Cairns Al fresco Restaurants

Barnacle Bills

Fantastic location and quality seafood has made this locally owned restaurant very popular. Foreign language menus are available in Japanese, German, French, and Italian.

Bayleaf Restaurant

Gorgeous alfresco dining with flaming torches surrounding the exterior, Bayleaf Restaurant's modern menu includes local produce. A lovely dining experience with company, or just for two.

Bel Paese

A cute Italian restaurant with a warm friendly atmosphere and genuine, tasty cuisine. The kind of trattoria you'd expect to discover accidently tucked away in a quaint alleyway in Sardinia. Great location for people watching, al fresco dinners and casual romance.

Bellavista at the Marina

Superb location on the marina, ideal for watching the sunset with afternoon beverages. Great range of pizzas with tatsy, innovative choices all cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven. Ideal venue for group celebrations or social dining.

Bello Caffe

A comfortable low-key cafe in the heart of Cairns CBD with simple, elegant, uncomplicated modern southern Italian cuisine.

Bellocale

A new restaurant worth talking about with Italian cuisine even Italians are raving about! Passionately serving local, seasonal produce.

Botanic Gardens Cafe

Set among tropical flora in the most beautiful garden in Cairns, this cafe is a lovely place to meet friends for lunch or devonshire tea. Delightful.

Cactus Jacks

Fun and quirky Tex-Mex dining with crazy decor. Cheap, tasty pub-style food. Excellent for big, hungry, blokey groups.

Cafe Eighty 8

Cafe Thailand

Fast paced friendly restaurant, with beautiful Thai decor. Extensive menu with many traditional Thai dishes not seen at other restaurants in Cairns, but also many dishes using local produce such as barramundi and coral trout. 10% discount on take away orders.

Charlie's

One of Cairns' favourite restaurants, Charlies has a seafood and hot food buffet that offers tremendous value for money. Look for the discount vouchers in the Cairns Post each day.

Cho Gao

Asian food experience located at the Pier overlooking the marina incorporating the delights of hawker cuisine from east Asia.

Cock & Bull Restaurant

A very funky restaurant that is popular with young people. The meals are huge yet cheap - this is a great venue for special occasions or if you want a group dinner before a night on the town.

Courthouse Hotel

Dunwoody's Tavern

E Bar

Nice location for kicking back with a drink and snacking on their tasty bar food.

Bar menu includes chips, wedges, pizza, antipasto, fish, burgers and salads

Also features a pool table and live jazz music on Fridays (between 6-10pm).

Fusion Organics

Aimed to please those who lead an alternative lifestyle, Vegetarians, Glychemics, Vegans and the health conscious are most welcome at Fusion Organics. Great coffee!

Green Ant Cantina

A casual and funky restaurant with pub style Mexican food but done with flair. You can expect large tasty meals at affordable prices. Cool tunes and cosy rythums play most days at Green Ant. Popular with backpackers and a younger boho crowd, a lot of the dining space is outdoors in a 'beer garden' type environment. On Tuesdays take a friend and get two meals for the price of one.

Havana Music Cafe

A funky Caribbean flavoured cafe bringing the intense tropical flavours of Jamaica, Cuba and Bermuda to Cairns. The menu includes many of the popular jerk selections from Jamaica, the jerk chicken is especially popular. Regular live music, and lots of friendliness make this venue a good spot for friends catching up.

Il Convivio

A rare food concept in Cairns, Il Convivo combines a well-stocked delicatessen with a restaurant, patisserie and bakery.

JaffleHead

JaffleHead is Cairns' only specialty Jaffle shop. Their aim is to provide the best jaffles you have ever tasted.

Jardines Restaurant

Kanpai

A fun Japanese restaurant especially for groups looking to add karaoke to your dinner.

Khin Khao Thai Restaurant

La Fettuccina

A trendy Italian restaurant offering a comprehensive selection of pasta and seafood pasta dishes. Exceptional service and great food make LA Fettuccina a high calibre dining experience.

La Pizza

Walk past La Pizza and the strong pizza aromas will beckon you to dine. Extensive pizza menu and other Italian favourites.

Lillipad Cafe

The Lillipad Cafe specialises in fresh vegetarian cuisine, complimented by the famous Mungali Creek Dairy products. But you can also order fantastic focaccias and sandwiches that are refreshing and healthy. This cafe also serves wonderful coffee in a funky setting.

Lilo Restaurant & Bar

A sexy wet bar with exquisite vast views over the Cairns CBD. Enjoy a balmy Cairns evening atop Rydges Plaza.

Limericks Restaurant

Multi-award winning restaurant in the Best Family Restaurant category, Limericks offers lunch and buffet dinner, with a roast carvery on Wednesday nights. Buffet includes soup, pasta, hot dishes, vegetables, salads and desserts.

Lucifer Steakhouse & Bar

Lucifer Steakhouse & Bar located right on the Esplanade offers not only breathtaking views out to the Coral Sea but also a unique blend of innovative menu and a high energy atmosphere in a vibrant lounge scene.

Mecca Bah Restaurant & Bar

Mecca Bah is a newcomer to Cairns and part of the national restaurant group of the same name. Mecca Bah Cairns reflects the Northern African and Middle Eastern cuisine which have made the restaurants popular in other locations.

Mondo on the Waterfront

Locals know where to find the best bites, and that’s why you’ll find the locals here. The award-winning Mondo on the Waterfront is a unique al fresco dining experience that encapsulates everything great about North Queensland, with stunning views of Trinity Inlet. Whether it’s a casual coffee, a family gathering, business lunch or cocktail, indulge in flavours from around the world, with signature dishes like Mondo barbeque and sizzling fajitas!

Montezuma's

One of the Australian-owned chain of Montezuma's with a warm, family-friendly style. All the Mexican favourites such as tacos, nachos and chili con carne can be found here.

Mother India Restaurant

Great exotic tastes that exhibit the richness of a glorious past and the luxury of a colourful present. Mother India Restaurant serve many innovative dishes not found at other Indian restaurants and prepare your food exactly the way you like: mild, medium, hot or Indian hot - or anywhere in between!

Nando's

Nando's chicken is basted on a flame grill, after being marinated for 24 hours. Choose from a range of heat options to assist you to achieve Portugasm. Many people believe this is the best option of the chain store take aways.

North Food + Wine

With million dollar views across the Cairns harbour, Tides Restaurant is superbly positioned for a special meal. Tides utilises their buffet in sohpistocated way for breakfast with extensive hot and cold dishes available as well as an egg chef. Lunch features an authentic curry bar with a range of interesting Indian delights. Dinner is contemporary Australiasian a la carte cuisine. Shangri-La formerly had Sirocco Restaurant in a similar location.

Ocean Palace Chinese Restaurant

Ochre Restaurant @ Harbour Lights

Neoteric Australian cuisine is the focus of Ochre Restaurant's sensational menu, incorporating Australian bush foods in innovative, exciting dishes. Menu changes seasonally, as different fresh produce become available. A must try!

Olanos Ristorante e Lounge Bar

Olano's is a beautifully located restaurant and lounge bar overlooking Trinity Wharf. Perfect for large or small groups. The Sicilian head chef provides a fresh, interesting menu with Italian influence.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Paddywhacks

A fun, quirky and casual dining spot very proud of their large range of beer and excellent steak. Voted Best Steak Restaurant in 2010 at the Restaurant and Catering Awards.

Paleo Café

Perrotta's at The Gallery

Top spot for casual dining in Cairns with an all-outdoors breezy deck. The food and service has been consistently strong for many years.

Pesci's On The Water

Cairns' only seafood restaurant overlooking the famous Marlin Marina, specialising in fresh local and southern seafood and modern Australian cuisine. The menu is not limited to seafood though, with an extensive meat and pasta selection - all pasta is made on premises daily. Gorgeous location with magnificent waterfront views, Pesci's won the Restaurant and Caterers award for Queensland in 2003 for a la carte dining. Open for lunch and dinner.

Piccolo Cucina

A small, cosy, family-run restaurant located in Cairns city centre, Piccolo Cucina is one of the finest Italian restaurants in Cairns.

Pinocchio's Pizza

The enticing aromas from Pinnocchio's Pizza will always make you want to stop and try one! Great views of the esplanade lagoon, and a perfect place on the weekends to just sit and watch the myriad of people walk by.

Royal India Restaurant

New Indian restaurant in the Esplanade with a fresh layout and stunning photography in the decor.

Salt House

Exquisitely located on the waterfront within the Cairns marina, Salt House is the place to go for amazing views over Trinity Inlet. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are heavily focussed on local produce, and feature modern Australian cuisine. An excellent restaurant for a quiet romantic evening, or to celebrate a special occasion with friends.

Silk Caffe

Silk Caffe is leading the way with modern style perched on the corner of Spence & Sheridan Sts. Spectacular coffee.

Tandoori Oven

Authentic North Indian cuisine with a cosy atmosphere in the restaurant hub of Cairns. Offers al fresco dining as well as an air-conditioned indoor option. Interesting Indian decor inside with a strong local following. Be sure to try the banquet menu if dining in a group of 4 or more.

Tha Fish

Situated on the boardwalk at The Pier overlooking the marine, Tha Fish is a popular seafood restaurant open for lunch and dinner.

The Backyard

There's no better way to enjoy warm days and nights than on the deck at The Backyard Cairns on Pierpoint Road.

The Raw Prawn

Another of Cairns' excellent seafood restaurants located on the esplanade, the standout feature of The Raw Prawn is the great name. But we can assure you this restaurant doesn't literally live up to the name 'Raw Prawn', because all seafood is cooked with delicacy and precision. Aside from the name, don't forget the excellent views of the Coral Sea, efficient service, relaxing atmosphere and of course, great food.

Twelve Bar Cafe (Twelve BC)

An eclectic cafe in the heart of Cairns CBD serving rich, dark roast Genovese coffee and large hearty breakfasts.

Villa Romana Trattoria

Sensational location with an abundance of alfresco tables, Villa Romana is the celeb spotting restaurant of Cairns, often advertising in magazines with pictures of the latest famous faces in Cairns. Combines traditional and innovative Italian cuisine.

Vines @ Limberlost Nursery

"Vines", attached to the Limberlost Nursery, is the perfect place to relax for a coffee and light breakfast before exploring the nursery. Covered al fresco seating including large tables for groups.

Waterbar and Grill Steakhouse

The Waterbar & Grill is located at the Pier and offers al fresco dining that overlooks the marina. It is a steakhouse specialising in contemporary Australian and South African cuisine. Great location for getting together with friends, especially over lunch.