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Prawns are harvested off the coast of Port Douglas and we encourage our readers to try our local prawns, rather than farmed prawns. A bucket of prawns in Australia is similar to a pint of prawns in the UK. They’d be called shrimp by our US visitors. The prawns in Port Douglas are large, much larger than what the Brits would call shrimp and often way too big to go in a prawn cocktail.
Tiger prawns are common.
The prawns in Port Douglas often come in a bucket. They are simply steamed or boiled and served in their shells. Diners have to shell them themselves and dunk them in a sauce, usually mayonnaise or cocktail sauce. So where can you find this Australian treat?
Where To Get a Bucket of Prawns?
Menus change, chefs change and prices change. While we do our best to keep this post up to date, you may discover that these restaurants have changed their menus. Where we can, we give you links to online menus, and prices for prawns so that you can check.
If you want to buy cooked prawns to eat at home there is a fishmonger to the rear of Cole’s supermarket on Warner Street, which normally has cooked local prawns for sale. You can also buy prawns direct from the prawn boat when it’s in Port, usually before Christmas and Easter.
You will probably be unable to buy fresh prawns because everything has to be frozen at sea. Frozen local prawns (not farmed), are available at this fishmonger or direct from the prawn trawler. This fish shop is your best bet for any fresh seafood. Local reef fish include sea trout, Spanish mackerel, snapper and sweet lip. Mud crab is the local delicacy in Port Douglas. This shop does have live mud crab sometimes.
Most restaurants in Port Douglas will have prawns on the menu in some form. If you happen to go to Cairns, then Prawn Star (a boat restaurant) also serves prawns this way along with other simply prepared Australian-style seafood.
The Tin Shed
The Tin Shed normally has a 350g bucket of prawns on the menu for $35 Au. They’re on the snack menu, which means they’re available from 3 pm to 5 pm, before dinner service starts. The Tin Shed is also known as The Combined Club, so you will have to be a member, or sign in as a guest on the door. It has waterside seating and typical pub or club food with nightly specials. This 350g bucket is also on the dinner menu along with a 700g bucket for $70 Au.
The Tin Shed also has a seafood sharing plate on the menu which usually includes prawns.
This is probably the best place to enjoy a bucket of prawns in Port Douglas because of that fantastic view. Get there early to get a good table on the water’s edge and watch the reef fleet returning and the sunset cruise boats setting sail.
On The Inlet Port Douglas
On The Inlet closed down a few years ago, but this was always our favourite place to grab a bucket of prawns and watch George the Groper being fed. This no longer happens and the building has been demolished. But we have a photo of their prawn bucket for posterity!
The Court House Hotel
The Court House Hotel (pub) also has a bucket of Queensland prawns on the menu. Theirs are listed as $30 Au for a 300g bucket. They don’t specify if they are wild-caught or farmed. You can check their menu and opening hours here. They are open for lunch and dinner.
The Court House is a nice old Queenslander-style building on the corner of Macrossan St. and Warf St. It’s opposite the market grounds.
Lure, Port Douglas
Lure is in the Port Douglas Marina and has a cone of prawns on its lunch menu for $33 Au. Their menu is online here.
Can you come to Port Douglas without trying our local prawns? Of course not! Try one of these options in Port Douglas and tell us what you think.
