Turtle Rock Cafe — Restaurant in Queensland

Turtle Rock Café, Cape Tribulation – 3 Stars

Turtle Rock Café is a cozy little spot perfect for a quick break while exploring Cape Tribulation. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the staff are friendly and welcoming. Toilets are clean, although they are clearly outdated and could use a refresh.

WiFi is available but comes with an extra charge unless you're an overnight guest — $5 for 1 hour or $10 for 3 hours. Overnight stayers can enjoy it free of charge.

The menu offers a good variety of options, including:

Bagels like "Gone Fishing" (smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, rocket, capers, red onions)

Paninis such as "Goodness Gracious" (sweet potato and cashew spread, sun-dried tomato, vegan pesto, zucchini, spinach) and "Chook Me Up" (chicken pesto, mozzarella, tomato, red onion, rocket, cream cheese)

Smoothies including "Queenslander," "Berrylicious," "Green Boost," and "Go Nuts"

Smoothie Bowls like "Jungle Kick," "Get Nutty," and "Glowing Sunshine"

Specials like a Papaya Breakfast Bowl and Green Curry with Barramundi

A full breakfast and lunch menu with burgers, wraps, and salads.

Unfortunately, the biggest letdown for me was the food quality. I ordered the chicken bowl, which consisted of rice, nachos, some salad, dip, and half-cooked chicken. The chicken was really disappointing — it tasted undercooked and not fresh at all. I initially ordered it without coriander because of an allergy, but it was still included. Thankfully, the chef personally apologized and quickly replaced it.

The plus is a water station for free!

Overall, Turtle Rock Café is an okay stop if you're just after a drink or a smoothie, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a proper meal. I personally wouldn’t come back for the...

We visited Turtle Rock Café as part of our full-day Daintree Rainforest tour, with lunch arranged in advance by our tour operator. It’s a popular stop for tour groups visiting Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef. By the time we arrived, our meals were ready and waiting, which was great after a morning of exploring.

We had the vegetarian black bean and rice bowl with chips and salsa — simple, filling. Many in our group ordered different dishes, and everything looked well-prepared. After lunch, we ordered two smoothies from the counter — one made with passionfruit, mango, and coconut water, and the other with spinach and coconut water. Both were fresh-frozen, and perfect for the drive back.

The café is casual with plenty of outdoor seating. They also rent gear, and there are public bathrooms right behind the café. It’s a convenient and relaxed spot to stop, refuel, and stretch your legs before heading out.

The only small downside was a brief interaction with one staff member at the counter who seemed a bit abrupt when answering a question — possibly just a moment of miscommunication. Everyone else was friendly, and service overall was quick and efficient.

All in all, a solid lunch stop in a stunning part...

I was on a holiday with my partner and my mother and we decided to stop in this nice looking cafe for lunch. The food was great, my mum had a fish and chips, my partner and I had a rice bowl; however, the service was below par! The Italian lady who was at the register had a bit of an attitude when taking the order. I forgot to add something to the bowl I ordered to my partner and she was very unhappy that she had to type the order again, she even sighed. I didn’t even finish my order and she was asking me do you want to pay cash or card ? She also gave me the wrong buzzer and she said to me to press the button as she was annoyed that it kept buzzing , how would I know that I had to press the button , why didn’t she do it as it was right in front of her ? she was SO RUDE. Eventually when the buzzer went off to collect the food, it was not even our food anyhow. If you had a bad day or if you do not want to talk to customers who are paying your wages , just go and clean tables or work in the kitchen but don’t stand in front of the business taking orders when you certainly do not have the qualities for it. It is a total shame as everyone else seemed so friendly and the...