The vegan dining scene has flourished during the past few years. Gone are the days when ordering a vegetarian or vegan meal drew the expectation of a plate of steamed vegetables or a green salad landing on your table. Nor is it just about tofu and tempeh. Now your dining preference may be vegan, lactose...

If you asked us to name a restaurant that’s a local secret; a place that Gold Coast residents from a couple of suburbs away may not even know about yet it engenders fierce loyalty from those who do, then That’s Amore would be on the tip of our tongue. It’s an uber-local secret. A family...

There was a time when Sunday nights meant fish and chips for dinner, the aroma of salty chips escaping from their butcher’s paper wrapping. With Good Friday fast approaching, here are some of the region’s ‘must try’ fish and chipperies, open for takeaway and/or delivery during COVID-19: The Inky Squid, Terranora Owned by ex-Taverna Head...

“Simple fresh food. Local and environmentally clean. Handmade as much as possible. Cooked using clean oil. Reasonable pricing.” It’s Isa Ham’s summary of what sets his fish and chip shop, The Jolly Roger, above the rest. Fish and chips are traditional Aussie fare. Do you remember when fish and chips was the standard Sunday night...

The Gold Coast has been one of our holiday playgrounds, a major decision maker in our choice of a place to settle.  Living here since 1998, Itoshin, owned by Tomy Ito and chef husband Shin, was one of our first dining discoveries, an obvious choice to review for Mietta’s Eating & Drinking in Australia 2001....

Everyone has their favourite café. Some of them are places only locals know about; tucked away places they share with friends. You know you’ve found one when people greet each other by name and you, the newcomer, score a subtle surreptitious glance. They’re not necessarily the latest trendy spot, in fact they may be well...

Having kitted out some of the smartest restaurants in town (think Etsu and Mamasan), Jess Winters had plenty of ideas for what she wanted in her first cafe, so her partner Peter Tutton learned new skills to complete the vision, the pair harnessing some great talent to be part of their team. So, Double Barrel...

The Gold Coast offers a wide variety of markets that are guaranteed to please. Gold Coast markets offer residents the chance to purchase food directly from farmers and producers, to experience our growing arts culture, and to spend social time with family and friends. “Besides produce, farmers’ and producers’ markets allow families to buy from...

Just like in football, loyal caffeine drinkers know and follow their brand, or at least their type. So when Jess and James Wren moved to the Gold Coast three years ago, they found little ‘Melbourne-style’ coffee, hence the idea of starting a laneway espresso bar on the coast serving the coffee they love. Enter Caffeine...

UPDATE May 2015: The crowds have settled a little, but The Marketta Street Food Market is still a happening event. There’s been the welcome addition of a souvlaki stall and there’s a real family feel happening in this now twice-weekly event (Friday and Saturday nights). Our favourite dining time is still early enough to avoid...