13 Best Restaurants in Red Centre, The Outback

Beginning his journey in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and becoming one of Australia’s most respected experts in Asian flavors, chef Jimmy Shu has assembled teams of traditionally trained chefs who combine their cooking secrets with his contemporary take on Asian cuisine. Hanuman has been a favorite with locals and visitors for three decades.

Australian wines and Northern Territory specialty dishes like bush salads and Australian game are served at a lookout here before you dine on your buffet meal in the middle of the desert and enjoy an astronomer-led stargazing tour of the southern sky. A more intimate and pricier small-group table d'hôte four-course dinner called Tali Wiru is also available for a maximum of 20 diners at a different vantage point.

Barramundi is the name of the game at this venerable and popular restaurant on the banks of the dry Todd River, part of the Mercure Alice Springs Resort. The beer-battered "barra" is a drawcard here, but there's also a wide range of authentic curries to try. Inside is air conditioned but most want to grab a waterfront outdoor table for the views.

This inviting café is set within the grounds of the 16-hectare haven, Olive Pink Botanic Garden. The menu is filled with plenty of vegan options, with vegan breakfast, veggie bowls, and a vegan burger. Enjoy breakfast or lunch in the outdoor garden seating, surrounded by beautiful flora. You could get lucky and spot a passing wallaby.

Cowhide seats, tables made from old Ghan railway benches, and a life-size replica of bushranger Ned Kelly give this lively restaurant true Outback flavor. It's a touristy watering hole but well worth dropping by for a drink or two and taking a few snaps of the Aussie decor.

Red-and-white checkered tablecloths, Chianti bottles, and plastic grapes festoon this family-run Alice Springs classic spot that continues to draw in locals with traditional Italian meat dishes, pizza, and pasta. Take a tip from the regulars and preorder a serving of vanilla slice for dessert, or you might miss out on this scrumptious cake of layered papery pastry and custard cream.

Transforming from a casual eatery as the sun goes town, this laneway eatery offers tapas-style meals, live music, and a lengthy wine and cocktail list. The ambience is relaxed and welcoming.

In the center of the Yulara town center, this casual eatery has reasonably priced options, including affordable appetizers, salads, burgers, pastas, pizzas, and sweet treats. Open every day for lunch and dinner, it’s one of the most budget-friendly spots in Ayers Rock Resort.

Situated inside the Sails in the Desert hotel, Ilkari Restaurant serves specialties like lamb cutlets and kangaroo skewers at live cooking stations, giving you a sort of dinner-and-a-show experience compared to that of the usual hotel buffet. The buffet items change nightly and the decor reflects local legends with a Kuniya Dreaming mural covering the rear wall.

Kulata is a bit more than a grab-and-go café. This is where the trainees of the National Indigenous Training Academy take their first step in their hospitality career. You'd never guess the staff were just at the start of their careers though. Friendly and professional, serving coffee, fresh salads, and ready-made sandwiches which are perfect for a packed lunch for that day's adventures.

Bursting with charisma, this trendy laneway café has a slight hippie edge. It has all the feels of a Melbourne coffeehouse. And the coffee is deemed the best in Alice Springs. The menu here is focused firmly on fresh and healthy eats to grab and go.

Order steaks, barramundi, emu sausages, crocodile tails, or kangaroo loins from the server, then cook it to your liking Aussie-style on large barbecues. This DIY-dining option and its adjacent bar with live music is one of the most popular in the resort, and with barbecue being practically a national sport here, it’s easy to see why.

A lovely spot for a late-afternoon cocktail or mocktail, this casual poolside bar at Sails in the Desert offers an all-day menu of light bites from 11 am to 7 pm. A variety of wines, beers, ciders, soft drinks, coffees, teas, and juices are also available.