Coffee
- Our local coffee shop is Espresso. The coffee is great and the food excellent. The staff are hardworking, warm and friendly. They supply me with clean kitchen scraps for my two chickens. It’s like a club in the mornings when the doggy set or swimmers are there. We are there most mornings before 0730. if you see a big yellow labrador, that is our Lucky Merlin. 115/117Williams Esplanade. https://espressoandco.com.au/
- Espresso has been challenged by The Garage, on the northern end of the strip, next to O’donnells. Their food is highly recomended, and totally unique. i’d compare it to any high end restaurant rather than describing it as cafe food.
- Our other favourite is the Beach Shack, next to the Chill Cafe, on Vievers Rd. It is the place with the big umbrellas. They are a family run business, and struggled through Covid. Thankfully they survived. They serve great coffee, cafe snacks.
The Beach Hut Cafe & Juice Bar
- Also popular is 27 Degrees Palm Cove, 1 French st. They do a range of healthy meals of which I know nothing about. Locals who are keen on coffee go here or to Espresso, a few metres north.
- We have a new mini supermarket at the bottom of Viever’s Rd. They have an extensive range of produce as well cake and coffee. Their coffee is also excellent. i grew up beside the 4n20 pie factory in Union Rd., Ascot Vale, so i consider myself a bit of an afficionado. the meat pies here are most excellent and worth the journey even if you don’t need anything else.
Coffee Palm Cove Cafes
- Most of the restaurants in Palm Cove are clones of whatever niche they fit in, though we do have some great dining experiences here. We have a new cafe called The Garage. It is at the northern end of the strip, next to O’Donnells. The food is amazing, and not to be found anywhere else in Australia is my guess. Chef Althea uses real technique. Everything looks and tastes great. Try it. Say the hire car bloke sent you. Enjoy
- Vivo’s and Espresso are our favourite cafes on the strip. We have never been disappointed at either. Vivo’s 49 Williams Esplanade. https://www.vivo.com.au/
- Il Forno. For good Italian style pizza. Upstairs at 111-117 Williams Esplanade. https://www.ilfornopalmcove.com/
- Lucky Fish. Also upstairs. By far the best fish and chips I have ever had in Australia. Tracey, my beloved, regularly says their grilled coral trout is amongst the best she has ever had! Also, have a potato cake. They are perfect.
Palm Cove Restaurants
Heads up: Generally speaking, I’m not one for pub food, or the ubiquitous chicken breast.
- Rattle and Hum A good pub atmosphere, good food, always friendly, professional staff. They just need a quiz night! 119 Williams Esplanade. https://rattlenhum.com.au/palmcove/
Kushi-Yakitori Bar & Japanese Restaurant. Great reviews. https://www.facebook.com/KushiCairns
- El Greko’s Taverna. A local Greek restaurant that has been operating in Palm Cove for decades. In the shopping village, at the back https://elgrekostaverna.com.au/
- The Surf Club is a very popular venue with visitors. classic pub food. Lots of chicken Breast. Currently considered by the locals to be the best value venue on the strip. 135 Williams Esplanade, https://www.surfclubpalmcove.com.au/
Cairns lunch Eats
- Best Laksa: Café China. 79 Mulgrave Rd, Parramatta Park QLD 4870
- Best daytime Japanese: Ganbaranba https://m.facebook.com/Ganbaranba-153687294668443/
- Best authentic Indonesian, crispy fried chicken and Gado Gado: Bagus Café,149 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870 https://www.baguscafe.info/
Port Douglas Eats
- Tol be fair, there is a cornucopia of excellent restaurants in Port Douglas. the ones people are currently talking about most are la cucina and Malaleuca. always book in advance to avoid disappointment.
- Zinc, Portico 3, 53-61 Macrossan St, Port Douglas QLD 4877. One of my favourites. https://www.zincportdouglas.com/
- Salsa: 26 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877, Its been around for decades and much loved by the locals. https://salsaportdouglas.com.au/
- Seabean Tapas Bar Restaurant 3/28 Wharf Street, Port Douglas. We called in on spec for lunch mid week. Often when we visit restaurants we find there isn’t really much on the menu we want to try. I wanted almost everything on theirs. We had a simple, but fabulous meal between two people, and a jug of sangria. The bill came to $71 dollars! That is hard to beat. The best thing? There is no chicken breast on the menu. https://www.seabean.com.au/
Worth a mention
I’m not one for pub food. We went to the Palm Cove Tavern recently. The Palm Cove Tavern was a place where only the brave feared to tread. I once stumbled into the public bar by mistake and was conspicuous by my full set of teeth, sleeves, and clean clothing. It was an ordeal. All that has changed now. Carla, the GM, has converted this shady old venue into a place that is clean, bright and friendly. Over the bar Carla said: “I want to have a place that is friendly, family friendly, woman friendly. have you eaten here? We spent a fortune on the kitchens and we have gun chefs!” Out the front they have a sign saying: dogs are very welcome! They even have a special doggy menu with all doggy dinners prepared by the same chef’s the humans get. How could you not want to give it a try? 24 Vievers Rd. https://www.palmcovetavern.com.au/
Special mention
If you are serious about good food in a great environemnt, visit Thala Beach Lodge on your way north from Palm Cove, near Hartley’s turn off. The ambience is open air sophistocation and the food matches. We have entrees which were big enough. No chicken breast on the menu.
