Nu Nu Restaurant: Tropical Fine Dining on the Shores of Palm Cove
- BELLBRY LODGE
- Jul 9
- 3 min read
From seaside cafés to celebrated kitchens, the Northern Beaches of Cairns are home to a vibrant and evolving dining scene — where tropical produce, coastal charm, and creative flair meet. In this series, we’re shining a light on some of the region’s most memorable restaurants.
First up: Nu Nu Restaurant, a Palm Cove icon where barefoot ease meets fine dining, and every plate tells a story of the tropics. At Nu Nu, every detail — from the sea breeze to the seared scallops — feels like a celebration of Tropical North Queensland’s vibrant, edible landscape.
Image credits: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Award-winning chef Nick Holloway and his team create daily-changing menus that sing with the flavours of the tropics. Think native ingredients, coastal seafood, and bold, inventive combinations that somehow feel effortless.
It's a place where you can arrive barefoot and still enjoy a world-class degustation.
A Menu That Changes With the Tide
Nu Nu’s dishes are crafted around what's fresh, foraged, and full of flavour. While the exact dishes vary daily, here’s a taste of the kind of seasonal brilliance you might encounter:
BBQ leader tiger prawn, jungle butter, burnt pineapple & chilli – smoky, buttery, and bursting with tropical heat
BBQ scallop with green masala and smoked yoghurt
Sticky caramel beef with lime and crispies
Raw yellowfin tuna, smoked almond, and chilli oil
Local line-caught reef fish in red curry with pipis and coconut
BBQ beef striploin with lime kosho and miso caramel
Vibrant vegetable sides like fried zucchini with chilli salsa and ginger caramel or BBQ cabbage in pineapple and peanut curry round out the table, often paired with hand-threshed, rain-fed sticky rice.
To finish, the tropical tone continues with something like young coconut, frozen passionfruit curd, monkey butter and hibiscus granita — a dessert made for warm, beachside evenings.
Or, if you're lucky, you might catch their Pumpkin Pie!
Made from local Thai-style pumpkins, this comforting classic is fortified with dark brown sugar, warming spices, and local full cream milk, poured into a nutty wholemeal crust of macadamias, pumpkin seeds and mangrove honey. A big swodge of burnt honey cream seals the deal — rich, nostalgic, and an autumnal delight that’ll cheer up the gloomiest of days.
Desserts made for warm, beachside evenings.
Image credits: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Cocktails Worth Slowing Down For
At Nu Nu, the bar menu is every bit as inventive and locally rooted as the food. Each cocktail captures the spirit of the tropics — fresh, unexpected, and designed to be sipped slowly by the sea. Here are a few that truly stand out:
Pineapple & Ginger Mojito
White rum, house made local pineapple & ginger syrup, fresh citrus & Vietnamese mint
Spicy, sassy and delicious.
Coconut Sorbet Martini
Frozen vodka, shaken with @numi.icecreamery coconut sorbet
Cool, creamy, and utterly irresistible — like a tropical breeze in a glass.
Pair them with prawns, a palm-fringed view, and the promise of an unhurried evening. Add Nu Nu to your dining list when staying at Bellbry Lodge — it’s a tropical taste experience worth savouring.
Planning to visit?
Bookings are recommended, especially for dinner and weekend brunch.
Nu Nu Restaurant
Palm Cove, QLD
📞 (07) 4059 1880
