Food News
The round-up: sashimi to sukiyaki – where to find the best Japanese eats on the Gold Coast
Food & Drink

The round-up: sashimi to sukiyaki – where to find the best Japanese eats on the Gold Coast

23 May 2019

From high-end dining spaces serving intricate sashimi dishes to bustling yakitori bars and hidden gems pumping out mouthwatering karaage in the backstreets of the 'burbs, us Gold Coast folk are pretty spoilt when it comes to Japanese eats. In honour of one of our all-time favourite cuisines, we put together a handy list (in no particular order) of must-try Japanese restaurants and eateries on the coast. Kanpai! more

Food News
Social House at Voco reimagines hotel dining with burgers, ‘low teas', share bites and meaty delights
Food & Drink

Social House at Voco reimagines hotel dining with burgers, ‘low teas’, share bites and meaty delights

23 May 2019

In late 2018, the Watermark Hotel in Surfers Paradise officially became known as Voco Gold Coast. The iconic building's sleek new brand and direction is now filtering through to its restaurant and bar offerings, with the hotel group recently lifting the lid on Social House (formerly known as Walrus) and the newly overhauled Social House Cafe on the ground level. Look, we get that a hotel is often not the first place you'll look to for Friday night burgers with the crew or your morning coffee and bacon-and-egg roll – so, consider this a gentle nudge to kick that stereotype to the curb. more

Food News
Ida's Kitchen arrives on the northern end with kimchi waffles, decadent pastries and specialty coffee
Food & Drink

Ida’s Kitchen arrives on the northern end with kimchi waffles, decadent pastries and specialty coffee

20 May 2019

Last week, the northern Gold Coast welcomed one of the most exciting new cafe additions it's seen in some time – Ida's Kitchen. In a period when a chunk of the city's new cafe, restaurant and bar arrivals are funnelling into the southern end, this sleek new daytime kitchen and coffee spot, tucked in along Olsen Avenue in Parkwood, has northern locals throwing their hands in the air. more

Food News
Flock to it – local food truck Cycho's Buffalo Wings opens its first eatery in Southport
Food & Drink

Flock to it – local food truck Cycho’s Buffalo Wings opens its first eatery in Southport

15 May 2019

When local food truck and market stall Cycho's Buffalo Wings first started in the game four years ago, its menu consisted of crisp, saucy wings in just three flavours. That's it. While it wasn't the biggest menu out there, local finger-licking wing fiends became hooked. Now, after four years of organic growth and tireless work in the wild world of mobile food, the owners of the wing-slinging food truck, Cyrus and Hanzel Platon, have opened their first bricks-and-mortar location in the heart of Southport. more

Food News
The round-up: enjoy brain teasers and beers at these weekly Gold Coast trivia nights
Food & Drink

The round-up: enjoy brain teasers and beers at these weekly Gold Coast trivia nights

15 May 2019

If you're on the hunt for some mid-week fun that's well within the budget, then try your hand at trivia. Whether you're keen to test your head over a hearty parmy and a schooner of the good stuff, or if Italian pizza and wine is more your style, then this handy list of Gold Coast trivia nights will be right up your brain-busting alley. Here's one to get your juices flowing – what was the name of the French monk who invented champagne? No Google allowed. more

The Locals Next week:

Food News
New speakeasy bar Suga brings rums, cocktails and small-batch sips to Palm Beach
Food & Drink

New speakeasy bar Suga brings rums, cocktails and small-batch sips to Palm Beach

09 May 2019

Following in the footsteps of whisk(e)y and gin, a rum revival is happening and the golden spirit is breaking free from its history as the drink of choice for scurvy-dodging sailors and pesky drunken pirates. Thanks to talented craft distillers across the globe, rum is cool again – and its return to the lips of avid sippers on the Gold Coast has been given a hefty kick with the under-the-radar opening of new speakeasy rum bar, Suga. more

Food News
The Weekend Series: five Queensland wine brands you should be sipping right now
Food & Drink

The Weekend Series: five Queensland wine brands you should be sipping right now

09 May 2019

You might not think the sun-baked stretches of our state would be conducive to crafting a good drop of wine, but these five local labels are here to prove you wrong. Hailing from the Granite Belt Region through to Tamborine Mountain and Brisbane City, these homegrown heroes are forging strong reputations in the industry and putting Queensland on the winemaking map. If you plan on doing a little swirling, sniffing, sipping and swishing this weekend, add these wine labels to your list. more

Food News
Sashimi, sushi and neighbourhood vibes – Little Itoshin arrives in the backstreets of Miami
Food & Drink

Sashimi, sushi and neighbourhood vibes – Little Itoshin arrives in the backstreets of Miami

07 May 2019

Mermaid Beach dining spot Itoshin, one of the city's longest-running Japanese restaurants that's well known for its authentic fare, bubbling hot pots and trawler-fresh sashimi, has unveiled its new offspring, Little Itoshin. While the original Itoshin enjoys its high-traffic position on the Gold Coast Highway, owner and chef Hibiki Ito opted for a more unassuming location for the new venue, opening the quaint day-and-night 25 seater in the backstreets of Miami. more

Food News
The round-up: how to win at Mother’s Day this year
Food & Drink

The round-up: how to win at Mother’s Day this year

02 May 2019

Mother's Day is just around the corner – in case it had slipped your mind, it's next Sunday May 12 (don't forget!). So, if you're hoping to go one step further than just flowers, some new winter slippers or a photo frame with your mug shot in it, then we've got your back. It's time to treat yo' mama in style and show her how much you appreciate her and everything she does. Whether your mum (or mum-like figure) is a foodie or prefers being pampered, here are some ideas to help you win at Mother's Day this year. more

Food News
El Camino brings tacos, tequila and Tex-Mex vibes to the heart of Byron Bay
Food & Drink

El Camino brings tacos, tequila and Tex-Mex vibes to the heart of Byron Bay

02 May 2019

Burritos brimming with beef brisket and oozing cheese, giant frozen margaritas, big-as-your-head nachos, and a cart dispensing bottomless tortilla chips and salsa – that's what our friends in Brisbane have been experiencing since Tex-Mex eatery El Camino Cantina opened in Bowen Hills late last year. Now it's Byron Bay's turn, with the owners of the eclectic eatery and bar, Rockpool Dining Group, opening a 250-seat version of the popular cantina right in the heart of The Shire. more

Food News
What's open on the Labour Day public holiday
Food & Drink

What’s open on the Labour Day public holiday

02 May 2019

Ahhh, pals – we've got another long weekend upon us! That's right, this Monday May 6 is Labour Day and there are a bunch of us lucky enough to have the day off work. If you are working, then high-five for earning the big bucks like a baller. For those off the clock this Monday, then please do read on. We've taken the liberty of collating a handy list that consists of a bunch of cafes, restaurants and bars that are open on Labour Day on the Gold Coast. more