A few weeks ago I had a couple of friends tell me they were going to Airlie and wanted a few recommendations on the ‘must do’ activities and the best cafes and restaurants in town for after their Whitsundays Sailing experience. They left an hour later with a full itinerary, I think I had as much fun planning their trip as they will doing it.

So if you’re planning on going to Airlie Beach and you want a little inspiration on where you start your day, look no further than here:

BEST CAFES (in our personal opinion)

• Cafe One3 – is our first pick for best Cafes In Airlie Beach, some of the best vegetarian and vegan food you can find, all made with spoonfuls of love and offered with a smile. It’s a Dr Suez themed café with a menu that changes daily so you can mix it up regularly. Although for some reason I am always drawn to the Lorax… Think mouth-watering omelettes with your daily greens, delicious sourdough, and the occasional random ingredient that you’d never think to put with it but tastes like a party in your mouth. Pretty sure one of my last meals had popcorn on it (and it wasn’t a pancake stack). One3 is a can’t miss for your Airlie Beach visit.

On the hunt for the best cafes in Airlie Beach? We’ve got you covered.

• Bohemian Raw – easily the best smoothie bowls I’ve had. Ever. If someone could give me a list of the best ones in Adelaide I would be forever grateful because boy am I missing them. My favourite is the “Muscle Repairer” but with acai – take my word for it – it’s a dream, and make sure you get all the works (granola, coconut yoghurt, fresh fruit – delicious). If your partner is coming for the journey but hates it when you drag him around to try bowls when you’re on holiday, don’t worry!

  They do a variety of delicious toasts with incredible spreads and proteins – there’s even something called a ‘man toast’ – I don’t think I need to explain this one any further. Plus the coffee is amazing, perfectly made and the girls in the café are so lovely. It’s located at the main departure marina for tours in Airlie Beach, Coral Sea Marina. And I can almost guarantee they’ll be some unbelievably cute doggos there too.

• Fat Frog – now, we wouldn’t be able to write an article on the best cafes in Airlie Beach without this one. It’s an absolute crowd winner every time. A quirky take on your everyday brunch menu and mouth-wateringly delicious without fail. If you’re feeling up for some sweets, give the brownie a go, but we warn you – it’ll be hard to go back from. The coffee is equally as amazing but pretty strong so we don’t recommend the large serve (it’s more of a small bowl than a large coffee cup…) unless you’re an adrenaline junky then hey, no judgment here.

  The portions of food are equally as filling – so ideal for that hangover you may or may not be nursing from what we call a drinking town with a sailing problem.

What’s better than a day in paradise?

Delicious food while you sit back and enjoy it.

If you’re just after a morning coffee, perhaps on your stroll along the Airlie Beach boardwalk (most of the best cafes are located along the boardwalk), then I suggest trying to find wherever the Mr Bean Coffee Van is located. On Saturday mornings it will be at the markets (which we highly recommend visiting) but during the week it sometimes moves around, it’s usually in front of the police station in Cannonvale.

But the coffee’s to die for, and the service is a brilliant way to start your day – you’d be hard-pressed to find a smile more big and bright than our dear friend Polly’s. She’s known for her cold brew coffee so definitely give that a whirl, or buy some to take home with you – it makes for a killer espresso martini, just saying.

As mentioned in our best restaurants article, if you’re after more of the best cafes in Airlie Beach then head on over to our friends at Whitsunday Menu for an extensive list of all your options – these are just my personal preference, but even so, it was hard to narrow down to just three! Happy eating!