Get in loser, we’re going shopping (and eating, and brewery-hopping, and sight seeing, and exploring street art, and… you get the idea)

Now you might be wondering why we’re throwing around random movie quotes to kick off this list (in our defence there is a Mean Girls line for *every* occasion) – but if suburbs were Mean Girls characters, Miami would for sure be the one to utter this iconic line. Miami has it all, and it knows it. Take one glance at just some of the epic spots we’ve lined up and you’ll soon see why all the other suburbs wish they could be this cool.

Paddock Bakery
One thing locals know, is the only thing loose in this (top) paddock is only the most scrumptious, buttery baked goods in 4220. Ever since Paddock opened it’s charmingly renovated doors in 2014, locals have been flocking there daily for their much-kneaded Paddock fix.

Reigning supreme as our baked-goods, brunch and lunch hookup ever since, the ex-Queenslander-turned-treehouse-of-our-childhood-dreams has expanded to welcome us and our relentless sweet tooth’s with open arms. With the lush gardens, cottage, loft, rooftop and barn to retreat to, the only thing more extensive than the dining space options is the menu to indulge from.
Where: 20 Hibiscus Haven, Miami

Granddad Jacks
It used to be that Granddads were good for stealing our noses and sneaking us butter candy, but in Miami, Granddad Jacks is good for plying us the finest locally distilled spirits, gin making classes, distillery tours and of course and just an all-round cool haunt to sit back with a top notch bevvy and let our mullets run free. These masterful wizards didn’t amass a whopping 70+ awards by getting distracted by anything other than distilling, so it’s BYO food too (and surely that means more to spend on the good stuff!)
Where: 45 Lemana Lane, Miami

Miami Fish Market
It would be shell-fish of us not to include the absolute pearl that is Miami Fish Market, and we have two words for you: Sashimi box. Soy-n us up, pls! Fin-ally, we have a hook up for the finest and freshest seafood that’s a sure thing (unlike heading home empty handed from your holy grail fishing spot). Also unlike a day on the water, the pros will handle all the dirty work so you can do as much or as little as you like – oysters shucked to order, anyone?!
Where: 1/54 Paradise Ave, Miami

Pizzey Park
Wine not take those fresh sucked oysters to-go and mosey right on over for a bougie picnic at the picturesque Pizzey park. As one of the biggest parks on the GC, Pizzey is a local icon and hub for sports, clubs, recreation and all round fun times for all ages. There’s an aquatic centre, playgrounds galore, a wheely epic skate park and let’s not forget the off-leash dog area for our four legged BFFs (paw out of five dogs agree Pizzey is the best park for zoomies on the GC)
Where: 80 Pacific Ave, Miami

Miami Marketta
The Coast’s OG street food night markets that put Miami on the map as a must-visit destination for foodies and live music lovers alike. The first venue of it’s kind to Miami and perhaps even the Coast, Marketta quickly grew to establish itself as a mainstay among the GC scene, bringing good vibes, live music and great food galore via the eclectic creative and cultural hotspot for over ten years now. Our beloved market brings us all our favourite tastes of the world as well as that same buzzing atmosphere that’s favoured by families especially, for rounding up their rowdy broods for an easy night out that everyone can enjoy.
Where: 23 Hillcrest Pde, Miami

UGG Since 1974
With the hotter weather officially taking some mercy on us now we’ve packed away the budgie smugglers and it’s the perfect time to slip into something a little more cosy. Enter, Ugg Since 1974 – churning out wearable warm hugs for your feet since, well, 1974. Don’t be feeling sheepish if you didn’t know they’ve expanded their range to include a huge selection of colours, styles and options to customise – including monogramming (cute!) through to paw-dorable pet accessories (even cuter!) With factory tours running right out of Miami, the only thing better than supporting local, is treating your tootsies to a cloud-nine experience in the process.
Where: 23 Christine Ave, Miami

Lumber Punks
Ever find yourself struck by the sudden and insatiable urge to don your flanno’s and yeet sharp objects at the wall? Okay so perhaps not, but when your usual rotation of outings is just not cutting it anymore – it might be time to hit up Lumber Punks because you really can’t axe for a better way to get the crew together for some laughs or some fun date night axe-ction. If you haven’t yet tried your hand at the phenomenon that is axe throwing, chop chop – because this is one adventure that brings the axe-mosphere in blades (er, spades, rather). If it’s good enough for Jason Momoa, it’s obvs good enough for us.
Where: 19 Ozone Pde, Miami

Miami Hill
Okay, now it just feels like Miami is showing off and 469 (no kidding) google reviews can’t be wrong. At first glance those deceptively colourful trademark stairs might look all sunshine and rainbows, but one thing’s for sure – conquer that climb and you will be rewarded with one of the best vantages on the coast. With stunning views of the coastline from Surfers right down to Burleigh, there’s only one thing left to say: How’s. the. serenity. (and maybe a hearty dose of *heavy breathing* depending on how many times you decide to take on those stairs #cardi-no thanks)
Where: At the south end of Miami (you can’t miss it) 

Trader Trove
Trader Trove, more like treasure trove. Welcome to Miami’s own worldly homewares haven for those who prefer their interiors on the luxe side – and their swoon-worthy assortment of bohemian inspired home decor, that’s more expertly curated than an influencers insta feed.

We love: a family run local biz with a dreamy selection of ethically minded homewares. We don’t love: that all self control seems to exit our body when we visit.
Where: 22 Christine Ave, Miami

Ferg’s
You no longer need a certified 90’s banger to be proclaiming ‘fergalicious (so delicious)’ because ever since Fergs moved to town we’ve had an excuse to be saying it daily. For the unacquainted – f.e.r.g.s aka Fresh Eats Really Good Sh*t – has been dishing up breakfast and brunch much to the delight of southern GC, with all the staple brunch suspects you’d expect, but also the likes of Lemon Meringue Crumpets and really, need we say more?
Where: 2/43 Hillcrest Parade, Miami

Street art
It’s no secret us Gold Coasters are quite partial to doing what we can to our put our best #lewks forward, and over the last few years the streets of Miami have also been undergoing somewhat of a glow up themselves (and #spoileralert – there’s no filler to be found here folks). If it’s been a while between visits, it might surprise you to learn the suburb is at the heart of a thriving GC art and cultural boom, with a bunch of incredible artists transforming the local laneways into a destination in and of themselves. There’s even the Art Roll website dedicated to mapping out the best routes for your own self-led street art tour.

And the event that started the movement, Surface Festival returns for it’s third year this July, set to transform the local footpaths, fence lines, laneways and walls with some art-mazing fresh new works to admire and we’re here. for. it.
Where: Check the Art Roll website for locations

Precinct Brewing Co
If you’ve worked up a thirst just reading this list – last but by no means least is everyone’s (yep, we called it) favourite brewery, Precinct Brewing Co. Once you’ve stepped through the doors you’ll be welcomed into a sleek, all-white space with greenery dripping from up high, and an absolute slew of tanks brewing up some tasty treats. You can see why people say, it’s the place to beer! Don’t forget to grab one of the tasty pizzas coming from the onsite kitchen too…
Where: 17 Christine Ave, Miami

Meet the dynamic duo behind Familiar Spirits, delicious small batch spirits made in the heart of Burleigh Heads. Lana and Justin Bell are the creative minds and driving forces behind this one-of-a-kind venture. From crafting unique tasting experiences to curating an exquisite collection of artisanal spirits, Lana and Justin’s passion for their craft is infectious. We dive into Lana’s story, how she started Familiar Spirits and get the scoop on their latest venture.

How long have you been Gold Coast locals?
We’ve been on the Gold Coast for 3 years now. We moved to Miami from just over the border in Casuarina in 2020. We lived in Miami for a year while we built on our block of land in Bonogin.

What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
The sense of community. We love knowing our local shop owners and everyone is so supportive of local business. On the Gold Coast you can enjoy the best of everything – with the beach, hinterland and shopping all within 30 minutes of each other.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
We’ve been married for 17 years and have four daughters, life is very busy and full right now. I studied graphic design straight out of school and have worked in various creative roles before settling on photography where I’ve been working for myself as a portrait photographer for the past 16 years. I’m now winding that back to focus on growing our distillery. I’m always striving to make everything in our lives beautiful so that spills over into interior decoration, entertaining and my garden. I’m particularly obsessed with growing roses, I have over 40 in the garden which means we have a constant supply of blooms.

Growing up in Byron Bay, Justin’s never been far from the Gold Coast. He’s the alchemist and our distiller while also working a full time job as a solutions architect. Justin is known by everyone for his cooking skills – especially on the BBQ and takes his food quite seriously 😉

Tell us about Familiar Spirits.
As passionate foodies and gardeners, we use home grown ingredients when possible to manufacture our spirits and liqueurs. Additionally, we engage local creatives such as photographers, graphic designers (the one and only Kiel Tillman), and ceramicists (handmade ceramic/reusable/refillable bottles are in the works) to ensure that our product is not only delicious but also beautiful and unique in its branding. We prioritise making spirits that are perfect for entertaining, catering to individuals who enjoy mixing cocktails, cooking, and hosting gatherings with friends and family.

Familiar Spirits is as much about the experience of mixing a cocktail for a friend to enjoy as it is about the taste and quality of the spirits themselves. We believe that the act of crafting a cocktail is an art form, and we want our customers to feel like skilled mixologists when they use our products. We’re dedicated to providing a complete experience, from the first sip to the last, and we hope to inspire our customers to explore their creativity and share their love of entertaining with others.

What inspired you to create Familiar Spirits?
A love of food and drink. We had always tossed around the idea about starting a cocktail bar. It slowly morphed into creating the spirits themselves and now that cocktail bar is also on the horizon, with our cellar door opening at the end of the year!

Familiar Spirits has a strong focus on providing craft spirits with character. Could you elaborate on how you curate a collection that stands out from the mainstream market?
It’s funny you say that because we’ve developed each spirit with a backstory of a rich aristocratic family and the characters within that family unit.

For example, ‘The Butler’s Gin’ is the gin we imagine they have their butler deliver to them on a silver platter at 5pm each evening. ‘The Lakehouse’ is the fabulous Cape Cod style home where they spend their summers.

Our next release will be a rum named after the aristocratic pirate who left his plantation to pillage on the high seas (keep your eyes peeled for that one in the next few months!)

Your commitment to sustainability and supporting local is commendable. How do you ensure that these values are integrated into your business practices and the spirits you offer?
First and foremost, we use as many local businesses as we possibly can in our production and end product.

For example, working with a local box manufacturer in Burleigh is so much easier than going via China – we can have items made up with hours notice, we’re supporting local manufacturing and we get to make friends with the business owners – what’s better than that?

We also love to collaborate with local creatives and help to grow our arts scene on the Gold Coast. We’re currently working with ceramicist Jo Norton to hand make porcelain bottles that can be refilled at our cellar door, reducing waste and making a simple bottle of liquor more beautiful!

Could you share a favourite cocktail using Familiar Spirits?
We created the Elderflower Martini, it’s a fresh cocktail that everyone loves – it’s easy to drink but also packs a punch.

Elderflower & Gin Martini
30ml The Butler’s Gin
15ml Vermouth
15ml Elderflower Liqueur
15ml Lime Juice
15ml Simple syrup
Ice

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Double strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. No garnish

Can you provide a sneak peek into any upcoming initiatives or expansions that your customers can anticipate?
We’re busy bees at the moment, having just onboarded with Dan Murphy’s and BWS locally, we are pushing the Still to the max every day.

Our brand new distillery space is being built right now in Burleigh and should be ready for handover in November.

As soon as we’re in, it’ll be all hands on deck to fit out the most beautiful tiny cocktail bar at the front of our premises and welcome the public to join us for drinks.

We have a lot of fun ideas in the works for food and drink events at the distillery – stay tuned in 2024 😉

What are your Gold Coast Favourites:
Favourite café: You’ll find us once or twice a week at Juniors Deli in Mudgeeraba. I live for their sandwiches, particularly the BLT.
Favourite restaurant: It’s hard to beat pizzas from Franc Jnrs in Coolangatta.
Favourite bar: Ours of course!
Favourite beach: Early mornings at Currumbin Alley before the crowds is pretty spectacular.

How do you choose to spend your days off?
Given the chance, we’re at home gardening with the BBQ on and a cocktail not too far away. We recently built the dream house on an acre block so we have quite a bit to do!