modern exciting cuisine, Ochre Restaurant offers a range of…