Brooklyn Depot

Burgers are one of the Gold Coast’s favourite foods. It seems everyone is hanging their mouth around one, from tiny sliders to sweet brioche wonders housing gourmet delights. Of course, it didn’t take long for the big guns to get involved in the boutique burger business; guys who’d seen trends develop before, such as co-owner […]

Baritalia

Sometimes a really solid little restaurant can be hiding in full view, waiting to be discovered by locals. Perhaps you, like us, have walked past the olive trees too many times. All along, Baritalia has been sitting in the corner beckoning us with hooded eyes and somehow we’ve missed the overtures. Located on a triangular […]

The Avenue

Some deaths are slow and painful; others bring a new beginning. For Vince and Michael Russo, our longest running licensed nightclub bar and restaurant owners, closing The Avenue in Surfers Paradise came as a huge shock, soon replaced by the excitement and challenge of re-establishing the venue across the road in new premises with a […]

Max Brenner

When a certain family member comes home from up north, there’s always a ‘hit list’ of where we’ll eat, the must have dishes which have been sorely missed since the last visit, his own special culinary GC ‘bucket list’. Invariably, the bald guy is on the list: Max Brenner’s. It can be late at night […]

House of Brews

At first glance, a taphouse may appear to be a blokes’ joint, but that’s certainly not the case with House of Brews, set in the middle of Surfers Paradise. This is a new age venue with a lot to please the ladies (as well as the guys)! Owners Sacha, Damien and Ben Kanaghines brought back […]

Beer and Bugs at House of Brews

Beer and bugs! It’s too good an invitation to miss. Skipping lunch, I prepare my appetite for a seafood onslaught at the House of Brews media lunch. A feast it is, but the ‘bugs’ at Brews push my dining experience into wild frontiers. They’re bugs alright. To be more specific, ants and crickets. Eating insects […]

Alfresco Italian Restaurant

Alfresco Italian Restaurant presents Surfers Paradise with a glimpse of Naples through its frescos of the Amalfi Coast, its authentic Southern Italian cuisine and its bustling friendly service. It’s the casual dining restaurant celebrities keep coming back to, a place where locals like us are made to feel like family. Little could Raffaele Velardo have […]

Misono Japanese Steakhouse

We’re having one of those D & M (deep and meaningful) discussions about why people keep coming back to their favourite restaurant –a signature dish, great service, comfort, price and proximity… “It’s not just about the food, of course, it’s about the show,” the Main Squeeze puts in his two cents worth. He means the […]

Alfresco

NOTE: Alfresco closed on 16 September 2012, continuing their business at Alfresco Italian Restaurant across the street. We were deeply saddened that Tony Velardo passed away on 14 September 2014. His passion for life, his warm welcome to all their clients and his sense of fun will be remembered by so many people with great […]

Hakataya Ramen

How can a restaurant survive with only six items on the menu? Yet Hakataya’s trade is the envy of many other local establishments. Open for 14 hours a day every day, Hakataya’s on every blogger’s list of ‘must do’ places, and highly recommended as the ultimate cheap and cheerful by travellers. Don’t expect somewhere grand, […]