Restaurants | The Weekend Edition Gold Coast |

Sundowners and dumplings – The Collective launches Better Together Sundays

06 Apr 2021

As the weekend draws to a close, there tends to be two kinds of people – the kind that are already mentally prepping for the week ahead and the ones that are keen to milk every last drop of leisure time. If you firmly fall into the latter category, or just enjoy sipping cocktails and devouring dumplings as the sun sinks, The Collective's brand-new Sunday session is definitely up your alley. Gins and tins, what more could you want? more

Food & Drink

Feast on flavourful Persian fare and crafted cocktails at the new-look Rumi restaurant

01 Apr 2021

If you regularly find yourself with a hankering for hummus (not the supermarket kind), ripping apart some freshly baked bread and plunging it into a bowl of Mirza Ghasemi (charcoal-smoked eggplant with egg, tomato and garlic) and munching on a Persian-style kebab with a side of saffron rice, take your tastebuds on a culinary journey at Rumi in Broadbeach. The deliciously modern Persian restaurant recently relocated from its long-time home on the Gold Coast Highway to a sophisticated new space on Surf Parade. more

Food & Drink

Treat your tastebuds at Gara Yaka, the coast’s first Sri Lankan restaurant

01 Apr 2021

If you like your servings large and your flavours delicious, then friends, we have just the spot for you. Nerang newcomer Gara Yaka, is slinging mouthwatering Sri Lankan street food-inspired fare that'll convert you after just one bite. Tucked into an unassuming (yet decidedly convenient) locale just off the motorway, it’s the perfect spot to stop in if you’re after something different or need something to keep your tastebuds and tummy satisfied on a drive. more

Food & Drink

Saturdays are for seafood and champagne at Miss Moneypenny’s

25 Mar 2021

The combination of seafood and champagne is about as classic – and luxurious – as you can get. Luckily for those of you that love this gourmet combination, Miss Moneypenny’s is treating diners to a seven-dish luxe seafood lunch – complete with champagne and rosé pairings, no less! more

Food & Drink

Feast on flavourful curries and zingy Thai salads at Mermaid’s Som Tam Gai

23 Mar 2021

The past week has been pretty wild on the weather front and we don't know about you, but when the mercury dips a degree or two we find ourselves craving belly-warming classics such as flavourful curries, bowls brimming with noodles and sizzling stir-frys. Lucky for us, Som Tam Gai is here to satisfy those hearty hankerings with its elevated take on Thai favourites. Perched next door to Bistro Lamp and neighbouring Poké Poké, Goccia Italian, Background (Barista) and Lovechild Kitchen + Bar in the highway-fronting complex in Mermaid Beach, the pint-sized newcomer is in excellent company. more

Food & Drink

Embark on a fanciful culinary journey with an intimate 18-course Omakase Japanese feast at Kiyomi

18 Mar 2021

A thoughtfully prepared degustation is a treat for not just your tastebuds, but for all of your other senses too. The anticipation, the sheer sensory delight when each course is presented, the pure joy of not having to glance at a menu – it's an experience that will linger in your memory long after the food has been devoured. This March and April, The Star Gold Coast is upping the ante with an incredible and extremely intimate 18-course Omakase feast at the Broadbeach resort's signature Japanese restaurant, Kiyomi. Yes, you read right – 18 glorious courses. Are you ready for this? more

Food & Drink

Painting, sipping, sky-high dining and intimate degustations – woo your boo with these date night ideas

17 Mar 2021

Need to shake up date night but you've run out of ideas? It may be tricky to get creative when it comes to new romantic activities (that don't totally flop), but that's where we step in. Whether you need to impress your new Tinder gem or your significant other is tired of the usual movie-and-dinner combo that you take them on, we've got some out-of-the-box date ideas that are sure to get you in the good books. more

Food & Drink

Say hola to Nobby Beach’s newest Mexican-inspired beer garden Backyard Cantina

11 Mar 2021

There's something deeply satisfying about kicking back on a Friday afternoon with a taco in one hand and a salty marg in the other. If that sounds like your ideal way to spend a weekend, there's a brand new open-air cantina in Nobby Beach that has your name written all over it. On a Friday and Saturday night, Backyard Cafe on Lavarack Road transforms into Backyard Cantina and here's everything you need to know about this tasty newcomer ... more

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Food & Drink

Rita’s Burgers brings big buns and good times to Cabarita

04 Mar 2021

We like big burgers and we cannot lie. If you too are partial to wrapping your mitts around a big, beautiful burger and are powerless to resist the unmistakeable crunch of fried-chicken, do yourself a favour and make haste to Rita's Burgers in Cabarita. Nestled next door to Nectar Juice House and across from Fuel Bakehouse, Rita's is all about those soft buns, juicy patties and good times. more

Food & Drink

Sip sake and feast on fine fare at Beun Modern Japanese in Mermaid Waters

25 Feb 2021

Next door to a a 7-Eleven and a petrol station may not be the first location that springs to mind when you think of fine dining, but that's precisely what makes Beun Modern Japanese a little bit different from the norm. The quaint venue quietly opened its doors earlier this year and is dishing up an unexpected combination of tastes, techniques and flavours from around the world – a nod to chef Yusuke Ito's diverse culinary experience. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: fire up your belly with some of the Gold Coast’s best Indian restaurants

23 Feb 2021

You just can't beat that overwhelming sense of satisfaction that comes with ripping apart some garlicky naan and dunking it into a deliciously creamy butter chicken from your local Indian restaurant. Are we right? You know we are. Whether you can handle the heat, or prefer to enjoy the more subtle flavours, there are plenty of delicious Indian joints that will suit your tastes. We've put together a handy list of some of the Gold Coast's best Indian restaurants that will really ignite the fire in your belly. more

Food & Drink

Palm Beach coffee slinger Espresso Moto makes tracks to Mermaid Waters

10 Feb 2021

It's been a red-hot minute since the caffeine-loving populace first gazed upon Espresso Moto in Palm Beach – six long years in fact (time flies when you're having fun!). Rather than rest on their laurels with one thriving caffeine dispensary, owner Jordan Stubbs alongside manager Rachael Cole and chef Leevai Smythe have hit the road to spread the love a little further north. more

Food & Drink

Seafood, steaks and superyachts – Ladybird’s new waterfront Main Beach abode

09 Feb 2021

Allow us to set the scene ... the sun is shining, there's a gentle breeze caressing your face and the water lapping beneath you is providing a mesmerising soundtrack. The frozen cocktails offer sweet (delicious) relief from the balmy summer's day. You and yours slurp back some delightfully fresh oysters before feasting your way through a myriad of Asian-inspired bites, bringing your meal to a fitting end with the chocolate and cheese plate for two. If this sounds like a dream you would like to experience, we have some excellent news – Ladybird has flown into a new home at the waterfront end of Palazzo Versace. more

Food & Drink

Finger-lickin’ good – get acquainted with Southport’s new fried-chicken joint

04 Feb 2021

When it comes to fried chicken, there tends to be two kinds of people – those that could take it or leave it and those that wholeheartedly believe it to be a transcendent culinary experience. We'll just come right out and say that we are firmly in the latter category, which could explain why we are so excited about Southport's new fried-chicken slinger, 2 Bros. It officially opens this Saturday February 6 and here's everything you need to know about this naughty newcomer ... more

Food & Drink

BOBs Beer has arrived in Surfers Paradise so go ahead and rally your brew crew

02 Feb 2021

Heads up, froth fiends! There's a new brewhouse and restaurant in town and it's set to become a seriously hot contender for Friday-arvo drinks, post-surf feeds and boozy catch-ups of all kinds. BOBs Beer, an acronym for Best Of Beers, has opened its doors in Surfers Paradise to bring you ice-cold brews, a seasonal menu of top-notch nosh and a seriously impressive fit-out. If you're keen to get acquainted with BOB, read on ... more

Food & Drink

Seafood, salumi and sensational sips – Sofia’s brings a taste of coastal Europe to Broadbeach

28 Jan 2021

When Burleigh's culinary institution The Fish House served its last Patagonian toothfish (it's still too soon to talk about the chocolate fondant dessert), seafood-loving locals felt a collective sense of longing for top-notch seafood by the beach. Thankfully, The Fish House's celebrated head chef Damien Styles has resurfaced to take the helm at Sofia's Restaurant & Bar in Broadbeach. European summers may still be a distant dream however this pretty newcomer is here to satisfy your craving for simple, fresh seafood and salumi. more

Food & Drink

Matteo’s brings Italian bites, pizza and vino to Clear Island Waters

21 Jan 2021

By definition, a trattoria is an Italian-style eating establishment that is much less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria, and that's precisely what you'll find in Matteo's – the new pizza and wine bar in Clear Island Waters. The quaint pizzeria quietly opened its doors before Christmas, serving up woodfired delights with a splash of homestyle charm from an unassuming daytime precinct on Santa Cruz Boulevard. The response from locals has been so good, the 70-seat venue is booked to capacity almost nightly. Go ahead and ready your stretchy pants, because here's everything you need to know about this pretty (and popular) newcomer ... more

Food & Drink

Mr Kojima on Chevron Island delivers a modern take on traditional Japanese fare

21 Jan 2021

The once bustling strip of Chevron Island has been a bit quiet in this crazy post-Covid landscape, but a spicy new tenant has arrived to breathe some much-needed life into the suburb's dining scene. Mr Kojima opened quietly before Christmas and has won over the locals with its delightfully modern take on traditional Japanese fare. Here's everything you need to know about this tasty newcomer ... more

Food & Drink

Punk-rock nonnas, pillowy pasta and sensational sips – say ciao to Cross Eyed Mary

15 Jan 2021

Named after the Jethro Tull song of the same name (What. A. Vibe.), Cross Eyed Mary has transformed the hole-in-the-wall space formerly occupied by Tasca on Coolangatta's Griffith Street into a charming pasta-and-wine bar that is modernising tradition with good, honest fare, craft cocktails and some seriously impressive sips of vino. The dark and moody interior has been given a fresh lick of paint to feature a white weatherboard exterior and welcoming terracotta-and-white interior that imbues a real 'summer in Tuscany' vibe. Whilst she may be small in stature, Cross Eyed Mary is here to leave a big impression ... more

Food & Drink

The year in review: 2020’s biggest openings

23 Dec 2020

Wowee. What a year. We all went through it, there's no need to remind you. What we care to focus on are the positives. Despite 2020 being the most difficult year ever for our hospitality friends, our fine city was still blessed with some phenomenal new cafe, restaurant and bar openings – a feat that should be celebrated. So while many of us are trying to forget most of the year that was, we're excited to look back on the hospitality heroes that made this year one to remember ... at least for our tastebuds. more