If 2020 still has you questioning everything you know, then here's some mouth-watering local news that'll perk you right up – the former owner-operators of Paddock Bakery are set to open a brand-new bakery and cafe in the heart of Burleigh Heads. With the anticipated new arrival just weeks away, owner Chloe Watts has shed some light on what's to come ... more
From punchy tom yum soups and coconut-laden curries to spicy wok-fried delights and glorious noodles, Thai food will always have a place in our hearts. In a true reflection of the cuisine's popularity, the Gold Coast certainly has no shortage of Thai eateries. Loosen those belt buckles, friends – we've put together a handy list of some of the coast's best Thai restaurants to work your way though. more
Oh, how we've missed being able to jump in the car to explore and eat our way through Northern New South Wales. From Friday July 10, when the border reopens, we're officially free! While you'll surely be making a beeline for all of your southern favourites, allow us to pop something else on your radar – a new banh-mi bar in Pottsville called Mr Trinh's. more
Buttery croissants, delicate macarons in all of the colours of the rainbow, too-pretty-to-eat petit fours, indulgent croque monsieur, freshly baked baguettes and crunchy French batards – if that line-up of Parisian perfection has your mouth watering, then you'll want to get your sweet self acquainted with the coast's newest patisserie and boulangerie, Le Bon Choix. more
A regular fixture on bar shelves around the world, luxe liquor Hennessy has long been a favourite tipple among seasoned swiggers. In 1992, hip-hop icon Tupac even dedicated a whole song to his love of the brown bottle. To help reciprocate the love, Hennessy is extending a helping hand to the bartenders, waiters and restaurateurs that faithfully serve its spirit. The cognac giant has revealed its hospitality recovery initiative, which is set to provide struggling hospo workers with a free dinner and drinks on them. Now, that's sure to go down a treat. more
Whether you're a certified whisk(e)y connoisseur, are a wannabe whisky drinker trying to navigate the game or you fall neatly in between the two categories, Mudgeeraba's new home of drams, nips and top drops – a hidden bar named Whisky Lounge – will take you on a personalised sipping journey across the globe. more
If winter has you craving deliciously warm comfort food, you’re not alone! Sometimes you just can’t beat the satisfying crunch of the crispy, flaky exterior and the gooey, steamy centre of a good old-fashioned pie. From not-so-dirty street pies to the more exotic varieties, we’ve round-up some of the coast’s best pies to sink your teeth into. more
Way back in early March, we gave you a hot tip-off that the former Burleigh Co-Op site (the original Burleigh Social premises, up from Paddock Bakery) would soon be home to a leafy new brunch spot called Common Ground. Well, 'soon' it was not. COVID reared its ugly head and pushed the opening back a few months but here we are, in July, finally bringing you the thrilling news that Common Ground is officially open! more
We're just going to claim it – 2020 is the year of the Dogg. In April, we revealed the news that Snoop Dogg had teamed up with Aussie winemakers 19 Crimes to launch his own vino. Now, the hip-hop doggfather is linking up with the takeaway titans at Menulog to share with us some super-munchable recipes from his homestyle cookbook. Welcome to Dogg’s Diner, where you can tuck into some of Snoop Dogg’s favourite West Coast dishes from now until Friday July 3. As the saying goes, it's a dog-eat-dogg world. more
While we're certainly not out of the woods yet, the easing of federal and state restrictions has created a window of opportunity for Gold Coast cafes and restaurants to reopen to dine-in customers. We've put together a rolling list – which we're constantly updating – of Gold Coast venues that are reopening for dine-in customers and the operating hours. Hot tip – you're required to book ahead at most spots, so be sure to check in with the venue before visiting. This is new territory for everyone, so be patient, stay safe and enjoy sipping your coffee from a porcelain cup! more
After a pandemic-induced hiatus, popular Kirra restaurant and bar Baskk is back – but not as you know it. While the seaside dining spot has been well known for its modern-Australian fare, towering seafood platters and fine cocktails since it opened in mid-2017, owners Steve and Donna Archdeacon (also behind popular hill-top Cafe Dbar) decided to launch into the post-COVID phase with a completely different concept. Introducing the Kirra-Coolangatta area's newest pizza, pasta and insalata-slinging eatery, Baskk Italian. more
Robina locals, your screams for more quality coffee, grab-and-go bites and all-day eats in your hood have been heard – Parkway is coming. Due to open in late July, the new caffeine dispensary and brunch spot is the latest venue from the team behind popular Palm Beach hub Third Base, and is set to bring top-notch brews and a crowd-pleasing menu to Robina folk seven days a week. more
If you're partial to Peking duck, go wild over wontons and get a little crazy over chow mein, then this round-up is just for you. We reckon Chinese food is sometimes a little underrated – there is so much more to this flavoursome cuisine than the stereotypical sickly sweet honey-glazed chicken from a bain marie. We've put together a tasty list of some of the Gold Coast's best Chinese dining spots, all for your eating pleasure. more
Bubbles make everything better – parties, baths, champagne, water. If you're sipping still drinks like a sucker, make haste to your nearest Aldi on Saturday June 20 and nab yourself a SodaStream Spirit Machine for just 70 dollar bucks. The soda maker is part of the brand's Special Buys and if you've never experienced an Aldi run on drop day, well, you're in for a treat. more
With our neighbourhood watering holes just beginning to reopen, it's still not as easy as it was to stop in for a cheeky post-work cocktail. Bookings must be made well in advance and the casual activity of meeting up for drinks just isn't quite the same (yet). If you've been missing knocking back your signature sip from your most-loved drinkery, then we've got some good news for you! Whether you favour negronis, old fashioneds or salt-rimmed margaritas, these bad boys and more can now be ordered from the comfort of your home with help from Campari’s Shaken Not Broken initiative. more
There's something deeply satisfying about Krispy Kreme's Original Glazed doughnut. It isn't loaded with ostentatious toppings or bursting with decadent fillings – it's happiness, pure and simple. Well friends and sweet fiends, if you also possess an appreciation for life's simple pleasures – Krispy Kreme is celebrating the opening of its new concept store in Surfers Paradise by offering the chance to win free doughnuts for a year. Yes, you read right, free doughnuts for a year. more
Beer swillers and hop heads, the time has finally come – the Gold Coast's first-ever James Squire brewhouse, The Lucky Squire, officially opens its doors today (Tuesday June 16). Not only is its arrival a very welcome post-pandemic boost for the city, it's one of the largest new venues to open on the coast for quite some time, with the mammoth two-level microbrewery, bar and restaurant boasting a capacity (once restrictions are fully lifted and normality returns) of around 450 beer sippers and diners. more
When the Gold Coast's newest distillery Wildflower Gin opened its doors, the first product it released wasn't gin. It was hand sanitiser. Just one week after the new Burleigh Heads spirit maker officially launched, the pandemic sent the entire world into lockdown. While at the time the soaring demand for sanitiser was inadvertently welcome, the team was itching to fire up the copper stills and put the juniper to work. As the weeks have passed, things are slowly but surely returning to (some form of) normal, allowing Wildflower to finally release its flagship Gold Coast-made gin to keen sippers. more
For former Melbourne restaurateur Bonnie Cullen, making a move to the Gold Coast and opening a Monday-to-Friday cafe seemed like a dream come true. Her passion for hospitality could still be fulfilled, the days would be warm and sunny, and there was no need for back-breaking shifts until the wee hours. Though, just weeks before opening her namesake venture Bonnie's Cafe in Ashmore, the global pandemic hit. more
Sitting down to dinner over a civilised bottle of grape juice is one of life's simple adult pleasures and is generally a pretty enjoyable experience. Other times, however, the bottle becomes cumbersome and outright inconvenient – like at a picnic, for instance. For those latter times, may we introduce you to Small Things Wine – it's all-natural craft wine in a can and you can thank us later. more
