The Best Family-Friendly Restaurants Around Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays are great destinations for a family holiday with children of all ages. Sun, sand and swimming are top of the agenda along with snorkelling, visits to the Great Barrier Reef and island adventures.
To make the most of all of these activities and family tours you’ll need to keep your family's energy levels up. To help you out, we've compiled a list of the best family-friendly restaurants around the heart of the reef. In no particular order, here are our recommendations for best family-friendly restaurants around Airlie Beach:
Fat Frog Beach Cafe
A local icon in Airlie Beach’s neighbouring suburb of Cannonvale, Fat Frog is a quirky cafe with a laid-back atmosphere, great coffee and delicious house-made food such as salads, wraps, toasties and more. Fat Frog is the perfect brekky or lunch spot, with something on the menu for all ages. Dine-in and relax with magnificent views while your children play in the kids’ corner or text ahead to place an order and enjoy your takeaway goodies on Cannonvale Beach across the road.
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a great place for lunch or dinner, based right in the heart of Airlie Beach, with incredible views of the bay and the nearby Whitsunday Islands. Not only does Anchor Bar boast an amazing menu, but there's a great free pool where you can cool off and play around until your food arrives. Some of our favourite dishes on the menu include share plates (highly recommended to avoid severe food envy!), burgers, fish tacos, ribs and a dedicated children’s section with specials updated on the chalkboard daily. If the swimming pool isn't enough to keep your little ones entertained, there are also games and colouring books.
Jubilee Tavern
Jubilee Tavern is a family-friendly venue serving up decent value-for-money pub meals for lunch and dinner every day of the week. The Jubes, as it’s affectionately known to locals, offers healthy meal options for children where you can substitute vegetables or salad for chips. Plus, every children’s meal includes a bowl of ice cream for dessert! Parents can supervise the big outdoor playground from air-conditioned comfort through the full-length windows or sit in the undercover outdoor dining area while the kids run wild. The Jubes also has weekly bingo, trivia and darts nights and offers free courtesy bus pick up and drop off from your accommodation.
Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation
A short 20 minute drive from Airlie Beach you will find one of Australia's largest coffee plantations - Whitsunday Gold Coffee, home to The Great Barrier Bean! Drop in to sample the coffee and enjoy a tasty breakfast or lunch in the cafe, with woodfired pizzas available Friday to Sunday. Animal lovers will enjoy the large walk-through aviary with dozens of colourful parrots and quails, the resident chickens, goat and two playful miniature pigs and their toys! Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation also has a great air-conditioned kids playground featuring a jumping castle slide, teacup ride, coffee sack slide and padded flying fox.
Hog's Breath Cafe
Did you know that the first-ever Hog’s Breath Cafe opened in 1989 in Airlie Beach? That’s right, Australia’s favourite steakhouse originated right here! You’ll find the Hog’s Breath on the western end of the main street near the Airlie Beach Lagoon. With a dedicated kid’s menu, colouring-in pages, friendly staff and regular deals on kid’s meals, you can’t go past Airlie’s Hog’s Breath Cafe for a meal out with the family!
While you're here, check out our jam-packed guide on family holidays in the Whitsundays.
