Just as we were about to write 2020 off completely, a new pizza and pasta bar has opened at The Strand in Coolangatta and it’s here to lure you into a blissful state of carb-induced happiness with perfectly crisp pizzas, pillowy pasta and signature sips overlooking the ocean. Little Cooly, perched on level one, is an ode to all things local with dishes named after recognisable icons and produce sourced as locally as possible. The all-day menu is jam-packed with creative combinations like the Queenslander pizza, which is loaded with local Bangalow pork, pineapple, fetta and charred corn, and the Snapper Rocks pizza featuring fresh Tweed River prawns, mango, cashews and avocado. If you simply cannot decide if you feel like pizza or pasta (we don’t blame you), the One Pan Wonders combine elements of both to create some kind of glorious pizza/pasta bake hybrid (yum!) that is 100 percent food coma material. The Carb-loader with pepperoni, mushroom, grilled capsicum and anchovy fillets topped with grilled cheese has earned plenty of culinary kudos but there’s also a meat-free version that is equally as delicious. Placate the little tackers with a selection from the kids’ menu and a sundae, while the big kids can treat themselves to a pick from the extensive wine list that features more than 100 different drops, a spritzer or signature cocktail such as the Cooly Colada. Of course, no day at the beach is complete without a brew or two and thankfully, the venue will boast its own Little Cooly Dry and Little Cooly Ginger Cider.