Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken
Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity's new Dukes Chicken

Wrap your mitts around a roast chicken roll from Varsity’s new Dukes Chicken

It’s pretty hard to resist chicken – fried or otherwise. You know when it’s coming – that delicious intoxicating scent wafts through the air, beckoning you towards the golden goodness that awaits. If your stomach is rumbling at that very thought, then we have something pretty exciting to share with you, a brand-new chicken shop has flown into Varsity Lakes that goes by the name Dukes Chicken. If you needed any encouragement to step away from that sad desk sandwich, consider this the sign you’ve been waiting for …

“Where are all the chicken shops?” This is the question Nicole and Daniel asked themselves repeatedly upon relocating to the Gold Coast last January. In between border closures and lockdowns, the pair made the move to assume ownership of the breakfast institution that is Blackboard Varsity. Having spent a considerable amount of time in and around the lakeside suburb, the pair noticed a gap in the area for a casual eatery that didn’t compromise when it came to quality. The pair both agreed that rather than waiting around for someone else to find a solution, they’d take matters into their own hands and co-opt the corner coop next door. Fast forward a couple of months and Dukes Chicken has opened its doors slinging cooked chooks alongside an array of mouth-watering sides, salads and freshly blitzed juices.

As you’ve probably deduced by now, chicken is the hero here. A state-of-the-art rotisserie imported from France spins free-range birds on a constant rotation, with a strict three-hour turnover. Hailing from Melbourne, Nicole and Daniel are intensely passionate about quality, so you can be assured there are no dry birds here. In the bain maries, a vibrant selection of colourful salads, crisp chips coated in the venue’s own salt mix and delightfully creamy mac ‘n’ cheese provide plenty of temptation, and, if time is on your side, there is a selection of burgers, wraps and rolls. The OG (roast chicken and gravy on a milk bun) is proof that sometimes, the simplest things are indeed the most delicious, while Duke’s version of the bahn mi (chicken, cucumber, carrot, shallots, coriander, chilli, garlic mayo on a milk roll) is here to fire up your taste buds in the most delicious way. There are plans to increase the offering to include roast pork and lamb but for now, they’re focusing on nailing the fundamentals – quality, service, and damn good chicken. The majority of the menu is gluten-free and halal certified with vegetarian options available. Hot tip, you can order ahead here.

If you’re in the area with a hankering for some finger-lickin’ chicken, skip over to our Stumble Guide for opening times. Dukes Chicken is celebrating its grand opening on July 16 with free chips and activities for the little ones. 

The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.

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