1. A sizzling new cocktail menu starting with Jalapeno Business.
1. A sizzling new cocktail menu starting with Jalapeno Business.
Smack bang in the middle of the recently redecorated Broadbeach restaurant strip is BiN 89.
The latest venue in the empire, BiN 89 makes it’s presence known with a striking timber and stone fit out and a brightly lit, impressively stocked bar that draws you in from down the street.
Here are three reasons you need to sample it for yourself.
1. First and foremost, BiN 89 just released their impressive new cocktail menu featuring ten brand new, totally unique beverages. Here’s a small snippet of what you can look forward too – Jalapeno Business is made with Tequila Blanco and Cointreau and has the perfect balance of sweetness and tang. Berried Alive is a lot less menacing than it sounds made with Gin, Chambord and sparkling wine and last but not least The Fresh Prince lives up to its name with Cucumber Gin, lime juice and basil leaves.
2. The menu is to die for. If you’ve visited a BiN restaurant previously you’ll understand the caliber of food that’s dished up across the board and of course, BiN 89’s dishes are nothing short of spectacular. You must try the Homemade Gnocchi with sautéed spinach, beef cheek and white wine cream sauce.
3. Dessert of course. The dish of the day (every day) is Chocolate and Hazelnut Mousse with berry puree and hokey pokey; it’s pure creamy deliciousness. It’s far and away the best mousse you’ve ever wrapped your mouth around.
Arrive hungry, you’ll need all the space you can get.
LOCATION: 89-91 Surf Parade, Broadbeach
HOURS: 11.30am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and 11.30am to 12am Friday and Saturday.
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
What comes to mind when you think of the humble Piña Colada? Tropical getaways lazing by a pool with a balmy sea breeze rustling through the palm fronds most likely spring to mind. And the vast majority of people will probably agree with you.
The cocktail is a favourite worldwide and has origins in 1950s Puerto Rico, hence the tropical flavours and name. If you do love Piña Coladas (but not getting caught in the rain), you should be excited to learn next month celebrates a day dedicated to the drink on Saturday 10th of July. Because all the best things deserve a day wholly devoted to them, right?
In honour of such an exciting occasion, our list highlights the bars where you can celebrate in fabulous fashion and give thanks to these lush-styled drinks from the Caribbean.
Aloha
If you haven’t found yourself sipping tiki-style libations in this back-alley Broadbeach haunt, then quite frankly, where have you been? When it comes to slinging the best drinks with a sprinkling of fun, you won’t find anywhere else that does it quite like these guys. There is always something going on here, so grab your best Hawaiian shirt and let Aloha take care of the rest.
Where: 18 Main Place, Broadbeach
Café Catalina
Right on the water’s edge in the Broadwater Parklands, Café Catalina has steadily become a crowd favourite due to its stunning water views and modern menu. We all know what goes best with water views, don’t we? That’s right, a sweet, sweet Piña Colada, of course. The café is famously pooch-friendly, so grab your furry mate and settle in for a couple of cocktails.
Where: 10/11 Broadwater Parklands, Southport
The Island Rooftop Bar
Surfers Paradise’s largest rooftop bar is a favourite for any sunny Sunday sessions. The Island Colada fits this bustling and subtropical scene to a tee, constructed with love — including pineapple juice, coconut cream and Havana Charta — meaning it’s a traditional-style Piña Colada with some extra island vibes thrown in to get you and the party started.
Where: The Island, Corner of Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Beach Road, Surfers Paradise
Naami
This relative newcomer to the Burleigh Heads bar scene is already garnering the right kind of attention for innovative signature drinks; the like of which you can sip and discuss with a friend/colleague/tinder date for hours with ease. The Pav is Mine is a clever adaptation of the classic Piña Colada that deserves to be tried, and as it’s a vegan-made cocktail, there are absolutely no excuses!
Where: 4/57 James Street, Burleigh Heads
Taboo Tiki
The tiki sensations are intense with this one — and that’s putting it lightly. With an upbeat setting and consistent line-ups of quality D.J.s, we suggest you pencil in this Surfers Paradise venue for celebrating international Piña Colada Day come next month. If you can’t wait that long, be sure to head along to one of their many party nights from Thursday through to Sunday to get a taste of the action.
Where: 19 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise
Cowch
When the words dessert and cocktail can be found in close proximity to one another, you know things are looking up. So, when Cowch opens a flagship venue in The Oracle Broadbeach next week, you can expect sweet and alcoholic things to collide in an udderly (pardon the pun) delish way. The Hoola Girl is a whipped cream and lollipop garnished version of the Puerto Rican classic you simply must try.
Where: 1 Oracle Boulevard, Broadbeach
Sticky Rice
The original naughty but nice excuse for a mid-week tipple or two: if Sticky Rice can’t get you out of the house for some next-level Thai cuisine accompanied by some seriously delish cocktails, nothing or no one can. The Pina Coladyboy (Dark Rum, Malibu, blended with fresh pineapple, coconut cream, lime & orgeat) is at the top of their cocktail list for a reason. Turn up the chilli in your Duck Red Curry and mellow out with the pick of the tropical cocktails.
Where: Shop 7, 443 Golden Four Drive, Tugun
Crafty’s
Finding yourself amid a shopping frenzy can not only be a hit to your bank balance but a trigger for an unquenchable thirst, the type that can only be satisfied with some top-notch cocktails, of course. Crafty’s is the optimum spot to lighten the load and get your lips around a tasty little Piña Colada. Their take, The G.O.A.T., has lashings of pineapple-infused rum and should make the second half of your shopping spree a breeze.
Where: Harbour Town Eats, Biggera Waters
Edgewater Dining & Lounge
The attention to detail taken by this venue with their drinks offering is nothing short of remarkable. The drinks list is titled, Liquid Journey and from cover to cover, you can see this Isle of Capri restaurant has placed great emphasis on having great food and the drinks to match. Their signature Pirate on the Beach takes the modest classic and completely revamps it with deluxe inclusions of Fireball, Amaretto, and nutmeg.
Where: Shop 3 G7, Capri on Via Roma, Surfers Paradise
Ms. Margots
If you find yourself on the shiny side of town and think a couple of sophisticated cocktails are in order, then you need to consider Ms. Margots at The Hilton Surfers Paradise. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; the venue has you covered for when you feel like pushing the boat out a little. As Piña Coladas come, the house version is aptly named Beach Blonde Jenny and twists the original with the addition of macadamia nut liqueur and cacao: thus, you have a delicious drink that is also health-conscious. Ingenious stuff!
Where: The Hilton, 6 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
Who loves a dirty martini? Ummm, we do! And we love any excuse to drink one… enter: International Gin Day. June 14 is basically our second birthday – okay, technically it’s gin’s, but we’re claiming it.
Luckily for us, the Gold Coast is shaking (and stirring) things up with a bunch of bars serving epic gin creations using top-shelf local spirits.
So in honour of the juniper juice we all know and love, here are the best spots to get your gin fix this Gin Day – or, let’s be honest, any day ending in “y”.
Happy sipping, gin lovers.
Bringing a splash of Polish tradition to the Gold Coast, Panezski Artisan Distillery is a family-run gem crafting premium small-batch vodka and gin with heart, heritage and a whole lot of flavour. While vodka might traditionally be a northern hemisphere affair, Panezski is proving that Aussie soil can produce spirits with just as much soul. From their meticulous distilling process to their beautiful bottling, it’s clear this crew doesn’t cut corners. Drop in for a taste of Europe, GC-style.
Our pick: Northside Rickey – Panezski Gin, lime juice, simple syrup, mint leaves and dry ginger ale. Cool, crisp and straight-up refreshing.
Where: Unit 2/2 Sierra Place, Upper Coomera
Tucked away in an industrial shed near Harbour Town, this gin haven is serving up serious style (think festoon lights, a swoon-worthy pink vee-jay counter, and shiny copper stills that deserve their own Instagram account). Their gin spirits are stellar, and they taste even sweeter in the form of their cocktails.
Our pick: The Mango Weis Bar cocktail with mango gin, mango nectar, lemon juice, vanilla sugar and aquafaba does it for us!
Where: 211 Brisbane Rd, Biggera Waters
If there’s one place that knows its way around a gin cocktail, it’s the OG of Gold Coast distilling – Granddad Jack’s. They’ve seriously upped the ante with their bold new cocktail menu inspired by the Seven Man-Made Wonders of the World. Each drink is a flavour-packed tribute to an architectural icon – think a dry martini-style nod to the Great Wall of China with bold mandarin and umami notes, or a silky, spiced number inspired by the Taj Mahal. There’s even a foamy, tart twist on Chicha Morada repping Machu Picchu. Honestly, it’s a round-the-world trip without leaving Miami (and without needing a passport – bonus!).
Our pick: The Seymour Street, made with their house Greenhouse Gin, fresh lime juice and a dash of eucalyptus. It’s like sipping on an Aussie summer in a glass.
Where: 45 Lemana Lane, Miami
Far more than your standard distillery, Familiar Spirits focuses on crafting tailor-made spirits for cocktails, ensuring each drink is as smooth as a well-aged whiskey. Now we’re talking! Their signature cocktail menu rotates with the seasons, so there’s always something new to try.
Our pick: The Not So Familiar Negroni, with Macadamia Fat Washed Pudding Gin, Lemon Myrtle Campari and Rosso Vermouth is calling our name.
Where: 1/9 Calabro Way, Burleigh Heads
Meet the small-batch distillery that packs a big punch! Found on Scottsdale Drive in Varsity Lakes, Wildflower Distillery crafts exceptional and award-winning gin that can be deemed as ‘Burleigh in a bottle’. Crafted with locally grown botanicals, including cardamom, lemon myrtle and coriander, plus a little drop of honey from the owner’s very own Burleigh backyard, you can now understand why. It’s a very easy drinking drop, a little bit floral and paired perfectly with either tonic, solo over ice (tried and tested) or in their famous ‘Basil Fawlty’ cocktail- delish!
Our pick: The Basil Fawlty cocktail is worth the trip alone
Where: 2/486 Scottsdale Drive, Varsity Lakes
If you’re chasing sleek, sophisticated and seriously sippable, Burly Gin in Currumbin is your go-to. This dreamy gin bar is packed with artisan bottles so pretty, you’ll be turning them into vases when they’re empty (because why not have flowers and gin on display?). The team behind Burly serves up their entire gin range in a lineup of dazzling cocktails, each one more Insta-worthy than the last. The space itself is chic, the vibes are chilled, and the drinks? Let’s just say you’ll want to try the entire menu twice.
Our pick: Italiano Spritz – Citrus Burly Gin, Sanbitter, Grapefruit, Rosemary Shrub & Prosecco. Bellissimo!
Where: 60 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin
Bringing a taste of Italy with a distinctly Aussie twist, Loborn Distillery is shaking (and stirring) up Tamborine Mountain’s sip scene in the most delicious way. Tucked among the leafy charm of Main Street, this boutique distillery is the perfect pit stop for a tasting or a cheeky cocktail session. Whether you’re vibing an Aperol Spritz in the sunshine or settling in for something stronger, Loborn delivers the goods with style, flavour, and plenty of mountain magic.
Our pick: The Classic G&T – Loborn Original Gin, Indian tonic water and an orange twist. Simple. Timeless. Perfect.
Where: Shop 4, 46-48 Main Street, Mt Tamborine
Home of the iconic colour-changing Ink Gin, Husk Farm Distillery is the ultimate gin-lover’s day trip destination. Set on a stunning working farm in North Tumbulgum, this spot is part cellar door, part bar, part café – and 100% worth the drive. While they’re also the brains behind Husk Virgin Cane Rum and Spiced Bam Bam, today we’re here for the gin (obviously). Expect garden-fresh vibes, paddock-to-glass pours, and cocktails that are as pretty as they are delicious.
Our pick: Ink Sloe Fizz – Ink Sloe & Berry Gin, lemon, soda. Light, bright, and berry delicious.
Where: Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
It’s a time of year locals love; eating and drinking the very best of what the Gold Coast has to offer over a weekend free of judgement and filled with over-indulgence.
The Gold Coast Food and Wine Festival is on again with another jam-packed program showcasing a variety of restaurants, wineries, artists and food trucks from across the city.
Here are eight not-to-be-missed experiences to fill your days and stretch your stomachs.
Friday 2nd June
Local Flavour at Burleigh Brewing
Local flavour will combine three of the Gold Coast’s most loved elements – craft beer, street food trucks and live music from local artists – into one epic feast for the senses. There’ll also be brewery tours at set times throughout the day.
LOCATION: Burleigh Brewing, 2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads
TIME: 3pm to 8pm
COST: Free
Live Art x Live Food
A night of interactive, experimental and exciting art including murals, live body art and street art all created to a soundtrack of the Gold Coast’s emerging musicians and all exploring the relationship between food and art. Enjoy a kaleidoscope of global flavours from night market stalls while exploring and engaging with artists.
LOCATION: NightQuarter, 1 Town Centre Drive, Helensvale
TIME: 4pm – 10pm
TICKETS: $3 entry to NightQuarter
7 Course Degustation
An impressive 7 course fine dining experience created by Sirromet’s Executive Chef Andrew Mirosch and Chief Winemaker Adam Chapman. Together they have put together a menu using the freshest local and seasonal produce matched perfectly with Sirromet’s award-winning wines.
LOCATION: Sirromet Winery, 850-938 Mount Cotton Rd, Mount Cotton
TIME: 6.30pm to 9.30pm
COST: $115 per person
Saturday 3rd June
Distillery Tastings
Tamborine Mountain Distillery is Australia’s most awarded distillery with more than 300 international awards. A boutique distillery hidden away in the Gold Coast hinterland they manufacture fine liqueurs, schnapps, vodka, eau de vie and liqueur chocolates, all of which you can wrap your tastebuds around as part of the festival.
LOCATION: 89 Beacon Rd, Tamborine Mountain
TIME: From 10am to 3pm
COST: $5 per tasting
The Long Table at Tamborine Mountain
Mt Tamborine is THE Gold Coast destination for foodies and wine lovers. At this event Witches Chase Cheese, Long Road Bistro, Fortitude Brewery and Heritage Wines are collaborating to celebrate the Hinterland’s unique produce. Dine at a long table with views of the cheese factory in full production while sampling award winning cheese, paté, terrines and cured meats, all paired with wine and craft beer tastings.
LOCATION: Witches Chase and Long Rd Bistro, 165-183 Long Road, Eagle Heights
TIME: From 12.30pm
COST: $55 per person
Taste of the Gold Coast – Food and Wine Tour
Experience a progressive dinner with a difference. Explore the sophistication and style reinventing the dining scene on the Gold Coast. The event will be a four-stop experience of canapés, food-making, local ingredients and wine tastings as well as a delicious five star desserts and cocktails.
LOCATION: Secret, confirmed with ticket purchase
TIME: 2pm to 7pm (approx.)
COST: $189 per person
Wine and Dining Degustation
Indulge in a stunning six course degustation at the beautifully appointed Balthazar Wine and Dining. Six courses will be perfectly matched with local and global wines, specifically selected by their expert sommelier.
LOCATION: Crowne Plaza, 2807 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers Paradise
TIME: 6pm to 10pm
COST: $120 per person
Sunday 4th June
Picnic in the Park
Dine on local treats from your favourite Surfers Paradise restaurants delivered by UberEats. Pack your picnic blanket, listen to live music, share a bottle of wine and catch up with friends as the sun sets over the Gold Coast.
LOCATION: Lionel Perry Park, Ferny Avenue, Surfers Paradise
TIME: 12pm to 8pm
COST: $2 entry
By Amy Merridan
