In conversations with their customers at Refinery Coffee over the years, while the majority of regulars were from the local area, Brendan and Gabrielle realised that a surprising amount of people had travelled, some as far as Brisbane to dine there. This got them thinking about the central Gold Coast and they noticed a bit of a gap in the market. When their friends from ABI Interiors revealed the location of their new HQ was located in Carrara, they knew it was the perfect fit for a new venue. Cafe Junie is located just off the motorway, and trust us when we say it’s worth the detour. With striking white arches, a beautifully neutral palette and pops of green, the 60-seater provides the perfect perch to while away a morning sipping coffee in the sunshine.

To bring their vision for Cafe Junie to life, Brendan and Gabrielle have partnered with chef Ryo and front-of-house manager Nana, both of whom will look familiar to Refinery regulars. In terms of the menu, Ryo has curated a similarly Asian-leaning menu with some exciting tweaks and new additions. The chilli scram with whipped goats cheese and roasted peanuts promises to fire up your taste buds, while the eggs benny on a bed of crispy hash browns with lashings of yuzu hollandaise delivers a tasty twist on the classic. If you’re in the mood for lunch, stick a fork into the Bang Bang chicken salad (poached chicken, seven-minute egg, slaw, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, coriander and roasted peanuts with fiery chilli dressing), or wrap your mitts around the wagyu-ragu cheese burger, which is delightfully messy but oh-so-tasty.

Proving that Junie is more than just a pretty face, the team create every dish from scratch, including all of the sauces and dressings. “While it’s certainly not the easiest option, it’s something we’ve really tried to keep from Refinery,” Brendan says. As with its sibling spot, Cafe Junie will run Blackboard Coffee Roasters through the machines alongside matcha lattes (hot or iced), cold-pressed juices and organic cacao hot chocolate, which is perfect for warming up on chilly mornings.