Over the past couple of years Palm Beach (or Palmy as it’s affectionately known) has well and truly been embracing it’s new found cool kid status.

While we can’t pinpoint the exact moment it officially transformed to ‘it’ suburb, lucky locals have been living large of late, with the emergence of all the beachside haunts to frolic between (though they do have to compete a little more for parking these days).

While in years gone by, the only thing reliably making Palmy a ‘must stop’ destination was a quiet-ish (albeit stunning) beach, and the high chance of catching a red on the way through. With an influx of laidback eateries, noteworthy restaurants, swanky bars and luxe boutiques popping up left right and centre, there’s never any shortage of things to do. These days, we can think of at least 17 epic reasons that make this buzzing suburb THE place to be.

Las Palmas
Overlooking the ocean with the perfect pastel palette, Las Palmas is bringing Latin America to Palm Beach with a share-style menu, made up of mouthwatering flavours and a fresh cocktail list to match. Head in there for a Sunday arvo session or long lunch with your loves. It’ll be your new summer fave for sure.
Where: Level 1, 1097 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

The Scottish Prince
Tucked away, all moody low-lit with wild times written all over it, The Scottish Prince, sister venue of The Cambus Wallace and is one of the best drinking holes we have here on the Coast. It’s primarily a whisky bar boasting over 300 varieties of the tasty tipple plus a perfectly complementary menu including Steak & Ale Pies, Scotch fillets, fish and chips and on Sunday nights, an authentic Taste of Scotland tasting menu. All the very best things. Get in.
Where: 1176 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Palm Beach Farmers Market
The Gold Coast is home to many an impressive farmers market and one of our absolute favourites can be found in Palmy on Saturday mornings. From 6am at Palm Beach Currumbin High School you’ll find fresh local produce, artisan foods, specialty coffee, epic doughnuts, flowers, dog treats, the lot. The perfect way to spend a weekend morning.
Where: Thrower Drive, Palm Beach

Frida Sol
Margaritas and Mexi-eats are some of our favourite things and happily, they’re on offer at Palmy’s delightful upstairs space, Frida Sol. There’s a chilli margarita that’ll knock your socks off and if you perch outside on the deck, a balmy ocean breeze – the combination of which will remind you exactly why you live on the Gold Coast. The perfect time.
Where: Level 1, 1176 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

The Pirate Park
Those with little ones will attest to the fact that the Pirate Park is up there with the best on the Coast. Located right near the water, the park far exceeds anything you ever got to play on as a kid with a pirate ship stuck in the sand and upended wine barrels perfect for all day climbing. If you don’t have any babes, Dune Café is close by as is the sparkling ocean and a dog beach on Currumbin Creek that’s always good for a laugh.
Where: 945 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach (on the left before the Currumbin Creek bridge)

The Collective
No doubt you’ve already set foot inside The Collective more than once and why wouldn’t you with five restaurants to choose from? Open for lunch and dinner, you can stay all day and, as it’s a communal dining setting, you’re bound to make some new friends along the way. So, if you’re in the mood for pizza and tacos, head to The Collective, order both and wash it all down with a cocktail at the rooftop bar.
Where: 1128 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

White Bohemian
It’s every local boho babe’s dream come true. Opened in 2013, White Bohemian stocks all your favourite hippy-esque labels including GD brand Kivari, Byron Bay cult-fave labels SPELL and Arnhem. These guys were one of the first to bring us the magic of the laid-back luxe aesthetic before the #boho trend took over the world (and our wallets), so we trust them and their epic curation of all things effortless style endlessly. There’s homewares too so, you know, prepare to spend up.
Where: Cnr Seventh Avenue and Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Balboa Italian
It goes without saying that if you’ve ever driven through Palm Beach, you’ve definitely laid eyes on Balboa Italian. The beautifully appointed double-storey brick building is in a class of its own serving classic Italian dishes with modern interpretations and the freshest of flavours. It’s worth a visit just to experience the fitout, complete with overhead Vespa and exposed brick walls. The cocktails are unique and the wine selection varied. It’s all good to be honest, get down there.
Where:1069 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Espresso Moto
It’s a cafe crossed with a motorbike workshop and the home of the best banana smoothies on the Gold Coast. That’s right, the best. There is not a single thing not to love about Espresso Moto from their very delicious breakfast goods (the brekky burritos are the bomb), to their use of Allpress coffee and the ever-friendly staff who always say g’day. There’s also a communal dog bed and the beach is right around the corner. So yeah, it’s the best.
Where: 1389 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Suga
A somewhat secret cocktail bar, tucked away on the Gold Coast Hwy, Suga specialises in rum and good times and if you’re keen on either or both of those you should absolutely get down there. They have an impressive cocktail menu plus plenty of epic wines (pet nats, yes please) and beers so no matter what, you’re gonna love it.
Where: 1142 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Good Day Coffee Palm Beach
Launching a cafe in a hip and happening suburb surrounded by competition stiffer than a morning espresso is not for the faint of heart – but ever since they branched out from their OG Tugun location late last year, locals and weary travellers alike have unanimously agreed it’s always a good day for Good Day Coffee Palm Beach. Friendly faces serving Blackboard coffee and other staples like pastries and goat’s fetta laden smashed avo toast – we could easily eat and drink here every day. The epitome of simple eats, and great coffee, done well.
Where: 1073 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Ritual Yoga & Pilates
Found upstairs in a sunlit space oozing chill vibes is Ritual Yoga & Pilates. Owned by sisters Rose and Sophie, Ritual is only a couple of years old but has already become a favourite amongst both Palm Beach locals and those who reside in surrounding suburbs. If you’re in need of some rest and relaxation (or a solid sweat session), Ritual is calling your name.
Where: 9b Palm Beach Avenue, Palm Beach

Palm Beach Ave
PBA is one of those gems that so quickly won our hearts that we seem to forget this pretty-in-pink art deco stunner is only relatively new to Palmy’s ever-growing strip of uber-cool beachside hangouts. One of those venues where it’s 10’s all round, the tropical luxe, chandelier-laden interiors have us swooning every time, and we can never seem to get enough of the knockout food and cocktails (no matter how much we regret it the next morning). Plus they do bottomless brunch, so, need we say more?
Where: 6 Palm Beach Avenue, Palm Beach

Tank Bar & Dining
We can never seem to talk about Tank without the urge to get, well… tanked, which is some fairly genius subliminal marketing if you ask us. In our defense, what else are we supposed to do in a cracking little craft beer bar? We’re certainly not there to lick stamps.

The 10 rotating craft beer taps offers a nice mix of local and international brews, and the laid-back vibes of a modern beach shack style bar a hops, skip and a jump from the ocean are pretty hard to beat. Plus, with two levels, there’s plenty of primo spots to perch up, catch the sea breeze and watch the GC Hwy go by.
Where: 1166 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach

Toro’s Pizza
As we’ve probably already well established by this point, us Gold Coasters are big suckers for a cute fit-out. It’s hard to tell if it’s the perfectly peachy-pink interiors, or the Italian aromas wafting from the kitchen that keep us coming back to Toro’s Pizza like moths to a flame. And spoiler alert: it’s definitely the latter, since there are few smells that compare to that of a freshly baked, still bubbling wood-fired pizza. Carbs, cheese, more cheese, and BYO – this place is what Italian dreams are made of.
Where: Shop 7/2 Eighth Ave, Palm Beach

Costa Taco
Overcoming the momentary temptation to leave this one out (in hopes of greedily keeping more of those highly coveted tables all for ourselves) – but no list about epic Palmy spots would be complete with such a glaring omission. Dishing up authentic Mexican eats, the menu is short but sweet, sticking only to their specialities with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Any day featuring beachside, street-style tacos like the zesty Birria Beef (complete with signature consommé to dip), and a coconut marg (because marg) is a very bueno day indeed.
Where: 1136 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Canvas Palm Beach
Who doesn’t love starting their day with a visit to their friendly local barista, with a leisurely peruse of some hand crafted homewares on the side #theperfectmorningdoesexist. And hey, if some of the latter – such as a candle that smells like bliss in a jar, or some cute ceramics – happen to come home with us along with a great cup of coffee, we’ll happily take the dopamine hit while we’re doing out bit to #supportsmall.

For Palmy locals the cute digs and delightful café fare are a definite draw card, but for parents the park proximity makes this spot unparalleled – along with the blissful moment’s peace and quiet babycino buys.

(And yes, we stopped being cool right around the same time we started caring about babycinos and where the good parks are.)
Where: Shop 3, Magnoli Building, 1338 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Words by Kellie Leader.

It’s official friends, spring has arrived on the Gold Coast and with it comes sunshiny good vibes, even-more-magic-than-usual sunsets and people getting about with a little bit extra pep in their step (a poem, you’re welcome).

There’s more outside time, more socialising, more eating, drinking, beaching, all the very best things. We’re big fans.

You know what else we’re big fans of? Spring revamps. And in particular, spring the revamps of local venues we adore and can now spend more time frequenting.

We’re talking about Highline in Palm Beach, bringers of their very own variety of sunshiny good vibes, one of our favourite fitouts on the Coast, EPIC eats and as of just recently, a brand spanking new outdoor space that we’re considering moving into for summer.

Tim, Candice and the crew have knocked out the back wall to transform what was once an intimate, cosy little space into an intimate, cosy little space with a sweet new undercover outdoor area that you’re going to absolutely love.

It’s all textured white walls with hanging greenery, succulents and cactuses (cacti whatever) dotted throughout and a Fiddle Leaf Fig that is far more alive than any we’ve ever owned. Must be all the good vibes. A peach feature wall marks the outside entrance and there are plenty of tables for all your friends.

It’s a little old school beach shack and a little bit all of your design dreams come true and perfect for those balmy spring slash summer days we all migrated here for.

Not only that excitement though, the team at Highline are still serving up some of the best brunch eats around with a menu based around locally sourced, fresh produce of the highest quality.

For example the Wild Mushrooms are indeed wild and the best mushroom dish we’ve ever tasted with mushrooms (obvs), goats curd, Jerusalem artichoke and sage on toast. Don’t miss it.

We also devoured the Baked Eggs with tomato sugo beans, eggs, sausage, silverbeet and Pecorino on toast. Perfection.

Order at least three dishes with a side of perfectly brewed Marvell St coffee and you’ve got yourself a time.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, if we didn’t already live in Palmy, we’d move there just for Highline’s above and beyond goodness.

Go see for yourself.

LOCATION: Shop 5, 1132 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach
HOURS: Open daily from 6am until 2pm

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

For those who love themselves a coffee (isn’t that all of us?), getting yourself a cup of steamy — or icy — inspiration after a particular time of the day can be a tricky affair. We’re aware most cafes close around 1pm or at a push 2pm. And that’s all perfectly well and fine. However, if your cravings for caffeine don’t have any sense of time, this situation undoubtedly causes you some unnecessary upset.

So much so, you may find yourself backed into a corner and considering coffee from some sort of vending machine. Don’t do it — there is an answer!

A mustering of Gold Coast cafes recognise coffee never sleeps and continue to serve it well into the afternoon, and in some cases, the evenings. So, when your mid-afternoon caffeine withdrawals begin to kick in, fear not. This handy list of vendors serving coffee after 2pm has got you covered.

Canvas Palm Beach and Nobby Beach
Having one outstanding little arts and crafts-inspired café in Nobby Beach wasn’t enough for these guys. Opting to expand their operations south into Palm Beach, they have opened an incredible café come shop that can only be described as a trove of homewares, candles, clothes, and the prettiest flowers. Need a late afternoon coffee — swing in up till 4.30pm. Need the perfect gift for someone — swing in up till 5pm!
Where: 7/2221 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach and Magnoli Building Shop 3, 1338 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

Elk Espresso
The eternally lauded Broadbeach café that has been in all our lives for so long — and shows no sign of going anywhere! Elk Espresso has always been the place you go to for fabulous breakfasts, but did you know they serve coffee right up until they close at 4pm? Owner Andrew Whiting is clearly for the caffeinated people.
Where: Shop G044 The Oasis Shopping Centre, 12 Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach

Rose Gelateria
Should you find yourself in Sanctuary Cove after a fabulous lunch, a mini shopping spree, or even a game of golf, this gelateria is serving up delicious gelato right up until late (9pm in fact). The same is said for their perfectly made coffee, which you can have poured over gelato. Just saying…
Where: Shop 39a Masthead Way, Sanctuary Cove

Commune Café
If a sunbathing session on Burleigh Beach has swallowed up most of the day (hey, it can happen to the best of us), then your best option for a nearby caffeine injection is this neighbouring local’s fave which closes at 3pm (it’s tight, but we’ll take it!). And if you’re not too late, enjoy yourself some delicious lunchtime specials!
Where: 1844 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads

Fixx Café and Lounge
See what you could be missing out on when you step inside QT Gold Coast’s open to the public Fixx Café and Lounge? When the clock goes past twelve, their irresistible high tea comes into action with all the trimmings. Fancy a quick takeaway order though, these guys have got you covered until 4pm.
Where: QT Gold Coast, 7 Staghorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Bumbles Café
This elegantly styled café is like a breath of fresh air for Surfers Paradise, and once you see their selection of house-made sweet treats, you may even forget about coffee altogether. Mark this one down as your go-to spot for an afternoon pick-me-up, and you won’t look back.
Where: 19 River Drive, Surfers Paradise

South Coast Coffee Co.
Being one of the Gold Coast’s best roasters and dispensaries of magnificent coffee is not enough for these guys, oh no. They also have an adjoining café space with out-of-this-world sweet treats and coffee flowing till 5pm during the week (4pm Sundays).
Where: Shop 3G10, Capri Via Roma, Surfers Paradise

Merlo Torrefazione (Brickworks)
If coffee is a happy part of your life and you can’t see that changing anytime soon, we suggest you pay a visit to these guys in Southport. With pretty much every known piece of coffee apparatus under one roof, you can’t go wrong. They also roast on-site and serve coffee right up till 6pm most days.
Where: The Brickworks Centre – Market, 107 Ferry Road, Southport

Ottimo
With owner Davide holding a Diploma of Gelato making from the Gelato University of Carpigiani in Italy (no joke), you’d be right to have a sneaking suspicion the gelato here is likely out of this world. And in truth: it is! Mix it with all-day (until 9.30pm-10pm every night) served coffee utilising beans roasted in Italy, and you have a slice of Europe in Coolangatta.
Where: 18/52 Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Daark Espresso
The highly sought-after enclave of Chirn Park simply keeps on impressing. Part of the formula is extraordinary and well-executed cafes such as Daark Espresso. Always dishing up impressive breakfasts and lunches, if you find you need a mid-afternoon break from your desk, look no further, these guys are serving the daark fluid till 3pm.
Where: Shop 2/41 Musgrave Avenue, Chirn Park

Words by Alex Mitcheson.