The Gold Coast foodie scene has been a place of profound change and transitions in recent years. We may be bias, but we think our café culture is very much in line — if not surpassing — our southern neighbours.

And with it, we have variety: from gorgeous beachside espresso drop-ins to laid-back chic industrial spaces which effortlessly ooze coolness. We reckon anyone from the big cities that have visited in recent times has likely left feeling a tad jealous — so they should, right?!

The northern end of the Gold Coast has been no exception to this building momentum of late, with venues regularly setting the bar high with only the best coffee and premium café dishes. So, when it’s time to break the fast, and you find yourself at the northern end of town, we’ve kindly compiled a rundown of the best places, where we implore you to make that happen. Enjoy!

Funnybone Coffee
From the owner of cult coffee stop, Good Day Coffee in Tugun comes this reasonably new addition to the Helensvale circuit. Aesthetically from the outside, this open café space screams minimalistic eye-catching vibes that will make leaving this spot rather tricky, especially when the staples are yummy Acai Bowls, Coconut Porridge and Eggs Benedict of both the regular and vegan variety.
Where: 2 Laurel Drive, Helensvale 

Daark Espresso
The ever-admired Chirn Park (just north of Southport) is a little hive of foodie goodness that the northern side of the Coast was certainly due. Daark Espresso sets the bar high, from its uber-friendly staff to its sumptuous breakfast menu littered with favourites like the dessert-for-breakfast Panna Cotta boasting peach, mango, & coconut with a crunchy granola & seasonal fruits. Ohh and make sure not to make plans for the rest of the day because their lunch menu will make you want to stay!
Where: 2/41 Musgrave Avenue, Labrador

WavyBone
Chirn Park has gone and done it again with a café that looks like it has just waved goodbye and walked itself out of a Melbourne laneway; it hasn’t though, it’s just the ultra-vibrant WavyBone, of course! The Wavy B & E Roll is a winner and goes down a treat with a perfectly poured Blackboard Coffee, one of the Gold Coast’s original coffee roasteries. Throw into this mix a turntable forever pumping out sweet rhythms and a chance to grab yourself some dashing WavyBone branded apparel: we think you’ve likely found your next favourite breakfast hangout.
Where: 1/36 Musgrave Avenue, Southport

Anchor Bouy Café & Bar
The aptly named Anchor Bouy is where you are guaranteed some finely poured Elixir coffee and a great breakfast menu, all whilst you stare lovingly at the array of boats in the marina and wish to yourself you lived at Sanctuary Cove. One dish you MUST try is the Breakfast Bruschetta. It’s to die for with your choice of bacon or house smoked salmon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, poached eggs all served on top of lightly toasted sourdough and drizzled with hollandaise.
Where: The Marine Village, Masthead Way, Hope Island

Substance Espresso
Can we just say, how good is a seasonal menu? It keeps things interesting and fresh in our eyes! And with that in mind, the team at Substance Espresso has their menu hinge on seasonality, with specials aplenty and the added acceptance that dessert for breakfast is a bonafide thing. Oh and to top it all off, the barista’s there accept nothing but consistently good coffee, which means the first drop of golden liquid is as good as the last. We’ll meet you there!
Where: Shop 2/10/12 Lae Drive, Runaway Bay

Bear Boy Espresso
Coffee is well and truly the ultimate focus at Bear Boy Espresso. Speciality blends coming from Market Lane in Melbourne are regularly featured with the added addition of pour-over and batch brew as well as your standard espresso-style coffees. Caffeine aside, the venue is a feast for the eyes and somehow more reminiscent of Northern Europe than Queensland. The menu brags some usual flavoursome suspects as well as a dedicated section to the little ones. We can’t go past their self-proclaimed ‘OG’ the Big Bear Benny. A crispy potato waffle, two poached pggs, house hollandaise with sautéed greens and your choice of garlic thyme mushroom, smoked bacon, pulled pork, or smoked salmon. The options are endless!
Where:  Shop 66/502 Hope Island Road, Helensvale

Cross + Feather
Situated on one of the forever-bustling little streets of Paradise Point, Cross + Feather dishes up all your favourites with quirky little spins. And because breakfast is for champions, the team at Cross + Feather generously serve it all day. We cannot recommend enough the Crossed Avo which includes fresh avocado, heritage tomatoes, Persian fetta, purple basil salsa verde, native dukkah, smoked green tea salt on a sprouted wheat sourdough. YUM!
Where: 2 Grice Avenue, Paradise Point

Words by Alex Mitcheson.

Psst, want to be the ‘oh-so-now’ one in your crew who can name-drop all the hot-off-the-press eats spots? Stick with us kids – we’ve got you. In fact, here’s one we prepared earlier, and it has all the makings of a hit. For a start, the cuisine is a crowd fave and here’s a song-based clue: “Well this food is aromatic. It’s charismatic. It’s yumomatic. Why it’s GREECE-d lightening!!” Ok, that was fun, and yes it’s Modern Greek goodness for the win at Homeworld Helensvale’s newest restaurant. It’s called Oh My Greek Kitchen and Bar and OMG, we’re greeking out over here!!!

This place just ‘ouzos’ amazing food, drinks and feels, with everything – even the sauces – made fresh on-site. Bringing innovative Greek nosh to the northside using local produce and fresh ingredients, how did we get ‘souvlaki’? We’ve also got a sneaky bit of intel and all we can say is you should definitely watch this space as there are soon-to-be belly dancers every Friday and Saturday night and we don’t think we could be any more excited.

Now let’s took looks, with an aesthetic capturing the traditional vibe of its homeland, executed tastefully with modern and a-la-mode highlights. The colour palette is blue and white which is exactly how we like our Greek restaurants, but with lashings of yellow and beautiful wood accents. The bar area is adorned in stunning mosaic tiles with eye-catching floating wood panels overhead. There’s dining both indoors and outdoors with a mixture of marble tables, chairs and an extended canary yellow booth-style couch and yellow subway tiles underneath. The main feature wall is white with Greek archway outlines, and there are clear pendant lights creating ambient lighting. Just blue-tiful.

Owner Mirza Sheraz Sarwar, an experienced Greek restaurateur, has enlisted the culinary prowess of Head Chef Arno Olliver to ensure his patrons leave with happy bellies. And there’s certainly a lot to be happy about here…and we haven’t even made it onto the cocktail list yet!

Our recommendation is the Porn Star Martini (insert girly giggle) with vanilla vodka, passionfruit and passoa. Or, if you’re doing the whole Dry July thing, you simply MUST have a Seabreeze mocktail with Blue Curacao, Mint, Pineapple and Orange. They look and taste sensational so we’re ordering two and make no Apollo-gies for this because #boozefree.

Now it’s time to eat, and isn’t it always? We’re kicking things off with the pinky creamy dreamy goodness of their Taramasalata, made from traditional fish roe, garlic, lemon and EVOE served with house made Greek bread. Then, we’ll move into an entrée (or “Mezedez” coz when in Rome…or uh, Greece…), and we’re going with the Solomos Kai Halloumi which is grilled salmon with halloumi and apple chutney. I mean, who could resist?

For the main (literally) event, as if we could go past the Meat Moussaka because there is nothing more satisfying than layers of potato, eggplant, beef ragu and Bechamel sauce, served with Greek salad and pita bread. And finally for dessert, it’s a tough call but the Trigona Panormatos have it in the bag. We’re talking crispy, golden, buttery phyllo triangles soaked in syrup and filled with the most rich and creamy custard, served with coffee ice cream and excuse us while we wipe the drool from our mouths.

One thing’s for sure, you’ll definitely be baklava.

Where: Homeworld Helensvale, 59/503 Hope Island Road, Helensvale
When: 12pm – 2.30pm & 5pm – 9pm Wednesday – Sunday. Closed Monday & Tuesday

Words by Bianca Trathen.

Exciting news Coomera clan, your brand new Westfield is well underway and we’ve got the scoop as to exactly what you can expect come October.

As you’d know, Westfield’s are like the King’s Landing of shopping centres; the biggest and the best filled with surprises at every turn and the occasional traitor (come Boxing Day sales).

Westfield Coomera is no exception. It’s set to become one of the Gold Coast’s dining, lifestyle and entertainment destinations of choice and northerners, you should definitely be excited.

Let’s start with the eats, because that’s a good time for everyone. The cuisine selection will tantalise all tastebuds with a range spanning the entire globe. Tapworks Bar and Grill will keep things close to home with a huge selection of craft beer and all your favourite pub-style meals while Kamikaze Teppanyaki & Bar will bring the good times and the tasty eats with a modern take on traditional teriyaki.

Beach House Bar and Grill is a double storey venue offering the very best in modern Australian and coastal dining and Nahm Thai Restaurant will offer a contemporary take on traditional Thai dishes. Burger lovers are covered by much-loved Betty’s Burgers who also bring tasty thickshakes and their signature desserts to the mix and this is only a tiny selection of the eateries Westfield Coomera has on offer.

There’ll also be homemade dumplings, Mexican street food, a rib house and a venue specifically for sweet, delicious crepes. How good!

Not only food though (obviously) the centre boasts some fun lifestyle features like iPlay Adventure featuring Clip N Climb, high-ropes course, roller-skating, laser tag and arcade games to blow off some energy after all that eating.

Plus, a place called The Park Coomera is a putt putt meets beer garden style situation with a full bar and pizzeria, bowling lane, live music stage and life-sized board games and that is the greatest addition to a shopping centre in the history of Queensland.

In all, the new space will be home to over 140 specialty stores plus plenty of outdoor areas for bulk relaxing and a market-inspired fresh food destination.

Sounds pretty good to us. Stay tuned for further information and an exact opening date.

Credit cards at the ready.

LOCATION: Foxwell Rd, Coomera

Words by Kirra Smith