We all know there’s two itineraries necessary when planning a holiday, the list of to-do’s (sights, tours, experiences) and the list of where to eat. Sometimes I’m not sure which I value more. What’s better than sitting down after a long day for a delicious meal? Doing it at some of the best restaurants in Airlie Beach, our scenic little beautiful sailing town in tropical north queensland.

It doesn’t get much better than outdoor dining in palm tree lined streets, white sandy beaches and azure seas. Transport yourself to lounging back in your chair (or maybe perched up, glasses on – I’m a Libran so I know that a menu choice can be a serious, sometimes stressful activity), perusing the menu, tossing up which one or two items to pick from the menu, and hoping your partner will pick your second favourite so you can experience twice as much. We’ve all been there – we get it.

It’s pretty hard to narrow down to a select few so for the purposes of a word count we’ve chosen our top three:

LUNCH

• Treehouse Cafe – there’s a number of delicious things on the menu (obviously, otherwise why would I recommend it) but give the fish taco’s a taste – and definitely don’t miss the waffle fries.

• La Tabela – amazing Italian food for a very reasonable price, and located right on the foreshore. I highly recommend the arancini balls, the risotto, and the gnocchi – paired with a delicious red wine. Yum.

• Northerlies Restaurant – great for dinner too but we recommend going for lunch and then sipping on cocktails and nibbles out the front on the beach as you lounge in the outdoor settings – even play a cheeky game or two as you wait for the sun to set. It’s a little more expensive but very worth it, and there’s even a free shuttle that goes to and from town, one of the best restuarants in Airlie Beach for both an experience and a meal.

Our vote for the best restaurants in Airlie Beach

DINNER

• Paradiso – tapas and seafood paella littered amongst an already delicious menu. Plus cocktails, so many delightful cocktails, occasional live music and an ambient setting nestled on the beachfront in the centre of town.

• Sorrento – a bar downstairs and the restaurant up, and the best place to watch the sunset over the boats in the marina. Ideal for a knockoff beer after you Whitsundays Sailing Tours downstairs with some pizza and beer battered chips, and equally as ideal for a more picturesque setting on the decking upstairs for a seafood platter.

• Fish D’Vine (and rum bar) – the best fish dishes in Airlie Beach and you can’t really leave our little beachside town without having at least one meal of seafood. Pair pretty much anything on the menu with their extensive rum list and you’re set for the evening.

And there’s plenty more where these came from – we’ve just narrowed it down to what we believe are some of the best restaurants.

We tried to go for both location and food on this one. So naturally if we’re the best for location we’ve included a picture (above) of our menu on the boats. Does it get better than delicious meals surrounded by water?!

Another of the best restaurants in Airlie Beach, and a real date night winner, would be La Marina. It’s down in Port of Airlie on the other side of town so a little more quiet, and ideal for sitting down to a delicious Italian carb load and a cheeky red wine or two as you look out over the twinkling lights on the marina.

There’s a beautiful feeling that accompanies a full and satisfied stomach, next to one or a few of your favourite people and the gentle hum of chatter and good vibes bubbling up through the air. The perks of a tourism town is not many people have a lot that concerns them aside from the next menu choice and what amazing sight to see the next day.

If you’re looking for more advice about ‘where to go and what to know’ then have a suss of our friends over at Whitsunday Menu – they provide an extensive list of exactly that. We hope we’ve given you a little insight into some of the best restaurants in Airlie Beach, but do your research too! That’s our personal preference, but there’s plenty more where that came from.

If fresh seafood is what you after take a look at our Whitsundays Spearfishing Charter, it doesnt get any fresher than this!