The GC’s insatiable appetite for alfresco eats destinations is almost as relentless as our thirst for waterfront cocktails, and on the very fortuitous occasions those two interests should overlap is a very merry occasion indeed.

Over the last few years, Southport has been channelling it’s own 90’s rom-com style makeover montage, slowly removing it’s proverbial glasses to reveal – gasp – there’s been some cool main-character energy lurking under the surface all along. And boosting those cool points by about a thousand, is the brand new, euro-summer vibing waterfront Southport Pavilion.

Unlocking the true potential of the ex-De Vito Waterfront possie, the new venue boasts an impressive 300 seats and with it, a whole new era of sunset sips for Southport and surrounds.

While at times the names of some of our local rivers hardly conjure glamorous connotations (honourable mention to the ‘brown snake’) – with the new Pavilion sitting pretty over the Nerang River, it capitalises on a pretty gorg waterfront outlook to the Surfer’s skyline that will have us all spamming the’ gram as the sun sinks low.

While the multi-level venue offers the choice of several enticing areas to cosy up with a cold one, the sprawling sundecks and accompanying cabanas will undoubtedly be some pretty hot real estate as those balmy GC afternoons return.

Channelling those European rooftop vibes, there’s turquoise pops against an abundance of whitewashed timbers, picnic tables, and beach umbrellas just begging to be claimed for the ultimate sun-soaked afternoons.

The menu is a veritable ‘best of’ casual pub-inspired fare and laid-back bites, stacked with share-style eats options best enjoyed over happy hour(s), with Wings, Halloumi fries, Charcuterie, through to luxe Seafood platters all equally as suited to graze the day away.

If you’re in the mood for a little more (or if you just don’t consider yourself much of a sharer – it’s okay, your secret is safe with us) grab yourself a SoPo schnitzel – Crumbed chicken schnitzel, fries & dressed house salad or perhaps the stacked The Pavilion burger – Toasted milk bun, chargrilled wagyu beef burger, aussie jack cheese, iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, crispy onion rings, house pickles & house-made ‘mac sauce’.

Which, while it all gets a big, delicious tick (and yes we did say tick, there), we’ll be moving right along because is anyone really coming to a venue like this for the food alone?

Certainly not us – we’ve been training our whole adult lives for the swan dive we’re about to take into the cocktail menu.

It’s hard to say if it will be the Smoke & Mirrors – Mezcal, aperol, Pineapple, Chartreuse, Tajin or the SSP- Bombay Sapphire, Choice of Strangelove tonic, Garnish of Choice to earn top spot as our official drink of spring (and every other season, for that matter).

With the warmer months – and resulting lazy afternoons – just around the corner, we’ve no doubt we’re about to see a whole lot more of the signature sunsets and obligatory sundowners at Southport Pavilion.

When: 11am-11pm daily
Where: 2 Barney Street, Southport

Words by Kellie Leader.
Images by Mathilde Bouby.

Ever find yourself in the presence of one of those enigmatic humans, radiating joy and the energy levels of a Labrador? And thought to yourself, what are they on? The answer is (almost always) coffee. An abundance of coffee. Beans on repeat.

And the sentiment rings true for a couple‘a self admitted coffee fanatics that up and opened a brand new coffee spot for the central GC to delight in. If you’re wondering just how many coffee shops does one city really need, we firmly subscribe to the Melbournian philosophy which is, the more the merrier. Literally, bc we can’t espresso just how much merrier we feel after a little cup of liquid sunshine for the soul.

Much like the Weetbix commercials of our youth, when we heard that one half of the dynamic duo behind newcomers Eight Fifty Espresso ‘does’ 6 cups a day, we quickly came to realise that fanatic, may in actual fact not be strong enough of a word.

For new owners Elise & Broden Johnson, they didn’t choose the cafe life, it chose them – after all, self-confessed coffee snob Broden hails from none other than a little town by the name of Melbourne. With a history in and around cafes, the two set to work perfecting their own range of beans a couple of years back while also juggling one of Australia’s fastest growing digital marketing agencies Yakk, and suddenly the whole 6 cups thing is starting to make a whole lot of sense because we’re exhausted just thinking about all that #stiflesyawn.

As you’d imagine their quest to create the ‘best cup of coffee they’d ever tasted’, involved a very rigorous testing and sampling process (where do we apply). Elise & Broden have also begun planting the seed for a brand new charity, TreeLabs (y’know with all that spare time we’re sure) so keep an eyes peeled for your daily cup to become feel good in more ways than one.

And we’re not gonna lie, for a hot second we did think maybe the cafe was a convenient excuse for unlimited sippin’ on the merchandise #qualitycontrol, but upon further investigation we #canconfirm anyone with an impressive range of no less than seven bean blends, who also stands behind the bold claim that their coffee is the GOAT is clearly v passionate about bringing brew-ti-ful coffee to the masses.

Just a lazy block or two (who could say for sure, pls don’t count on us for directions #perpetuallylostaf) back from our fave Broadwater Parklands, Eight Fifty Espresso has been officially waking up Southport one cup at a time since earlier this month. It’s excellent brews for both central GC inhabitants and also, we’re pretty certain the collective productivity of the Coast’s entire CBD just skyrocketed.

Those Melbournian roots have entered the chat, because the slick new laneway-esque vibes of our newest takeaway coffee hookup is a sight for sore eyes. Glowing like a sapphire green gem among an urban sea of concrete, if the decor isn’t already giving us the green light to sidle on up then the big ol’ illuminated word coffee is a literal sign from above for our weary eyes. Nestled right into the Yakk HQ streetfront #convenient, we’re pretty sure this hole-in-the-wall takeaway pit-stop will now be unofficially fuelling all business meetings and leisurely strolls in 4215.

While you’re there, pick yourself up a bag of their signature bean blends for those days where you just cannot summon the motivation to peel yourself out of your PJ’s. Despite having seven signature coffee blends on offer, there’s not a meeeh batch among them. Each blend has been named after breeds of goats #truestory, so surely this must also make it Emma Wiggle’s fave brew too (okay so we may be speculating here). Both a nod their claim as the GOAT of coffee #weseewhatyoudidthere and to the origins of the world’s most beloved beans being discovered by a goat farmer and his wiley flock #TIL.

Now, if anyone needs us, we’ll be sipping a most excellent brew and googling pictures of goats, because *new obsession unlocked* and really, who couldn’t have a bit more cuteness in their lives. And one things is for sure, if it’s bl-eaty good coffee to-go you’re after, Eight Fifty Espresso has goat you covered.

Where: 12 Short Street, Southport
When: Monday – Friday 6.45am – 2.45pm

Words by Kellie Leader.
Images by Brittany Kreskas.

Who can go past a good lunch deal. It’s the closest we can get to a mini-vaycay during the work week. Because nothing says treat yo’ self like ghosting the soggy 3-day old leftovers in the fridge in favour of a feast for one (or more – shout out to work besties everywhere for being the glue that holds our weeks together).

But no matter if you like your lunches to be a little taste of mid-week indulgence, or prefer them little longer, a little lazier, and dare we say – a little boozier when the weekend rolls around – we’ve got some of GC’s most irresistible lunch deals for every. day. of. the. week. Suddenly, one lunch a day no longer seems sufficient – thanks a lunch!

Mozza Mozza
Experts agree the Sunday Bottomless Disco at Mozza Mozza is one surefire way to ward off the Sunday scaries (it’s us, we’re the experts). $59 gets you a tasting-style menu with the best Italian bites like Focaccia, Meatballs, Arancini Balls, Margarita Pizza, perfectly paired with bottomless Mimosas and Spritz selections. And let the good times really Aperol with a $10pp upgrade to bottomless Aperol Spritz #bottomyesplease.
Where: Cnr Olsen Ave &, Musgrave Ave, Southport

Jimmy Wah’s
What do we want? Jimmy Wah’s new Feed Me Lunch Menu. When do we want it? Every day that ends in ‘y’! (But okay, we will settle for Monday-Friday)

For only $49pp, you will be taken on a culinary journey with 5 delicious dishes selected by the chefs to share with your friends! Mysterious and delicious modern Vietnamese nosh with no decisions required for the Vinh. Menu is subject to change but with items like caramelised pork belly, sweet potato and turmeric puree, lychee & chilli salsa, watermelon radish this one has us booking in alll the lunch dates. 
Where: 1724 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads

El Ranchero
El Ranchero has the perfect offering to ring in the weekend. And yes, lunchtime Friday is the start of the weekend as far as we’re concerned, because all emails received on a Friday afternoon, are absolutely next week’s problem. The aptly named Frothy Friday’s include a schooner and & LA street taco by the Fix on 66 Food Truck for a tenner. And if it turns into a loooong lunch, there’s live music from 5pm. As if we weren’t already counting down to Friyay enough as it is.
Where: 6/36 Central Drive, Burleigh Heads

The Island
Okay so the weekend has arrived but the indulgent (read: boozy) long lunches are just getting started. Touted as a long, leisurely lunch for weekends, when it’s time to get your graze and goss on the only way is up – go the Island’s rooftop of course. We have two words for you: cocktail. carafes. For $79 pp, you also get a mimosa on arrival, and a lazy-grazy style lunch inc. charcuterie board, olives, dip and wood-fired pizzas. It will be hard to rooftop that.
Where: 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

Bine
Week-end, or week just getting started? Because the Sat & Sun lunch special at Bine has us feeling like it should be the latter. A $20 burger and beer? They must be out of their bines. For that price, you’d be downright philly to go past their Mexican Philly Cheese Steak burg #cheapaschipsbro
Where: 1/28 Chairlift Avenue, Nobby Beach

Hail Mary
A list of the GC’s finest midday offerings would not be complete without a taco ‘bout the holy grail lunch deal that awaits at Hail Mary. $19 gets you two tacos + your choice of beer, wine, spirit or soft drink – all for less than a lobster. The $5 upgrade to a classic marg also feels like a no-brainer – albeit sadly there’s no currency slang equivalent for a $24 lunch bargain. Let’s just say lunch and a cocktail for halfa pineapple is a pretty sweet deal.
Where: 26 James St, Burleigh Heads

Backbone Bar
Somehow Backbone has cottoned on to the kryptonite of retail workers everywhere: the magical, morale boosting properties of a steaming bowl of katsu curry for lunch. Choose between the Karaage bowl or Katsu bowl with a schooner of your choice for only $20 then kick back for your lunch break and reset as you soak up the laid-back vibes for as long as you can. Katsu this deal Tuesday – Friday between 11 am – 2 pm.
Where: Shop 9, 489 Gold Coast Highway, Tugun

Xenia
Much like the ‘bottomless’ in ‘bottomless brunch’ – the limit of how many favourite weekend boozy brunch spots we can rack up does not exist. For $99 you can get your Greek fill and then some – Xenia is dishing up 2 hrs of free-flowing drinks and a meze banquet of small and large share plates. Sunday funday indeed (or Saturday, but y’know, not quite as catchy is it?)
Where: Main Beach, Casuarina & Coolangatta

The Coolangatta Hotel
The 00’s called, it wants it’s $15 weekday lunch special back. Apparently our friends over at The Coolangatta Hotel haven’t heard about a little thing called inflation, and shhh, nobody tell. You’ll ruin the chance at a classic, cheap-as-chips pub lunch for the lot of us. And when we say classics, we’re not schnittin’ you: Grain fed rump, chips and sazza, Beef short ribs, slaw and chips and of course the pub food holy grail: chicken schnitty.
Where: Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Words by Kellie Leader.