Nobody needs to tell you that summer has absolutely arrived on the Gold Coast in the last few days but since we have the floor, let us make it known, these stifling days are here to stay.

And since there’s no way to escape to say Southern California for a sweet little sojourn, a few clever local lads have brought Southern California to you via a sweet new eatery that’ll make you forget you’re melting every time you step outside.

It’s called Palm Springs Café and it is indeed reminiscent of the city found with the Coachella Valley, dotted with palm trees and known for it’s pastel hues and lowset mid-century modern architecture. It’s one of our absolute fave places in the world and so we are absolutely thrilled to introduce you to this newbie.

Found on a corner block between Burleigh Heads and Miami (a Queenslander previously occupied by Siam Orchid), Palm Springs Café is a fresh, double storey space all rendered whites with a cactus garden and peach umbrellas throughout the street-facing outdoor space.

Inside it’s an Insta-dream come true with arched windows, white tiled floors, terrazzo tabletops and splashes of pastel green. Famed photographer Slim Aarons’ poolside snaps line the walls and you’ll find a few more cacti throughout.

The coffee bar is a round-edged masterpiece, all layered and beautiful and begging to be touched. Round pendant lights hang in clusters from the ceiling and look, it’s aesthetically perfect if you ask us.

The idea behind the café is a little different from the norm, with said Southern Cali vibes taking over the menu too. Excitingly, there’ll be brunch cocktails on offer at all times and see, it won’t take much to forget that heat.

To eat, you’ll probably want to get involved in everything but let’s chat about a couple of dishes. The Cali Breakfast Burrito is a must with chorizo sausage, egg, cheddar cheese, avocado salsa, black beans and pickled jalapeno. Three please.

There’s also a Bacon and Egg Burger but not as you know it; with American bacon, fried egg, provolone cheese, potato hash and chipotle mayo on a milk bun. Yep. If bacons’ not your thing, there’s a halloumi version too.

Nourish Bowls are a good time too – there’s the Palms Wholesome Bowl with black bean hummus, brown rice, tomato salsa, house pickles, charred corn, avocado, a soft-boiled egg and mojo dressing. You can add teriyaki salmon to that too.

To drink, there’s Therefore Coffee, out of Tweed Heads (a very good drop), all of the alternative latte varieties, cold-pressed juices and of course, cocktails. Bloody Mary’s, an array of Margaritas and an Espresso Martini grace the menu, as well as pink gin and soda cans.

It’s perfect for a Sunday (or any) morning sip and honestly, it’s everything we Gold Coasters have been waiting for.

Palm Springs Café opens Friday 20th November and you should be very happy about it.

LOCATION: Cnr Gardenia Grove and Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: 6.30am until 2.30pm daily

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

Summer is so close we can almost taste it Gold Coasters and with it comes balmy days filled with good food, refreshing sips and even better company. Then rinse and repeat every single day for three months.

There’s no doubt it’s going to be one of the best on record after the year we’ve had and what makes it even more exciting is brand new venues to enjoy all of the above in.

The latest of which is absolutely oozing summer vibes while also (kinda) making up for the lack of European holidays we’ve experienced this year.

It’s called Maman (meaning Mum) Kitchen & Bar and it opened a few weeks ago on James Street in Burleigh Heads for all of your Mediterranean feasting pleasure. And what a pleasure it is.

It’s the work of a couple of local lads whose names you’ve no doubt heard – Oli Frost, founder of The Grass is Greener Music Festival and part owner of Surfers’ burger bar Milky Lane and Ironman Matt Poole along with Oli’s Mum and Aunt, Karen and Elizabeth Fines, who are both exceptional Chefs.

Inside you’ll find a space made up of all-white everything, coastal chic at its finest, with pops of colour courtesy of Byron Bay artist Jai Vasicek’s wall-length murals and hand-painted ceramics. All of which we would love to transfer to our house right this second.

Maman can be accessed through an arched alleyway entrance in Justin Lane and we love a little outside-the-box thinking.

Now let’s discuss the menu because every single dish is one you’re going to want to sample starting with small plates like Moussaka of eggplant with seared scallops, taramasalata, tomato and fennel salsa (stop it) and Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare with preserved lemon, green olive salsa and Jerusalem artichoke crisps to name just a couple of magic treats.

Next up, there are larger plates like Lamb Kofte with hommus, cacik, Israeli salad and Turkish pide, Chermoula crusted tuna, Moroccan eggplant, tomato and coriander salsa.

Taste sensations the lot of them.

For dessert, a Fine Apple Tart with salted caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream perhaps? Yes.

To drink you may sip on signature cocktails like the Maman Spritz with watermelon reduction, ruby red grapefruit, cherry tincture and Prosecco and the Wake Up with Tromba Blanco Tequila, jalapeno pepper, fresh citrus and orange curacao.

Of course, you’ll probably want to sample every single one, as is the almost-summer way.

It’s delightful all round honestly and the absolute perfect addition to the Burleigh Heads dining scene.

Let’s get summer started right now shall we?

Meet you Maman Kitchen & Bar.

LOCATION: 49 James Street, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: 5pm until late Wednesday to Friday and 12pm until late Saturday and Sunday

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

If you didn’t hold your event in an epic, Instagrammable space, did you even hold an event? No, no you did not.

Oh hey Lloyd’s Shop in Burleigh Heads, a motorbike workshop slash event space that we would like to move into thank you very much. It’s the work of one Cohen Arthur, a Gold Coast local who has been repairing and rebuilding Harley Davidson’s for quite a few years now and yes, he’s one of those people who has multiple ventures and talents and give us some of those would ya please.

Anyway. Lloyd’s Shop is his latest baby. It’s a 1970’s warehouse found on Hutchinson Street and it’s the event space of your dreams with both an indoor and outdoor section for all your good time needs and an array of the bikes he’s working on displayed around the place at any given time.

Not just any event space though, Cohen has sourced some absolutely incredible materials from around the world to give it an elegant but edgy vibe that you certainly won’t find anywhere else around these parts.

For example, the feature wall at the back is finished in pink Italian concrete with silver (yes actual silver) flecks throughout and two stunning stained glass windows imported from a decommissioned New York church that was built in 1914. Yep, that’s the level of epic Lloyd’s is. Thousands of fairy lights (our fave) are draped overhead and it’s quite the magical little setting.

Between the indoor and outdoor sections is Cohen’s Harley workshop, so you may gaze lovingly at the masterpieces while thinking about the fact that you will never be brave enough to actually ride one, or sipping a beer and enjoying people’s company or whatever.

Outside, giant cactuses (love you) line the bright pink feature wall and big old neon sign reading Coco shines out from above. It’s the little touches that make spaces loveable guys, and this one has them in spades.

Basically Lloyd’s is capable of hosting any type of event you can conjure up and Cohen and the gang can cater to any need you may have too (except test riding the Harley’s, soz, we checked).

Workshops, conferences, engagement parties, weddings, art exhibitions, fashion shows, brand launches, you name it, it can happen there.

ALSO, if tasty coffee and tasty eats are your thing, Industrial Café just opened up on site so that’ll satisfy the needs of any hungry slash thirsty people you’ve invited along.

One more thing, Lloyd’s can be hired for long term times such as pop up stores and how good is that.

That’s it, get down there and check it out and if you’re having a party, invite us please, we’re really quite good at attending parties.

LOCATION: 14 Hutchinson St, Burleigh Heads

Words and photos by Kirra Smith.