Consistently leading the way
The craft beer scene in Far North Queensland has exploded in the last five years, thanks
largely to Hemingway’s Breweries and its multi-award-winning brews. And while
Hemingway’s has led the way in the specialised beer industry in the Far North, its two
breweries have also made an impact in another positive way.
Tony Fyfe and Craig Parsell helped bring the growing craft beer market to the region when
they opened their Port Douglas brewpub in 2016 and then their Cairns venue in 2018. Their
concept was to provide excellent craft beer alongside gourmet-style pub food in a fun and
social atmosphere.
The Port Douglas brewpub is idyllically positioned overlooking the Crystalbrook Superyacht
Marina in Port Douglas with beautiful 180-degree views of the marina and the Daintree
rainforest. Its much larger, 1400 sq m venue at the heritage-listed Cairns cruise
liner terminal overlooks spectacular views of Trinity Inlet and the peaceful waterfront of Cairns.
While both venues feature Hemingway’s excellent brews, they also serve craft beer from
other local and Australian breweries. Both also have a strong emphasis on providing locally
sourced ingredients in its food offerings, which include gourmet pizzas, seafood, burgers,
salads, tapas and a range of meat and seafood dishes in snack and meal sizes.
Led by Cairns’ head of hospitality Roman Haslinger, Hemingway’s welcoming atmosphere is
forging an exciting new social scene where locals and tourists from all walks of life easily
mingle together and get to know each other socially.
“For me, the restaurant and bar are like a beer garden in Europe or in Munich, where I am
from, which is basically a social hub for all kinds of demographics - from young to old, from
blue collar to white collar, anything,” Roman says. “It’s where they can all come together.”
Roman says while the majority of seating at Hemingway’s is on chairs and stools, there are
also four-seat tables and eight 10-seater ones, all designed to bring people together and to
encourage new friendships.
Cairns Hemingway’s, one of Queensland’s largest craft breweries north of Brisbane, is also one of the country’s biggest brewpubs. It has seating for 750 including a large interior and an
expansive outdoor area that also has undercover shade. Its 20m bar features 50 taps, including
Hemingway’s world-class beers that boast five gold medals, one silver and two bronze
from the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards.
Live music featuring local talent, fun nights such as Trivia Night, fabulous food, a welcoming
ambience and friendly, highly skilled staff help create the fun social environment that
consistently attracts satisfied visitors.
Roman says his team of quality and amiable staff help are a key aspect to Hemingway’s
success.
“The main thing is their interest and care,” he says. “They show they care about each and
every person who comes in here and are professional about what they do. It creates a good
team energy and good service because good service does not essentially always mean fine
dining service.”
Hemingway’s in Cairns is also a well-known venue for events such as the Festival of Spirits,
the brainchild of co-founder Tony and Roman. They wanted to shine a spotlight on the region’s
craft gin, rum and spirit producers. There’s also the Cairns Craft Beer Festival, which showcases local craft breweries and distilleries.
While the Cairns restaurant and bar is usually quite busy, bookings aren’t essential, although
there are some days the venue is fully booked for functions and events.
“I want people to walk into the bar anytime because I’m that kind of person,” Roman says. “I
never book restaurants. Not everything always needs to be planned. Some things in life
happen the best when you do not plan ahead.”
Hemingway’s Cairns Wharf
4 Wharf Street
0482 173 756
Hemingway’s Port Douglas
Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina
44 Wharf Street
0482 173 337
