Must-see restaurants in Queensland

  • Wasabi

    Noosa

    An award-winning, waterside destination restaurant, Wasabi is well known to visiting gourmets. Premium produce from the region and Wasabi's own farm sings…

  • Stokehouse exterior

    Stokehouse Q

    Brisbane

    Sophisticated bistro fare and relaxing river views make this one of Brisbane's destination restaurants. At crisp, linen-clad tables, urbanites toast to…

  • Eat Street Northshore

    Brisbane

    Brisbane's riverside take on the night food market feels like a gastronomic carnival, its village of shipping-containers-turned-kitchens peddling…

  • Interior of Ochre Restaurant.

    Ochre

    Cairns

    The menu at this award-winning waterfront restaurant makes innovative use of native Aussie fauna (such as salt-and-native-pepper-leaf crocodile and prawns…

  • BSKT exterior

    BSKT Cafe

    Gold Coast

    This satisfyingly industrial-styled cafe is only metres from the beach, but that's far from its only charm. It's the brainchild of four buddies whose…

  • Headrick's Lane

    Rockhampton

    All clean lines and industrial decor, this high-ceilinged restaurant and microbrewery makes intelligent use of a heritage-protected merchant's store in…

  • Maeve Wine

    Brisbane

    This narrow, timber-panelled nirvana for food and wine lovers (book ahead) is split into separate bar and bistro areas. Its sharing-style menu showcases…

  • Noosa Beach House

    Noosa

    White walls, glass and timber set an uncluttered scene at this effortlessly chic restaurant, the stamping ground of celebrity chef Peter Kuruvita…

  • Vaquero Dining

    Brisbane

    Hidden behind its own boutique butchery, Vaquero Dining has three obsessions: local produce, pickling and charcoal cooking. Expect beautifully executed…

  • Carl's

    Brisbane

    Carl's is the intimate, continental-spirited bistro-wine bar you wish you had on your street. A handful of tables share the space with the open kitchen,…

  • Cootharabar

    Sunshine Coast

    This polished, modern bistro-microbrewery is your best option for a quality feed in the area. Stake a table on the outdoor patio (overlooking the lake and…

  • Signature

    Brisbane

    Elegant dining thrives in this hatted, deco-inspired dining room, complete with flawlessly attentive staff, a 1000-glass-bauble ceiling installation and…

  • Balfour Kitchen

    Brisbane

    Should you nosh in the dining room, on the verandah or among the frangipani in the courtyard? This polished cafe-restaurant creates a very Queensland…

  • Spirit House

    Sunshine Coast

    One of Queensland's top dining destinations (book well ahead for weekends), Spirit House evokes the deep jungles of Southeast Asia with its moody tropical…

  • NOA

    Cairns

    Edge Hill, Cairns' hippest suburb, has plenty going for it: the botanic gardens, Centenary Lakes, a sprinkling of boutiques and coffee joints, and this…

  • Fish D'vine

    Airlie Beach

    Picture yourself in a vast dining area, where bartenders are shaking dark and stormy cocktails at the centrepiece bar, stocked with an absurd 560-plus…

  • Sum Yung Guys

    Sunshine Coast

    Flavours explode and thrill at this fun and popular place, co-owned by 2016 Masterchef Australia runner-up Matt Sinclair. He's usually in the kitchen,…

  • 1889 Enoteca

    Brisbane

    Italian purists rightfully adore this moody, sophisticated bistro and wine shop, where pasta is not served with a spoon and a Roman-centric menu delivers…

  • Etsu Izakaya

    Gold Coast

    Transport yourself to Tokyo at this mysterious and moody yet fun and vibrant space reminiscent of a Japanese izakaya. Prop up the bar or nab a seat under…

  • Three Blue Ducks

    Brisbane

    Sydney’s cult-status, produce-driven eatery has checked into Brisbane’s W hotel, complete with river views. Here, morning coconut chia pudding might come…

  • Gauge

    Brisbane

    In a crisp, sparse space punctuated by black-spun aluminium lamps and a smashing wine list, clean, contemporary dishes burst with Australian confidence…

  • Le Bon Delice

    Sunshine Coast

    From the tarts and eclairs to the dacquoises (made with almond and hazelnut meringue), the calorific concoctions from French-born owner and pâtissier Jean…

  • Tha Fish

    Cairns

    The ultimate in DIY seafood scoffing without actually having to do it yourself, Tha Fish lets diners choose between five types of fish (no cheapo shark…

  • Flames of the Forest

    Port Douglas

    This unique experience goes way beyond the traditional concept of 'dinner and a show', with diners escorted deep into the rainforest for a truly immersive…

  • Morning After

    Brisbane

    Decked out in blonde-wood furniture, terrazzo flooring and bold green accents, airy, contemporary Morning After turns out exceptional, produce-driven fare…

  • Pier 33

    Sunshine Coast

    Crisp, luminous and casually sophisticated, waterfront Pier 33 serves up beautifully textured, produce-focused dishes, both large and small. Indeed, the…

  • Naïm

    Brisbane

    Cafe-style Naïm wins on many levels: affable staff, laid-back vibe, verdant views from the back room, and fresh, gorgeous dishes inspired by the Middle…

  • Il Vento

    Sunshine Coast

    Part of Mooloolaba's revamped Wharf, boisterous, bistro-style 'The Wind' has blown in proper, thin-crust pizzas made in a wood-fired oven, and homemade…

  • Prawn Star

    Cairns

    Trawler restaurant Prawn Star is tropical dining perfection: clamber aboard and fill yourself with prawns, mud crabs, oysters and whatever else was caught…

  • Sourced

    Brisbane

    Decked out with a vine-laced front deck and open kitchen, chilled, warehouse-turned-cafe Sourced serves beautiful, seasonal cafe fare made with high…

  • Mexican Joint

    Noosa

    Away from the hustle, this relaxed, casual restaurant serves up seriously good tacos (mushroom, prawn, pulled beef, achiote chicken and more), plus…

  • Spicy Bite

    Cairns

    Cairns has plenty of good Indian restaurants, but none is quite as innovative as this unassuming place, where fusion food and curries have been turned…

  • Barrelroom & Larder

    Brisbane & Around

    Massive 150-year-old wine barrels (filled with port and muscat) flank the dining room at the Granite Belt's top dining destination. Located at Ballandean…

  • Spice Bar

    Sunshine Coast

    Slick, contemporary Spice Bar dishes up superb Asian-fusion fare. The menu is a share-plates affair, with highlights including Hervey Bay scallops, and an…

  • Sumi Open Kitchen

    Noosa

    Intimate, gracious Sumi offers a set-course menu from chef Giles Hohnen, who owns the place with partner Tomoko. From delicate dashi soup with prawn…

  • Social Eating House & Bar

    Gold Coast

    These simple, elegant dishes show you what Modern Australian cooking is all about. The menu ranges from soft-shell crab with green mango, peanuts and…

  • Urbane

    Brisbane

    After working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, Brisbane-born chef Andrew Gunn now steers Urbane. Widely considered Brisbane's top restaurant, its…

  • Emeraude

    Brisbane & Around

    Chef Amanda Hunt has saved Hampton from eternal culinary damnation with this smart, produce-driven cafe. Local produce (including ingredients from Amanda…

  • Velo Project

    Sunshine Coast

    A mishmash of recycled furniture and vintage ephemera, side-street Velo is an easy-going, breezy affair. Here, locals play board games while munching on…

  • Petals & Pinecones

    Cairns & Far North Queensland

    Creative, cute and quite unlike anywhere else on the Tablelands, this fun cafe-gallery is locally famous for its outrageous desserts and milkshakes…