Rainbow Beach is a small town, but do not let that fool you. This place punches way above its weight when it comes to food, and if you are stopping here on your East Coast trip (which you should be, it is the gateway to K’gari), you need to know where to eat.
Joey’s put together the definitive list of the best cafes in Rainbow Beach. Here are the spots backpackers keep coming back to in Rainbow Beach.
Right on the beachfront, the Life Saving Club is the kind of place where you can roll up in your board shorts, grab a feed and watch the waves at the same time. It is a proper Aussie coastal classic and one of the best value feeds in town, especially if you want a sit-down meal with an ocean view after a big day exploring the dunes.
A firm favourite for backpackers wanting something a bit different from the usual cafe menu. Great coffee, solid food and a laid back vibe that fits right in with the Rainbow Beach pace of life.
If you want the best coffee in Rainbow Beach, this is it. Little Parliament is a local favourite for a reason. It is a light, airy cafe with a genuinely great all-day breakfast menu, locally sourced produce and options for vegos, vegans and gluten free travellers. Perfect for fuelling up before a big K’gari day tour or a sandboarding session on the dunes.
This is the bakery every backpacker ends up talking about. Whether it is a beef pie before you
Rainbow Beach is not just a food stop. It is your launch pad for K’gari (Fraser Island), the biggest sand island in the world, and one of the most talked about experiences on the whole East Coast route. Fuel up right, then get amongst the dunes, the Champagne Pools and the rainforest that somehow grows straight out of sand.
If you are travelling the coast with JOEY, Rainbow Beach is a stop on every pass, so you will get the time here to actually explore rather than just passing through. See all of our other stops here.
The standout spots are Rainbow Beach Life Saving Club, Little Parliament, Salt and Pepper, and Rainbow Beach Pies and Cakes. Between them you have covered beachfront meals, specialty coffee, and bakery classics.
Little Parliament is the go-to. It opens early, has a strong all-day breakfast menu, and is a short walk from the main street where most K’gari tours depart from.
Yes. Rainbow Beach Pies and Cakes is one of the most affordable feeds in town, and most cafes here are used to catering to backpackers and travellers passing through, so portions and prices are traveller friendly.
Rainbow Beach is a stop on all JOEY Travel passes, connecting Noosa to Rainbow Beach as part of the wider Byron Bay to Rainbow Beach hop-on hop-off route.
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