25 Best Restaurants in Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Sexy suede lounges, intimate banquettes, and unbroken views of the Coral Sea make lingering easy at this Palm Cove noshery with the region's best and freshest produce. Select from small plates or larger share portions, which include the likes of kimchi butter-poached reef fish, paperbark-smoked duck, and Sichuan eggplant.

With a pool accessible to customers with spectacular views over Airlie Beach, this is the place to be on a balmy day in the tropics. Snack on share plates such as chicken wings and minitacos between dips, or go for the Anchor Can't Decide Seafood Platter.

Dining in this spacious, central restaurant, you can enjoy some of the most delicious, innovative cuisine in North Queensland. Choose from an expansive menu that combines traditional Balinese spices and recipes with native Australian ingredients. Dishes include a crocodile satay skewer and nasi goreng (fried rice with chicken, mixed sates, fish fillet, and egg).  Don't eat lunch if you're planning to order the rijstaffel at dinner—it's huge.

In a city that loves a steak, this is probably the best of them. CC's Bar & Grill sources most of its beef from farms in the Atherton Tablelands. Those cuts—as well as others sourced from around Australia—are either wet- or dry-aged, and grilled to perfection. The atmosphere here is upmarket and classy, and the wine list wouldn't look out of place in a Sydney or Melbourne fine-diner.

This acclaimed restaurant, which is run by a British chef and his wife who named it after their first son, impresses with deftly executed dishes that showcase fresh seafood and small-batch ingredients, sourced locally. There's a six-course tasting menu at A$140 per person, A$210 with matched wines, and on the wine list you'll find plenty of good mid-price antipodean drops and a smattering of French ones.

Local seafood and native and seasonal ingredients take top billing at this upscale yet relaxed Cairns institution that specializes in native ingredients and local produce. Expect to find the likes of kangaroo, crocodile, seafood, and high-quality beef, with fine antipodean wines to match.

At this much-lauded seafood restaurant, modern Australian dishes put the focus on fresh North Queensland produce and seafood, which is delivered direct from local fishing boats. You can choose your own live mud crab from holding tanks, or down the sunset special---a generous bucket of prawns and a choice of Aussie beer or wine.

This Modern Australian eatery fits the bill: location (riverfront), service (impeccable), ambience (relaxed), food (exciting and flavorful), and wine (top-flight). The menu is a carefully curated collection of local meat, seafood, and vegetable creations, with something to suit every palate, including a comprehensive "plant-based" section to the menu.

Enjoy Coral Sea views framed by palms and melaleucas along with Mod Australian dishes at this classy beachside eatery. Diners come for the Vietnamese Crepe, battered coral trout, and nasi goreng at lunch; and crab tagliatelle or barramundi for dinner.

Ah, 27 degrees. It's pretty much the perfect temperature, isn't it? (When we're talking Celsius.) And it's also pretty much the perfect café when you're in Palm Cove and need a coffee and a decent breakfast. 27 Degrees is a classic, with friendly service, city-quality coffee, and a menu of health-conscious Aussie brunch favorites, such as acai bowls, granola, and smoothies.

Get immersed in north Queensland coffee culture at Bang and Grind, a lively café in the CBD. The venue is known for its house-blended coffee, which goes perfectly with classic Australian breakfast fare such as avocado toast, eggs Benedict, and pancakes.

This casual but classy restaurant at Ferntree Rainforest Lodge is housed in a Balinese-style building with stone and timber walls and a large deck that makes you feel at one with the environment. It prides itself on its use of fresh, local, and seasonal produce, with offerings such as crocodile spring rolls, Thai beef salad, and authentic curries. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

This fine-dining restaurant sources terrific organic and tropical produce for its Modern Australian menus, which change seasonally, but always feature fresh seafood and premium Australian meats in artful, beautifully balanced dishes, with fine antipodean wines to complement them. For special occasions, there's a luxurious, chandelier-lighted private dining room.

Those craving traditional Italian cuisine utilizing fresh North Queensland ingredients should make themselves a booking at Sassi, a lively, friendly eatery with plenty of outdoor dining space on the main drag. The menu here has all of the hits—pan-seared scallops, spaghetti mudcrab, linguine crayfish, and the like—along with a solid wine list featuring plenty of Italian varietals.

Offering refined dining in relaxed environs, Chef Masa puts a deft, modern-Japanese spin on classic French dishes at this restaurant that occupies a prime pier-front position. The food is as inspiring as the marina, inlet, and mountain views, and the waitstaff can help you select the perfect match from a well-chosen Antipodean wine list.

This could be the island's best all-round dining establishment. It's great for breezy alfresco lunches, sunset drinks on the deck, and relaxed dinners. Dine right by the marina on salads and pasta, enjoy a curry, or try one of the daily specials. There's plenty on Manta Ray's menu to suit all tastes, even the kids.

Overlooking a tranquil bay just outside of Airlie Beach, with a large outdoor area and a boat-shape bar, Northerlies has become a local favorite. Its Beach Kitchen and Brasserie menus offer pub classics such as burgers, pizzas, and steak through to seafood platters.

At this open-air restaurant in the Daintree rain forest, wallabies, bandicoots, and musky rat kangaroos might join you at the table as you tuck into a Mod Oz meal that highlights local, seasonal ingredients, including fresh seafood, and wines from the well-stocked bar. Arrive early for a dip in the creek, a rain-forest stroll, or a spa treatment.

This outdoor café and wine bar on the deck at Cairns Art Gallery serves sumptuous breakfasts as well as lunch and dinner. Lunch fare features a signature duck salad, gourmet sandwiches, and pizza, while dinner options include Italian and modern Australian dishes, such as antipasto and pasta.

There's nothing fancy about Popeye's—but then, that's the point. This fish-and-chips joint is set up as a casual, reasonably priced alternative to some of the more upmarket dining options on Hamilton Island, with all of the favorites: battered, crumbed, or grilled fish, family-friendly seafood baskets, potato scallops, and more. Enjoy them while looking out over the marina.

Rub shoulders with local foodies and enjoy intimate dining after sunset on the large wooden deck of this lively waterside institution that serves tropical Modern Australian fare. The dinner menu offers something for everyone, from ocean trout sashimi and char-grilled local prawns to a mouthwatering Black Angus eye fillet.

Blessed with mountain and ocean views and located in prime position at the Cairns Marina, Salt House serves Modern Australian fare in casual chic environs. A carefully considered menu includes plenty of local seafood, as well as a mouthwatering selection of local cuts of meat cooked on the custom Argentinian grill.

At this busy waterfront eatery, you can gaze at the bustling marina while chowing down on a locally sourced, char-grilled steak, which comes in all cuts and sizes, with thick fries on the side. There's also a nice selection of barbecued ribs, burgers, seafood, and lighter lunch fare, such as salt-and-pepper squid and salads.

Atmospheric indoor-outdoor dining, attentive service, and a well-stocked bar are nice, but the primary draw at this relaxed restaurant is the food, which highlights the freshest local ingredients. Enjoy braised kangaroo bao buns or pan-fried fish or tiger prawns straight off Port Douglas's fishing boats, and seasonal fruit, vegetables, and herbs from the Atherton Tablelands.

The food court in these lively, night owl–friendly markets offers something for every palate, from Korean BBQ to sweet-and-sour chicken, sushi, Thai, and Italian. You can also max out on desserts, with outlets offering crepes, waffles, churros, gelato, ice cream, and Italian-style coffee. The food court's open daily from 10 am to 11 pm; the night markets, 5 to 11 pm.