If you’re a fan of mouth-wateringly good, cooked-with-love baked treats you will have absolutely sampled the goods from The Bread Social. With venues in Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Currumbin and the Isle of Capri, plus a number of stockists between Yamba and the Gold Coast, it’s the kind of place that simply makes life better via comfort food you’d travel anywhere to taste again. 

We Gold Coasters can once again count our lucky stars because The Bread Social boys have rolled out their brand new destination HQ in Currumbin. Just over a year ago, we brought you the news that the team had begun slinging all the good stuff from a takeaway kiosk in Currumbin, with bigger plans in the pipeline.

Those bigger plans have officially landed, so it’s time to rejoice. Mates Sam Saulwick, Tom Scott and Paul Giddings have been baking out of The Farm in Byron Bay for the past eight years but recently moved the entire operation to a huge new space on Queensbury Ave. They’ve created a space that showcases their talents and involves the customer in all aspects of sourdough bread and pastry production.

The new bakery slash cafe slash production centre is exactly what you’d expect from the talented trio; a cosy, industrial-style fitout complete with glossy tiles, wooden barn doors and plenty of seating space both inside and out. 

The very best part though is that you can see the master craftsmen at work in several sections of the space. Windows within the cafe allow you to watch the bakers rolling out countless loaves of sourdough while behind the coffee bar you can see pastry chefs making absolute magic with golden, buttery goodness. 

The reason for this is that The Bread Social team wanted to create an opportunity for us to see exactly what goes on at a working bakery with full transparency, allowing for open (and no doubt interesting) conversations between them and their beloved customers. 

Speaking of things you’ll see and sample, there are many and they will all change your baked-goods-loving life! Starting with crispy, Three Cheese and Vegemite scrolls, sourdough jam doughnuts, extra large Custard Tarts, Baked Cheesecakes, cookies, Lemon Meringue tarts, Schiacciata (flatbread with tasty toppings), croissants and a new addition to the lineup – freshly made sandwiches. 

Of course, there is also the aforementioned sourdough, which you can see being rolled before your very eyes. It’s not just any sourdough though, it’s the organic kind made with Australian ingredients that are sourced as locally as possible. 

The team is passionate about, and very good at, coffee too so you can sip on a smooth, delicious cuppa while you eat copious treats or grab everything to go and eat in peace in your car (you won’t make it home). 

Soon the team will be rolling out bread-making and cake decorating classes to name just a few so you can learn from the very best. This is music to our sourdough-loving ears. Like 95% of the population, we dabbled in the pandemic trend, and like 95% of home bakers, our starter did not survive 2023. RIP Ernie. We cannot wait to roll our sleeves up and learn a thing or two from the pros.

There’s plenty of parking onsite so don’t waste a single second more of your life not having visited The Bread Social’s sweet new space. 

Where: 2 Queensbury Avenue, Currumbin Waters
When: 6am to 7pm, 7 days a week.
Website: breadsocial.com.au
Instagram: @thebreadsocial

No Gold Coasters, your eyes ‘dough’ not deceive you – at long last, the local legends behind famed pizza joints Franc Jrs and Francie’s are slinging their signature slice from a brand new location in Nobby Beach.

The newest eat-in iteration for the Franc fam – an old school vibing pizzeria – is packed with plenty of soul, promising that same trademark, ‘good, honest Italian food’ fans have long been smitten with.

Fromage fiends can settle in for their Franc fix – with laidback vibes alongside cult fave Classic pizzas, crisp, Detroit style deep-dish pies, and frozen Margi’s.

With a lineage that can be traced back to 1996, the Francie’s origin story is fascinating, rich – and similar to the effects of a few too many frozen Marg’s – a little fuzzy around the edges.

An operation now run by Anthony Pattinson, Claudia Pattinson, James Young and Carlos Lara – the charming, 60pax Coolangatta neighbourhood pizza joint known as Francie’s was born way back in an era when, along with pizza, Anthony counted Baywatch and RnB among his great loves.

The humble spot with a shoebox-vibing kitchen was soon overwhelmed by its own success – by year two they were averaging 150 peckish patrons a night – a number that blew out to 250-300 punters in the years that followed, a frenetic pace that they couldn’t maintain.

Ultimately opting to close the door on Francie’s (cue first crush levels of heartbreak), another opened in the form of Franc Jrs, the compact and casual takeaway style little bro.

When it came to delivering a new and improved restaurant offering, the challenge was retaining the charm, while scaling up and refining the offering to meet demand.

The new venue is a 60 seater with indoor and outdoor tables, opting for counter service to streamline the experience.

Complete with mob movie vibing mood lighting, red leather and wood finishes aplenty, the interior fit out is a throwback to the classic, 1940’s Italian American style restaurant.

The result is a nostalgic feeling Anthony likens to the 90’s rite of passage – hitting up the local salad bar, “like Pizza Hut’s all you can eat, only really, really good”, he adds.

Anthony’s life-long passion for slinging ‘pies’ – is immediately apparent in the drool-worthy menu.

The offering is split into three types – Traditional 13-inch ‘Francies classics’, 16-inch cheese pies and square, Sicilian ‘Detroit style’ pizzas, as well as a full vegan selection to boot.

Now pizza, along with a sneaky pun or three, is certainly something we’re no stranger to – with catchy monikers such as Francie’s Classic, ‘Sage Against the Machine’ made with fresh fior di latte, roasted mushrooms, pancetta, sage & pecorino, only further fuelling our obsession.

Fans of the Franc Jrs Signature – the loaded and crispy edged, Sicilian style slice – can get amongst Tomato, made with roasted cherry tomatoes, confit garlic, whipped lemon ricotta & chilli sauce or the cheese-packed White Stripe, topped with hot honey.

And with the calibre of slice selection the Franc Jrs crew is slinging, we certainly wouldn’t blame anyone struggling to choose.

But if the fan following for these pizza purveyors is anything to go by – satisfaction is a sure thing (and a carb coma).

Where: Shop 2/32 Lavarack Road, Nobby Beach
When: 4pm-10pm Wednesday – Saturday  

Words by Kellie Leader.

If your caffeine fix needs a little more wild west and a little less flat white, then saddle up, partner – Sun Devil Drinks Company has arrived. Born in the buzzing Gold Coast market scene, this American-style coffee bar has found itself a permanent home inside vintage juggernaut Strange Days in Tweed Heads. Think saloon-style charm meets New York espresso bar, all wrapped up in a vintage wonderland that makes grabbing your morning brew feel like stepping into a Quentin Tarantino film.

Sun Devil’s story is as rich as its coffee. It started as a humble drinks stall in the Currumbin markets, where founders Alex Boyce and Freya Lynch introduced Aussies to the holy grail of American refreshments and cold brews (more on those below). With the sun beating down and locals looking for a thirst-quencher with a side of character, the stall quickly gained a cult following.

But it wasn’t until a fateful trip back to the States that inspiration struck. After tasting their way through some of America’s best bars and restaurants, they dreamed up the now-legendary Sun Devil Special. One call to their mate Marshall (kitchen wizard extraordinaire) and the recipe was perfected, sealing their reputation as the Gold Coast’s go-to for American-style caffeine hits.

Enter Sylvie Cornu, the brains behind Strange Days Store. A vintage maven with over 20 years in the fashion industry, Sylvie was expanding her Palm Beach-born store into a more polished version in Tweed Heads when she met Alex and Freya. If you haven’t frequented Strange Days before, think carefully curated vintage threads and goods imported from America and Europe.

Like peanut butter and jelly, cowboy boots and denim, or Bowie and Ziggy, the collaboration just made sense. Sun Devil took up residence at the front of Strange Days, giving shoppers the ultimate combo – vintage treasure hunting and a damn good cup of coffee.

The space itself is dripping in Western Americana charm, with raw exposed brick, vintage wood, and metal accents making it feel like a frontier-town espresso bar. And while takeaway is an option, Sun Devil is all about slowing down. Pull up a seat at the bar, swap stories with the baristas, and let the caffeine-fuelled conversations flow. Bay Street, after all, is one of the last bastions of Gold Coast authenticity – a tight-knit community of small businesses that look out for each other, and now, a little slice of Americana to keep things interesting.

If you’re new to Sun Devil, the Sun Devil Special is your initiation. It’s the drink that put them on the map and kept marketgoers coming back week after week. And if you’re feeling nostalgic for a classic American summer, the Arnold Palmer (half iced tea, half lemonade), or Southern Sweet Tea will transport you straight to a rocking chair on a Southern porch. Whatever you choose, you’re in for something different – Sun Devil isn’t just another coffee shop; it’s an experience.

With Sun Devil pouring the coffee and Strange Days Store bringing the vintage vibes, Bay Street just got a whole lot cooler. Whether you’re after a killer caffeine fix or a wardrobe straight out of a Nashville dive bar, this is your one-stop shop for both.

Where: 28-30 Bay St, Tweed Heads
When: Sun Devil Drinks – 7.30am to 2pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Closed Thursday.
Strange Days – 9am to 4pm Monday to Saturday & 10am to 2pm Sunday.

Words by Bianca Trathen
Images by Mathilde Bouby