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Cabarita’s new pocket of goodness

Dig into The Burrow

The Burrow Exterior (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)
The Burrow Exterior (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)

Hospitality scenes throughout the world have undoubtedly been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, particularly amid lockdowns and restrictions. Some venues disappeared, others buckled down and lived to fight another day, and some new venues managed to not only open but go off with a bang. Enter, The Burrow.

An easy-going bar with great cocktails on Cabarita Beach’s main street feels like it has been a long time coming for locals and for those who like to flock to the southern gem habitually.

Sure, the local trusty surf club and pub are both options, but what The Burrow offers is some carefully curated and inventive cocktails, appetizing food and good old-fashioned friendly rural charm.

Upon entry, you’ll see proudly hung on the wall of the bar a 1960s black and white aerial photograph of Cabarita Beach right next to a car license plate from Alberta, Canada; which once belonged to a Winnebago used to travel across North America. The space aims to combine the past and present, old and new with a big emphasis on solely bringing people together to connect over quality drinks and food.

Pita This & That Share Plate, The Burrow (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)
Pita This & That Share Plate, The Burrow (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)

Grab a stool by a tall old wine barrel now acting as your tabletop, or slip into a secluded and snug booth where the sea breezes from Cabarita Beach will keep you refreshed as you work your way through a neatly put together drinks list. International favourites join locally made spirits from Husk, Brookies, and Stoken to deliver tasty refreshments.

You’ll also see some local brews — such as Earth Brewery — on tap and a comprehensive offering of differing wines from around our fair and lucky country. We strongly suggest you don’t go past one of Maggie’s Margaritas in Classic, Go Coconuts or our favourite Her Friend Chilli with house infused jalapeno syrup and a lip-smacking chilli salt rim.

Food-wise the food styling sits somewhere between Mexico and the Middle East with spicy, zesty fresh flavours in abundance. The Pita This & That Share Plate with house-made falafels is the perfect answer for a few hungry fingers to do some dipping and perhaps warm-up for some further eats.

A dedicated section to Signature Pockets, a nod to Lebanese cuisine, will have you tossing up between the five different delicious fillings such as the Lambo, slow-cooked Greek spiced lamb or El Cerdo, BBQ pulled pork. Can’t decide? Why not get both? And don’t forget to test everyone’s favourite: the Twisty Potato Fries! served with jalapeno mayo and BBQ bourbon sauce — Drool!

The Burrow Maggie's Margarita & Sour Southies (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)
Maggie's Margarita & Sour Southies, The Burrow (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)

We highly recommend taking the time to commute over the border and dive into The Burrow for a drink and bite to eat, away from it all.

Where: 1/36 Tweed Coast Road, Cabarita Beach
When: Tuesday-Saturday noon — 10pm  & Sunday noon — 8pm

Words by Alex Mitcheson.

The Burrow Bar (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)
The Burrow Bar (Image: © 2021 Inside Gold Coast)

Cabarita’s colourful new sandwich + juice bar is here

Nectar interior (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

Who would have thought that in 2020, hopping across the border would become a treat?

Not us. But here we are friends treating ourselves to exactly that and for very good reason.

A visit to our spectacular southern neighbour Cabarita in fact, for the opening of a stunning newbie you’re going to want to spend some time in at the earliest possible opportunity.

It’s called Nectar and it’s a stunning juice and sandwich bar by the gals who created Burleigh’s Cedar and Stone Botanicals and we are considering moving to Caba so we can visit every single day.

Nectar juices (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)
Nectar juices (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

Found on the main strip in the beachside village, Nectar is as beautiful as you’d imagine.

A long, narrow space with white block walls, the prettiest pink tiled bar and touches of magic everywhere you look.

Shelves line one wall, stacked with take home goodies like Cedar and Stones’ range of face and body goodies, incense by This is Incense, cocktail mixers by Mr Consistent, candles by Maison Blanc, coffee table books and dried flowers to name a few things.

All of our favourites are there.

Art lines the walls, including a piece at the front by Anna and Kate’s Mum, made up of a print book the girls cut up.

It’s a space that we would absolutely love to model our home off thank you very much.

Nectar sandwich (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

Now to eat, as we mentioned there are sandwiches and they are almost certainly the very best you’ve ever sampled.

Choose from a menu filled with options like The Janis Joplin (made with smoked chicken, lettuce, celery, cheese and roasted garlic aioli), The Johnny Cash – with salami, Swiss cheese, tomato and cashew cream cheese or The Janet Jackson with pulled jackfruit,  greens, cucumber, sprouts, avocado and mayo. There are others but we’ll let you discover them for yourself.

Of course, you can also choose your own adventure and build the sandwich of your dreams.

All the produce at Nectar is sourced from local farms so you know it’s the absolute goods.

Nectar juice (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

To drink, there are some delightful smoothies including the Lunar Love with Nutra Organics lunar latte powder, banana, coconut mylk, vanilla protein and honey and the Summer Time with mango, orange, passion fruit, honey, coconut water and crushed ice. Plenty more where they came from too.

There are Cold Pressed juices, detox shots and coffee by the gang at Fonzie Abbott.

So basically all the best things can be found at Nectar, including the ocean just a few steps away.

We’re BIG fans.

Jump that border and find out for yourself. Why not make a day of it, Cabarita is the goods.

See ya there.

LOCATION: 34 Tweed Coast Road, Cabarita
HOURS: Coffee from 6am and food from 7am until 3pm daily

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

Nectar interior (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

Husk Farm Distillery

More and more these days we, the people, love knowing everything there is to know about local businesses. How they were created, how they operate, what goes into creating something that works.

Luckily for us, there are many an incredible local business popping up both on the Gold Coast and within the local surrounds that have interesting stories to tell, the latest of which is Husk Distillers.

Creators of Ink Gin (you know the magical purple elixir that changes colour), Husk Virgin Cane Rum and Spiced Bam Bam (spiced rum, love you), Husk Distillers was born in Tumbulgum, tiny little northern NSW town now home to a quite big, much-loved local brand.

Now, the impressive paddock to bottle brand have announced the opening of Husk Farm Distillery and it’s set to be an absolute must-visit destination.

Set on the Messenger family’s farmland with the stunning Wollumbin (Mt Warning) as the backdrop, the cellar door, bar and café will be open to the public in mid-June and, as you’d expect, there will be many a tasty treat.

The cocktail and café menus will showcase local produce, along with Blackboard coffee, gin and rum infused chocolates, local cheese/charcuterie boards and tasting paddles made from old barrel staves.

So all of the very best things. Plus of course, you can take home a bottle of Ink Gin or three for the cabinet slash that nights’ drinking shenanigans.

In case you haven’t heard the story; Husk is the baby of the aforementioned Messenger family, inspired by their love of all things rum and the culture of Caribbean, the family began their adventure in 2012, creating a plantation distiller on their cattle and cane farm.

Production began with their first paddock to bottle agricole rum, made with their homegrown sugar cane and capturing the flavours of the region.

The cane harvest is restricted to August – November and the months off over summer made way for the development of the ever-popular Ink Gin. Meanwhile, Husk Virgin Cane Rum and spiced rum, Spiced Bam Bam, quietly matured on oak in the background.

Ink Gin hit the market with a bang, with lucky sippers getting on board with the smooth Australian taste and quirky colour change of the butterfly pea (from blue to purple) when you add tonic. So great.

And now, after much hard work from the Messenger’s and much gin sampling from us, Husk Farm Distillery is set to be our new favourite destination drinking hole.

Bring on mid-June for bulk roadtrips down south.

LOCATION: Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum

 

11 road trip worthy restaurants

Paper Daisy restaurant located within boutique hotel Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach (image supplied by Destination NSW)
Paper Daisy restaurant located within boutique hotel Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach (image supplied by Destination NSW)

Every January the Australian Good Food Guide (AGFG) bestows upon us its much anticipated Chef Hat Awards, a discerning and definitive ranking of culinary excellence. Aka, the foodie holy grail. For hardcore dining devotees, it feels a lot like Christmas morning. Our very own cheat sheet to work our way, hungry caterpillar style, around the most esteemed and decorated local destinations.

Our Northern Rivers neighbours, in particular, are giving us plenty of reasons to pack our appetites and venture south for some serious nosh. Here are 11 of this year’s most road trip worthy restaurants.

Ben Devlin cooking at Pipit (image supplied by Tweed Tourism)
Ben Devlin cooking at Pipit (image supplied by Tweed Tourism)

Pipit
Founded by former Paper Daisy chef, Pipit owner Ben Devlin is no stranger to the art of crafting exquisite eats – nor has he pulled any punches when it comes to his first solo venture. And AGFG clearly agrees, with Pottsville’s Coronation Avenue darling taking out the coveted top spot among this year’s most noteworthy Northern Rivers Hat recipients.

Pipit’s superb score of 16/20 propels them to pole position on our day trip priority list and also, according to the AGFG, ‘ worth a detour’ designation.

Set aside a few hours and treat yourself to the revelatory set menu dining experience, a curated sequence of flavours, textures and ideas spanning over several hours, one which Ben likens to ‘a day trip around the Northern Rivers’ in and of itself.
Where: 8 Coronation Avenue, Pottsville

Raes on Wategos, Byron Bay (image supplied)
Raes on Wategos, Byron Bay (image supplied)

Rae’s Dining Room
Coming in second place with a score of 15 is Byron Bay institution, Raes on Wategos. Headed by Executive Chef Jason Saxby, the restaurant serves modern Australian cuisine with a Mediterranean influence deemed ‘Quite Out of the Ordinary’ by AGFG- we wholeheartedly agree.

The chic, boutique retreat, an icon set amongst Byron’s idyllic beaches, delivers a fine dining experience in its Dining Room, headed by Executive Chef Jason Saxby. A culinary showcase of the region, curated with Mediterranean influences, the menu offers Caviar service, 3-course a la carte and Tasting Menu options.

A word of warning, though – after tasting dishes like Australian Bay Lobster (bug), glazed in fermented chilli, hand-rolled fregola pasta, and the Lemon Meringue Bombe, served with lemon aspen sorbet and lemon myrtle semifreddo, you might just want to move in.
Where: 6 – 8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay

Mcauley’s Road Beef, Tweed River House (image supplied)
Mcauley’s Road Beef, Tweed River House (image supplied)

Tweed River House
Murwillumbah’s aptly named Tweed River House, perched just a stone’s throw from its banks, also scored a hat – earning a rating of 14 for its gastronomic bistro and bar experience. Shout out to master chef Dayron Perugorria.

The venue, housed in a spruced up, century-old colonial-style mansion – offers a panoramic river vantage flanked by wraparound verandas, and elevated eats to match.

The luxurious and immaculately appointed interiors alone make it worth filling your tank. Still, decadent dishes like Ratatouille made with confit eggplant, tomato consommé, roasted zucchini, condiment puree and tapenade and the Citrus Bavarois with lime & gin biscuit, orange gel, lemongrass powder and macadamia certainly sweeten the deal.
Where: 131 River St, South Murwillumbah

Bistro Livi, Murwillumbah (image supplied)
Bistro Livi, Murwillumbah (image supplied)

Bistro Livi
Another noshery deemed to be one of the best in the Northern Rivers Restaurant category is Murwillumbah’s Bistro Livi, scoring the prestigious hat accolade with its total of 14.

A short 30km trek from Cooly and one of the fresher faces among its culinary cohort – if you’re yet to be acquainted with Livi, it’s an easy one to tick off the list when you’re looking for a low effort adventure snap you out of the Sunday lazies (or scaries).

Tucked within the arts precinct of the tight-knit Murbah community – the European-inspired venue radiates romance with rustic textures and an inviting, intimate ambience, while Spanish influences inform the menu. It’s certainly not just the AGFG critics that this regional gem has succeeded in winning over… #swoon.
Where: 1A 1-3 Brisbane St, Murwillumbah

Frida's Field, Nashua (image supplied)
Frida's Field, Nashua (image supplied)

Frida’s Field
If long, lazy farm lunches are your vibe, Frida’s Field is a must. Set on 120 dreamy acres just outside Bangalow, this paddock-to-plate gem dishes up a seasonal feast that scored 13/20. Award-winning chef Alastair Waddell lets Northern Rivers produce shine with a modern Australian menu that changes every six weeks—think wood-fired meats, farm-fresh veggies and big, bold flavours.

With only three long lunches a week (Friday to Sunday), this is a slow-food experience in every sense—one sitting per service, plenty of time to sip, savor, and soak up the Byron hinterland views. Whether you go omnivore or veg, you’re in for a next-level spread that might just ruin you for regular dining forever.
Where: 76 Booyong Road, Nashua

The Hut Byron Bay, Possum Creek (image supplied)
The Hut Byron Bay, Possum Creek (image supplied)

The Hut Byron Bay
This Possum Creek gem scored 13, shocking absolutely no one who’s ever eaten there. Set in a literal old-school setting (the former OPossum Creek Public School), it pairs Southern European flavors with Byron hinterland charm.

Soak up garden views through airy white windows as you dive into fresh oysters or Burrata with grilled zucchini, bottarga, and pistachios. For mains, expect delights such as  Pappardelle al Ragù, beef and pork ragù, fresh radicchio and Parmigiano Reggiano and whole butterflied snapper with fish with tahini butter, fried capers and olive crumb.

Rustic, refined, and ridiculously good—this is one lesson in good taste you won’t want to skip.
Where: 471 Friday Hut Road, Possum Creek

Beach Byron Bay, Clarkes Beach (image supplied)
Beach Byron Bay, Clarkes Beach (image supplied)

Beach Byron Bay
With a score of 13 and front-row seats to Clarkes Beach, Beach Byron Bay is a local fave for good reason. Their seafood-focused, hyper-seasonal menu celebrates Northern Rivers produce and their wine list is equally well-curated.

Start with the Byron Bay ricotta, local figs, honey, almond, sourdough crackers before moving on to the Duck breast with hazelnut, muscat grape, and watercress. For dessert, don’t restrain yourself, there’s Mille Feuille with peach custard, lemon myrtle, and vanilla mousse to be had!
Where: Clarkes Beach, 2 Massinger Street, Byron Bay

Spiced falafel, whipped tahini, pomegranate, pistachio and roti, Shelter, Lennox Head (image supplied)
Spiced falafel, whipped tahini, pomegranate, pistachio and roti, Shelter, Lennox Head (image supplied)

Shelter
For a long, leisurely meal in a ridiculously scenic spot, Shelter is the move. with a score of 13, an award-winning wine list, and bi-fold windows framing 7 Mile Beach, it’s got everything going for it—top-tier food, service, and views.

From sunrise to sunset, they’re serving up seasonal, sustainable, and ethically sourced goodness. Kick off your morning with spiced falafel, whipped tahini, poached eggs, pomegranate, pistachio, herbs and roti or swing by later for gems like local sashimi, ginger, bonito vinegar, lemon oil, followed by 350g Rangers Valley porterhouse steak, black sesame and roasted miso emulsion. Don’t skip the smashed chat potatoes with togarashi mayo and paprika salt. Trust us.
Where: 41 Pacific Parade, Lennox Head

Paper Daisy restaurant located within boutique hotel Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach (image supplied by Destination NSW)
Paper Daisy restaurant located within boutique hotel Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach (image supplied by Destination NSW)

Paper Daisy
Halcyon House’s beloved Paper Daisy of course also earned itself a nod, with an honourable 14. The esteemed and elegant eatery, sitting pretty against Cabarita Beach’s stunning shores – is not just reserved for sandy-footed in-house guests.

We’re all invited to see what the fuss is about courtesy of the bar, open from 3pm, or for dinner. Led by Andrew Milford, the kitchen shoots for ‘sophisticated simplicity’, where you can expect to delight in inventive and delectable dishes like Local Hiramasa kingfish, cos, radish, pea, brown rice vinegar butter or Rangers Valley Wagyu flank MB5+, poblano pepper, potato confit, whey & mustard.

We’d recommend packing your appetite (and your towel, because, y’know, Caba #phwoar).
Where: 21 Cypress Cres, Cabarita Beach

Couple having lunch at Potager, Carool (image supplied by Tweed Tourism)
Couple having lunch at Potager, Carool (image supplied by Tweed Tourism)

Potager
Capitalising on Carool’s sweeping valley views, Potager – A Kitchen Garden has long been a favourite destination among locals and discerning visitors. The charming nosher is also somewhat of a teacher’s pet, earning a score of 13 for its Modern Australian style eats in this year’s Chef Hat Awards – along with a near-perfect 4.8 score on Google, might we add… and honestly, we’re not sure which is harder to pull off.

Set on a small 10-acre farm, the seasonal menu is informed by locally sourced produce, much of which is grown on the property. Dishes like the Byron Bay burrata served with charred summer stone fruit, basil, evoo and warm focaccia, are a testament to the community-minded culinary experience, while the Alabama apple pie made with apple and rosemary sorbet, Brookies Mac compote, and cinnamon Swiss meringue macadamia gets a mention, because #yum
Where: 502 Carool Rd, Carool

Bar Heather, Byron Bay (image by Jess Kearney)
Bar Heather, Byron Bay (image by Jess Kearney)

Bar Heather
Perched on Byron Bay’s Jonson Lane, Bar Heather transports its diners to the charm of Paris or New York – at least that’s what it feels like. They lead with an exquisite selection of natural wine, followed by an equally impressive menu, so clearly designed to torture and tantalise you into returning time and time again. It’s no surprise that they, too, were awarded a 13/20.
You must try their mahi mahi with green chilli and brown butter (oh my) and the burnt honey and cardamom ice cream sandwich (oh my, oh my).
Where: 139 Jonson Lane, Byron Bay

Words by Chelsea Ipsen

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