Eat & Drink

Eat & Drink There are a handful of small eateries here, all run by locals.

While dining options are limited compared with a mainland destination, you’ll still find a mix of casual takeaways, coffee, groceries and local dining across West Island and Home Island.

Because businesses are small, opening hours are seasonal and can change week-to-week. Check our sample eating our guide or pop by the Visitor’s Centre once you’re on the islands for the latest version.

Sample Eating Out Guide

An employee at Tropika restaurant holds a bowl of curry

WEST ISLAND Surfer Girl Restaurant

Sunset dinners and Sunday brunch

Watch the sun lower through pink skies overlooking the waves at this alfresco institution. Surfer Girl serves a rotating menu a few evenings a week from 5pm and Sunday morning for brunch.

Book online or add your name to the board outside to secure your spot.

Burger Bouys

Pub grub in the Cocos Club

Serving up relaxed island-style comfort food with something different on the menu thoughout the week, Burger Bouys are open in the Cocos Club from 5pm. Favourite dishes include burgers, pasta, chicken parmigiana, smoked local wahoo and homemade desserts.

A cocktail served in a coconut shell with a sunset against coconut palms in the background

WEST ISLAND Salty’s Bakery & Grill

Coffee, homemade sourdough and stone-baked pizzas

Salty’s is the go-to for a daily coffee fix, baked treats, toasties and more from 6:30am. Their freshly-baked sourdough, available on flight days, is hard to beat.

A few nights a week, the little window eatery serves up stone-grilled gourmet pizzas, locally caught fish n’ chips, and other treats. Take your meal away to enjoy on the sandbags overlooking the ocean or at Cocos Club next door.

After hours, Salty’s has a 24/7 fridge with cold drinks and snacks. Bring small change to pay via the honesty box.

A young man putting a pizza in the oven at Salty's on the Cocos Islands

WEST ISLAND Sula Sula Servery at the Big Barge

Coffee by the beach

Step inside the hull of a restored barge filled with one-off art pieces made from local flotsam, along with beautiful photography and ceramics. Set right on the beach, it’s a lovely spot to browse the gallery before settling under the swaying palms with a drink and a homemade sweet treat.

Check the blackboard for opening hours.

Big Barge Art Gallery

The Sula Sula Servery team smiles at the camera

WEST ISLAND Tropika

Reliable go-to for breakfast, lunch and dinner

For halal-certified Cocos Malay and Australian meals, Tropika is open for breakfast, lunch and buffet dinner seven days a week. Drop in for the $15 weekday lunch specials, and be sure to add your name to the blackboard by 3pm for dinner reservations.

Cocos Club

Drinks, social catch-ups and takeaway bottleshop options

Open every day from 5pm, the Cocos Club is a must-visit for a cold drink and chat with the locals after a day out. Happy Hour is 5:00pm – 6:00pm and there’s a bottleshop with a range of Australian and international brands to take back to your accommodation.

Special dish from Tropika on the Cocos Islands

HOME ISLAND Seafront Pop-Up

Quick bites on the go

A small pop-up stall outside Shamroks supermarket serves takeaway wraps, burgers and daily specials most mornings until 11:30am.

A hand reaches for a serving of spring rolls

Self-catering

The supermarkets on West Island and Home Island can supply you with essentials including pantry staples and a limited range of fresh food. If you have any dietary requirements or favourite food items, we recommend bringing them with you.

Co-Op Supermarket – West Island

A small shop with a range of groceries, open six days a week. You’ll find most things you need for your stay here but please note that fresh produce and options for special dietary needs can be limited given the islands’ remote location.

If you’re landing on a Friday and planning to visit Direction Island on Saturday, be sure to shop as soon as you land as the supermarket closes at 3pm, and doesn’t reopen until after the ferry departs. Please note, the supermarket is closed on public holidays.

Opening hours:
Monday – Friday: 8.00am – 3.00pm
Saturday: 10am – 3.00pm
Sunday: Closed

Shamroks Supermarket – Home Island

A local store with a range of grocery items, open seven days a week.
Monday – Friday: 7.30am – 4.00pm
Late night Wednesday: 4.00pm – 5.30pm
Closed for lunch on Friday: 12.00pm – 1.00pm
Saturday: 8.00am – 3.30pm
Sunday: 8.00am – 1.00pm

Home Island also has a small retail precinct with oriental groceries and gifts available.

It is rare, in this day and age, to come upon a place so delightful in both looks and temperament that, on the very first sighting, one’s jaw does genuinely drop.

Georgia Rickard Australian Traveller

If going with the flow is how you roll, you will love the Cocos Keeling Islands. They have a small – very small – country town vibe. Your activities revolve around the exquisite lagoon whether they be snorkelling, diving, fishing, parasailing, or just relaxing under a coconut palm reading a book while inhaling the frangipani infused air

Steve Klein Curious Campers

Scuba diving at Cocos Keeling islands is nothing short of spectacular. Fabulous visibility, pristine coral reefs, abundant marine life and all the trappings of a tropical paradise without the flashy resorts. Yes, it is isolated and it takes some effort to get there, but this is more than offset by the quality of the diving, the friendly locals and the very laid back and relaxing ambience of the entire place. It is quirky, fun and a great place for a holiday. We will return and soon

Phillip Tubb Melbourne

Don’t miss this place. My wife and I recently spent a fantastic week on Cocos Keeling Islands. We took the opportunity to take the twice weekly ferry service from West Island to Direction Island... we loved it so much we came back for a second time.

Mike G Joondalup

Home Island is definitely quieter than West Island with religion a big part of daily life but the locals were so friendly and welcoming. It was so nice to be able to swim straight off the shore in amazing turquoise water while we cooked BBQs at sunset. Highly recommended!

Pete