Leslie Massey
Cairns, Australia, is a melting pot of cultures, and this is reflected in its vibrant food scene. With the Great Barrier Reef on its doorstep, it's no surprise that Cairns boasts some of the freshest seafood around. From prawns and oysters to mud crabs, there's an ocean of options at the city's renowned seafood restaurants. But Cairns offers more than just seafood. The city is also known for its diverse Asian cuisine, including mouthwatering Thai curries and authentic Japanese ramen. For those seeking a unique fine dining experience, Dundees at the Aquarium is a popular choice. And for a true taste of Australia, Dundee's Restaurant on the Waterfront serves up modern Australian fare, including local seafood, grilled beef, and dishes featuring kangaroo, crocodile, and emu. With options ranging from casual eats to upscale dining, Cairns has something to satisfy every palate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Steak, seafood, Italian, Greek, Thai, Japanese, Mediterranean, Australian |
| Notable restaurants | CC's Bar and Grill, Bushfire Flame Grill, NOA, Ganbaranba, Prawn Star Cairns, Piato, Dundee's Waterfront, Dundees at the Aquarium, Ollie's, Ares Grill, LaFettuchina, Lemoncello, Red Rooster Manunda, Il Chiosco, Eazy Tiger, Yada, Beach House, Four Cinq, Taste of Thai |
| Notable dishes | Grass-fed Scotch fillet, ramen, gyoza, local seafood, Moreton Bay bugs, prawn and scallop ravioli, kangaroo, crocodile, emu, souvlaki, grilled marinated chicken, grilled marinated lamb, Greek salad |
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What You'll Learn
Cairns' diverse food scene
Cairns is a melting pot of cultures, and its food scene reflects this diversity. With the Great Barrier Reef nearby, it's no surprise that Cairns is known for its seafood, including prawns, oysters, and mud crabs. The city also boasts a vibrant Asian food scene, with popular Thai, Japanese, and Greek restaurants.
For those seeking a unique fine dining experience, Dundees at the Aquarium is a popular choice. Dundees also has a waterfront location, offering modern Australian cuisine with a view. For a more relaxed meal, Prawn Star Cairns is a floating restaurant serving fresh seafood straight from the trawler in a laid-back yet enchanting atmosphere. Another popular choice for seafood is Piato, serving top-quality seafood and steak dishes, including Moreton Bay bugs and prawn and scallop ravioli.
Cairns also has a variety of steakhouse options, including the award-winning CC’s Bar and Grill, famous for its steak sourced from the Atherton Tableland. Another popular steakhouse is Ollie's, known for its 21-day-aged Tassie Grass-Fed Scotch Fillet cooked in a charcoal Josper oven.
For those craving Italian, La Fettuccina is one of the longest-operating restaurants in Cairns. La Fettuccina and Milky Lane are recommended for burgers. For Thai food, Taste of Thai, near the Cairns Botanical Gardens, is highly regarded, as are Samgasat and Il Chiosco. For ramen, Ganbaranba is a local favourite, with a line up the street most nights of the week. Four Cinq is also recommended for ramen.
The city also has a variety of restaurants serving modern Australian cuisine with an international twist, such as NOA, which showcases the diversity of local produce infused with aromatic spices and bold flavours. For Greek food, Yaya's Hellenic Kitchen in Cairns CBD is recommended for its authentic dishes.
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Fine dining experiences
Cairns, Australia, has a diverse food scene, with a variety of cuisines on offer, from Japanese to Italian, and modern Australian to Thai. Here are some fine dining experiences to try in Cairns:
Ollie's
For modern Italian dining, head to Marlin Parade, an exclusive waterfront dining precinct in Cairns. Ollie's offers stunning views of Trinity Inlet and the Great Barrier Reef. The restaurant also hosts a dedicated red wine menu, where chefs curate dishes using red wine, with each dish served with a matching glass of red.
NOA
NOA is a relaxed yet refined restaurant, showcasing the diversity of local produce infused with aromatic spices and bold flavours. The menu features modern Australian cuisine with an international twist. Every Thursday, they offer all-you-can-eat baos, and live music on the deck every Friday and Sunday.
CC's Bar and Grill
An award-winning steakhouse, CC's is famous for its steak, most of which is sourced locally from the Atherton Tableland. CC's redefines the traditional steakhouse with its premium steaks served with grilled bone marrow and a choice of sauces. They also offer an extensive wine list featuring some of Australia's most exquisite wineries.
Nu Nu Restaurant
Nu Nu offers modern Australian cuisine with a seasonal menu. The restaurant is located on the beachfront, providing a unique dining experience. It is also home to a Masterchef guest judge.
Wawawa Izakaya
For vibrant Japanese cuisine, Wawawa Izakaya on Lake Street is a popular choice. The restaurant features colourful wall murals and bright neon lights, creating a lively atmosphere.
Prawn Star Cairns
Located at Marlin Marina, Prawn Star is a floating restaurant serving fresh and local seafood straight off the trawler. The atmosphere is laid-back yet enchanting, with fairy lights, music, and communal shared tables.
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Local seafood
As a coastal city and the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns offers an abundance of fresh, locally sourced seafood. The city's proximity to the ocean and its vibrant foodie culture make it a food lover's paradise, with a wealth of exceptional seafood experiences on offer.
One of the most exciting places to enjoy local seafood is Prawn Star Cairns, a floating restaurant located at Marlin Marina. With its unique setting on one of two boat decks right on the water, Prawn Star serves up fresh and local seafood straight off the trawler. The atmosphere is laid-back and enchanting, with fairy lights, music, and communal tables adding to the charm. Their Jumbo Platter is a highlight, featuring fresh oysters, prawns, sashimi, and bugs, all at a reasonable price.
For a more upscale experience, Dundee's Waterfront offers stunning ocean views and a modern Australian menu. Their Chef's Choice Seafood Platter for two is a generous spread of chilled and hot seafood, including a variety of fresh tropical fruit. The Ultimate Seafood Experience takes it up a notch with an even larger selection of seafood delights. With waterfront views and a taste of Australia, Dundee's showcases local seafood, perfectly grilled Australian beef, and unique Australian fare such as kangaroo, crocodile, and emu.
Ochre is another popular choice for contemporary Australian cuisine, with their award-winning Tempura Gulf Bugs being a standout dish. Skewered on lemongrass and served with a green papaya salad and a sweet chilli, lemon myrtle dressing, Ochre showcases its dedication to native produce and exceptional flavours.
For a more casual setting, Ganbaranba serves up traditional ramen soups and gyoza with locally sourced ingredients. Their emphasis on authenticity and fresh, super-fresh produce has created a loyal following, with lines snaking up the street most nights.
Cairns truly comes alive through its seafood offerings, with the ocean's bounty taking centre stage in a multitude of creative and mouth-watering ways. From boat decks to waterfront restaurants, the city offers a diverse range of experiences for seafood enthusiasts.
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International cuisine
Cairns is a melting pot of cultures, and this is reflected in the variety of international cuisines on offer. The city's proximity to the Great Barrier Reef means that it is renowned for its seafood, with an array of fresh options available, from prawns and oysters to mud crabs.
For those who enjoy Mediterranean flavours, Piato Cairns at The Pier serves top-quality seafood and steak dishes, including Moreton Bay bugs and prawn and scallop ravioli. Greek cuisine is also on offer at Yaya's Hellenic Kitchen, which offers authentic dishes such as souvlaki and grilled marinated chicken or lamb with tzatziki.
Asian cuisine is a prominent part of the food scene in Cairns, with Thai and Japanese options abundant. Taste of Thai, near the Cairns Botanical Gardens, is highly rated, while Ganbaranba serves traditional ramen soups and gyoza with locally sourced ingredients. For Thai fusion, samgasat is recommended, and for those seeking Italian, La Fettuccina is one of the longest-operating restaurants in Cairns.
For a modern Australian menu, Dundee's Restaurant on the Waterfront offers fresh local seafood, grilled Australian-bred beef, pasta, salads, and Australian fare such as kangaroo, crocodile, and emu. NOA is another restaurant that showcases the diversity of local produce with an international twist, offering all-you-can-eat baos and live music on certain evenings.
With a range of cuisines and dining experiences, from boat restaurants to Greek-themed nights, Cairns offers a culinary journey around the globe.
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Traditional Australian food
Australia is a relatively young country with a diverse food culture, so it's no surprise that its traditional dishes are heavily influenced by immigrant cultures and Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. That said, there are still some foods that are quintessentially Australian.
One of the most iconic Australian foods is Vegemite, a salty, savoury spread made from vegetables, spices, and yeast extract. It's typically eaten on toast or in sandwiches and is known for its strong, salty flavour. Another classic Australian spread is fairy bread, a sweet treat made with white bread, butter, and sprinkles that's commonly served at children's parties.
Meat pies, sausage rolls, and pasties are also considered Australian staples and can be found at milk bars, bakeries, and petrol stations. Meat pies are often served with a beer and are a popular snack at sporting events. They're made with flaky pastry and filled with minced meat and gravy, sometimes with vegetables.
Fish and chips are another traditional Australian meal, commonly eaten at pubs or waterfront shops by the beach. The classic Australian bread, Damper, is a simple wheat-flour-based bread that was traditionally baked in the coals of a campfire by travellers and those working in the Australian bush.
When it comes to sweets and pastries, Australians have a few iconic treats. The vanilla slice, a delicate dessert with layers of puff pastry, cream or custard, and a glaze of powdered sugar or icing, is claimed as a sweet pastry by Australians, although its exact origin is unknown. The lamington is another classic Australian cake, made from squares of butter or sponge cake coated in chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. ANZAC biscuits, often homemade, are so-called because they were sent to Australian soldiers during the First World War. Lastly, Tim Tams are a popular commercial brand of chocolate biscuits with a layer of creamy chocolate filling and a coating of melted chocolate.
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Frequently asked questions
Some popular restaurants in Cairns, Australia, include Ollie's, Dundees, LaFettuchina, and Ganbaranba.
Cairns is known for its fresh seafood and vibrant Asian food scene, including Thai curries and Japanese ramen.
In addition to seafood, people in Cairns enjoy steak, Greek food, Italian cuisine, and modern Australian dishes with an international twist.
Yes, Dundees at the Aquarium offers a unique fine dining experience with the largest tank within a restaurant in Australia. Prawn Star Cairns is also a floating restaurant serving fresh seafood.
CC's Bar and Grill is famous for its steak, while NOA offers a relaxed yet refined dining experience with modern Australian cuisine infused with international flavours and aromatic spices.
