Wondering where to eat on the Cocos Islands? While you won’t find big resort dining or endless restaurant rows, you will find fresh flavours, warm welcomes and a handful of much-loved local spots across West Island and Home Island. Here’s where to eat during your stay.
Where to eat and drink on West Island
A handful of locals serve a mix of Aussie classics and traditional Cocos Malay cuisine. Opening hours can be a little flexible. For up to date opening hours, get in touch with our Visitor Centre for a copy of the latest Eating Out Guide.
Surfer Girl
- Best for: sunset cocktails
- Book ahead: Yes, online or via the board outside the restaurant
- Open: 2 – 3 nights a week, plus Sunday mornings for brunch
Watch the sun melt into the Indian Ocean with a fresh cocktail in hand at Surfer Girl’s garden. Their rotating dinner menu makes the most of island ingredients — think coconut, local coral trout and tropical flavours.
Salty’s Bakery
- Best for: morning coffee, home made sourdough and pizzas
- Book ahead: No, but you can pre-order bread and pizza online
- Open: every morning and selected evenings
A local favourite for good reason. Grab a coffee and a toastie, take home a freshly baked loaf (bake days are Monday and Friday), or join the locals for Sunday night pizzas. Salty’s is as much about the yarn over coffee as it is about the food.
Sula Sula Servery
- Best for: coffee by the beach
- Book ahead: No
- Open: Usually Tuesdays & Wednesdays, but check with the Visitor Centre for the latest
After exploring the artworks at the Big Barge, settle into a shady seat beneath the coconut palms. Sula Sula serves coffee, sweet treats and light snacks just steps from the ocean.
Cocos Club
- Best for: relaxed drinks and meeting the locals
- Book ahead: No
- Open: Every day from 5pm plus one hour before the flight on flight days
The Cocos Club is the island’s social hub. Grab a drink and settle in for enjoy the easy conversation that flows between visitors and locals. Happy hour is from 5 – 6pm or you can grab takeaways to have at your accommodation.
Cocos Picnics
- Best for: romantic sunset picnics
- Book ahead: Yes, at least 3 days in advance
- Open: available on request
Let someone else handle the details. Cocos Picnics sets up a beautifully styled beach picnic complete with snacks and drinks. You simply arrive at your secret sunset location and relax. Two hours of grazing, ocean views and golden light.
Burger Bouys
- Best for: pub grub made with love
- Book ahead: No
- Open: Flight days for lunch and selected evenings
Located at the Cocos Club, the Burger Bouys dish up hearty favourites like burgers, fish and chips and chicken parmigiana. Pull up a chair, order a cold drink and settle in for a relaxed evening among locals.
Tropika
- Best for: convenient lunch specials
- Book ahead: Yes for dinner – pop your name on the board out the front by 2pm
- Open: Every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Serving a mix of Malay flavours and Aussie classics, Tropika is a reliable go-to. Their lunch specials offer great value, and the nightly buffet is popular.
Where to eat on Home Island
Home Island offers a deeper taste of traditional Cocos Malay cuisine and community dining experiences.
Sweet as Makan
- Best for: Malay buffet on Wednesday evenings
- Book ahead: Yes for dinner book online at least 24 hours in advance
- Open: Selected mornings for coffee and lunch plus Wednesday evenings for the Malay Buffet
Take advantage of the late Wednesday ferry to experience the much-loved Malay buffet. Expect fragrant curries, rice dishes and traditional flavours that reflect the island’s heritage.
Kampong Cafe
- Best for: traditional Malay cuisine
- Book ahead: Yes for Wednesday evening buffet
- Open: Selected mornings for coffee and lunch plus Wednesday evenings for the Malay buffet
For authentic Cocos Malay cuisine in a relaxed setting, Kampong Café is a local favourite. Enjoy a relaxed coffee or lunch, or book ahead for the regular Wednesday night buffet.
Seafront Pop-up
- Best for: Lunch on the go
- Book ahead: No, but get in early to avoid missing out
- Open: Selected mornings
Located outside Shamroks Supermarket, this casual pop-up offers ready-made meals perfect for a quick lunch.
Self-catering & groceries
Most accommodation includes kitchen facilities, and public BBQs are dotted around both West and Home Island — perfect for cooking up fresh fish or a simple island dinner.
Cocos Islands’ Supermarkets
A small supermarket is located on both West and Home Island. Non-perishable goods arrive by ship every 6–8 weeks, while fresh produce is flown in fortnightly. Because everything travels a long way, prices are typically higher than mainland Australia.
You’ll find the essentials (pantry staples, fresh produce and frozen goods) though choice can be limited. If you have specific dietary requirements or favourite items you don’t want to go without, it’s best to bring them with you.
Salty’s pre-order boxes
Prefer not to travel with groceries? Salty’s offers a convenient pre-order box of essentials, ready for collection when you arrive.
Cocos Islands’ local produce
Island life shapes what’s on the plate. On the Cocos Islands, coconut palms play a starring role.
Coconut snacks
Coconuts are everywhere in the Cocos Islands, so it’s no surprise they’ve become one of the tastiest local treats.
At Wild Coconut Estate, fresh coconuts are transformed into small-batch coconut ice cream and crispy coconut chips. Join a Wild Coconut Estate tour to see how they’re made (and enjoy a few generous samples along the way), or pick up their coconut-based snacks at Salty’s to enjoy back at your accommodation or on the beach.
Coconut honey
The bees of the Cocos Islands feast on the blossoms of the towering coconut palms, producing a rich, dark honey with a deep sweetness and subtle caramel notes. You can pick some up from the Visitor Centre to drizzle over your morning toast.
A taste of Cocos
Dining in the Cocos Islands isn’t about endless options — it’s about slowing down, sharing a table and embracing island time. From sunset cocktails and sourdough mornings to traditional Malay buffets and beachside BBQs, food here is simple, social and deeply connected to community.
