Niche & Co, Tugun
This is where you’ll find some of the best acai bowls on the coast (hello there Snickers acai, we love you) as well as smoothies, cold-pressed juices, coffee and healthy eats like jackfruit burgers, vegan nachos, nourish bowls and even vegan ‘green eggs and ham’. It’s a busy little hub (for good reason) and you need to get around it.

The Cardamom Pod, Southport
The Cardamom Pod is a favourite among vegetarians, plant-based eaters and carnivores alike. They say that you eat with your eyes – and everything dished up at The Cardamom Pod at The Brickworks is a true visual feast, just take a look at its rainbow-hued Instagram feed. Here you’ll find everything from Nutella pumpkin protein pancakes to smoothie bowls and unicorn rice-paper rolls. Good luck deciding!

BSKT Cafe, Nobby Beach
If you thought eating healthy was bland and boring, then one trip to BSKT will change your mind completely. You’ll find everything from free-range eggs, nitrate-free bacon and buckwheat pancakes for breakfast, before moving onto lunch delights like the raw pad thai – then treat yo’self (the healthy way) with a few swirls of CocoWhip to finish.

Marie Anita’s, Mermaid Beach
This gem is entirely gluten free and sugar free, with a delicious breakfast and lunch offering that covers all of the dietary realms, from vegan dishes to paleo options, raw cakes and artisan gluten-free breads. This very creative kitchen shows us all that healthy food can be exciting and delicious!

Stable Coffee Kitchen, Currumbin: This dreamy southern cafe is a go-to for conscious eats. The menu steps away from mainstream cafe fare and offers plenty of options for the gluten-free and vegan folk. Think linseed and buckwheat crepes with stewed apple and wattle cashew cream, and Turkish cilbir with quinoa and pickled cabbage. Go on, try something different!

Blendlove, Southport
Keeping the plant-based flame alight on the northern end of the coast is Blendlove, with its delicious and truly unique breakfast and lunch menus – there’s no processed foods, no refined sugar and much of the menu (and cabinet food) caters for those with gluten and dairy intolerances. No great meal is complete without dessert, so go nuts on the raw cake and slices, yo’.

Greenhouse Canteen + Bar Miami and Coolangatta
The vegan movement on the Gold Coast is going from strength to strength and we’ve got O.G places like Greenhouse to thank for making animal-free eating cool. Sure, there are plenty of plant-based eaters that frequent Greenhouse, but you’ll also regularly find swarms of carnivores munching on its vibrant and healthy fare. Yep, those buffalo cauliflower wings and ‘meatballs’ can fool the best of us.

Caffe Republic, Bundall
If you genuinely give a damn about what you put in your stomach, then Caffe Republic is a no brainer. With a mantra of ‘food with a conscience’, Bundall’s Caffee Republic is often bustling with health-conscious foodies with an extensive menu that covers all diets from vegan, paleo, ketogenic, gluten free and dairy free. Get on this.

Brio Emporium Burleigh, Southport and The Oasis
Brio is more a cafe-grocer hybrid, making it the perfect spot to kick-start your healthy-eating crusade. If you’re into good fats and opt for a ketogenic way of life, then this is your ultimate full-fat hot spot. There’s steaming pots of bone broth available on the daily, plus coffee, delicious breakfast and lunch options and a killer selection of treats. Go there and try a Fat Boy – Brio’s own ketogenic sundae.

Meraki Whole Food Kitchen, Chirn Park
If you’re on the northern end, then you should have Chirn Park gem Meraki on your hit list. Here you’ll find quality food that is wholesome, hearty and ticks all the boxes for even the most health-conscious among us. When we say ‘ticking boxes’ we actually mean it, because each and every item on the menu has a breakdown of its macros listed, so you know exactly how many calories, carbs, grams of protein and far you’re consuming for each dish.

Pier B Wholefood Cafe, Sanctuary Cove
This is a go-to spot for guilt-free brunches on the northern end. The eatery is all about wholesome dishes and has an all-day breakfast menu featuring colourful smoothie bowls, vegan burgers and fresh juices that will leave you drooling. Try the plant-based Mexican fiesta bowl and don’t leave without something (of the gluten-free variety) from the healthy sweets cabinet.

Nude Sisters Whole Food Kitchen, Mermaid Waters
This vegetarian whole food kitchen boasts an all-day menu dotted with colourful eats and treats that cater for a range of dietary requirements. Nestled within the Markeri marketplace, Nude Sisters dishes up everything from vegan honeycomb spelt pancakes through to summer-bod-friendly green bowls, smoothies and plenty of healthy raw sweets.