Cairns Restaurants

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The Cock & Bull is a restaurant type of english pub where you can get pots and pints of beer and ale and good pub food.
The decor is English with dark lamplit nooks and crannies to be alone or with others.
There logo states they serve Fine ales and delicious food and of course good company.
The verandah is tropical with hanging ferns yet still retains the olde type pub feel with lots of bench type wooden tables and long forms/stools.
Even though it has a pub atmosphere with a billiard table and darts it is a relaxing place to have a drink or a meal.
The poker/slot machines have their own room so you are not disturbed by the bright lights,sounds of people playing them.
I recommend you go there if you are a 'tad' homesick or to sample the fine ales and food.

Favorite Dish: I had local fresh mackeral,chips and salad which was very good.
The serving was plenty with two pieces of fish.
The condiment bar has everything you could possibly want --the tartare sauce is amazing.

I had a glass of Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Shiraz and my husband had a pint of ale.

I recommend you try a cafe latte served in giant cups/mugs.

Excellent service,food and atmosphere.

If, like me, you need your caffeine in the morning, the Coffee Club makes the best coffee in Cairns. At least, they did when we were last there - I tried them all.
Indoor or outdoor seating, right in the heart of the busy strip The Esplanade.

Favorite Dish: They make the espresso - the heart of all good coffee - properly. And a lot of places, sadly, don't do that

If you visit Cairn's northern beach village of Trinity Beach, this is a good place to eat. Just across the narrow road from the beach, indoor/outdoor tables. Sit there on a warm evening with a glass of wine*, good Italian food and listening to the surf break on the beach a few metres away.

*(It's a BYO restaurant, which in Australia means Bring Your Own wine. They charge a dollar or two for 'corkage' , so it's much cheaper than having to buy the wine at restaurant prices).

Favorite Dish: I like pastas, but they also have meat and fish dishes and all are good.

Run by a Thai family, a friendly, fairly large restaurant with a good menu.
They also ask you to advise them of any food allergies you have - very helpful.

Favorite Dish: Yum Nua (beef salad). I love the mixture of lemon juice, mint leaves and chilli.
Gai Yang (BBQ chicken). Boneless chicken in tumeric, garlic, coriander marinade, with sweet chilli sauce.
Pad Kra Pra. Pan fried meat with hot chilli & basil.

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Lake Barrine Tea House is located right at Lake Barrine (see my Things To Do tip ). They serve light lunches and delicious scones and tea. It really is a unique location and you can sit on the wooden balcony with a beautiful view on the lake and the rainforest.

It is open from 9am everyday (except christmas day) and serves mainly products from the Atherton Tablelands. There is also a bed & breakfast if you would like to stay overnight.

The teahouse also offers cruises on the lake and has been doing so since 1926, it is therefore the oldest tourist venture in the Atherton Tablelands. It is still owned by the same family.

Favorite Dish: I only tried the tea & scones, but they were absolutely awesome!

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I copy this from the Things To Do Tip, as I think it's both "Things To Do" and "Restaurant Tip"

Skybury Coffee Centre is situated about an hour drive from Cairns, near Mareeba. You can do tours on the coffee plantation here, which are highly recommend - although I can't say anything about it, as I didn't do the tour.
The Centre's restaurant is a very calm, beautiful place which a large outside area, where you can sit and enjoy the view on eucalypt forest. It's a bit expensive, but I think it's worth it, as the atmosphere is so nice and relaxing. Everything is made of wood and timber and there is also a gift shop where you can buy coffee and everything around it.
They also care for some injured wallabies and roos, so you can go and have a look at them, and maybe feed them if you ask.

Skybury was the first commercial coffee producer in Australia and is still producing and exporting.

It's open every day except christmas day, from 9 to 5

Favorite Dish: I only had a tea here, but they also serve dishes and I think it would be a great location to eat.

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The Waterfall Café is located right at the top of beautiful Mungalli Falls (see my Things To Do Tip) at the edge of beautiful rainforest. You can sit in a wooden pavillion while having sandwiches, lunches, breakfast and pavlova. I had a pavlova that was simply delicious.

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At this café you can enjoy light lunches, cakes and ice cream in the beautiful surroundings of the Cairns Botanical Gardens (see Things To Do Tip). The staff is very nice and you can sit right within the intense green and enjoy the tranquility. The perfect location to have a rest and enjoy the tropical atmosphere.

The café is open from 7am til late. The Rainforest Boardwalk to the Centenary Lakes is also nearby (see Things To Do Tip).

Favorite Dish: It is so nice on a hot tropical day to enjoy an ice cream in the shade!