Pottsville’s new contemporary, coastal-inspired restaurant.
Pottsville’s new contemporary, coastal-inspired restaurant.
Today we’re venturing away from Gold Coast shores, not very far of course, to bring you very good news from the sweet little seaside village of Pottsville.
Just a short, half hour(ish) drive from the Coast, Pottsville is a hidden paradise with all of the sleepy, never-want-to-leave vibes and we suggest you pop down for a visit at the earliest available opportunity.
Particularly because a new, contemporary Australian restaurant, Pipit (cute name), has opened in the last week and it’s the (exceptional) work of award-winning chef Ben Devlin and partner Yen Trinh.
Having grown up close by in Byron Bay, and spent four years creating exceptional dishes at Paper Daisy in Cabarita, Ben felt it was time to open his first venue in the area. And Pipit it is.
The naturally-lit space is an open plan style of setup with polished concrete floors, a chic minimalist vibe, high bench seating looking out into the street and also (our fave) around the bar into where the chefs are whipping up all kinds of goodness.
From preparation to plating, watch the chefs work their magic while sipping on one of many five-star tipples on offer.
Pipit’s menu will be a celebration of the Northern Rivers’ coastal lifestyle, great produce and wood-fired cooking. It will change often (sometimes daily) to showcase the best available ingredients and you may choose your own adventure with an a-la-carte style of dining on offer or, our recommendation, letting the chefs choose for you with either four or seven courses.
If a-la-carte is your thing, there are of course, several dishes we recommend from the current menu.
To start, Eggplant tartar style with fresh peanuts, chicory and shiitake mushroom, no question.
For mains, Pipis steamed with kelp served with potato, macadamia and wing beans, Hot smoked mackerel with grilled bamboo, beach mustard and brown butter and Baby grouper with pomelo, lemon balm and fennel. It’s all incredible though, obviously.
Dessert should probably be Spent beer grain parfait with custard apple and wattleseed ganache. Trust us.
So, if a little roadtrip down south complete with a refined dining experience in a stunning space is on the cards this weekend (when isn’t it), make Pipit your venue of choice.
It’s more than worth the drive.
LOCATION: 8 Coronation Ave, Pottsville
HOURS: Lunch Friday to Monday and dinner Thursday to Saturday
Words by Kirra Smith
We all love a little southern getaway to our beautiful across-the-border neighbour. But sometimes that 45 minute drive seems a little two much to handle on the precious few days we get away from work each week.
Luckily, it seems, Byron Bay has begun to come to us and that is happy news friends. Starting with a few top notch eateries, here’s hoping the entire town soon merges into the Gold Coast so we can claim it as our own.
Until then, here are five restaurants that originated in Byron and have expanded to the Gold Coast.
Finn Poke
The most recent addition in the foodie migration is Finn Poke, a café-style venue serving up, you guessed it, nourishing poke bowls. The popular Byron Bay gang opened up in Pacific Fair just last week and they’re set to open a second store in James Street (Burleigh Heads) next month. They’re putting a unique little spin on the salad and raw fish style bowls and that’s as Byron as anything we’ve ever heard.
Where: Pacific Fair, Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach
Main Street Burger Bar
An absolute Byron favourite is Main Street Burger Bar and, as of last year, they’ve become a pretty popular addition to the Broadbeach restaurant scene too. With a trendy, beachside diner vibe and burgers made with the freshest and healthiest produce possible, it really is a good time. The Harissa Roasted Lamb Shoulder burger is a fave and throw in a boozy milkshake and that will do us just fine thank you very much.
Where: Shop GO.53, Oasis Shopping Centre, Victoria Ave, Broadbeach
Elixiba
What’s a Byron restaurant story without a vegan addition? And what a vegan addition Elixiba is. It’s a completely plant-based bar and restaurant with some of the most Insta-worthy dishes around. Think towering burgers, pasta perfections, Chai cheesecake and the tastiest of curries. Every single thing on the menu will have your mouth watering, vegan or not.
Where: Robina Town Centre, Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina
Miss Margarita
Ahh Mexican food, how we love you. Miss Margarita’s is one of the best Byron haunts around and no matter what time of day, it’s absolutely packed with patrons sipping chilli margaritas (could just be us). The food is absolutely exceptional here and we particularly love jalapeno poppers and every burrito that has ever been brought before us. BONUS: you don’t need to travel to Byron to get involved.
Where: Shop 101, 89 Surf Pde, Broadbeach
Cardamom Pod
There are vegetarian delights galore at the Byron Bay gem that now boasts two Gold Coast locations. Cardamom Pod is a choose your own adventure style scenario where you can mix your curries with your salads, pop some samosas on your plate and fill your belly with warm, nourishing goodies that will keep you full for days (or at least hours). They also do some extremely tasty desserts so maybe take one of those guys home for later. Oh and it’s BYO, yep yep.
Where: 2685 Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach and The Brickworks, Ferry Rd, Southport
Cicchetti Pizza & Pasta Bar
They began their foodie adventure in Byron before moving on up to the Gold Coast and nowadays, they are solely Queenslanders and we are more than happy with that. Serving up the tastiest Italian fare, Cicchetti offers a casual breakfast menu plus authentic Italian for lunch and dinner and the foods is the goods guys. They also boast innovative cocktails in a space that is quite frankly, breathtaking. Next time you’re craving Italian food, give them a try.
Where: Capri on Via Roma, Isle of Capri
Words by Kirra Smith.
