Market fave Burrata Boy finds a permanent home in Coolangatta.
Market fave Burrata Boy finds a permanent home in Coolangatta.
If you’ve ever wandered through Miami Marketta or the Sanctuary Markets with an empty stomach, chances are you’ve spotted the queue for Burrata Boy. Now, the Gold Coast favourite has traded market pop-ups for bricks and mortar, opening its first permanent home in Coolangatta in a tiny takeaway kitchen dedicated to one of Italy’s greatest gifts: burrata.
Officially opening on June 20, the Chalk Street spot is proof that good things come in small packages. Blink and you might miss the little pod tucked down the alleyway behind Chemist Warehouse, but follow the scent of toasted focaccia and fresh basil and you’ll know you’ve arrived.
After building a loyal following one burrata ball at a time, the move feels like the natural next step for dream-team Emma and Victor. Their market stalls became known for generous portions, fresh ingredients and genuine hospitality, with regulars happily lining up for their cheese-loaded creations.
The community has wasted no time embracing the new digs. Just one week after opening, Emma and Victor shared their gratitude for the overwhelming support, thanking customers who returned for second sandwiches, spread the word and patiently supported the team as they settled into their new home.
The venue itself keeps things simple with white walls, grey awnings and timber accents. It’s designed primarily for grab-and-go lunches, beach picnics and quick coffee stops, although a handful of tables out the front invite diners to linger a little longer.
The menu doesn’t overcomplicate things either. Instead, it lets exceptional ingredients and Italian flavours do the talking. Burrata, naturally, is the hero, arriving creamy and generously portioned across bowls, sandwiches and share plates.
The signature Burrata Bowls headline the offering, including the OG Pesto Bowl, pairing creamy burrata with mortadella, rocket, cherry tomatoes, basil pesto, parmesan, balsamic glaze and slices of fresh focaccia for scooping up every last bite.
The Hot Honey Bowl delivers sweet-meets-savoury perfection with prosciutto, crushed pistachios and a drizzle of hot honey, while vegetarians are well looked after with the Garden Bowl, loaded with grilled eggplant, basil pesto and fresh herbs.
Then come the focaccia sandwiches. Early customer favourites include the Hot Boy Spicy, stacked with salami, fior di latte, tomato, rocket and hot honey, alongside the BBF Signature, where fresh burrata meets prosciutto, basil and cracked pepper with your choice of balsamic glaze, hot honey or basil pesto.
Sharing is encouraged too, with a Burrata Platter piled high with two burrata, cured meats, olives, cherry tomatoes and focaccia. Bring this to your next beach picnic and you’ll be everyone’s favourite.
The new kitchen isn’t just about cheese, there’s coffee and sweets, too. Treat yourself to a classic affogato or lean into dessert with a toasted Sweet Focaccia topped with Nutella, caramel or both, because sometimes more really is more.
If the first week is anything to go by, Burrata Boy’s little Cooly pod is on track to be a local institution.
Where: Chalk Street, Coolangatta
When: Sun–Thurs 7am–2pm, Fri–Sat 7am–4pm
Words by Lisette Drew
Images by Liam McDonald
Cold weather, hot venues.
Winter has officially settled in, and let’s be real, leaving the house now requires a strong dose of motivation. Luckily, the Gold Coast’s latest wave of openings is making it a whole lot easier to throw off the doona and seize the day.
From juice bars and cookie counters to rooftop sips and smokehouses, June proves the Gold Coast dining scene is not hibernating, and neither should you.
From the team behind Fire Baby and Ember, Hicksy’s Cafe is part of the new Hicksville, a big and bold hospitality precinct on Hicks Street in Southport. By day, Hicksy’s Cafe offers up specialty Bear Bones coffee, fresh pastries and stacked sandwiches with standouts including the Fire Baby Porchetta Roll, Brisket Boss and Pesto Mushroom Melt. Cancel your meal prep, these sandwiches are next level.
Where: 11 Hicks Street, Southport
Burleigh favourite The Fruit Shop has opened a second location, bringing its famous fresh juices, real acai and colourful smoothie bowls to Tugun. Owned by Ashlee Rana-Smith and Bailey Haigh, the family-run business continues a legacy dating back to the 1970s with its brilliant beachside snacks made with real fruit and no additives. Consider it your new go-to for a post-surf juice or acai fix.
Where: 4/467 Golden Four Drive, Tugun
Surfers Paradise has a new locale for long lunches. Taking over the former Hyde Paradiso site, Valentina Restaurant + Bar pairs Mediterranean-inspired feasts with sweeping ocean views and cocktails created alongside the team behind Maybe Sammy. Expect share plates, fresh seafood, handmade pasta and standout spritzes, all served in a breezy coastal setting inspired by Barcelona and the Amalfi Coast. It might just make you cancel your Euro summer plans.
Where: Level 2, Peppers Soul, 8 The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise
After a four-month Mediterranean-inspired makeover, Cooly Breeze Rooftop Restaurant & Bar has reopened bringing elevated coastal style and a refined new menu, crafted by owner and Executive Chef Marcondes Almeida Neto – the culinary mastermind behind fellow Cooly kingpins Black Dingo and La Stradina. Whether you’re chasing sunset spritzes, long lunches or just sweeping ocean views, this refreshed favourite is officially back and better than ever.
Where: Beachcomber International Resort, Level 13/122 Griffith Street, Coolangatta
Part of the new hospitality precinct on Hicks Street, Hicksville’s Smokehouse & Backyard Bar is bringing serious smokehouse energy to Southport, serving 16-hour brisket, sticky ribs, smoked chorizo and stacked BBQ buns. Expect low-and-slow meats, share plates like the Pitmaster’s Plate, and a strong drinks list heavy on bourbon, whiskey and local brews. Perfect for post-work knock-offs or weekend feasts.
Where: 11 Hicks Street, Southport
From the team behind Pasture & Co, Fletcher’s Pantry & Espresso is Tallebudgera’s newest neighbourhood cafe, bringing specialty coffee, artisan breads and freshly baked goods to the former Woodbox site on Tallebudgera Creek Road. Designed with a nod to the building’s old-school charm, it’s set to become the local go-to for slow mornings and community catch-ups.
Where: 33 Tallebudgera Creek Rd, Burleigh
Broadbeach has officially entered the cookie chat with Brooki Bakehouse landing on Surf Parade as the brand’s first full-scale Gold Coast store. The Brisbane-born cult bakery, famous for its viral New York-style cookies, brings thick, gooey, over-the-top treats like Milk Choc-Chip, Biscoff, Red Velvet and Oreo Cheesecake, plus rich brownies, cupcakes and show-stopping cakes. Open 10am–10pm, it’s your new excuse to make every day a cheat day.
Where: 88 Surf Parade, Broadbeach
Southport’s cafe scene just levelled up with No Name Lane 4215 opening at RDX Lumina, bringing the cult Broadbeach brand’s signature style to a futuristic new space. Chef Liam Dove is serving up Aussie brunch brilliance like Chilli Scramble and Raspberry Lemon Pancakes, while coffee is as top-notch as ever. The headline act though is the split cup, offering two different sips in one cup, so you no longer have to choose between coffee or matcha, you can have both!
Where: T0.3, 23 Nexus Way, Southport
Words by Lisette Drew
Big flavours, small bills.
Why blow the budget when you can feast like a king for the price of a jester? We’re talking wallet-friendly feeds that still slap harder than your mate’s group chat memes.
Whether you’re ballin’ on a budget or just love a bargain (honestly, who doesn’t?), we’ve sniffed out the Gold Coast’s tastiest cheap eats for your weekend munchies. Ready, set, unbuckle that belt.
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
It’s deluxe, delicious, and ready to dominate your dining rotation.
The rooftop renaissance we’ve all been waiting for has finally landed. After four months of Mediterranean-vibe renos, Cooly Breeze Rooftop Restaurant and Bar reopened on 4 June, emerging like a coastal butterfly that’s swapped its cocoon for couture. It still has that inviting, breezy ambience locals adore, but now sports a refined, elevated edge with coastal-cool swagger that feels both bougie and beautifully laid-back.
The fit-out is a real-life contemporary interpretation of our lifestyle, with sophistication replacing the tired clichés of beach-inspired design. The space is defined by its sculptural wave-like ceiling forms, which create movement and rhythm while subtly referencing the ocean we all oh-so-love. Soft curves, warm timber tones, textured surfaces and a muted neutral palette work together to deliver a modern aesthetic that feels both elevated and inviting. All-in-all, it’s a beautifully balanced blend of modern design and Cooly charisma.
This new sophistication flows straight through the menu, crafted by owner and Executive Chef Marcondes Almeida Neto – the culinary sorcerer behind fellow Cooly kingpins Black Dingo and La Stradina. Cooly Breeze has always been known for its epic beachfront and ocean views, but now the food and drinks are just as gasp-worthy. Think premium cuisine, panoramic vistas, and an ambience to match. It’s the perfect sundown spot, and frankly, the Med wishes it had this postcode.
Let’s unpack the nosh starting strong with the Byron Bay Burrata: charcoal grilled peaches, spicy honey and crumbled pistachio and why not add Jamón Ibérico because you can. It has mad med meets Northern NSW energy, and we are here for it.
Then, we recommend moving into a round of Bluefin Tuna Tartare on Savoury Blinis (3 pieces) with smoked mascarpone and finger lime pearls, and perhaps the Alla Earth Natural Oysters with pickled red onion and passionfruit and jalapeño dressing.
For mains, the 12-Hour Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder with creamed ricotta and sautéed potatoes is a melt-in-your-mouth moment worth writing home about. Or, for seafood devotees, brace yourselves for the Charcoal Grilled Tropical Rock Lobster. Served with light bisque emulsion, smoked butter, charred lemon, sea herbs, pickled fennel and fries, it’s luxurious, indulgent, and absolutely not for sharing.
For those who make friends with salad, the Chicken Ceasar Salad is the best in show, and for dessert desperados, the Soufflé Au Chocolat is a hard non-negotiable. Warm dark chocolate soufflé with a hazelnut praline centre and molten core, served with salted caramel ice cream, it’s a choc-fuelled mic drop if ever there was one.
As for drinks, the cocktail menu is lengthy, truly innovative, and exceptional – just the way we like it. Let’s kick off with cocktails because who can go past an award-winner and certainly not us. Paris, an AGFG-awarded beauty, blends Martell VS Cognac, St-Germain, fresh lemon, rosemary syrup and fig jam. It’s a true trailblazer, and there hasn’t been a better pairing since Garret and Wellsy.
For margarita lovers, the Hibi Heat with Cazcabel Honey tequila, Cointreau, hibiscus syrup and tea, fresh lime, served on the rocks with a chilli salt rim, is the perf spicy little number which goes down smoother than a Gold Coast sunset.
Spritz enthusiasts will fall hard for the Pommy Spritz with Massenez ginger liqueur, Steinbok passionfruit liqueur, pomegranate syrup, prosecco and soda. If you’re not sold on one of the above firstly, we can’t be friends, and secondly, fear not. There are mocktails and other non-alcoholic bevs, beers, and a wine list 16 pages long – and it’s an absolute clanger.
Whether you’re here for a bougee bite, mouthwatering meal, glass of shut-up good vino or a truly premium cocktail, this thoughtfully reimagined venue delivers elevated coastal living in spades. Sip, savour and soak in the views – Cooly Breeze is back baby, and it’s feta than ever.
Where: Beachcomber International Resort, Level 13/122 Griffith Street, Coolangatta
When: 12pm – 9pm Friday & Saturday, 12pm – 8pm Sunday, 5pm – 9pm Monday & Thursday. Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
Words by Bianca Trathen
Images by Liam McDonald
