Nobby’s Rock is the handiwork of longtime Nobby Beach local and renowned business identity Mitch McIntyre – the creator and founder of the original Aqua Duck tourist vessels, which first took flight on the Gold Coast in 1996. Mitch has subbed out duck-like machinery for cocktails, food and late-night vibes with his newest venture, taking the space left by Fire Cue and joining longstanding neighbours like Hellenika, The Cambus Wallace and Gemellini. Nobby’s Rock is for the locals – and its food and drink offerings are a reflection of this community ethos. The meat is from Nobby Beach Butcher just up the street, the bread is baked metres away at the iconic Fosters Bakery, and the latest suds from Lost Palms Brewery (just a stone’s throw up the road) lead the tap-beer line-up.

Joel Byrant’s opening menu starts with bar snacks like Sydney rock oysters, popcorn chicken, frickles (fried pickles) with housemade barbecue sauce and crumbed cheese-stuffed jalapeno poppers, before moving onto toasted sandwiches and charcuterie boards laced with local aged meats. The menu of mains, which will evolve and change over time, steps away from share-style dining with dishes like roasted free-range chicken with baby carrots and kombucha gel, chargrilled beef tenderloin with mushroom ketchup, mushroom sand, potato shards and red-wine jus, and olive-oil-poached salmon with garden peas and crispy quinoa. There’s also sticky date pudding with whisky ice-cream and vanilla-vodka apple pie for those that like to cap off dinner with a boozy dessert. Speaking of booze, Nobby’s Rock is equipped with a solid series of cocktails, local tap beers and wine, while a raft of top-notch spirits line the eye-catching, neon-lit back bar.

For opening hours and contact details for Nobby’s Rock, head over to our Stumble Guide.