Incredible Uluṟu Restaurants & Experiences

From fine bush tucker dining to cheap barbecue cook-ups, you’ll be ready to devour the desertscape once you’ve read about these top Uluru restaurants and dining experiences.

Wild watermelons. Billy goat plums. Emu prosciutto. Tjanmata and wakati, honey ants and maku. Tarulka and wakalpuka seeds; there is a long list of flavours and foods you will likely taste for the very first time in the Red Centre. Those with an adventurous palate will reap the rewards.

But where to start? From eating delicate indigenous-flavoured nibbles under the stars to supporting Indigenous employment at local cafes, here are our top dining experiences near Uluru.

Fine dining near Uluru

Tali Wiru

Paroo kangaroo tartare? Quandong coulis and native warrigal greens? Kakadu plum compote? If your fork fingers are twitching right now, it’s time to book the Tali Wiru experience . Available at the Ayers Rock Resort, Tali Wiru means ‘beautiful dune’ in local Aṉangu language, and is one of the highlights at Uluru when it comes to experiencing bush-tucker fine dining.

You and a small group will travel out to the dunes to dine on canapes, followed by three courses paired with wines from the desert kitchen run by a talented team of Indigenous staff, and flavoured by foraged foods. And it doesn’t finish there — your time out among the dunes also includes a didgeridoo performance and Indigenous storytelling.

Prices start from $440 per person.

Guests dining at Tali Wiru at Uluru — Tali Wiru means ‘beautiful dune’ in local Aṉangu. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

Sounds of Silence [closed for maintenance until February 2025]

Perhaps one of the most famous dining experiences in Uluru is the Sounds of Silence . The night begins with you being picked up at your hotel, and taken out to the outback between Kata Tjuta and Uluru, for canapes, wines and a BBQ buffet characterised by Indigenous flavours, all as the sun sets. The night also includes a stargazing talk, where the speaker will explain to you the meaning and stories behind the constellations above.

Guests dining at Sounds of Silence at Uluru — Watch the sun set over Uluru at Sounds of Silence. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

It is highly recommended to combine this with a night at Bruce Munro’s Field of Light, the installation that saw 50,000, gently glowing lights installed in the Central Australian desert. A Night at Field of Light includes entry to the exhibition, a three-course bush tucker menu, a stargazing talk and a didgeridoo performance.

Field of Light at Uluru — Bruce Munro’s Field of Light is one of Uluru’s biggest attractions. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

A Night at Field of Light starts from $335 for adults, while Sounds of Silence is from $234.

Dining at a Night at Field of Light in Uluru — A Night at Field of Light is a must-see. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

Uluru restaurants

Arnguli Grill & Restaurant

For an intimate dinner, the Arnguli Grill & Restaurant at the Desert Gardens Hotel is the place to head in the Ayers Rock resort. Arnguli (the Pitjantjatjara word for bush plum) dishes up food underscored with Indigenous flavours of the surrounding landscape. Opt for a native tasting plate if you’re not sure where to start.

Mangata Bistro & Bar

Next door, you will find the Mangata Bistro & Bar. Named for the desert quandong, Mangata’s speciality is buffet breakfast, as well as light lunches and dinners. Tuck into native peppered kangaroo kebabs, a hearty bowl of wallaby ragu pasta, or a green paw-paw mango salad after a midday dip in the nearby pool.

Ilkari Restaurant

Located at the five-star Sails in the Desert, Ilkari Restaurant is the place to be if you’ve opted for a buffet breakfast while staying here. Ilkari (the Pitjantjatjara word for sky) serves up a range of breakfasts, from continental pastries and fruit and Western-style cooked eggs and bacon to Asian soups and an omelette station. You can also opt to return for dinner, where there is another buffet menu, which incorporates Indigenous bush tucker flavours. And — keep the kids calm — there is a chocolate fountain, too.

Uluru cafes

Walpa Lobby Bar

Named after the Pitjantjatjara word for wind, Walpa Lobby Bar offers casual lunch and dinner , as well as tapas-style eats come evening. These oh-so-scrummy nibbles include baked camembert with quandong jam, emu koftas with river mint yogurt, and avocado, green pea and desert lime guacamole on tortillas. Sit up at the bar to consume, order a cocktail, and indulge in a spot of people-watching.

Geckos Cafe

If you’d rather go a la carte come breakfast time, head to the Town Square to Geckos Cafe . Serving up a range of modern Australian breakfast staples from bircher muesli and poached eggs on toast, to toasted banana bread and croissants, there is also pizza and pasta here for lunch and dinner. After something more hearty? Burgers, parmis and fish and chips are also dished up at Geckos.

Cheap eats near Uluru

Outback Pioneer BBQ and Bar

Grab your tongs, crack open that beetroot can and fire up the barbie — it’s time to get extra Aussie at the Outback Pioneer BBQ and Bar. Located out at the Outback Pioneer Hotel , this DIY barbecue experience is available to try out every evening, and from lunch on Sundays. Simply pick out your preferred cut (emu sausages, kangaroo skewers and more are available among more familiar offerings of steak and barra), and cook away. Sides are available as well.

Rather have someone else do the cooking? The nearby Outback Pioneer Kitchen has hearty pub fare, to be consumed at communal tables where you can meet fellow travellers.

Couple sitting at barrel at Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge in Uluru — The DIY barbecue experience is available to try out every evening. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

Kulata Academy Cafe

One of the most cost-effective places to go in Yulara also has one of the best reasons to go there. As well as serving up sandwiches, pies, salads, smoothies and desserts from around the $9 mark for breakfast and lunch, Kulata’s staff are trainees of the resort’s National Indigenous Training Academy. This means you are supporting them to get their skills polished up for a career in hospitality. We’ll sip a smoothie to that.

Bush Tucker Talk

Did you know a stay at the resort includes a whole heap of free experiences? And for the culinary-minded among you, we’d recommend putting the Bush Tucker Talk at the top of your list . This 45-minute talk gives you an introduction to Indigenous bush tucker food, and even includes a cooking demonstration. Runs daily at 1 pm.

Bush-Food-Experience-with-ili-bush-figs-quandongs — The 45-minute talk gives you an introduction to Indigenous bush tucker food, and even includes a cooking demonstration. (Image: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

Want to know what else to do at Uluru? Check out our guide to Uluru here.

Spend a few days visiting the real-life Central Australian locations that inspired the new film everyone is talking about, and discover why Alice Springs is such an important part of Australian culture.

In the credits of the new Australian film Kangaroo , the first name under ‘cast’ should read ‘The Northern Territory ’. Not only is Alice Springs (and the surrounding landscape) integral to the movie itself, but the spiritual heart of Australia and its local Indigenous owners also inform the look and feel of every frame, explains Producer Trisha Morton-Thomas of Brindle Films, who also plays Charlie’s grandmother Gwennie.

“By setting Kangaroo in Alice Springs (Mparntwe), the film embraces how visible Aboriginal people are here, and the living Aboriginal culture that is woven through this community,” she explains.

still from kangarro film — See *Kangaroo*, then visit the real-life filming locations.

And while shooting in such a sacred part of the Northern Territory required extra planning, it was something the cast and crew were highly invested in.

“There are incredibly significant sacred sites and places of deep cultural stories in the area, that at times are very gender-specific, which we’ve kept out of the production,” she explains. “Even if overhead drone footage captures a sacred site that isn’t meant to be seen by other people outside of that clan, we’ve made sure to omit it from the film.”

If Kangaroo piqued your interest in a Central Australian holiday, we don’t blame you. Read on to discover eight places featured in the movie that you can visit in real life – and get planning. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen and a hat.

1. Alice Springs/ Mparntwe

artist at Many Hands Art Centre — Visit the galleries of Alice Springs, like Many Hands Art Centre. (Image: Tourism NT/ Helen Orr/ Many Hands Art Centre)

The red and dusty streets of the film’s fictional town of Silvergum were filmed on the outskirts of Alice Springs. And, while the art gallery featured in the film is fictional, Alice Springs is a hub of creativity. See the work of local artists at the Araluen Art Centre , Yubu Napa Art Gallery , Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre and the famous Tjanpi Desert Weavers .

2. The Kangaroo Sanctuary & Kangaroo Rescue Centre

The Kangaroo Sanctuary Alice Springs, the inspiration for the Kangaroo move — Visit the movie’s inspiration at Kangaroo Sanctuary. (Image: Tourism NT/ Kangaroo Sanctuary)

Kangaroo was inspired by the journey of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, who founded the now world-renowned Kangaroo Sanctuary based in Alice Springs. For lead actor, Aussie Ryan Corr, the animals were central to the movie, alongside the landscapes.

“The animals in this story were a real calling point for me,” he explains. “What this story tries to tell us about the connection between humans and animals is beautiful.”

To gain a real insight into the fauna and flora of the Red Centre, you can visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary on a sunset tour, where you might even get the chance to hold a baby kangaroo.

3. Ormiston Gorge

woman walking along the edge of Ormiston Gorge near alice springs — Take a dip in Ormiston Gorge. (Image: Tourism NT/ @domandjesso)

The film captures the raw beauty of the West MacDonnell Ranges, known in the Arrernte language as Tjoritja. This national park is rich in Indigenous culture and stark geological wonders.

Only a 15-minute drive from Alice Springs, Tjoritja offers visitors the chance to camp, hike and swim among ancient landscapes (most attractions are less than a three-hour drive away).

Ormiston Gorge , a cooling oasis in among the red desert sands, is one of the most popular destinations, no doubt because of the permanent swimming hole and towering red cliffs. From here, visitors can also embark on the beautiful Ormiston Pound Walk and the shorter – more accessible – Ghost Gum Walk. Bring your bathers – it’s safe for swimming.

4. Standley Chasm

woman walking through Standley Chasm near alice springs — Wander through Standley Chasm. (Image: Tourism NT)

The 1.2-kilometre walk to nearby Standley Chasm will be a highlight for any visitor as the imposing 40 metre-high chasm walls project strength and ancient wisdom.

Visit at midday to experience the path illumined by the midday sun. Not only will you fill your camera roll with vibrant red images of the gorge and its intoxicating shadows, but you can also camp nearby in a powered or unpowered site so you can watch the brilliance of the desert stars fill the night sky after dusk.

5. Simpsons Gap

three people walking on path through simpsons gap near alice springs — Walk the trails of Simpson’s Gap. (Image: Tourism NT/ Helen Orr)

Closer to Alice Springs, the photogenic Simpsons Gap is the perfect place to spot the endangered Black-footed Rock wallaby near the permanent watering hole. While swimming isn’t permitted, soaking up the sun and views certainly is.

Explore the area’s numerous walking trails, appreciate the soaring cliffs on either side of the ‘gap’ and pick out the shooting locations of Kangaroo in the area.

6. Ellery Creek Big Hole

aerial of Ellery Creek Big Hole near alice springs — Dive into Ellery Creek Big Hole. (Image: Tourism NT/ Tourism Australia)

When it comes to classic Northern Territory landscapes, you can’t go past Ellery Creek Big Hole/ Udepata : tall gum trees sidling up to a refreshing watering hole (fed by the West MacDonnell Ranges and surrounded by rugged red cliffs.

Swim in the cooling waters, hike the cliff tops, watch for birds and even stargaze as you camp here overnight. It’s locations like this that attracted the film’s director Kate Woods to the project.

“It humbles you to be in this environment: it’s so beautiful, so old and so vast,” she explains. “I was thrilled to get a chance to … shoot such a beautiful story in the incredible landscape of the Northern Territory.”

7. Larapinta Drive

aerial of Larapinta Drive into alice springs — Drive along Larapinta Drive. (Image: Tourism NT)

There is no better way to get a feel for how the characters arrived at the fictional Central Australian town of Silvergum than to travel along the iconic state road, Larapinta Drive.

Connecting Alice Springs to the mighty King’s Canyon in the west, via the historic community of Hermannsburg, this road takes in the West MacDonnell National Park, Alice Springs Desert Park and artist Albert Namatjira’s house, among other attractions. Take your time, bring a camera and prepare for numerous stops along the way.

8. Todd River

competitors in Henley on Todd Regatta, alice springs — Join in the fun of the quirky Henley on Todd Regatta. (Image: Tourism NT/ TImparja Creative)

Meandering through Alice Springs like a lazy Western Brown snake, the Todd River is a central part of Alice Springs culture. Known as an ‘intermittent river’, the Todd can go from a dry dusty riverbed to a flowing waterscape in less than 15 minutes after heavy rainfall.

When it’s dry, the famous Henley on Todd Regatta fills the sandy riverbed with handmade ‘boats’ carried by sailors. This is the world’s only dry river boating event, and it’s referenced in the ‘Silvergum Boat Race’ in the movie. Inspired by the real-life event, the characters built quirky “Flintstones-style boats” and competed in teams.

See Kangaroo in cinemas now, and start planning your NT getaway at northernterritory.com.

Amazing dining experiences near Uluṟu