Take your taste buds to Europe at the brand-new Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar in Broadbeach
Since quietly opening around Christmas in 2020, Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar has been dishing up a little taste of coastal Europe with a simple-yet-delicious menu of seafood, salumi and a seriously impressive selection of vino. Despite its small stature, the much-loved venue has been punching well above its weight in terms of its output, consistently delivering a casually refined dining experience that satiated our appetite for Italian sojourns by the seaside, at least temporarily. The only downside to its location is that the seating was at the mercy of Mother Nature, and as we all know, she’s been in quite the mood. It was this uncertainty, coupled with the venue’s increasingly limiting size constraints that compelled its owner Henry Hunt to seek a suitable alternative. Friends and fellow foodies, say hello to the brand-new Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar 2.0.
Seek and you shall find. While it might sound like something you’d find scrawled on a tiny piece of paper inside a fortune cookie, it has proven true for Henry Hunt, the owner of Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar. His beloved Broadbeach-based venue had pushed its outer perimeter as far as it would go, and staring down the barrel of another rainy summer, he decided to put the feelers out for a new home. As luck would have it, an opportunity presented itself down the other end of The Oasis Shopping Centre. Nestled in between Mario’s Italian Restaurant and Grand Dynasty, Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar has debuted a luxe new look. Rather than just relocate the existing fixtures down the mall, Henry seized the opportunity to elevate the restaurant’s aesthetic and worked with Bridgette Ford from Archinteriors to completely transform the shell and bring his vision to life. While living in Florence for four years, Henry spent every spare moment eating and drinking his way along Europe’s famed coastline. So when it came to envisioning his dream restaurant, he had a few ideas. The new-look Sofia’s is a beauty. Dreamy Aperol-lined archways envelop the perimeter of the inside dining room, framing the cushy booths below. Green foliage cascades from the ceiling while the open kitchen and smouldering wood-fired oven draws your gaze towards the back. The terrazzo-topped bar is undoubtedly the venue’s centrepiece, housing the restaurant’s exceptional 200-strong wine list and spirit collection. Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar now seats 100 between indoor and outdoor dining areas plus another ten at the bar.
In terms of the menu, chef Dan Paulman has brought some of Sofia’s favourites alongside a selection of seasonal new additions. Start with a serving of its famous house-made bread and the all-new zucchini flowers stuffed with parmesan and ricotta, lemon zest and nutmeg. Delivering an elevated take on the classic carpaccio, Sofia’s version features octopus with citrus dressing, fresh chives and black lava salt, alongside its signature salumi and cheese selection that includes glistening globes of burrata, stretchy stracciatella and decadently creamy triple brie, among its offering. Oyster lovers can slurp back live Appellation oysters that can be served natural or with a side of chardonnay mignonette. Chef Dan has also expanded the pasta selection, which includes the show-stopping Cacio e Pepe that is served at the table from a 40-kg aged wheel of parmesan. Yes, before you ask, it’s every bit as rich, creamy and delightfully decadent as it sounds. As for the original space, well, Henry has some big plans for that too but we’ll bring you more on that oh-so-soon.
The brand-new Sofia’s Restaurant & Bar is now open! Skip over to our Stumble Guide for opening hours and booking details.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
