The Reef House Restaurant

The Reef House Restaurant is a refined dining destination in Palm Cove, Cairns, set beneath Melaleuca trees with views towards the Coral Sea. The restaurant has been part of The Reef House since the 1960s, and its evening setting is deliberately intimate, with candlelight, palms and sea breezes creating a relaxed backdrop for a special dinner. It suits couples looking for a romantic meal, as well as guests celebrating an occasion or enjoying a leisurely holiday lunch.

The kitchen focuses on North Queensland produce, with a choice of à la carte and degustation dining at dinner. Seafood is a particular feature: the restaurant’s seafood platter can include natural oysters, Moreton Bay bugs, tiger prawns, yellowfin tuna sashimi, beetroot-cured salmon blinis and salmon caviar. The platter is available in the restaurant, poolside or in-room, with 24 hours’ notice required. High Tea is offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:30pm, pairing savoury sandwiches, lemon myrtle scones and sweet treats with bottomless tea from Cairns-based Blackbooks Tea.

Wine is a significant part of the experience, with the list averaging around 250 Australian and imported labels. The on-site sommelier can help match a bottle to the meal and individual tastes. Dinner is served from 6pm to 8pm, while lunch runs from 12pm to 2pm; bookings are essential, and dinner availability can be limited. Breakfast is available only to in-house guests. The restaurant also offers vegetarian and vegan menu choices, plus private dining on selected Reef House patios and balconies with dedicated wait staff.

Executive Chef Sanjesh Shankar brings more than 20 years of culinary experience in Tropical North Queensland and a focus on local ingredients, regional flavours and the restaurant’s Queensland on a Plate philosophy. The venue has been named North Queensland Restaurant of the Year for 2025, following earlier wins in 2024, 2022, 2021 and 2020. Guests must be aged 16 or over, making this better suited to adult dates, quiet celebrations and small private or corporate groups than family dining with young children.