Port Moresby Restaurant Guide

I have been in Port Moresby long enough to have eaten in the various restaurants and holes in the wall establishments to know where to eat and which places to avoid. There's never been anything published out there about the restaurant scene and I find that what you can read about in the guide books are not comprehensive as people who visit here usually do not have enough time to try all of what this city has to offer.

In today's post, I will try to shed light on where to dine for every occasion be it a casual meal or a dinner date. What I enumerate below isn't arranged according to the best. If it's not in here, then that means I do not recommend the place. Either I got a bacterial infection from it which I have had 5 cases so far or the food is crap and there is no hope for improvement. I will also mention some restaurants here whereI don't think it's worth your money to go to.

a. Bacchus - fine dining, It's located at airways hotel. I like their cheese pasta and their steak.

b. Rapala - fine dining. I like their steak and their lobster espresso. I frgot the exact name of the dish but it is served in a little shot glass of sorts. This place is by the piano inside Crowne plaza.

c. Holiday Inn - bleah. Service is poor. I hope they get better. I miss their butter cookies which they used to serve with their coffee. It was one of the best in town. Located at Hohola.

d. Jepello's - italian cuisine. Located along Waigani drive heading to Holiday Inn near Big Rooster.

e. Ela Beach Brasserie - Their pizzas are very good tand they are well known for it so I do recommend coming here for their pizzas. Located on Ela Beach.

f. Ang's  - I love eating their barbeque pork, roasted pork and roast duck. Your order can sometimes take close to an hour to come when they're busy. Come here during dinner time and you'd be surprised by what they have. Located at Gordons.

g. Daikoku - an institution when it comes to dining in Port Moresby. I love their shabu-shabu salad, creamy prawn, and lobster with cheese. Located at Harbour City.

h. Hog's Breath - It is a franchise from Australia known for their steaks. Their burgers are small though when compared to other places. Try their tex-mex if it's available. I also prefer to order their prime rib plain with a side order of mushrooms. Located inside vision city.

i. Big Rooster - the only fastfood place that lasted so many years. They have locations in outstations. Their chicken is really salty! I still remember the first time I had it. However, it has a particular flavour which you crave for and through the years, their chicken has been a secret delight for me. I prefer the fried variety.

j. Chowmaster - this place is located on 2-mile hill. They serve delicious Filipino food and they also  deliver. They have an eat-all-you-can deal on Sundays that is excellent value for money.

k. Plaza Restaurant - located before RH Hypermart at Gordons. They have excellent butter chicken and have a few dishes that can give other restaurants a run for their money. The only nbad thing about this place is that they allow smoking inside and it can get very smoky especially on Saturday nights.

l. The Woks - their milk tea here is good and their lunch menu isn't bad at all. Food gets served fast so it's a good lunch place. Located at the Digicel compound.

m. Ten - I like their variety of sushis and their tofu. Located at Vision City.

n. Red House - this place is good for lunch. They have good noodles and have a wide variety of dumplings. It is located behind the Coke bottling plant in Gordons.

o. Dynasty - this is the biggest restaurant in Port Moresby with large private rooms for parties. They have delicious yumcha and Chinese dishes that have a Malaysian influence. It is located inside vision city.

p. Golden Bowl - this is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest restaurant in the city. Tony the owner still runs it and he still serves his customers personally. They make good siomai, siopao and beef balls. I also like their hofan and congee. However, it is not the cleanest restaurant in town. Located in-between vision city and parliament where the government buildings are. It is close to the derelict pineapple building.

q. POM Steak House - this place is clean so don't worry about getting an upset stomach here but I don't find the food good at all. It's not cheap either. This is located close to BS mart where Datec and KK Kingston are located.

r. Seoul House - one of my personal favourites, I love coming here for their small private rooms. They also serve Thai food here. Try their yukwhe which is raw minced beef mixed with eggs and apples. It's delicious! Located at 5-mile across Jack Pidik park.

s. Brian Bell Home Centre - they make sandwiches and fresh muffins here that aren't bad. Located at the Brian Bell Home Centre at Gordons.

t. Popi's coffee shop - this place is also one of my personal favourites for lunch. Excellent choice of hot stews and sandwiches along with one of the better baked cheesecakes in town. Located inside Foodworld.

u. Brian Bell Boroko - ah... this place is hidden away. It is located one the 1st level besides the jewelry shop. They make good burgers and club house sandiwches. They also have quiche.

v. Super Fried Chicken - As the name implies, they serve fried chicken and a variety of fast food dishes. Located inside SVS 2-mile. You can also go to sweetheart bakery when you're there for the brownies or the chicken pastry. 

w. Kenmaity Fried Chicken - ever since this place opened, fans of fried chicken have been torn apart whether they prefer Big Rooster's batter fried chicken or this place's fried chicken that seems to use a bit of cereal in the batter. Their chicken it seems is a bit crispier because of this. I'll let you decide who makes the better fried chicken. They have branches all over town too though I doubt that they ever had a branch in Texas as they lay claim too. 

x. Vision City supermarket - this is more like an upscale kai bar or cafeteria. Don't discount this place though. Their roast chicken that comes in a few flavours isn't bad at all. Take away a chook to serve at home. Located inside the supermarket besides Brumby's.

y. J Mart Erima - this supermarket also has a kai bar inside and I have to say that their chicken isn't bad at all too. It is worth a try. Just take it home though. Located close to the airport at the Erima roundabout.

z. House of Cheesecake - they make good frozen cheesecake and they also cater and deliver. This place is located inside Garden City in Boroko.

aa. Sister's - located at plaza guest house close to the Waigani tunnel  roundabout. They serve Malaysian-Chinese food. I like their noodles that get served in an egg pouch.

ab. Magi Seafood - I wasn't inspired with their food but maybe they have improved since I last ate here. Located on the service road parallel to Poreporena freeway at the Gordons industrial area.

ac. Seaview - located close to town at the Ela Beach roundabout, this place serves Malaysian-Chinese food too. In fact, a lot of the Chinese restaurants around town are Malaysian influenced. Their food isn't so-so.

ad. Raintree Lodge - my friends say they make excellent pizza. I'll have to try this place soon before I leave the country. Located at Boroko. The restaurant is attached to a nice lodge with a nice garden.

ae. China Restaurant - another forgettable restaurant. It is located behind Jepello's. I remember though that their braised beef wasn't bad.

af. Deli KC's - I used to come here every Sunday. They now serve pizza too as their pizzeria is soon to open. They make good pasta and sandwiches and they have a proper cheese room. They also make a good espresso. Located by the poolside at Airways.

ag. Crowne Plaza -  the cafe is known for its daily themed buffets. The food isn't bad at all but don't order the pizza. It rated as one of the worst during my pizza showdown a couple of years back. Located on the 1st level of Crowne Plaza.

ah. View Restaurant - located by the poolside of Airways, they serve Asian-inpsired food as well as continental. I prefer eating at Deli KC's or Bacchus though. I don't like their buffet.

ai. Shady Rest - this place is located along Taurama not so far from where all the clinics and hospitals are. They serve good indian food and they even had an african buffet at one point which they have since discontinued.

aj. Lamana Hotel - Chef Ranjit makes good indian food. I like his cheese curries. This is located inside Lamana hotel close to where NCDC is.

ak. Wild Orchid - It was a wise move for Gateway hotel to renovate their restaurant as it was terrible before. Today, wild orchid is a nice upscale casual dining restaurant with good food. Located at 6-mile. 

al. Enzo's - this place is also located at Gateway hotel but is more known as a pizza place. Ela Beach's and Jepello's pizzas are better though but it's still not bad.

am. Food Depot - the city's first mainstream take away delivery place. I have yet to try their food out. Located at Korobosea.
an. Phoenix - I love their spicy szechuan cuisine. They serve these noodles that have a sauce made of peanuts and chillies which is just delightful. This place is located not so far from the roundabout where Foodworld is.
ao. Hideaway - this place really is hidden away. Located on the road going to 6-mile, I remember having their roast pork years ago which wasn't bad. I can't say the same for their other dishes though.
ap. Weigh Inn - I like their pies which they serve on Tuesdays only as well as their potato wedges which is one of the best in town. The restaurant looks a bit dodgy though. This is located at the bottom of Poreporena freeway just before you reach Harbour City. You have to make an abrupt left turn as soon as you reach the bottom.
aq. Golden River - I remember liking their salt & pepper squid but not much else. This place is inside the Tropicana compound.
ar. Bon Cafe - they keep on improving and I think they have the best chai latte in town though I have to say that they just mix it from a powder and it is not brewed. I like their sandwiches. Located in various locations around the city.
as. Espresso Bar - I forgot the name of this cafe but it is on the ground level of Deloittes tower in town. They have a varety of cakes and they serve light lunches. It's not bad at all. It's definitely worth a try if you can find parking.
at. Harbour City cafe - they make an ok lunch here. I wouldn't intentionally come here though just for the food though I don't mind the pies they sell downstairs in the bakery.
au. The Point - this place serves an odd mix of Japanese and Filipino food. I'm not really crazy for this place and you'd have to shout me a meal here before I'd go. Located inside the steamships Waigani compound.
av. Grand Papua - currently the better standard in terms of hotel dining, this is the newest classy hotel in town. So far, they have the best breakfast buffet too. I like their steak too.
aw. Courts cafe - a new hangout for a lot of guys, this place seems packed often. I don't mind their sandwiches here but don't get the ones that are pre-packed. Order something from the menu. The pre-packed ones are bleh. Located inside Courts by the Boroko drive roundabout.
ax. Asia Aromas - another institution in Port Moresby dining and on of the few places where you can get waffles for dessert. Try their cold chicken, salt & pepper crab and lobster in thai sauce as well as their lemon grass prawn. It is best to order a day in advance. Located in town inside the steamships strip mall.
ay. Good Day - I love their kiampong and their 3-meat combos that have roast pork, roast duck and barbeque pork. I alsolove their salted egg prawns. Located off Boroko drive before you hit the Gordons public market.
az. Duffy's - This is a new place close to Hitron on Gabaka street. Their coffee is good. They also have a lot of pastries and serve light sandwiches for lunch.
ba. Figaro - This is a franchise from the Philippines. They just opened inside Vision City. I had their pasta and some pastries and they weren't bad. They offer liberica beans which you can buy by the bag.

There are a lot more places that I didn't mention here like the clubs such as the Yacht Club that serves good pie when Sean makes it. I also didn't mention the bakeries like Brumby's, Donut King, Sweetheart and a few more. I'll probably write about them too in the future along with the cake ladies of Port Moresby. These are housewives that make cakes to order and they are not bad at all. The best chocolate cake in town is actually made by some nuns.

I'll probably write about other food establishments located in the outstations around the country in the future.

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope what I've put down here would be of help in your quest in looking for dining choices around our city. Ciao!