Every morning’s a good morning at Pagi Pagi.
Every morning’s a good morning at Pagi Pagi.
You know those little things that really get your day started on the right foot? Like a pet from a cute doggo, good news in your inbox (your package is coming today), your favourite song coming on the radio (well at least for those of us still kickin’ it old school, but we can’t be bingeing true crime pods 24-sevs, right?)
And for residents of the Northern GC, it’s shaping up to be a very good morning indeed, because there’s nothing like a new cafe popping up your neck of the woods to put a big ol’ triple jump sized spring in your step. With a name inspired by radiant sunrises that means ‘good morning’ in Indonesian, it just got a whole lot easier for Ormeau to rise and shine with Pagi Pagi Cafe coming to town.
For owners Dinh Van and Carlo Christo, the irresistible charm of the GC finally won them over (it always does #cantstopwontstop) after managing various cafes under the ‘Cups’ group on the Brisbane scene for the last five years. If their previous reviews are anything to go by, we can expect some excellent coffee, delish food and a friendly crew, which is.. all we could ever in a cafe need tbh. And if the ability to win over internet critics doesn’t already prove their coffee skills (it should), there’s also the couple of ‘remarkable’ placements they’ve racked up from various categories at Australian Specialty Coffee Association comps.
After hunting the GC for their ideal new location, what ultimately attracted Dinh and Carlo to Ormeau is a location that’s very much untouched in terms of coffee, seizing the opportunity to add something colourful and funky to the northern GC community.
While it’s far from a blank canvas, the interiors are something the duo want to evolve, opting for a modern industrial style they can continue to build upon as they go. Polished concrete floors, tables and seating, against pops of black and orange with plenty of crisp whites to keep it bright. Surrounded in funky, retro posters lining the walls to remind you it’s not just a regular cafe, it’s a cool cafe.
Upon arrival, your first priority should be to secure yourself one of those cups of Pagi Pagi liquid sunshine (both because of its expertly brewed contents, and also thanks to the grinning sun mascot emblazoned upon the cups). Because it’s not often that a sanga selection leaves us bamboozled, but all of the gourmet Toastie options sound so unbe-loaf-ably good that you’re gonna need a moment to deliberate.
We’ve never met a Reuben we didn’t like – Pastrami, sauerkraut, house Russian dressing, American cheese, whole grain mustard, on toasted sourdough, but we think we’d regret not saying hallo to the Pumpkin Halloumi – Grilled pumpkin, halloumi, rocket, basil pesto.
Then there’s the Savoury mince – Wagyu beef mince, corn kernel, mozzarella served with Kewpie comin’ in (molten) hot with our delicious nostalgia hit, and the Truffle mushroom with mozzarella cheese, kewpie, jalapeno salsa verde on toasted sourdough is what toastie dreams are made of (everybody dreams about toasties, right?). If it’s wrong to cram so much flavour between two crispy, buttery slabs of bread, we don’t want to be right.
For the early birds, the concise brekkie offering means it’s all certified brekkie bangers here – classics like Eggs your way and Avo on toast, though something tells us the Big boy burger – Bacon, fried egg, smoked BBQ sauce, hash brown, caramelised onion, rocket & garlic aioli on a toasted sesame seed bun, will be on high rotation – especially once Saturday morning rolls around.
Sweet tooths will bi-scoff-ing down the signature dessert, Biscoff Croffle with Biscoff, seasonal fruits and cookie crumble served with Vanilla ice cream. It’s the one and only sweet treat on the menu, and we’re not mad about it. After all, you can’t improve on perfection #drool
For Dinh and Carlo, their hope is for Pagi Pagi Cafe to become a beloved sanctuary for the Northern GC, and with specialty coffee and sandos that slap, there’s little doubt that it will only be a matter of time.
When: Monday-Tuesday 6 am–12 pm, Wednesday-Friday 6 am–1.30 pm, Saturday 7 am–12 pm
Where: Norfolk Village Shopping Centre, Shop 1/174 Pascoe Rd, Ormeau
Any time a luxe new cafe opens its doors to the GC, we feel giddier than a kid on Christmas morning, because checking out a brand new coffee hangout kind of feels like the adult version of tearing open a big ol’ present waiting for us under the proverbial tree #ohyoushouldn’thave. What might be better yet though, is when a much-loved name in the biz goes all out and shouts themselves some swanky new digs, because we know no matter how cute it might look on the outside, a great cup of Joe is guaranteed.
Even if you’ve yet to frequent their Burleigh coffee bar, chances are you’ve already sampled their wares as Social Espresso Coffee Roasters have been hooking up our local cafe scene with the goods aka their locally roasted beans for over 7 years now. And in our eyes, that makes owners Mitch and Hayley a kind of unofficial GC royalty, because anyone who keeps the caffeine a flowin’ to our fave haunts is a friend indeed.
From Byron Bay to Brisvegas and beyond, their supplier list reads more like a who’s who of the GC cafe scene – Jeffersons, Fuel Bakehouse, Cheese Me Baby, Sweet Bambino, The Hunted, Zinc and more (we’re refraining from throwing the world ‘royalty’ around again for a second time, but what can we say – all hail the makers of the eggs benny and double shot oat cap). After building up quite the cult following, unsurprisingly Social Espresso soon outgrew their humble flagship premises, and when it came time to build a bigger and better HQ, we’re happy to report they’ve well and truly #nailedit
Social Espresso 2.0 was a dream team collaboration, with Amanda Jarvis Designs coming together with Meka Build to bring Mitch and Hayley’s vision to life. Their love of the Burleigh Heads industrial precinct and its resulting mix of customers meant they wanted to keep their new look HQ in the same area – or literally just down the road, as it turns out. Its fresh, wabi-sabi inspired interior with an industrial edge (without an ounce of grunge in sight) has resulted in a v. grown-up new fit out that exudes cool by the bucket load, but still makes you feel welcome to saunter by in your activewear and hi-vis. There’s loads of lush texture, curves in all the right places plus a dedicated space to display some goodies from local retailers – go on, you know you want to #treatyoself
Now that we know the vibe is on point, it’s time to get down to the part all you coffee aficionados have bean waiting for – ‘coz of course the menu has had a glow up to match it’s piping hot new lewk. And speaking of glowing – even if you’re not of the coffee inclination, there’s a smashing line up of cold pressed juices and smoothies to quench your thirst – like the Berry Glow with Acai, blueberry, raspberry, banana, coconut water & collagen. If you’re feeling a little more peckish, a BLAC Bagel or the holy grail of brunch, a Bacon & Egg Roll will defs hit the spot. And finally, who could forget the real star of the show: because there’s a whole latte to love with their 3 signature coffee blends, rotation of weekly single origins, or you can even opt to cool down with a Two Amigo’s Cold Brew #decisionsdecisions
For the self admitted social butterflies and bean masters behind Social Espresso, they couldn’t be more stoked to have created such a luxe and inviting new coffee haunt after years spent fostering so many friendships, partnerships and connections within their beloved GC community. But just quietly, we’re pretty sure pleasure is all ours.
Where: 1/9-11 Fremantle Street, Burleigh
When: Monday – Friday 5.30am – 1pm
Words by Kellie Leader.
Images by Britt Kreskas.
Who said the north side wasn’t the place to be? Things have certainly changed in recent times in our northern burbs, with residents no longer having to fork out half their earnings in Uber fares to go somewhere with a vibe.
Well, the latest in a string of venues fostering the region’s long awaited coming of age has just opened across the road from Harbour Town – and it’s a clanger! Hound & Stag Brewing Co is its name and if you’re a fan of the almighty amber ale (or any other boozy beverage), a top-notch feed and a bloody good time, this one’s for you.
Built on a mammoth 2000 square metre site, you can’t miss the whopping 450 square metre venue. Rocking an old barn style home fit out, the largest taproom on the Northern GC, graffiti lane, private function spaces, and 28 beer taps, it’s set to become a firm fave on the eats and sips scene. Perhaps one of the most distinguishable features separating it from some of the other breweries around town is that it serves Modern Australian food from its very own epic kitchen, 7 days a week from 11am.
That’s right, not a food truck in sight and look we love a good food truck as much as the next person, but this definitely fuels the Hound & Stag swagger. Plus they have a huge live entertainment space with weekly acts from a variety of awesome artists. Talk about an all-rounder!
Nothing has been done by halves here, with the project costing a cool $3.5 million dollars. The Hound & Stag team are not only dedicated to delivering the ultimate brewery experience, but are big on sustainability which gets a big ‘ole tick from us. 75% of the build was completed using recycled materials, giving the space a moody, rustic barn-house vibe, and helping reduce their carbon footprint.
So who do we have to thank for this blockbuster brewery, well six people actually. Gemma and Cuan Roberts, Ben Lyne, Dave Cook, Roy Hall and Stuart Greenway who all met though the real-estate caper. Ben the brewer was renting a property though their real-estate company and after an inspection one day, they decided to try the beer Ben had been brewing in his garage.
Needless to say they were blown away and the rest, as they say, is history. A talented bunch of savvy entrepreneurs, they bring a myriad of skills to the (bar) table, with careers spanning across hospitality, building and construction, engineering, development, the Army, health, teaching, and fun fact; Gemma even toured the world for over a decade as a professional DJ. Cool much?
On to the food and with Head Chef Jamin Ihaia and his 22 years of fine dining experience on board, we’re certainly in good hands.
Feeding 2-4 people, you’ve gotta try the 750gram Tomahawk Steak with grass fed aged rib eye steak served platter style with chimichurri sauce, charred rotis and a Hound & Stag paddle with your choice of house beers.
Or, get stuck into their signature Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with beef short rib braised for 12 hours in their black forest stout beer, served on house bread with melted fontina cheese, pickled cucumber, peanut satay and chilli jam and fries #A.Must.Try!!!!
Pair your meal with the award winning RED BARON which won gold and was Champion of the mixed culture category at the Royal QLD Beer awards. This is a huge deal, not only because they have been open for 12 weeks, but because Hound & Stag also received a placement in 5 out of the 5 beers they entered! Or try something from the extensive cocktail list like a Lamington Expresso Martini with lamington vodka, coffee liqueur, sugar syrup and coffee. Oh and this just in – they only use Queensland products in the bar and locally sourced produce in the kitchen and if we didn’t #LoveThemLongTime before…
A brewery for everyone, bring your mates, your partner and your family for a dose of fabulous food, ripping beer and awesome live entertainment. See you there…like, every day.
Where: 13 Wrights Place, Arundel
When: Coffee: From 5.30am Monday to Friday. Brewery: 11am – 12pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Instagram: @houndnstag
Website: houndnstag.com.au
Words by Bianca Trathen.
Images by Brittany Kreskas.
It sounds like a simple enough concept, yet it’s surprisingly elusive here on the Gold Coast. We’d like a salad sanga…an actual salad sanga. Nope, not just some stale grocery store bread drowned in lumpy marge slapped together with a couple of lifeless lettuce leaves and sloppy tomato #The80sWantTheirSandwichBack. No siree, we want something very 2023 ploise. Thoughtfully prepared with the finest, freshest plant-based ingredients, served on quality, gourmet bread with lots of gluten free options and srsly, we are legit starvin Marvin just describing such sandwich sorcery.
Well, the snazzy sanga Gods have smiled upon us with the arrival of Piknik. Sprouting in bustling Burleigh Heads last month, it’s all that and a bag of plant-based sandwiches. Oh and there’s coffee – really really good coffee, and no we would never endorse somewhere that wasn’t an over-achiever in the caffeine department. Like, blasphemy of the highest order.
Founder and Head Chef Maddi Turner is the brains, health and fitness enthusiast, and experienced café owner behind Piknik. Not only has she previously owned a café, but it was in Melbourne, which means she is #TheBusiness. A plant-based nosh whiz, she saw the gaping hole in the GC eats landscape for a simple, easy plant based healthy take away shop that catered for everyone. Fast forward to now and open daily for breaky and lunch, and Maddi – You.Did.Good.
There’s outdoor seating where locals can take a load off, enjoy the sunshine, and devour their Piknik perfection. Then of course there’s the drool-worthy glass cabinet which screams “take something for ‘ron” and no incentive required – we were going to anyway. This especially rings true when there’s a Raspberry Vanilla Almond muffin on the go and again, this is a no-brainer investment.
So what’s the signature sanga here you ask and although it’s neck and neck, The Burleigh Basic definitely has the edge. It features lettuce, beetroot, carrot, avocado, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, red onion and the pièce de résistance; their secret ravishing relish #WeWantTheRecipe! Other v popular options include The Scrambled Tofu and The Goodness Green and goodness me, yes, yes and more yes!
Moving on to (non-boozy) breaky and liquid lunch options, we suggest you try the Coffee Lover Smoothie on for size. Currently Piknik’s beverage equivalent of a golden child, it’s loaded with banana, Coyo natural and dairy free coconut yoghurt, cocoa powder, a coffee shot (#lyf) and almond milk. Yes please!
We’re also partial to the Clean Green Smoothie and even if we hadn’t sampled it, we feel healthier merely reciting the ingredients #greenisgold. There’s frozen zucchini, apple, spinach, pineapple, lemon, ginger and coconut water, which is surely wellness in liquid form.
In case you hadn’t picked up what we’re putting down, we are fans of Piknik. Next time we’re craving an easy-to-go lunch (or breakky munch), we know where we’ll be. And so will you.
Where: 7 Deodar Drive, Burleigh Heads
When: 6.30am – 2.30pm Tuesday to Saturday. Closed Sunday & Monday
Words by Bianca Trathen.
Images by Brittany Kreskas.
