Best Restaurants in Townsville: Palmer Street to StrandUpdated

Townsville's food scene is anchored by the Palmer Street restaurant precinct (South Townsville), the Strand waterfront dining, and the extraordinary quality of North Queensland's seafood (the barramundi, coral trout, red emperor, and mud crab from the surrounding tropical waters are among Australia's finest table fish). The city's role as a major military and government centre creates a permanent population with disposable income and dining expectations that support a more sophisticated food scene than the city's size alone would suggest.

Palmer Street Restaurant Precinct — Palmer Street (South Townsville, 1km south of the CBD) is Townsville's most celebrated restaurant strip: the concentration of independent restaurants (Thai, Japanese, Italian, contemporary Australian, and excellent pub dining) on a walkable street has made Palmer Street the go-to Townsville dining destination for both residents and visitors since the 1990s. The quality of the restaurants has improved consistently over the past decade, and Palmer Street now offers several genuinely excellent dining experiences including the acclaimed Waterbar and Grill, one of North Queensland's finest steakhouses (showcasing the outstanding Townsville region beef).

The Strand and Waterfront Dining — The Strand foreshore precinct provides Townsville's finest casual dining setting: the Strand pier restaurants (Watermark Restaurant and Bar is the most acclaimed of the pier dining options, with extraordinary views over the Coral Sea and Magnetic Island), the Strand kiosks and food trucks (particularly popular on weekends and during the Strand Night Market), and the Strand Hotel (the historic Strand Hotel at the southern end, now operating as a hospitality venue) together provide a good range of options. The Townsville Seafood Festival (September, on The Strand) is one of North Queensland's most enjoyable food events.

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