Food & Wine

On the Food & Wine Trail

Tropical North Queensland has good reason to claim the unique title of the Fruit Bowl of the World. Besides the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforests, there is also exotic produce.

With the Coral Sea on the eastern side yielding a bounty of fresh seafood, and the rich volcanic soils of the mild Tropical Tablelands on the western side producing the best in tropical fruits, vegetables, spices, coffee and teas, it is no wonder that high quality chefs from around the world converge on this bountiful region, giving Cairns and Port Douglas some of the best restaurant menus in the world.

And there is good reason why we hold this title. Within the entire region, diverse micro-climates exist, each with different soil, rainfall and geographical conditions. This provides all the essential factors necessary for growing and producing a year-long supply of intriguing produce. In fact, more varieties of exotic and tropical fruit grow in Tropical North Queensland than almost anywhere else in the world.

The area is now responsible for 90% of Australia's coffee production; and wineries and distilleries make wines and liqueurs from banana, coffee, mango, lychee, jaboticaba, bush cherry, mulberry, plum, star apple and passionfruit.

Besides the differing climatic regions, the diversity is in part due to the fact that earlier last century people came from all over the world to work in the mining, pearling and sugar cane industries, bringing with them their individual cultures from all corners of the world. Settling in the area, it was not long before the farmers recognized that tropical and exotic fruit was more suited to the tropical climate than the fruit of the southern regions of Australia and subsequently introduced many exotic plants that were ultimately to become a dynamic part of the region.

In addition to that, the success of this tropical region is also dependant on the fact that there are very few politically stable tropical regions around the world, with high agricultural standards of research and development.

The rolling hills of the Atherton Tablelands are covered in tropical fruit plantations, farms and wineries, and are a feast for the senses. You can taste the wines and liqueurs and follow the journey of the local produce from branch to bottle. Look for papaya, longans, jackfruit, rambutan, ducasse, mangosteen, durian and lychees. You can visit farms producing delightful cheeses, taste tropical icecreams, see Australia's largest mango plantation or taste the world's lowest acid, highest flavour pineapples, the 'Mareeba Gold'. Wonderfully interesting places to include in your itinerary are Mt Uncle Distillery at Walkamin and The Coffee Works at Mareeba.

And if you yearn for something a bit more substantial than fruit and coffee, you can sample the famous local freshwater crayfish or lobsters, known locally as 'red claw'

To get the best out of this delectable trail you may choose drive yourself and take your time, following the Food & Wine Trail of the Great Tropical Drive - www.greattropicaldrive.com.au

In fact, the tastes of the tropics have never been more enticing. Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville and the Tropical Tablelands have all recently undergone a culinary renaissance. Top chefs in the region are winning national awards, while others are moving into the region to establish city-slick eateries, serving fabulous food using fresh local produce of the tropical north.

North Queensland's seafood has long been famous throughout the country and is in big demand overseas. Where better to sample the delicacies of the deep than close to the reef and rivers where they are caught? Compared with southern Australia, Europe, America and Japan, even mudcrabs, lobsters, large prawns and premium fish such as coral trout and barramundi are excellent value and the dishes created by our chefs are innovative and exciting.

With a dedication to local produce and experience in crafting native ingredients into modern exciting cuisine, our award winning restaurants offer a range of exquisite dishes, specialising in sustainable Australian regional produce, for tourists and locals alike.

Eating your way around the North is like travelling the world; and along the coast from Port Douglas to Townsville and inland from the Tablelands to the Gulf you will find traditional and unusual eating places from open timber eyries in the rainforest, restored railway carriages, and classic country pubs where the décor hasn't changed for decades. There are riverboats, cruising yachts, city pavements and esplanade walkways, balconies, verandahs, tropical gardens, wildlife parks or lakeside cafes.

Bon Apetit!

Enjoy the tastes of the tropics in one of our recommended restaurants:

Ochre Restaurant
Cairns www.ochrerestaurant.com.au
The Taste of Australia - sustainable regional cuisine by award winning chef, Craig Squire

Dundee's Restaurant
Cairns www.dundees.com.au
Fresh local seafood, Australian beef, crocodile, kangaroo, buffalo, emu and pasta.

Tha Fish
Cairnswww.thafish.com.au
Daily specials and an extensive à la carte menu featuring the freshest fish, mud crabs and crayfish cooked to suit your palate.

Hogs Breath Café
www.hogsbreath.com.au
Australia's only prime rib restaurant, and the enormous burgers are 'to die for'!

Golden Boat Chinese Restaurant
30-40 Lake St, Cairns Tel: 07 4031 8833
Highly skilled chefs emulate a traditional Asian style in true style.

Cherry Blossom Japanese Restaurant
Cairns www.cherryblossom.com.au
Healthy innovative or traditional Japanese cuisine is prepared in a range of irresistible flavours.

Marinades Indian Cuisine
43 Spence St, Cairns Tel: 07 4041 1422
Food for the senses .Nourishment for the soul.

Adelfia Greek Taverna
Cairns www.adelfiagreektaverna.com
Award winning flavours of Greece and true Greek hospitality from brothers Andrew, Danny & Chris Andre.

La Fettuccina Italian Restaurant
Cairns www.lafettuccina.com
The best exponent of Italian cuisine in Cairns.

Montezuma's Mexican Restaurant
Cairns www.montezumas.com.au
Dine on modern Mexican cuisine, in the ambiance of an ancient Aztec palace.

Mango Jam
Port Douglas www.mangojam.com.au
Funky and casual - world famous for their wood-fired pizzas.

C'Est Bon French Restaurant
Cairns www.cestbon.com.au
Superb, well presented French cuisine - a memorable taste of France.

Bang Espresso
Cairns www.bangespresso.com.au
Bang ... it's serious stuff - "We never tire of watching the perfect espresso extraction; rich and caramel brown, flowing like warm honey and finishing in the cup with a thick crema that is slow to dissipate. We grind on demand for each and every individual coffee."

Ocean Spirit Dinner Cruises
Departing Marlin Jetty each eveningwww.oceanspirit.com.au
A restaurant on the move - the perfect way to end a perfect day.

Cairns RSL Club
Cairnswww.cairnsrsl.com
Enjoy a quiet drink, an early lunch or a special night out.