Grab your girl squad.
Grab your girl squad.
Pacific Fair’s Comuna Cantina is the epitome of girly good times; Instagram-worthy food, tick, pretty pink cocktails, tick and world-class shopping right at your fingertips, tick tick tick.
Boasting fresh, tasty South American share-style morsels, Comuna Cantina is the perfect place to wrap up a huge day of shopping at the newly renovated and unintended workout inducing, Pacific Fair.
Start with an Arepa, a Venezuelan staple, which is a taco pocket (basically a cooler version of the pita pocket) filled with marinated prawns, pineapple salsa, avocado and tequila aioli and coriander.
Moving on, try a ‘not-your-typical-taco’, which are light and flavoursome in varieties along the lines of pulled pork, pickled onion and shaved green apple #juanisnotenough.
Brazilian-style barbecued meat also graces the menu as do Tortas or Mexican Burgers, made on brioche buns with a magical Mexican twist.
As you’d expect, every dish is colourful, packed with flavour and the perfect accompaniment to a refreshing cocktail or two.
Speaking of cocktails, the Comuna Colada is uniquely pink and refreshing but if sharing’s more your thing, order a watermelon margarita and stick your straw in. It’s literally a frozen margarita inside half a watermelon decorated with fruit and edible flowers. You’re welcome ladies.
With a few cocktails under your belt you might be brave enough to spend your Saturday night dancing the Salsa. Comuna Cantina offer free lessons from 7pm to 8pm and from 8pm onwards the dance floor is open to everyone.
So grab your BFF’s and get excited for a South American street food extravaganza.
HOURS: Open every day 11am until late
LOCATION: Pacific Fair, Hooker Blvd (next to Zara on the ground floor)
Words and photos Kirra Smith
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
In a first for our foodie-centric city, Broadbeach has recently welcomed a London-style speakeasy known as a small bar in hospo-land. The drinks-only concept is popular around the world and now (hallelujah) the Gold Coast has joined the party.
Soho Place, opposite the Convention Centre, is marked only by a red door with no signage encouraging passers by to pop their heads in and discover what’s going on in the moody, candle-lit space.
Spray-painted scenes depicting London landmarks draw your eyes around the room until they land on the substantially stocked bar which, of course, is where the magic happens.
Owner Scott Imlach and his team, of Bine Bar & Dining and Hideaway Kitchen & Bar fame, have done their research and the result is a cocktail menu to rival any you’ve ever laid eyes on before. Combining some of the world’s most-loved concoctions along with plenty of their own unique creations, Soho Place is your new favourite watering hole.
Here’s why:
The Painkiller was first served on the island of Jost Van Dyke in the 1970’s and quickly became popular at Tiki bars around the world. It’s a sweet little drink made up of Pusser’s dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple and orange juice, nutmeg and maraschino cherries. It’ll certainly soothe what ails ya.
The Bacardi Coconut Bomb is a delight to both behold and consume. It’s simply a whole coconut with a tiny little bottle of Bacardi inserted into the side and it will indeed, knock your socks off.
The Monk Movie is one of the most interestingly delicious things you’ve ever put in your mouth. Green Chartreuse, Gin Mare, popcorn syrup and lime juice combine for a punchy, popcorny flavour that has to be tasted to be believed.
The cocktail list is a long one so set out in search of the red door and choose your own adventure.
LOCATION: Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach (between Queensland and Victoria Aves)
HOURS: 5pm to midnight seven days
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
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
