Were you born with a sweet tooth? Same and srsly mum and dad, could you not have tweaked our DNA to favour lettuce and carrot sticks? This makes driving past a patisserie and not stopping in for a cheeky sugar hit a totally foreign…and downright offensive…concept. So, when we spotted Delothor Patisserie, that glorious little gem in Southport’s Davenport Street, it made our day/week/month/you get the picture, we were ex.ci.ted. Pumping out sensational Asian inspired pastries, desserts and drinks, our enthusiasm exploded when we realised it’s a double decker scenario, with not one but TWO levels of pure pastry pleasure. Our blood pressure may go up a few digits, but we are so DOWN with our adorable new patisserie BFF.

Founders Alexia Kang and her cousin have a backstory that will motivate many-a-budding pastry guru, and we love that sort of thing. Starting small by renting a teeny tiny side of a commercial kitchen to bake their goodies, the initial blood, sweat and tears soon paid off. Word spread like wild flour of their pastry prowess, demand soared, and the rest as they say is history. Snapping up a prime position in the GC CBD and enlisting JIC Projects to create their dream space, not only does this involve a lot of acronyms, but it culminated in the dreamy Delothor space.

With a predominantly white, sage, and moss green colour palette, #WeDie. The juxtaposition of different textures and finishes also has us fangirling, incorporating all the usual on-trend (and utterly irresistible) suspects; vertical veejay panels, 3D slat wall panels, wooden floors, textured subway tiles, and sleek marble surfaces. Extra points are awarded for the feature arches because they are our design equivalent of pastries. Translation, we are #ForeverObsessed.

Downstairs you’ll find cabinets consistently filled to the brim with fabulously flaky goodness, which you can either grab and go, or pop upstairs to savour the moment in-house. Personally, we err on the side of the latter because it’s a way cuter setting than our disorderly desk, plus we don’t have to share.

Now the question on every Delothor-goer’s lips is “what should I order?”…and “how many should I order”? “In one sitting….”? Well, we’re singing the praises of the Buttercream Macarons and bonus, you can buy a few to take back to the office to spoil your colleagues and jokes, you’ll inhale the lot. If Fresh Cream Cake is more your jam, they don’t make ‘em much better than this…and soz Nanna, that includes you #CiaoInheritance. Another crowd fave is the humble Strawberry Croissant, perfect for breakfast on the run, morning tea, lunch, an afternoon snack, supper, dessert and yeah, it’s ver.sa.tile. To well and truly churn your butter, pair your choice with an expertly brewed coffee or tea, and live your best pastry-and-caffeine fuelled life.

So next time you’re Southport-bound, passing through, or actually going nowhere near the place, pastry-pining peeps take head; Delothor is Gold Coast for patisserie perfection.

Where: 29 Davenport Street, Southport
When: 8am – 8pm, Tuesday – Sunday. Closed Monday.

Words by Bianca Trathen.

PERMANENTLY CLOSED

If there’s one thing we’re sure of, it’s that we can never have enough Italian or mozzarella in our lives. This is fact, completely non-negotiable and as far as we’re concerned, Kate Moss got it wrong coz pizza, pasta and cheese taste way better than skinny feels. So we’re all ears when we hear a new Italian joint has opened and legit, our tummies are already rumbling. Get excited fellow carbo loaders coz Southport’s Mozza Mozza has unleashed its cheesy, Eastern Euro goodness and it is Prosecco’nd to none!

Located inside our beloved Southport Sharks where Carmody’s once lived (RIP), prepare for everything from tableside cheese wheels and tiramisu to wood-fired mozza(rella) pizzas, fried mortadella sandos, and negroni slushies (okay hiiii)…and that’s just the digestible variety. Add a hat awarded Head Chef and a side of disco tunes and it’s official – we have discovered actual heaven.

Iconic owner Dave Galvin, the man, the myth, the legend behind Crafty’s Sports Bar, continues to redefine the northern GC eats and sips scene, and keep doing what you do good Sir. Securing Mozza Mozza’s digs in mid-2021, the vision was to bring fun feels and classic share-style Italian food to the north side.

The 160 seater is the perfect spot for a family feed or group function, boasting an 18-seat private dining room which would you believe is the only one north of Broady (we would).

We’ve been told to expect a little bit of theatre with our nosh and we cannot espresso how much we love this for us. Plus rumour has it there’ll be 80s and disco bangers blaring from the boom box, and nothing says happiness like a side of Prince with our prosciutto or Abba with our arancini.

But Mozza Mozza doesn’t just bring joy through its menu and music, but also its majestic four-metre-tall olive tree. Standing loud and proud, front and centre of the space, it’s quite the show-stopper creating a warm, welcoming ambience and packing some serious wow-factor punch.

Recruiting Mitch Chesterton as the venue’s all important Head Chef was nothing short of a power move. Mitch has worked in multiple hatted restaurants including Alchemy, Michaels on Tedder Ave and Peak Dining at Iceworks in Paddington, plus was the Chef/Owner of Iku in Burleigh where he won a Chef Hat Award. As one would expect with a resume like this, the menu at Mozza Mozza is #goals and srsly, Pasta La Vista summer bod diet.

Some standouts include the Mozza Meatballs, made from pork meatballs, tomato sugo and fresh basil. Prepare for the obligatory Bug Rolls to be blown out of the water this Gold Coast summer with the arrival of the Fried Mortadella Sando. The Italian version of the Katsu sandwich, just went up a notch.

The Burrata deserves a shout out with its garden pea pesto and pine nut goodness, and the Cacio e Pepe pasta served tableside from a wheel of pecorino cheese is an icon in the making #ded.

The crowd-pleasing rossa and blanci wood fire pizzas made from dough fermented for (drum roll please) 48-hours are next level, especially the Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza, with fried eggplant, tomato, mozzarella, parmesan and basil. Bellissima!

What’s a meal without a cocktail you say and we concur! The Spicy Southport Sour with white oat chilli and mango gin, Cointreau, lemon, simple syrup will go down a treat and holy cannoli, we just remembered the Boozy Slushies! Our vote goes to the Coconut Margarita with tequila, triple sec, agave, coconut and lime, and it’s official – we’re calling an Uber.

Or, if you’re a traditionalist who likes to pair their Italian fare with vino, you’re in good hands with a selection of Aussie and Italian wines to try #winenot.

So for your next family dinner, long lunch, corporate gathering or even just a lazy Sunday sesh, don’t be alfredo to try the pasta-tively amazing Mozza Mozza.

Where: Southport Sharks, Corner Olsen Avenue & Musgrave Avenue, Southport
When: 11.30am – 3pm & 5pm – late Wednesday to Sunday. Closed Monday & Tuesday.
Instagram: @mozzamozza_au

Words by Bianca Trathen
Images by Carly King

Ahhh Chirn Park, you’re the northern GC’s answer to Burleigh…minus the traffic and with an intimate village vibe. Embracing its increasingly trendy rep, Chirn Park is welcoming more and more cool/interesting/unique businesses to this once underrated neck of the woods.

Being the fans that we are, here are 10 reasons why locals…and not so local locals….are flocking to Chirn Park en masse!

Basque
As it stands, the humble cheesecake is a universally beloved sweet treat that few desserts can rival. And when it comes to rivalries, few can contend Basque’s heavenly cheesecakes. We’re fast approaching two years since this artisan bakehouse arrived in the north city burb, yet they’ve become a fast fixture on dessert plates of locals and passerbyers alike. They do many great things, but pairing cheesecake with champagne may just be their finest idea. Once savoured, you’ll forever be at the mercy of their scrumptious slices. You’ve been warned.
Where: 33b Musgrave Avenue, Southport

Walk Ins Welcome
This double-establishment beauty may just be the coolest hangout on the Gold Coast for tattoo fiends and ink dabblers alike. It’s a bar, adjoined to a tattoo studio by a flash art-lined corridor. The fit-out is like a retro time capsule with pinball machines, classic arcade games and walls filled with artwork and tattoo flash; a collection of the founder and his team’s work over the years. They have a cocktail menu that makes you want to work from top to bottom, coupled with Connect 4 and Jenga available for some light-hearted fun. The allure of yet another tattoo begins to brew once again…
Where: 3/37 Musgrave Avenue, Southport

Quan 55
‘Quan’ is Vietnamese for bar, so no prizes for guessing what this Chirn Park fave serves! Host and owner Wynn serves up the same food as she does at home, even using her mother-in-law’s treasured 20-year-old crock pot! Now that’s authenticity personified! It boasts fabulous food and cocktails and ambience galore, thanks to the awesome interior and never-ending rotation of bums on seats.
Where: 4/55 Brooke Avenue, Southport

Cruize Espresso
It was love at first sight when we spotted the adorable logo alone. With a beautiful soft colour palette, swoon-worthy serve-wear, phenom wall art (Jai Vasicek, we see you…everywhere) and the instagrammable “I love you a latte” neon sign, the menu is as delicious as the fit-out. Think modern brekkie and lunch dishes beautifully presented with pretty-as-a-picture floral garnish, epic coffee, and the friendliest service in the land.
Where: Shop 6/37 Musgrave Ave, Labrador

Little Barista Espresso Bar
Looking for a consistently high-quality caffeine hit, all day breakfast or lunch? Call off the search coz Little Barista delivers all of the above. Perched in arguably the most prominent corner position in Chirn Park, this rustic coastal gem is always buzzing. You can smell the glorious aroma of award-winning brews as you walk up the street, and don’t forget to bring Fido as pooches are welcomed with open arms.
Where: 3/39 Musgrave Ave, Labrador

ATTO
Serving up serious Seoul food (pun intended), ATTO is one of Gold Coast’s newest Korean Cuisine machines. They too have decided to call Chirn Park home…to all y’all Northern residents, we’re starting to get a little envious of you now. At ATTO, you’ll find authentic and elevated East Asian eats and stone cold Sapporo on tap- a fine duo indeed. Sink your teeth into their charcoal grilled free range pork jowl with enoki mushroom, garlic, chives, hot english mustard and soy jus or the crispy eggplant made with sweet n sour doenjang sauce, grapefruit, and sesame seeds….just some recs.
Where: Shop1/55 Brooke Ave, Southport

5B2F Bakehouse
If you’re mad for a bakery, and seriously who isn’t, step this way and tell us you’ve had better! When it’s brought to you by the renowned pastry chef extraordinaire, Moonsun Yoo, you know you’re in for a real treat– classic French pastries and artisan sourdough for days. One look in the cabinet filled with THE most spectacularly crafted baked goodies and you’re sold. Consider us buttered up.
Where: 55 Brooke Ave, Southport

Daark Espresso
It’s known for its exceptional coffee, and as a go-to for the professional brunching set (aka, well worth the queue) is Daark Espresso. The nosh is truly next level, from the Salmon and Feta Croquettes to the Southern Chicken Fried Waffles and everything in between; bagels, crumpets, acai bowls, you name it. Pull up a pew inside this rustic gem, or opt for a table outside on the wraparound balcony. Add a super buzzy vibe and friendly staff and you can why it’s a Chirn Park institution.
Where: 2/41 Musgrave Ave, Labrador

Ground & Sound
Perched at the end of a street-art adorned alley, lies this offbeat café-come-bar, a cosy space combining two of life’s greatest pleasures: music and coffee. By day, they serve up specialty single origin PNG caffeine. By night, a mix of entertainment including local live acts, stand up comedy, music trivia nights, and open mic action for your Sunday sesh pleasure. What a vibe!
Where: 6/23 Musgrave Ave, Chirn Park

Moss n Stone
Moss n Stone offers the freshest and most on-trend blooms, arriving in-store daily. Delivering to all areas of the Gold and Tweed Coast, there are flowers and foliage for all occasions and persuasions.  Also stocking an exquisite range of giftware, babywear and homewares, it’s your one stop shop for all things lovely, with a hint of uniqueness.
Where: Unit 4/41 Musgrave Ave, Chirn Park

Words by Chelsea Ipsen