Hand-made dumplings swimming in punchy dashi, pillow-soft bao buns sandwiching Sichuan snapper and pickled jalapenos, and delicately crisp pieces of karaage chicken with white kimchi. Salivating? Well, take a moment to compose yourself so we can introduce you to Madam Fu – a sophisticated-yet-fun newcomer that is bringing a melting pot of Asian flavours to Isle of Capri. more
Lovers of fresh fish, cracking crustaceans and moreish molluscs, put your claws in the air – the Gold Coast has scored a sleek new seafood haven! Taking the space of now-closed Italian restaurant Cicchetti at the Capri on Via Roma precinct on Isle of Capri is Moana Restaurant and Bar – a fresh, new sea-based venture from New Zealand celebrity chef, Alex Kaihea, who is looking to meld the best local seafood with the flavours of the Pacific Rim. more
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
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
After months of anticipation, award-winning chef Ben Devlin (formerly of hatted fine diner Paper Daisy at Cabarita's Halcyon House) has lifted the lid on his first restaurant venture – Pipit in Pottsville. The doors officially opened last weekend (May 11), with Ben and partner Yen Trinh unveiling their 40-seat dining space in the heart of the quaint coastal town. more
Nestled off the beaten track from Thailand's bustling Bangkok lies the far-less-hectic neighbourhood of Ari – a hub known far and wide for its authentic food, dispensed day and night from street-side restaurants and stalls. Sounds delicious, right? Well, lucky for us Gold Coast folk, Ari Thai Kitchen & Bar is opening today (Wednesday April 24) in Robina, so we can now experience the tastes and flavours of one of Thailand's favourite street-food hubs, minus the plane ticket. more
The Star Grazing Food Tours, the sell-out foodie events where diners are taken on an exclusive guided journey of four contrasting restaurants at The Star Gold Coast in one delicious night, are back this autumn! A limited series of just five tours will be held throughout May – bookings are a must and you'd best be quick, because seats on these guided foodie tours do not last long. more
In October last year, the northern Gold Coast was gifted with the arrival of the $470-million Westfield Coomera. At the time, the colossal retail and dining precinct welcomed a swag of exciting new eateries, cafes and shops – and this Friday March 15, a craft-been haven will be added to the mix with the opening of double-storey hotspot, Tapworks Bar & Grill. more
For more than 30 years, resort-dwellers and seafood lovers have been indulging in some of life's finest at Sheraton Grand Mirage's Oyster Bar. Opening in the late 1980s, the standing-only bar was dedicated purely to oysters, champagne and let's be honest, straight-up 80s decadence. While it has continued to operate relatively under the radar over the years, 2019 was time for it to be transformed into Oyster Bar & Grill – and while there's still degree of decadence, it's about more than just oysters and champagne now. more
Since chef Ben Devlin announced his first solo venture Pipit would be opening in Pottsville, we've been wondering who would be taking on the executive chef role at Halcyon House's award-winning Paper Daisy restaurant – and our eager minds (and bellies) need not wait any longer. more
If you've ever spent time in Japan, you'd be familiar with its bustling izakayas, backstreet noodle nooks and hidden yakitori bars. These unassuming spots are full of authentic food, fresh seafood, litres of sake and a lot of personality – and luckily for us, Gold Coast-based chef Kozo Mitsuyama has packaged up all of these elements to create the city's newest Japanese eatery, Goto. more
In the past, Harbour Town Shopping Centre would probably not have been a place you would associate with sophisticated restaurant-style dining. Well, things have changed. Big time. Just before Christmas, the shopping destination unveiled Harbour Town Eats, a multi-million-dollar food precinct, and within that is Sanctum Kitchen & Bar – an eatery that is spinning the concept of shopping-centre dining on its head. more
The doors to new dining space St Helens quietly swung open over Christmas, gifting the seaside hub of Kirra with a relaxed new hub to enjoy share plates, snacks and sips with uninterrupted beach views. more
It was back in 2015 when the Gold Coast got its first taste of Bondi Grill'e – a casual seaside hang slinging burgers, ribs and steaks in the heart of Coolangatta. With the southern hotspot often bursting with locals and surfers strolling in sandy-footed off the beach for a feast, Bondi Grill'e's owners decided to take the popular name north, opening a more refined restaurant-style steakhouse in Burleigh Heads just before Christmas. more
After the blockbuster year Brisbane's food scene experienced in 2018, you'd be forgiven for thinking that 2019 would be hard-pressed to to follow suit. Our northern neighbour had a banner year as far as blockbuster openings are concerned, and from our point of view, 2019 has not only matched 2018's gargantuan effort, but has even surpassed it! This year Brisbane was the beneficiary of several new restaurants, bars, cafes, breweries and live-music venues – with homegrown heroes and international names establishing must-try venues all over town. If you're thinking of making the trip up the M1 over the Christmas period, consider adding one or two of these all-star arrivals to your itinerary! more
There's no denying that the plant-based movement is here to stay. The thing is, it's not just vegans who are fuelling the fire, with more 'everyday carnivores' regularly seeking out and actually enjoying vegan dishes than ever before. The strict divide is no longer – and that's thanks to people like Kylie Wood and Ryan Jacobs, a duo who are blurring the lines between vegans and non-vegans with their new Burleigh Heads venue, BKA Vegan Restaurant & Bar. more
Melbourne hospitality veteran Frank Heaney's namesake Gold Coast venue Frankies Brasserie has arrived in Broadbeach, with renowned local chef Dylan Cashman (ex-Motowagen in Brisbane and owner of the now-closed The Blue Door on 5th in Palm Beach) enlisted to head the kitchen. more
Phew, what a year it’s been! We’re only a few weeks away from the festive season and the New Year’s celebrations, but it seems like there’s still so much more to cram in before 2018 wraps up for good. Thankfully we’ve got some much-needed holiday time on the horizon, which should allow us to take a breath and look back at everything that’s happened this year. If you’ve been too busy to cast your eyes north, you might not have noticed Brisbane’s banner year in terms of new openings. Bars, cafes, hotels, restaurants – 2018 was a boom year for top-tier hospitality arrivals. If you’re planning a trip up the M1 over summer, pencil a stop or three at some of the best new openings in Brisbane over the past 12 months. more
Whenever the weather report heralds the arrival of mild temperatures and clear skies, we immediately pack an overnight bag and make a hasty pilgrimage south to Byron Bay. The home of coastal vibes, free-spirited fun and a booming foodie scene, Byron Bay is a no-brainer for those that really want to put some kilometres between them and the big smoke. Speaking of Byron Bay’s cafe and restaurant scene, we weren’t kidding when we say the Byron Shire is bursting with hotspots. With warmer temperatures approaching, now is as good a time as ever to acquaint yourself with a few southern destinations. more
We're pretty spoilt for choice on the coast when it comes to really great pizza (just take a peek at our recent pizza round-up for proof) but when renowned Italian dining institution Ristorante Fellini at Marina Mirage opens a brand new casual eatery that specialises in traditional Napoli-style pizza, suffice to say we're very interested. more
