70Spot Score
Salsa Bar and Grill
$$Restaurants · Port Douglas
International dishes using local produce in an airy blue and white space with outdoor seats.
4.8(2,625)· GoogleView details →
Cairns
Best Restaurants in Cairns (2026)
134 restaurants in Cairns, compiled from each venue's published details and Google Places data, ordered by Spot Score. Use the filters for suburb, price, hours and features.
134 restaurants · page 1 of 8
68Spot Score
Code Cairns
Restaurants · Holloways Beach
Code Cairns is a restaurant in Holloways Beach, Cairns. It holds a 5.0-star Google rating from 509 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 68/100.
5.0(509)· GoogleView details →
68Spot Score
Hello Harry (The Burger Joint) Cairns
$$Restaurants · Cairns City
Hello Harry (The Burger Joint) Cairns is a restaurant in Cairns City, Cairns. It holds a 4.7-star Google rating from 1662 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 68/100.
4.7(1,662)· GoogleView details →
67Spot Score
IGNIS Palm Cove
Restaurants · Palm Cove
IGNIS Palm Cove is a restaurant in Palm Cove, Cairns. It holds a 5.0-star Google rating from 285 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 67/100.
5.0(285)· GoogleView details →
67Spot Score
Nu Nu Restaurant
$$$$Restaurants · Palm Cove
Refined Australian dishes, from breakfast to cocktails, in a lush beachfront setting.
4.6(3,867)· GoogleView details →
67Spot Score
Dundees on the Waterfront
$$$Restaurants · Cairns City
Steak, seafood and Australian sampler plates with crocodile and kangaroo, served by the waterfront.
4.6(5,071)· GoogleView details →
67Spot Score
Miguel's
Restaurants · Palm Cove
Miguel's is a restaurant in Palm Cove, Cairns. It holds a 4.8-star Google rating from 885 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 67/100.
4.8(885)· GoogleView details →
67Spot Score
Waterbar & Grill Steakhouse
$$Restaurants · Cairns City
Spacious venue with smart modern decor using wood and stone, plus outdoor seating on a timber deck.
4.6(2,419)· GoogleView details →
67Spot Score
NOA Restaurant Cairns
$$Restaurants · Edge Hill
NOA Restaurant Cairns is a restaurant in Edge Hill, Cairns. It holds a 4.6-star Google rating from 1761 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 67/100.
4.6(1,761)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
Melaleuca
$$Restaurants · Port Douglas
Melaleuca is a restaurant in Port Douglas, Cairns. It holds a 4.7-star Google rating from 973 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 66/100.
4.7(973)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
Bellocale Italian Seafood Restaurant
Restaurants · Cairns City
Buzzing, modern venue opening out onto the street, for traditional pasta, seafood and mains.
4.7(774)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
Flynn's Italian by Crystalbrook
Restaurants · Cairns City
A stylish Italian restaurant on the Cairns Esplanade at Crystalbrook Flynn, rated 4.7 across nearly 1,000 reviews.
4.7(994)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
KOI Bar & Restaurant
Restaurants · Cairns City
KOI Bar & Restaurant is a restaurant in Cairns City, Cairns. It holds a 4.8-star Google rating from 492 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 66/100.
4.8(492)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
The Petit Cafe
$$Restaurants · Kuranda
The Petit Cafe is a restaurant in Kuranda, Cairns. It holds a 4.7-star Google rating from 915 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 66/100.
4.7(915)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
Nautilus Restaurant
$$$$Restaurants · Port Douglas
Upmarket Modern Australian food, with à la carte and tasting menus, in a tropical outdoor space.
4.6(1,456)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
Il Chiosco
Restaurants · Trinity Beach
Il Chiosco is a restaurant in Trinity Beach, Cairns. It holds a 4.7-star Google rating from 852 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 66/100.
4.7(852)· GoogleView details →
66Spot Score
Bam Pow
Restaurants · Port Douglas
Bam Pow is a restaurant in Port Douglas, Cairns. It holds a 4.8-star Google rating from 561 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 66/100.
4.8(561)· GoogleView details →
65Spot Score
Pistacchi
$$Restaurants · Cairns City
Pistacchi is a restaurant in Cairns City, Cairns. It holds a 4.7-star Google rating from 662 reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 65/100.
4.7(662)· GoogleView details →
About these results
Cairns's dining scene spans cuisines from across the world alongside modern Australian cooking that leans on local produce and seafood. Whether you're after a special-occasion table or a relaxed neighbourhood dinner, the list below is ranked so the consistently excellent rises to the top.
Listings are compiled from each venue's own published information and Google Places data, and ordered by Spot Score — a composite of attributed ratings, review volume, category fit and information freshness, not a firsthand review. Hours-based filters use published opening hours, which are not kitchen or last-order times. Sponsored placements are labelled and never counted in results. Spotted an error? Send a correction.
By neighbourhood
Restaurants by suburb
Restaurants in Cairns's busiest neighbourhoods.
Read more
Restaurants guides for Cairns
roundupCairns Nightlife: The Best Bars & Live Music
Cairns may be best known as the gateway to the reef and rainforest, but once the sun drops the city centre comes alive with a compact, walkable cluster of bars, breweries and live
Read guide →roundupFree Things to Do in Cairns
From the Esplanade Lagoon and Botanic Gardens to Palm Cove and rainforest escapes, these are Cairns’ best free outings — plus what costs extra.
Read guide →roundupCairns With Kids: Family-Friendly Things to Do
From the free Esplanade Lagoon to the Daintree, here are Cairns family activities worth planning around, with practical ideas for wet and sunny days.
Read guide →Restaurants in Cairns — FAQs
What are the best restaurants in Cairns?+
The restaurants on this page are ordered by Spot Score, which combines attributed Google ratings, review volume, category fit and how recently the details were re-checked against their sources. The highest scorers appear first.
How is the Cairns restaurants ranking decided?+
We blend independent signals — Google star ratings and review counts, popularity, the completeness of available information and freshness — into a single Spot Score out of 100. It is a composite of those signals, not a firsthand review, and it cannot be bought.
Can I filter restaurants by suburb or price?+
Yes. Use the filters to narrow by suburb, minimum Google rating, price level, whether a place is open now according to its published hours, and features such as dog-friendly or outdoor seating. A filter only matches venues whose details state that feature.
How many restaurants are listed in Cairns?+
We currently list 134 restaurants across Cairns and surrounding suburbs. Venues are added over time and details are re-checked against their published sources; please confirm hours with the venue before you go.
Do I need to book a restaurant in Cairns?+
For popular and higher-end restaurants, booking ahead is wise — especially Friday and Saturday nights. Many casual spots take walk-ins. Check the venue's own page or website for the latest, as we don't take bookings on your behalf.