It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Of all the good things the recent turn of events have given us (and yes there definitely have been a few) this one pretty much takes the cake. Street food, booze and drag queens with a little bingo thrown in for good measure. It doesn’t get much better than that.
It’s all happening at Miami Marketta who, as so many Gold Coast businesses did, had to stop trading due to shut down orders but who also found a way to change things up and bring a little bit of joy to locals at the same time.
Those changes come in the form of transforming their space into a drive-thru (it conveniently runs right through from Hillcrest Pde to Avalon Pde) with street food stalls Brisket Boss, Kudo Bros, Matteo’s Woodfired Pizza, The Hungry Belly and Reid St Kitchen moving to one side and continuing to cook up a storm.
From those vendors you can order eats like Karaage Chicken Rice Bowls, Nachos, Brisket Rolls and pizzas and dessert boxes including an array of tarts or cakes. So all the good things.
No doubt you’re aware there’s also a couple of bars within the space so you may grab some bottles of wine, pre-made cocktail bottles and beers to wash all that down with.
How it works is that you drive in one end, place your order and come out the other. Similar to every drive-thru ever really.
The thing that isn’t similar though is the Drag Queens who greet you at said drive-thru and allow you to spin the wheel for the chance to win a street food voucher to use next week. It’s so great and the perfect thing to add a little bit of light to our current world situation.
For future reference, Drag Queen Bingo is a thing that you can attend at Miami Marketta and it is one of the very best times you can have. So once we’re allowed to spend time together at events again, make sure you get in on that because you will laugh A LOT and you may also win some sweet, sweet prizes too.
Until then, drag queens at the drive-thru are what’s up and friends, it seems likely you’ll never get another opportunity to experience something like this again so get in there while you can.
Good one Miami Marketta, love your work.
The drive-thru is open Friday and Saturday nights from 5pm.
LOCATION: 23 Hillcrest Pde, Miami
Words by Kirra Smith
Wednesday is usually not the day associated with cool events, but it is now!
Tucked away on a Miami side street is Miami Marketta.
Known as the Gold Coast’s weekend spot for tasty street food, fun cocktails, boutique shopping and a live band, the Miami Marketta is all around awesome, but a seemingly little known fact is that Miami Marketta is not just for the weekenders! You can experience Marketta’s awesomeness 4 nights a week!
I’m a big fan of the Miami Marketta and have done some serious eating there more than a handful of times over past weekends, but I had my maiden voyage to a Wednesday Marketta last week. Imma tell you about it…
Firstly, parking was a breeze! A sign for good things to come. As I made my way to the entrance it started to drizzle. As a former weekend Marketta-er I was a bit bummed because Ithought that would mean standing in the rain to wait for my food. – NOT ON A WEDNESDAY!
Wednesday is tapas night at Miami Marketta and they host a smaller selection of vendors, which means that they all fit under the twinkly lit steel canopy.
On weekends long rows of communal tables occupy the space under the shelter of the canopy pushing the vendors outside. During the week the tables are turned to stand alone making for a more intimate setting amongst friends, and creating covered space for the vendors to set up. (Keep that in mind for rainy days)
Now, just because Wednesdays do not boast the same number of vendors as the weekends do, it does not mean there is any shortage of flavour or options. One of my favourite things about Miami Marketta whether it be a weekday or weekend is that it’s ethnically ambiguous. In a few short steps, you can go from smelling the frying corn chips at the Mexican stand, to the mouth-watering meat being grilled for the Mediterranean salads and kebabs. The smell of a wood fired oven filled with Italian pizzas mixes with the sweet scents of Belgian waffles and it’s a glorious overload making it nearly impossible to choose just one thing. –But on Wednesday you don’t have to, nor should you! All dishes start at $6 so the tasting and sharing is easy and inexpensive!
In front of flamingo wallpaper is a liquor bar specialising in hand crafted cocktails and beside that was the coffee and sweets bar. The coffee bar wasn’t that popular in the late evening, but the cocktail bar was pumping. Drinks served in glass jars were adorned with funky fun straws and tasted like sweet sweet love. If you were in the mood to keep your drinks simple, they had a nice selection of beer and wine.
And just because the coffee bar wasn’t popping at night, doesn’t mean you should skip out on it. Marketta Cafe is open Tuesday – Saturday starting at 6am to fill all your early morning coffee needs!
The Marketta celebrates the arts and always has something nice going on to feed your soul and not just your mouth.
Wednesdays there is a DJ spinning relaxed beats and this particular Wednesday there was a local designer putting on a fashion show. The mix of two was such a treat. Not your usual Wednesday night dinner entertainment 🙂
Boutique shops sold mostly homewares and clothes. art. -All very cool pieces I might add!
The grill smoke trapped by the rain swirled against the ceiling, models strutted in casually elegant clothes, the DJ spun smooth tempos, the food was tasty and cheap, and the patrons were delightfully hip and laid back.
Successful Wednesday night.
Miami Marketta is open
Wed 5p-10p
Fri 5p-11p
Sat 4p-11p
It’s a wild world we live in Gold Coasters. The way we live has changed exponentially of late and honestly, it’s not all bad. Things we never dreamed of having and doing are now a normal way of life and the best of those things is deliveries.
Yes deliveries. Not just any old deliveries though, those of some of your favourite local goods and for the purposes of today’s tale, takeaway cocktails. Something we’ve never before experienced but that we now absolutely adore and hope stays in our lives always.
Over the last week these local businesses have announced their versions (available to purchase with food orders), so you may enjoy your fave margie with your dinner and seriously, what a time.
Mr PP’s Deli & Rooftop
The crew at Southport fave Mr PP’s have come to the iso party with their new bottled cocktail range including three of their most popular tipples and two classics. You can sip on Summer Lovin’, Seaside and Spicy Mama along with the beloved Negroni and Old Fashioned. They’ll also be selling 45ml whiskey flights with an option of purchasing glassware to compliment the whisky. How fun. Get yours here.
Social Eating House
The team at Social Eating House knows what’s up. They’re offering their famous Espresso Martinis to take home and indulge as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening at all. If you’ve not yet had the pleasure, now’s the time. Particularly if you’re a parent homeschooling a child right now or, maybe you’re just missing the tasty goodness that is an Espresso Martini. Grab some of their exceptional eats while you’re at it. Order here.
Bonita Bonita
The Mexican masters from Mermaid (oh hey cabin fever) have got you covered with takeaway Sangria packs including a bottle of wine, a can of Solo, Sangria mix and some fruit, so you can have yourself a Mexican party like no other. Order some of their famous tacos to go with it – Taco Thursday is still a thing and you can get some for $5 each with a minimum spend of $20. Sangria jug packs are $30 each so that’s quite the affordable night for some quality goods. Order here.
Etsu Izakaya
The beloved Mermaid Beach venue are all about exceptional cocktails (and everything else) and you can now order them to take home with you. There’s plenty to choose from including the Gin Garden, Boba Fett and the House Highball (among others) so order yourself some epic takeaway Japanese eats and a few cocktails to match and you’ve got yourself the very best of times. Etsu is now also offering a five-course set menu for $50 per person so if you can’t decide just get all the good stuff. It’s all here.
The Cambus Wallace
Nobby’s favourite low-lit cocktail bar has jumped on board the takeaway cocktail train and what a treat for all of us. As you’re probably aware, the Cambus crew like to do things a little bit outside of the box (which we love) and have done exactly that with their takeaway cocktail offerings including Negronis and Sailor Jerry’s with fresh apple juice. They also created a Smoked Old Fashioned in a bottle and it’s obviously epic both to look at and sip. Clever kids. Get yours with any food order here.
Ally Chow
Modern Asian fusion and a side of takeaway cocktails? Yes please! Grab yourself exactly that thanks to the team at Nobby’s fave Ally Chow. Cocktails on offer include their signature sips – Red Lotus and Chasing Ally and you can sample those alongside some sweet eats. There are $5 baos every night and they’re some of the best around plus delights like curries and much more. If you’ve dined with Ally Chow before, you’ll know everything they do is next-level and if not, here’s the perfect opportunity. Order here.
Mexicali
Guys. Mexicali have made MARGARITA PACKS and where have they been all our lives, honestly. They come with ice, lime, salt, marg mix and instructions and they are indeed some of the best margs out there. There are also sangria packs should that be your preference and you can grab one (or three) with any food order. Mexicali are also serving up some of the tastiest Mexi-eats around so you can go on a virtual holiday (don’t forget the sombrero) complete with all the culinary delights you could need. Order here.
Rosella’s
Good times guys, you can now indulge in Rosella’s really very good Australiana cocktails at yours and if you’ve had the pleasure you’ll know it’s well, a pleasure. Choose from their big old range of signature cocktails including the Kylie Minogue Martini, Fantales, the Northern Rivers Highball and the much-loved Margarita, Rosella’s style and Bob’s your uncle. Yep. Of course you must order food to go with it and there’s a CHEESE BOARD, Sunday Night Roast and alternating daily goodies and we’re all about all of that. Get some here.
Mr Consistent
The OG’s of the takeaway cocktail world, Mr Consistent is a Gold Coast business creating premium, hand-crafted cocktail mixes that you just need to add alcohol to. Choose from margaritas, Bloody Mary’s and sours (or all three) and you’ve got yourself a time. The bottle mixes have six to ten serves each, depending on the flavour and you can get them in a gift pack with two mixers and a bar kit, so the mixing tools are all right there and ready to go. Order online and get free delivery from Helensvale to Kingscliff RIGHT NOW. Get ‘em here.
Happy home partying.
Words by Kirra Smith
If there was ever a time to have wine delivered constantly and in bulk, it is now. Which is why it brings us great pleasure to introduce a new Gold Coast company by the name of Barolo & Friends, who do exactly that.
Offering up quite the array of sips, the business idea began last year when a pair of Gold Coast locals embarked on a trip overseas and due to the weather, had nothing else to do but sample delicious wines.
Lucky for us, those wines were far more affordable than the some of the wines we’re used to seeing in Australia and so, a (beautiful) business was born.
Not only wines from across the seas though, Barolo & Friends also offer local Aussie wines and every single bottle is of the very best quality and offered at very affordable prices.
Owners Craig and Tom have marked their favourites on the site, along with creating hilarious reviews explaining some of the wines in detail with the view of trying to educate people without using stuffy language us regular folks don’t understand. Which means you can learn about different types you may never have heard of before and also sample something completely unique. How good!
Of course, all your favourite kinds are on offer but in varieties you may not know of, but will absolutely enjoy sampling. Maybe a Palmer & Co. champagne fresh out of France? We’ll also take a bottle or three of 2014 Syrah. Coming at you, direct from their warehouse in Burleigh.
There are wines and mixed cases of the week, so you can discover a whole new area of the world’s wines without needing to leave the comfort of your living room (convenient) and there are plenty of award winners available with Barolo & Friends catering to all budgets while also ensuring every single bottle they source is exceptional.
Not to mention, they’re happy to source particular drops and once we spend more time watching their videos online to learn about wine, this is something we might just like to get involved in.
You can of course order mixed cases so there’s the option to try a little bit of everything. The team are also offering contactless delivery if you’re keen to order all of the wine and not go near anybody, plus Gold Coasters get FREE delivery on mixed cases of six using the code INSIDE here
Quite obviously there have been a fair few good inventions over the last few years but wine delivery is right up there with the best of them.
The easiest way to begin is by downloading the Barolo & Friends app and get ordering in just four pushes of a button (wipe it straight after) and get sipping.
Words by Kirra Smith
