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Food and Wine

 
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Food and Wine
 

Far North Queensland and the area surrounding Port Douglas, boasts a multitude of tropical fruit, fresh seafood and locally-produced wine. Whether it’s grilled barramundi at a beachside restaurant in Port Douglas or local cheese at a cheese farm in the hinterlands, dining in this area is a varied and fine affair with an abundance of eateries to choose from, spanning gourmet restaurants to casual cafes. Below is a small selection of restaurants in Port Douglas and Cairns (a one-hour drive from Port Douglas).  
 

Port Douglas

Try out the new restaurants in town such as the spectacular Harrisons Restaurant and the new Italian hotspot Bucci Ristorante. Also new and making quite an impression, is Lure Restaurant, situated right on the water at Meridien Marina.

For the travelling family, Port Douglas dining offers a wide variety of family-friendly menus and dining times. Enjoy a pre-dinner drink at On The Inlet seafood restaurant while watching the ever-popular feeding of the resident giant, George the Groper, before enjoying fresh seafood on the deck overlooking Dickson Inlet.

If you are looking for something a little more relaxed, the waterfront has a range of family-friendly options including the Port Douglas Surf Club Bar & Bistro, the Port Douglas Combined Clubs, now called the Tin Shed and home of the curly fry, the Hog’s Breath Cafe. Head across to the Court House Hotel Port Douglas for an after-dinner drink accompanied by Port Douglas' live music before hitting the sack with a very satisfied belly!

Cairns         

The Ochre is the place to go for local bush specialities such as crocodile, emu and kangaroo. If you have allergies to contend with, be spoilt in the Fusion Cafe which specialises in allergy-free organic food which will satisfy most palettes. Pesci’s Mediterranean and Seafood restaurant offers fresh seafood right by the waterfront, making dining by the sea a delectable experience. Overlooking the Trinity Inlet, you can also enjoy Thai, Indian or Nonya food at Hanuman Restaurant, situated in the Hilton Hotel.

Daintree

The Daintree is not just famous for its lush vegetation and spectacular nature. Enjoy a gourmet meal perched above the Mossman River at The Treehouse Restaurant or try bush classics such as kangaroo or Barramundi at the Julaymba Restaurant accessible on boardwalks through the rainforest and set against the backdrop of a freshwater lagoon. With a view of the Karnak Playhouse amphitheatre in the Daintree National Park, Karnak Cafe serves organic tropical food in a family-friendly setting.

Foodies, look here!   

If you’re looking for an exceptional food experience, check out one of the Taste of the Tropics Food trails here. Five specially designed food trails offer visitors a full taste of what the tropical Far North has to offer. Launched in 2001, the Food Trails are a collaborative attempt by local food producers and restaurateurs in Far North Queensland. The trail in the Port Douglas and Daintree region is aptly named Taste of the Rainforest, and offers a wide variety of great foodie experiences ranging from biodynamic organic ice-cream and fruit wine-tasting to crocodile wontons and barramundi spring rolls. Other food trails include visiting the numerous coffee farms and tea plantations that dot the rolling hills of the Atherton Tablelands, also known as the Cairns Highlands.

Wineries

Tropical fruit wineries are bountiful throughout the Queensland region. Medium sweet mango wine, pineapple table wine, dry passion fruit wine, ginger wine, are just a snippet of all the fruit wines available. Here is a selection of some Queensland fruit wineries: Shannonvale Tropical Fruit Winery, De Brueys Boutique Wines, Mount Uncle Distillery, Pacific Blue Winery and Golden Pride Wines.

Markets

For travellers looking for that special something to bring home from Australia, there are a host of markets throughout this region. Most markets feature locally-grown vegetables and fruit, as well as other regional specialities and handmade arts and crafts. Here are a few of the most popular ones: Port Douglas Markets every Sunday, Kuranda Market in the Rainforest, open every day, Yungaburra Markets in the Atherton Highlands held on the fourth Saturday of the month. In Cairns, visit Rusty’s Bazaar Market open every Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.
 

 
 
 
 
 

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