Rufus is one of the restaurants responsible for the revitalisation of Cairns CBD. This new-school contender among Queensland’s best regional restaurants pairs velvet booths and low lighting with a custom-built wood-fired oven that crackles under the command of chef Sunglea Cho. Seasonal local produce drives the menu here, from flame-kissed wagyu skewers to zucchini carpaccio neatly arranged on the plate. For interstate travellers, Rufus is a sophisticated setting for polished plates, considered cocktails and carefully chosen wines. 43 Spence St, Cairns; rufuscairns.com.au

Jungle Fowl brings bold, Thai flavours to Wharf Street in Port Douglas, making it one of the most exciting dining experiences in Tropical North Queensland. What a thrill it is to see chef Ben Wallace (ex-Longrain Melbourne) plating up raw kingfish with green nahm jim, betel leaves topped with prawn and pomelo, and rich Penang curries that deliver colour and flavour. The name pays homage to the hens in the kitchen garden that tend the soil, fertilise the crops and underpin the menu’s provenance. Welcome to the Jungle. Shop 2/28 Wharf St, Port Douglas; junglefowl.com.au

Chef Nick Holloway was one of the trailblazing chefs who helped establish the credentials of Cairns as a dining destination. Nu Nu is located on the breezy beachfront in Palm Cove where towering palm trees are bent into the wind and clouds billow over the Coral Sea. Nick has spent more than 20 years championing local ingredients such as coral trout, local prawns and tropical fruits. And for road-trippers seeking coastal restaurants in Queensland with water views, Nu Nu hits the mark. 1 Veivers Rd, Palm Cove; nunu.com.au/restaurant

Set on a 12-hectare regenerative estate in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, ēthos at Alsahwa Estate in Palmwoods is one of the most purposeful regional restaurants in Queensland. The menu curated by hatted chef Sophie Phipps is built around spray-free produce grown onsite and ingredients sourced from local farmers. Feast on dishes such as Falls Farms beets with whipped feta, walnut and blackberry vinegar or pea and lemon thyme risotto, which reflect the estate’s broader agritourism vision. 20 Rifle Range Rd, Palmwoods; alsahwa.com/restaurant

Acclaimed chef Dan Jarrett has traded his chef’s whites for bamboo baskets and wok burners at Pocky Asian Restaurant in Maleny. After a decade spent refining the offering at Spicers Tamarind, Jarrett has brought his modern take on Southeast Asian street food to the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Dishes such as prawn toast, pork and chive dumplings and rice-crusted barramundi headline the menu. Look for the neon sign and wall art that borrow inspo from the backstreets of Bangkok. 4 Maple St, Maleny; pockyasianrestaurant.com.au

Seasons pass without much fanfare on the Sunshine Coast as the temperatures stay fairly steady year-round. Playa Mexican in Kawana, between Caloundra and Mooloolaba, takes full advantage of its sun-splashed spoty on Bokarina Beach. The latest venture from restaurateur Tony Kelly blends coastal Mexican cuisine with local seafood. More Baja than Bokarina, it’s one of the best regional Queensland restaurants for cantina classics like fire-roasted salsas with snapper folded into tortillas and margaritas that arrive salty and spicy. Seanna Residences Building, Bokarina Bvd, Bokarina; playamexican.com.au

Fish House Steak & Grill on the Mooloolaba Spit celebrates the best of land and sea, earning its place among the best regional restaurants in Queensland for coastal dining done right. Line-caught seafood hauled in at Mooloolaba Wharf shares the menu with premium meats from nearby farms, including shiny cabinets with dry-aged beef on display. A subtle Japanese edge sharpens the offering at Fish House Steak & Grill where the chefs delivers polished plates just metres from Mooloolah River. 25 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba; fishhousedining.com.au

Put any preconceived notions about dining at a wildlife park aside. Warrior Restaurant & Bar at Australia Zoo in Beerwah is built around the premise of dining with a difference. And it’s safe to say the late Steve Irwin would be suitably impressed with the overarching commitment to sustainability that extends to the nutrient-rich local cuisine on offer at the restaurant housed within Crocodile Hunter Lodge. Yes, it leans into the ‘true blue’ tropes; but the food – carefully sourced and prepared – is fantastic. 88 Irwin Rd, Beerwah; thecrocodilehunterlodge.com.au/dining

The Long Apron at Spicers Clovelly Estate has built up an enviable reputation as one of the most refined restaurants with rooms in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Under the guidance of executive chef Geoff Abel, the restaurant leans into classic French technique while sourcing produce from local growers and the estate’s own kitchen garden. Beyond the simple pleasure of visiting regional bakeries, or exploring local markets, The Long Apron will delight those looking for destination dining in Queensland beyond the coast. 68 Balmoral Rd, Montville; thelongapron.com.au

Those lucky enough to have dined at Spirit House tend to want to spread the gospel about this institution. It engenders that level of loyalty. Set within tropical gardens in Yandina, the restaurant feels worlds away from the Bruce Highway, with its pavilions overlooking ponds filled with lotus flowers and humming with insects. Order the crispy Humpty Doo barramundi with tamarind chilli sauce; it’s one of the signature dishes on the Thai-inspired menu that has made the Spirit House such an institution. 20 Ninderry Rd, Yandina; spirithouse.com.au

It’s impossible to eat your way around the Sunshine Coast and not find yourself at one of restaurateur Tony Kelly’s acclaimed venues. The biggest issue we have with that is trying to decide which one to eat at. Giddy Geisha is a good place to start. Do not get overwhelmed with the wide selection of dishes on offer at the restaurant, which shares the same DNA as Mooloolaba’s Rice Boi. Just go the whole hog and build a banquet of kingfish sashimi, pork gyoza, yuzu honey chicken and Szechuan duck buns. South Sea Islander Way &, Market La, Maroochydore; giddygeisha.com.au

After winning hearts on Eumundi’s hip main strip, Jack Madden and his interior designer wife Jess Coolican upped stumps and moved their beloved Bask Restaurant to Peregian Beach. With its crisp white tablecloths and vases of native flowers, the charms of the original restaurant remain, but with the bonus of a sea breeze. Expect refined plates, thoughtful wine pairings and the kind of composed service that will make you pleased you made a pit stop in Peregian. Shop 3-4/218 David Low Way, Peregian Beach; baskrestaurant.com

Peli’s has settled comfortably into its riverfront address at Noosa Marina in Tewantin, offering a Mediterranean counterpoint to its pan-Asian sibling, Sum Yung Guys, in Noosaville. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Noosa River, where pelicans drift past as waiters parade across the room with plates of taramasalata, wood-fired flatbread and charred octopus. Mediterranean flavours inform the menu, with pomegranate molasses, labneh and fragrant spices adding lift to premium Queensland produce. 1A, 2 Parkyn Court, Tewantin, Noosa; pelisnoosa.com.au

Expect to play bumper cars with locals bouncing along the Bruce Highway from Brisbane to Hervey Bay on weekends to drink and dine at Bar Soma. Timo van Hest relocated to Scarness in 2022 to open this dimly lit neighbourhood bar and restaurant. Here, head chef Mitchell Chambers (ex-Exhibition and Gerard’s) wants you to be well-fed with a menu that moves between snacks and small plates and a set menu that riffs with Middle Eastern flavours. The eclectic drinks list spans cocktails, natural wines and sake. 5/346 Esplanade, Scarness; barsoma.com.au

Pack light and bring a healthy appetite to Blume’s kitchen in Boonah. Blume has transformed a former dentist’s surgery into one of the most compelling regional Queensland dining experiences. And here’s the drill: Jack Stuart sources almost exclusively from Scenic Rim producers. That includes ingredients grown in his Aunt Jen’s garden next door, which appear in dishes like zucchini tartlet with sheep’s cheese and saltbush. Expect smart wine pairings and a finish that might involve sweet cheese ice cream with apricot and almond praline. 5 Church St, Boonah; blumerestaurant.com.au