Cairns' dining scene shines with local flavours and fresh seafood. Photo / Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Cairns' dining scene shines with local flavours and fresh seafood. Photo / Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Tropical North Queensland is best known for its nature-based experiences, but Cairns holds its own with a hospitality scene that takes notes from the region‘s biodiverse pantry, writes Tom Rose.
While it’s more famous for its natural highs than its dining spots, Cairns has been quietlyplating up some of the best food you’ll find this far north for years. Luckily for us Kiwis, the buzz around it is finally catching up.
After a day spent snorkelling the reef, canyoning in the rainforest, or just lapping up some vitamin D by the Esplanade Lagoon, Cairns’ lively restaurant scene serves a well-earned reward for your efforts. The cuisine is creative and wildly underrated, with seafood bars on trawler boats and high-rise mezze spots that enjoy views over Trinity Bay.
Flanked by the ocean and mountain-backed farmland, Cairns has the tropical backdrop for some seriously good eating. And if you’re staying central, chances are you’ll find your next bite only a few streets away.
Follow the savoury scent along the boardwalk to Ochre by Cairns’ Marlin Marina. Its award-winning kitchen showcases exactly what makes Australia so unique, experimenting with innovative ideas, Indigenous knowledge and native ingredients.
Open for lunch and dinner, the chefs will nudge the boundaries of a Kiwi’s typical dining experience. Dare to try local game meat like seared kangaroo with macadamia satay sauce and crocodile paired with prawns, Vietnamese pickle and lemon aspen sambal.
Even if you stick to seafood or familiar cuts of meat, Ochre’s subtle use of native plants and seeds from around the region pairs flavours you might not expect. It’s an exceptional Queensland institution where the kitchen responds to the land and lets the local produce speak for itself.
Ochre gives visitors to Cairns an innovative yet authentically Australian dining experience. Photo / Ochre Restaurant
Prawn Star
Moored a few steps from Ochre inside the marina, Prawn Star is less a restaurant and more a floating seafood shack championing catch from the coast.
Three converted trawler boats form the kitchen and dining areas, with Prawn Star devoting its entire menu to undeniably fresh kaimoana.
For over a decade, local and travelling seafood lovers have come aboard for heaped platters of tiger prawns, bugs, oysters, crayfish and salmon sashimi. All you and your travel buddies need is your hands, some paper towels and an empty stomach to clean these plates up.
Dig into local seafood at Prawn Star's floating trawler restaurant. Photo / Prawn Star Cairns
Mexicairns
A few streets back from the Esplanade sits Mexicairns, a crowd-pleasing gem for anyone after a bit of fun and games with their frozen margarita.
Part bar, part restaurant and part indoor gaming complex, Mexicairns delivers on all fronts for entertainment. Head down for a drink and stay for a taco or quesadilla, but don‘t be surprised if you lose an hour trying to win a round of virtual darts like we did.
It’s casual, colourful and always fizzing with punters whenever we wander past. If you’re after a night out that’s a little more loose, grab a drink, pick a game and settle in.
Mexicairns makes for an Instagram-worthy stop on a casual night out. Photo / Mexicairns
Salt House
Impossible to miss on a walk through the city, Salt House sits on the tip of Cairns by the yacht club and brings together food, live music and slick design features in one neat package.
The kitchen is built around a custom Argentinian wood-fired grill, with a menu that leans heavily on the region‘s top produce. You’ll be well-fed with a range of modern Australian and internationally inspired dishes, but you should absolutely make room for dessert.
Get in early for a more relaxed atmosphere, or wait until later when things ramp up – it’s open until 2am every night.
Salt House sits at the tip of Cairns Esplanade. Photo / Salt House
Rocco
For top-notch sundowners and sweeping views over Trinity Bay, Rocco is pretty hard to beat.
At the roof of the CrystalBrook Riley hotel, the city’s highest rooftop bar has earthy-blue interiors, Middle Eastern mezze and a distinctive drinks list that sets the scene for a memorable date night or a stylish send-off to tie up your travels.
It opens late afternoon and into the evening, but try to time your visit around golden hour so you can watch the sunset over Cairns Esplanade.
Rocco’s menu balances bright vegetarian plates, fresh seafood and quality Australian meat, while the drinks draw on sweet notes like baklava and fig from Middle Eastern cuisine. If you’re mainly there for the vibes, there’s plenty of nibbles on the menu to share.
Rocco serves Middle Eastern cuisine with a contemporary twist. Photo / Rocco by Crystalbrook
