5 Best Restaurants in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

With starched-linen tablecloths, polished-wood floors, and crystal glasses, this restaurant in the Airways Hotel, beside the international airport, is at the very top of the PNG range in terms of ambience and food quality—and of course, price. The latter can be exorbitant, but the cuisine is excellent. Dishes show a pan-global influence, but the menu has a distinct lean towards France. The steaks are always a good option. There is also an extensive wine menu that is a match for the food, but brace for an eye-watering experience when you see the bill.

Located on the ground floor of the Grand Papua Hotel, this bright and elegant dining room has dark-stained wood in abundance and black-and-white tiled floors. The menu is top-notch and combines both Asian and Pacific Rim dishes, most of them excellent. If you can't decide what to order, go for the buffet option, allowing you to pick and mix to your heart's content.

Located in the Royal Papua Yacht Club, this friendly and efficient place has great views and a balcony terrace overlooking the marina, where you can sit and watch the sun set over the water. Prepared by a New Zealander chef who is fast earning himself a great reputation among local expats, the food ranges from great seafood to steaks and burgers, plus pastas and curries. Portions are generous, and the prices are not outrageous for this expensive city.

Part of the Shady Rest Hotel, this pizzeria serves the best pies in town—they come with a good thin crust and a wide range of generous topping options. The pizzeria itself is take-out only, but if you want to sit down and dine, you can also take a seat in and order from the hotel's nearby Cellar Restaurant—or from its lounge bar—and Mr. Mike's will deliver to your table.

This bright, modern restaurant also doubles as the breakfast room of the Lamana Hotel, and is one of the best places to eat in town. It can get busy, so reservations are recommended, though not essential. Unfortunately, when it does fill up, the service can get slow, typically remaining friendly but sometimes becoming chaotic and haphazard. But at least the food is worth the wait. The wide-ranging menu tries to cover all bases, with something for everyone from everywhere. European dishes have a Greek–Italian slant, and Thursday night features an Indian buffet.