Gold Coast food and drink
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What's on in Gold Coast
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EventOne night. Two chefs. One extraordinary region at Palette Restaurant
One night. Two chefs. One extraordinary region. Wed Sep 9 Join Executive Chef Dayan Hartill-Law and acclaimed chef Ben Devlin of Pipit Restaurant for a six-course dining experience celebrating the producers, waterways and landscapes of the Gold Coas...
SpecialBookings recommended online at Juju Mermaid Beach
Enjoy a perfectly cooked steak frites, and a complimentary local wine or beer for just $38 Every Wednesday and Thursday. Bookings recommended online.
EventFrida Sol (Palm Beach) event
Nacho Wednesday at Frida Sol $15 nachos, every Wednesday. From 12pm till late 🍹See you there.
SpecialThat feeling when your bottomless lunch is about to start at Hail Mary
That feeling when your bottomless lunch is about to start 🌮 🍹 Every Saturday and Sunday: chef's entrées, your choice of two tacos and 1.5 hours of bottomless drinks. 🍷 Beers, wines, spritzes, sangria + mocktails — $85pp 🍹 Add classic and coconut mar...
Restaurants in Gold Coast
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The Most Recommended Restaurants in Gold Coast
Explore the city's most recommended restaurants right now.
The Most Recommended Cafes in Gold Coast
Find the cafes locals, city experts and tastemakers recommend most.
The Most Recommended Bars in Gold Coast
Browse the bars mates and locals keep recommending.
Find your corner of Gold Coast
Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Heads brings coffee, pizza and considered coastal dining into the same outing, with the beach providing a good reason to leave the afternoon open.
Southport
Southport’s Chinatown brings noodles, dumplings and Korean barbecue into the city centre, with tea and something sweet to follow a shared meal.
Broadbeach
Broadbeach brings Kurrawa’s beach day into an evening of restaurant tables and drinks, with the dining strip close to the coast and major events.
Mermaid Beach
Mermaid Beach rewards looking closely along the coast, with intimate dining rooms and café stops that can turn a simple meal into the day’s main plan.
Coolangatta
Marine Parade keeps Coolangatta’s meals close to the surf, with Italian cooking, café stops and generous club lunches fitting a relaxed southern-coast day.
Restaurant leaderboards —
ranked by mates and locals
Explore the most loved venues in Gold Coast.
No.VenueAboutAddressPhone
01.SunshineMediterranean, Restaurant, TakeawayA sunlit James Street patio serving restaurant-grade Mediterranean fare pay-by-weight deli-style. Simon Gloftis trades rigid dining for customized plates where diners build exactly what they want. Load up on tender lamb shoulder, crumbed eggplant, and flaky spanakopita alongside fresh salads and charcoal-grilled chicken. The model keeps portions flexible and reduces waste—equally fitting for a desk lunch or mixed-diet group tables. Everything gets weighed at the counter before you head out under the yellow umbrellas with a square of warm bougatsa.39 James St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia+61 7 3741 5979
02.Short GrainThai, Chinese, RestaurantSet inside an airy Fortitude Valley converted factory, Short Grain pairs punchy regional Thai aromatics with generous room to breathe. High ceilings and widely spaced tables keep the room civilized—you can actually hold a conversation over dinner. Chef Martin Boetz frequently works the floor himself, running plates and talking through the wine list. Longtime fans know many of the rich curries and mains can be ordered in half-portions, making it easy to sample widely or settle in solo. Start with the betel leaf king prawn bites before moving to the Chiang Mai spiced trout larb, cuttlefish in sweet soy lime, and a bowl of crisp roti to sweep up every drop of curry sauce.15 Marshall St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia+61 448 677 378
03.Sunny Side Sandwiches - WindsorSandwich ShopSunny Side Sandwiches delivers hefty, Japanese-style sandos loaded with panko-crumbed schnitzels, layered sauces, and monthly drops that pull crowds across town. Locals line up for the spicy schnitty on melt-in-the-mouth bread—or time their run to catch limited-run creations like the fish and chip sanga or birria crunch. Behind the counter, the team sings along to the radio while slinging hot takeaway orders for midday smoko. Pair a two-handed build with a side of crispy fries and fresh-squeezed orange juice.Shop 203/142 Newmarket Rd, Windsor QLD 4030, Australia0475459558
04.The New BlackCoffee, Brunch, Cafe, TakeawayTucked into Bakery Lane off Ann Street, this Fortitude Valley hideaway serves serious morning plates away from the traffic. The heavyweight on the pass is the fried chicken benny—poached eggs, crisp chicken, and rich hollandaise stacked on sourdough. If you skip the bird, the chilli scram delivers fermented chilli, fried halloumi, and crème fraîche over rye toast. Tables spill out into a plant-filled brick alley where dogs get puppucinnos and iced chais keep the Brisbane humidity at bay.694 Ann St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia+61 457 315 564
05.Farmhouse, Kedron CafeCoffee, Brunch, Restaurant, CafeLocals pack into this Kedron dining room for one clear reason: a farm-style brekkie that effortlessly justifies the cross-town drive. The space channels an unhurried rural retreat—grain sacks line the walls, fresh cut stems fill an entrance cart, and the kitchen works at full tilt. Regulars steer newcomers straight toward the signature potato cakes, stacked beneath poached eggs and hollandaise. Outside, staff patrol the patio with fleece blankets on crisp mornings while overhead gas heaters warm the deck.9 Somerset Rd, Kedron QLD 4031, Australia+61 7 3861 1956