Restaurants in Cairns
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Ochre Restaurant
Red Ochre’s certainly creative with its dishes: expect goodies such as emu and vermicelli spring rolls, Australian antipasto, crocodile wanton and salt-and-native-pepper crocodile and prawns. It sounds good and it is good. The Australian game platter is $48 per person, while a slice of amazing wattleseed pavlova or quandong pie with macadamia crumble costs $14. Not sure if it’s Australian, but chocolate slut is also on the menu.
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Pier
The Pier’s fires burn brightly on the wooden deck that surrounds this waterfront bar-restaurant. The ice machine mesmerises as it moves ice along a perspex pipe above the bar, but if you can focus your eyes on the menu you’ll find a smattering of snacks, finger foods, pizza and fish. There’s a band every Sunday night from 8pm.
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Tiny's Juice Bar
It may be tiny but it packs a mighty punch. Delicious rolls and wraps give you an instant vitamin infusion, and Tiny's spicy peanut sauce, with fresh ginger, works excellently with a warm tofu pattie. Drinks are equally fresh and zesty - try the energy booster or boysenberry smoothie.
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Perrotta's at the Gallery
This chic spot adjoining the Cairns Regional Gallery tempts you onto its covered deck's wrought-iron furniture for tasty breakfasts, superb coffees, and an inventive Med-inspired menu at lunch and dinner.
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Dundees
An unpretentious waterfront restaurant serving seafood chowder, smoked crocodile salad and steak cooked ‘blue’ (sealed both sides, room temperature in the middle). There’s a delish seafood ‘hot rock’ option, which goes down well as you sizzle and enjoy the boat views.
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Cherry Blossom
This 1st-floor restaurant is reminiscent of an Iron Chef cook-off, with two chefs working at opposite ends of the restaurant floor. Book ahead for sushi, teppanyaki and plenty of theatre.
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Heritage
Ten-dollar meals that taste good? Yep, possible. The Heritage is part nightclub, part restaurant, but after your steak, wraps or Bud-battered barramundi and chips (that’s Budweiser) on the fancy verandah, you might just be up for a boogie.
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Fusion Organics
In the wicker-chair-strewn corner courtyard of an historic 1921 red-brick former ambulance station, Indian chefs spice up Fusion's organic, allergy-free fare like quiches, frittatas, corn fritters and filled breads. Healthy brekkie options include buckwheat waffles and pick-me-up 'detox' juices.
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Lillipad
With massive plates carrying big feasts (pancakes, fry-ups and a huge selection of vegetarian options), there’s good value to be had here, and don’t miss an apple-and-mint juice ($5) to get you through the day.
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Beethoven Café
Mango cheesecake anyone? Delish small cafe serving fantastic sweets, as well as healthier sandwiches such as savoury combos including Buendnerfleisch (air-dried beef, Swiss cheese and gherkin).
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Gaura Nitais
The Hare Krishnas know how to make a good vegetarian curry and the buffet of goodness is no exception. It's decked out with Hindu art and mosaic tables, or grab some takeaway and head to Cairns Harbour.
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Rusty's Markets
At Rusty’s Market multiethnic stall holders have tropical fruits piled high plus herbs, honey and pick-me-up samosas.
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Korea Corea
Cheap, quick and tasty Korean food including spicy octopus in a stone pot, served with a smile. Locals get a discount.
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Jamdrop Café
An unassuming, busy joint serving bargain breakfasts and good coffee near Cairns Hospital.
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Asian Foods Australia
Asian goods.
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Cairns Central Shopping Centre
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Vanilla Gelateria
Icy concoctions like Toblerone; lemon, lime and bitters – even Red Bull!
Along the waterfront outside the Pier Marketplace, half a dozen international restaurants share a boardwalk overlooking the marina – just wander along and take your pick.
If you want something cheap and quick, the Night Markets, between Alpin and Shields Sts, have a busy Asian-style food court.
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Raw Prawn
Fine-dining affair especially renowned for its seafood platters ($54 to $90 per person). The priciest include succulent mud crab.
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Ochre
In an ochre- and plum-toned dining room, the changing menu at this innovative restaurant utilises native Aussie fauna (such as croc with native pepper, or roo with quandong-chilli glaze) and flora (wattle-seed damper loaf with peanut oil and native dukka; lemon-myrtle panacotta). If you can't decide, try a tasting plate, or go all-out with a six-course tasting menu.
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Meldrum's Pies in Paradise
A Cairns institution, Meldrum's bakes some 40 inventive varieties of the humble Aussie pie – from chicken and avocado to pumpkin gnocchi or tuna mornay.
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Marinades
A long, long menu of aromatic dishes like lobster marinated in cashew paste, or Goan prawn curry, along with restrained decor in its dining room, make Marinades the pick of Cairns' Indian restaurants.
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La Fettuccina
Homemade sauces are a speciality at this small, atmospheric Italian restaurant. Try for a seat on the tiny, internal wrought-iron mezzanine balcony. Licensed and BYO.
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Green Ant Cantina
This funky little slice of Mexico behind the railway station is worth seeking out for its homemade quesadillas, enchiladas and Corona-battered tiger prawns. Great cocktail list, cool tunes (including an open-mic night on Sunday).
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Grand Hotel
This laid-back local is worth a visit just so that you can rest your beer on the bar – an 11m-long carved crocodile!
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First House
Serving continuously throughout the day (a rarity for Cairns restaurants), this small, simple spot is a good bet if you like pork, which appears in virtually every dish. Unlicensed but BYO.
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