Port Douglas may be a relaxed tropical town in North Queensland, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, but it takes its food very seriously.
From classic café fare to award-winning haute cuisine, bold breweries and elegant European diners, food lovers will find themselves spoilt for choice in this oasis by the sea.
Relax at The Courty
Affectionately known as ‘The Courty’, this iconic venue is the oldest pub in Port Douglas. Walking up the
town’s main street, it’s hard to miss the hotel’s elegant Queenslander facade with a sprawling veranda – a precursor to the classic country atmosphere you’ll find inside.
The menu is all about fresh local produce sourced by the chefs from around the bountiful region. Think soft tortillas generously filled with grilled barramundi and chipotle slaw, grain-fed Angus rump steak, and juicy pork belly bites with honey and sesame. You’ll also find all the pub faves and a dedicated kids’ menu.
Five nights a week, the beer garden is transformed into the top live music destination in town, live sport is streamed on the big screen, and the rooftop bar is turned into a tropical oasis for sunset cocktails.
Hatted Harrisons
Two-hatted Harrisons, located in the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, offers a high-end gastronomical dining experience inspired by modern British flavours.
Renowned Head Chef and owner, Spencer Patrick, uses the best Australian produce he can get his hands on (he’s a judge for the delicious Australia Produce Awards) and the menu is inspired by his time working in London, including seven years working with culinary superstar, Marco Pierre White.
The bar opens at 3.30pm for ‘social hour’, serving cocktails made to beat the heat, such as the Lychee Martini and Elderflower Spritz.
For the dinner service, guests can choose to dine à la carte, or indulge in the $100, nine-course set menu.
No one should miss Harrisons’ signature coconut ash charcoal bread with malt and molasses butter, and other standouts include the tiger prawn ravioli with a ginger and lemongrass bisque, and the 16-hour slow-cooked lamb shoulder served with Madras spices and kipflers.
Groups are invited to try the three-course feasting menu, which can be paired with a three-hour beverage package for an evening of indulgence. Or, pre-order the amazing mud crab feast, which comes with a variety
of delicious sides.
Waterfront dining at Choo Choos
For more relaxed dining, Choo Choos at the Marina is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week.
Take a seat in a carriage of the Bally Hooley Steam Train, which was a heritage railway that operated in Port Douglas until 2021. Now renovated, the adjoined train gives Choo Choos its unusual name.
This unique café is dog-friendly, so your pooch can relax by the waterfront while you enjoy barista-made coffee, smoothies and delicious, healthy granola bowls. Some standouts include classic blueberry pancakes
with lemon curd, crispy meringue and ice cream.
For lunch, the pulled pork sandwich with american cheese and slaw is a popular choice, and the satay chicken salad with vermicelli noodles and peanut dressing is a tangy treat.
French influence at the Epicurean
For a mini cellar door experience, head to the Epicurean. This French Mediterranean restaurant specialises in grazing boards and charcuterie, offering a variety of share plates featuring rillettes and pâté made in-house, artisan French cheeses, handcrafted cured meats, and sourdough baguettes, which are hand rolled and baked fresh each day.
These offerings can be mixed-and-matched to create the perfect board, or you can choose from a selection
of pre-set options. Regular seafood specials take your long lunch to the next level, including freshly cooked prawn cutlets and Queensland scallops cured in saffron infused citrus.
Meals can be accompanied by some top drops from an extensive selection of more than 80 wines, including 16 Australian varietals and the much-loved French champagne, Louis Roederer. Guests can enjoy wines by the glass or as part of a wine flight during Apero afternoons from 4-6 pm on Fridays. The flight, which includes three wines, changes monthly so there’s always something new to try.
Beers from the far north at Hemingway’s Brewery
Local favourite Hemingway’s Brewery is an independent company crafting beers inspired by Far North Queensland. On the waterfront at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina, it’s known for its relaxed vibes and top location for unwinding with a cold one while soaking up the afternoon sun.
Try a tasting paddle of five award-winning beers, while the beer-savvy staff share tasting notes and the stories behind each brew.
For those who know what they like, two-litre beer towers are available in the entire classics range, including the Tunnel 10 Lager, Pitchfork Betty’s Pale Ale and The Prospector Pilsner.
Pair your drink with a cheesy pizza, juicy burger, or a hearty serving of fries, and bring the little ones along to enjoy the dedicated kids’ menu.
There are plenty of non-alcoholic options available, as well as wines, cocktails, and spirits from local distillers, which can also be enjoyed as a flight.
Hemingway’s hosts regular specials and events, such as the popular Brewed & Distilled afternoon, where Hemingway’s head brewer, Lee Drummond, and some top distillers set up shop at the brewpub for three hours of tastings, stories and behind-the-scenes insight. Order a paddle, ask your burning questions, or simply pull up a chair and listen to the pros.
Back to nature at Osprey’s Restaurant
A ten minute drive south of Port Douglas will have you at Osprey’s Restaurant, tucked into the Thala Beach Nature Reserve.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this popular spot is quite literally hidden in the treetops, with views across the rainforest to Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef.
The à la carte menu changes seasonally and is inspired by the freshest local produce sourced from the on-site coconut plantation, the thriving edible garden, and whatever the neighbouring producers are growing at the time.
For lunch, try the grilled pork belly with corn puree and homemade jus, or a prawn carpaccio with mango coulis and citrus herb cream.
Start your dinner off with fresh oysters and a glass of champagne, before moving on to dishes such as spicy duck leg with rice noodles and grilled chorizo, or barramundi wrapped in banana leaf with steamed coconut rice and pak choi.
The bar is open all day for drinks on comfortable sofas with views of the Coral Sea, and if you want to linger longer, book one of the 83 boutique, eco-designed timber bungalows and suites elevated on stilts within the forest canopy. The Sandpiper Suite is an intimate hideaway located metres from the beach, featuring a private lookout path and views of the coastline, while the Birdwing Suite is set in the treetops with 180-degree views of the Coral Sea.
Wildlife is so abundant on the property, that the reataurant has a chalkboard where visitors can list the animals they have spotted while staying or dining.
Cocktails at Zinc
On the sands of Four Mile Beach is Zinc – a contemporary Australian eatery and bar with a menu inspired by classic European flavours.
Zinc’s cocktail bar is open from 2pm until late, while the dining room is open for lunch and dinner, with share plates and mains designed by Head Chef Brendan Cronin.
Brendan, inspired by the abundance of local seafood, meats, tropical fruits and vegetables, works closely with sommelier Shevyn Perera to create a thoughtful menu and wine list.
You could start your evening by tucking into grilled prawns with an orange and butter sauce and bacon dust, then move on to the deliciously pillowy gnocchi with lamb ragu and parmesan cream, or for something lighter, indulge in a barramundi fillet with a coconut curry.
Zinc butchers daily, selecting its meat from some of the country’s top farmers before cooking each cut over
a custom built open wood fire and charcoal grill. From bungalow pork cutlet to 365-day-grainfed wagyu rump, all meat comes with your choice of house-made sauces.
Loving this story on Port Douglas? Read about the best ways to explore the great outdoors in Cairns here.
Rex flies to Cairns, which is only an hour’s drive from Port Douglas. Book your flight here and check out the route map below for more details.
