It's official – Byron Bay's Brookie's Gin is the best in the world. Cape Byron Distillery, which stole everybody's hearts (and tastebuds) when it launched Brookie's Dry Gin back in 2016, has just been awarded top gong at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirit Competition. That's right – Eddie Brooke and the Brookie's team have now been dubbed the kings of gin. more
When it comes to food and drink, it's easy for us Gold Coast folk to stay in our comfort zone. Some of us prefer to frequent our faves and others have a firm 10-kilometre radius that they generally won't venture out of. Look, it's easily done when there are so many pockets of foodie goodness on the coast. If you're willing to burst out of your bubble in search of food and don't mind a cheeky road trip, then why not venture down to Mullumbimby? A rad new watering hole and eatery called Diner 55 has recently opened on the main drag and there's a bar stool there with your name on it. more
If you're a firm believer that a delicious well-made morning coffee has the power to set your mood for the rest of the day, then not only do we like you (a lot) we've also got great news – Miami's newest caffeine hang and eatery, Daymaker Espresso, has opened its doors and is ready to do exactly what its name suggests – make your day. more
BBQ Bazaar, a new weekend night market dedicated entirely to barbecued, grilled, smoked and charcoal-cooked meats and eats, has launched in a Burleigh Heads industrial hub with around 20 market stalls serving up an array of slow-cooked deliciousness every Friday and Saturday night. Pack the napkins, meat lovers – this is going to be one juicy affair. more
Australian distiller Four Pillars has teamed up with popular beachfront restaurant Beach Byron Bay for a delicious collaboration that shines the light on gin pigs. Yes, gin pigs. The Four Pillars Gin Pig Dinner is being held on Wednesday April 25 and if you appreciate botanical sips and nose-to-tail dining in unsurpassed seaside locations, then you'll definitely want to get yourself a seat at the table. more
When it comes to farm-fresh produce, the southern end of the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales is like a proverbial pot of gold at the end of a gleaming rainbow – and there are plenty of local cafes and restaurants utilising the delicious goodness that we have right here in our backyard. For the founder of Blackboard Coffee, Nick Pearce, the only way is local – which is an ethos he has woven into his latest venture, a daytime eatery in the heart of Casuarina called Tucker. more
Bacon and egg muffins paired with a couple of deep-fried hash browns – this hangover-curing combination is the breakfast of champions, right? Those who agree with that sentiment will be chuffed to hear that popular ethical fast-food joint Lord of the Fries, which opened its flagship Queensland store in Surfers Paradise late last year, has launched its first-ever breakfast menu featuring everybody's hunger-busting morning favourites, from BLTs to chicken and waffles. Here's the catch – it's all vegan. more
Fresh-baked sourdough, giant hot-from-the-oven cookies, magnificent doughnut creations, sausage rolls – yep, we've got a lot to thank the genius baker at Paddock for. Now we can add indulgent milkshakes to the list thanks to the popular Miami cafe's newest addition – the Paddock Milk Bar. more
You know what's great? A grilled cheese sandwich. Sure, it's one of life's simple pleasures, but getting it right can be a real art. If you weren't aware, Thursday April 12 is Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. That's right, there's an entire day dedicated to these hot oozing delicacies. So, to get you ready for one of the most important days in the foodie calendar, we've put together a handy list of where you can get your hands on a killer grilled cheese sambo. more
The coast's newest Asian street-food hub 8 Street is one step closer to its delicious reality with the announcement of its first five tenants, two of which – a ramen bar and bubble-tea cafe – opened last week. The tasty newcomers pave the way for a further 25 eateries that are expected to open in the hawker-style food laneway in the coming months. more
Meat lovers, gird your loins. A new smokehouse has sprouted up just south of the border and you need to get acquainted. Let us introduce you to The Crafty Cow – a drool-worthy new eatery and bar, which has recently opened its doors in the quaint township of Casuarina. more
The mad scientists at the Harajuku Gyoza kitchen laboratory have struck again. Following up from the popular long fries and raindrop cake, the dumpling destination has unveiled its newest menu item – a cheeseburger gyoza. Imagine crispy fried gyoza on the outside and tasty burger filling on the inside. This is the kind of fusion that is guaranteed to pique our curiosity. more
Michael Hopkinson has worked the knives in some of the finest kitchens in the world, but the ex-Nobu Melbourne chef knew things would one day come full circle. He grew up in Southport and cut his teeth at the former Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, before extending his culinary prowess across Paris, Melbourne and more recently Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. Last week, Michael and wife Rebecca opened the doors to Jafa, a quaint pizzeria and wine bar in Southport. Sure, SoPo may be a far cry from the foodie precincts of Michael's past, but what he's aiming to do with his humble eatery is bring quality food, great wine and a good dose of personality to the city's northern end. There's a void and he's filling it – one delicious pizza at a time. more
Burger lovers, drop everything – we've got big news for you. Popular Sydney burger joint Down N' Out is coming to the Gold Coast for 12 days only! The infamous towering burgers will be served up from a pop-up space in Broadbeach from Thursday April 5 until Sunday April 15. Just take a moment to let your heart rate lower. Okay, here's what you need to know. more
We'll let you in on a secret – there is more to Thai restaurants than cashew-nut chicken, spring rolls and golden Buddha statues. Okay, you're forgiven if you don't believe us – some of the Thai restaurants from the days of old may have skewed your view. Though, there's a newbie on the Gold Coast foodie scene that is putting Thai cuisine back into the limelight. Forget everything you thought you knew about Thai food and get to know Tugun's newest eatery, Sticky Rice. more
The final stage of the multi-million-dollar transformation of Greek eatery Hellenika has finally been unveiled – friends, meet Bar Hellenika. The impressive rooftop space, located directly above the iconic 110-seat Nobby Beach restaurant, officially opens to the public tonight (Monday March 26). Get set for Greek wine, lots of sunshine and all of the zucchini chips. more
If you've spent a bit of time in Bali over the years, then you'd be familiar with traditional Indonesian cuisine. Do flavour-packed dishes like nasi goreng ring a bell? While the coast is peppered with the likes of Japanese, Thai and Chinese eateries, you'll find very few dedicated Indonesian restaurants around town. Toowoomba's popular Indo-style street-food eatery Skewers is here to fill the void, opening the doors to its second venue in Broadbeach just last week. more
From whispers of new vegan eateries to meat buns on wheels, The Weekend Edition Gold Coast is always on the search for the latest news on the Gold Coast, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out … more
It's been touted as one of the most significant new additions to the northern Gold Coast dining scene and now, the doors to Gotham Grill and Rooftop Bar are finally open. The three-storey spectacle, which cuts a striking figure along Bayview Street in Runaway Bay, marks the seventh venue for prominent restaurateur Daniel Ridgeway. Despite the name (and in case you were wondering), Daniel is not Batman – but just so you know, we've never actually seen them in the same room together ... more
The most luxurious new addition to the city's dining scene, Nineteen at The Star, will officially open its doors this Saturday March 24. The opulent new dining space is located on the top level of The Darling hotel, which will also be unveiled this weekend. Friends, prepare for fine dining on the Gold Coat to be taken to dizzying new heights. more
