Located in the premises formerly occupied by The Institution Ale House (and Groove Train before that), the 550-sqm venue pays homage to the retro-futuristic subculture of the steampunk era – a historical genre of science fiction that steps away from modern technology and focusses heavily on steam-powered machinery. It’s a unique and intriguing era, so you can only imagine what a venue based entirely around the steampunk theme would be like. Actually, don’t try and imagine it – we’ll tell you what you need to know, then you’ll have to go and see the magic of Steampunk for yourself.

Steampunk is the brainchild of Tasmanian hospitality heavyweight Grant Rodgers, who sold his Victorian-style bar, Hotel Soho, in Hobart last year before moving to the Gold Coast. Not only is Grant bringing a bit of Tasmania’s fabulous food and wine culture to our shores, he also set out to create a venue that was industrial in style, but with added elements of warmth and comfort as well – like that warm feeling you get from an old-school Victorian-style pub. When you step inside Steampunk, you won’t know where to look first. There’s industrial lighting, chesterfield lounges, excessive amounts of copper, exposed water and gas pipes, metal gadgets, intricate trinkets and exposed moving parts. Every single thing you see (there’s a lot for your eyes to handle) has been custom-made for the venue.

The share-food style menu offers something for all tastes, and has been created with locals in mind. So, think less #foodporn burgers, and more of a classy take on food that we’re all familiar with. You’ll find lighter dishes like the scorched local bugs with sweet corn and chilli salsa, crab and corn arancini, and mini fillets of steak served three ways. There’s mouth-watering bar-style snacks like the crispy fried chicken wings, turkey nachos, duck-fat roasted potatoes, and charred sweet potato topped with goat curd, coriander and muddled almonds. If you don’t want to share, you’ll find everything from chilli-salt local cuttlefish atop Thai salad, all the way to a half-kilo New York sirloin mega-steak. The drinkables are just as impressive – and it’s at the bar where you’ll see the theatrics of Steampunk come to life. There’s endless beers on tap, a killer selection of the hard stuff, plus cocktails that could double as a science experiment with billowing smoke and flames.

If Steampunk has you intrigued, head over to our Stumble Guide for its location and opening hours.