Shiraz Persian Restaurant, Surfers Paradise: A much-loved mainstay of Surfers Paradise, Shiraz has been dishing up award-winning Persian cuisine for over 10 years. Start with a a mezze platter loaded with bread and dips, clean your palette with the popular Shiraz shirazi salad (finely diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mint, fetta, olives and sesame seeds tossed in olive oil, lemon juice and apple vinegar) in between slow-cooked lamb shanks and more kabobs than you can poke a stick at. Or go all out with one of the feast-worthy banquet platters. 

Rabbath, Burleigh Heads: For contemporary Lebanese cuisine, you can’t go past Rabbath in Burleigh Heads. Owners Patrick and Pascal Rabbath have created an intimate and welcoming space, driven by a refined Lebanese menu that is designed to share. The falafels, plated as a trio with tarator, are an absolute must try, as is the char-grilled lamb kafta with seven spice and traditional babaganouj, and the kashkawan (pan-fried sheep’s milk cheese). Add some house tabouleh and tumeric house rice on the side. Sweet tooths can finish with the bouza – vanilla and halaweh gelato – or a few slithers of authentic baklawa.

Taboon Modern Middle Eastern Cafe, Robina: Inspired by the suburban bakeries, grill and hummus houses popular throughout the Middle East, Taboon captures the fresh flavours from across the region. The relaxing, open-plan cafe serves up creative takes on traditional dishes all day long. Stop in for a breakfast of shukshooka or a sumbusak plate, linger over a lunch of warm pitas, vibrant dips and slow-cooked tagines, or treat yourself to dinner with grilled meats and falafel with a selection of middel eastern pastries for dessert.

Falafels Vegetarian Kitchen, Mermaid Waters: This neighbourhood noshery slings  a mouth-watering array of meat-free Middle Eastern dishes including loaded eggplant, packed pitas and bowls. The venue is the handiwork of Noam Katzir and Ariel Kedar, who have delved deep into their childhood memories to curate a menu that delivers a modern take on traditional Middle Eastern street food. The salad bowls have proved popular while those with a hearty appetite can wrap their mitts around a pita pocket loaded with falafels, hummus, tahini, cabbage, tabouli and pickles, traditional Sabich or a felafel burger.

Maman, Burleigh Heads: Maman (Mum in French) was founded by two mothers and the hot spot blends the sincerity of a home-cooked meal made by your mama with a chic, contemporary styling as seamlessly as it blends Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours in its share-style menu. Don’t miss the signature Moreton Bay bug roll with iceberg, harissa and lime mayo, or give over to the set menu, entitled Let Mum Feed You. With a bevy of natural and organic wines and a no-nonsense cocktail selection, when it comes to good eating Maman knows best!

The Smoking Camel, Byron Bay: With colourful, gilded interiors, curved archways, billowing curtains and cutouts of gold camels, The Smoking Camel announces itself as a playful take on Levantine cuisine. A partnership between Light Years’ Robbie Oijvall and head chef Joachim Borenius, The Smoking Camel leans into an elevated, modern menu. There’s a mezze section, boasting traditional dips like hummus with harissa oil, babaganoush and smashed falafel with green goddess tahini, alongside shawarma-spiced cauliflower. For the mains, you’ll find barbecue plates of baharat-spiced beef shish, shawarma-spiced chicken, king prawns and shiitake mushroom skewers. The drinks list sees cocktails bursting with unexpected flavour profiles – from the Turkish Delight with Bookies Dry Gin, cranberry, rose and lime, to The Oasis with tequila, lime, cucumber, orgeat, mint and coriander.

Mecca Bah, Broadbeach:  Step from the modern Broadbeach streets into the ambience of Mecca Bah’s dining room and terrace filled with tasty tagines, award-winning, stone-baked Turkish pizzas and traditional mezze plates served on hand-made dishes from Tunisia. Over at the bar, you can find signature concoctions imbued with the tastes of Turkish delight, baked apple pie and chilli, alongside an impressively wine list and beers on tap. This casual dining location also offers cocktail making classes and pizza classes for kids and adults. 

Baba Joon Persian Grill, Surfers Paradise: Baba Joon, which means ‘Dear Papa’ in Farsi, honours Chef Ardalan’s late father and the feeling of home-cooked food from his childhood. Run with the maxim “Feed your soul”, Baba Joon’s dishes – from Aash Reshteh (Persian green noodle soup), Bamieh (slow cooked lamb and okra stew) and stacked selection of sizzling grilled meats, to sweet baklava, faloodeh (vermicelli noodles doused with sugar syrup, rose water and lime juice) and nooni (saffron ice cream) – are all designed to nourish and cheer.  

Rumi Persian Restaurant, Broadbeach: Rooted in the traditions of Iranian hospitality, Rumi offers authentic handcrafted Persian cuisine in an elevated dining environment. Its monochromatic minimalist interior allows its food to shine. Picture-perfect plated platters boast all your favourite Middle Eastern flavours from samosa and felafel, shirazi salad and saffron rice, alongside more obscure offerings such as roast bone marrow, slow cooked lamb neck and sweet cheese knafeh.