Quick Answers
Can day visitors eat at Emeralds?
Yes. Emeralds is open to day visitors as well as resort guests, and it’s the island’s main sit-down restaurant. The kiosk offers lighter takeaway food.
Do I need to book a table?
Booking is recommended in busy periods and for groups. Check current availability and requirements with the restaurant before your visit.
Are there vegetarian or gluten-free options?
The menu usually includes vegetarian and gluten-free choices, but offerings change, so check with the restaurant if you have dietary needs.
“Lunch on a coral island with the reef visible from your table — that is a particular kind of afternoon that stays with you.”
Dining on the Reef: Emeralds Restaurant at Green Island
Emeralds Restaurant is the primary dining venue on Green Island, located within the Green Island Resort complex and open to both resort guests and day visitors. With a menu that reflects the tropical setting — fresh seafood, local produce, and dishes designed for warm-weather dining — and a setting that looks out over the island’s manicured gardens and across to the Coral Sea, Emeralds provides a dining experience that is genuinely difficult to replicate anywhere else.
The Menu
Emeralds offers a range of dishes suitable for lunch and, for resort guests, dinner. The menu typically includes seafood caught in Queensland waters, tropical salads, and options for different dietary requirements including vegetarian and gluten-free choices. The kitchen uses local and Australian ingredients where possible, and the tropical fruit offerings reflect what is in season in far north Queensland. The bar serves cocktails, wines, and cold beverages — a cold drink on the deck at Green Island, after a morning in the water, has earned its own category of pleasure.
For Day Visitors
Emeralds is open to all day visitors — you do not need to be a resort guest to dine here. The restaurant provides the most substantial meal option on the island; the kiosk elsewhere on the island offers lighter fare and takeaway food. For a full-day visit, planning to have lunch at Emeralds is a comfortable way to break the day between morning and afternoon snorkelling sessions. Reservations for groups are recommended.
The Setting
The restaurant is positioned within the resort grounds, which are well-maintained and provide a pleasant environment for a meal. The combination of tropical planting, timber decking, and proximity to the beach creates a genuinely resort atmosphere — unhurried and comfortable. After lunch, the island is only a short walk in any direction, and the afternoon reef conditions are typically excellent.
A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Emeralds Restaurant good?
Emeralds Restaurant is very good and is well regarded by visitors to Green Island. It offers a relaxed, quality dining experience in a beautiful reef-island setting, making it a popular choice for both day visitors and resort guests.
Where is Emeralds Restaurant located?
Emeralds Restaurant is located on Green Island, a coral cay around 27 kilometres off Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef. It sits within the island’s resort surroundings, a short walk from the beach and jetty.
Can day visitors eat at Emeralds Restaurant?
Yes. Emeralds welcomes day visitors as well as resort guests, making it a convenient option for lunch during a day trip to Green Island. It is a relaxed way to break up a day of snorkelling and beach time.
Do I need to book a table at Emeralds Restaurant?
Booking is recommended, particularly during busy periods, to ensure a table. It is best to check current availability and any booking requirements directly with the restaurant ahead of your visit.
What kind of food does Emeralds Restaurant serve?
Emeralds offers a relaxed menu suited to an island reef setting. For current menu details and any dietary options, it is best to check with the restaurant directly, as offerings can change.
Travel Kindly
At Hot Getaways, care is our compass — and a little kindness makes every journey better. When you visit Green Island, we gently ask you to:
- Protect the reef — wear reef-safe sunscreen and never touch or stand on the coral.
- Respect the wildlife — admire the turtles, seabirds and marine life from a distance, and take your rubbish home with you.
- Support local — choosing local operators, cafés and guides helps this beautiful place thrive.
- Honour Country — we travel on the traditional lands and sea Country of Australia’s First Peoples, with gratitude and respect to the Traditional Custodians past and present.
- Be kind to each other — a smile, a little patience and a helping hand make the day lovelier for everyone.
Small acts of care add up to something wonderful. Thank you for travelling kindly.
