The recap: the best new Gold Coast restaurants, bars and cafes that opened in June
June has treated us to some seriously delicious new dining destinations. From a Kingscliff beachside sanga spot to a sleek moody pop-up in Nobby Beach, here’s a rundown of the top new spots to add to your hit-list.
nice nice., Tweed Heads
Tweed Heads’ newest breakfast location is more than just ‘nice’, though the name is a good fit for the friendly, community-focused atmosphere that owners Jemina Stanwix and Mitchell Evans have been curating since opening. The hospitality aces’ new venture, nice nice. is already making a name for itself as a hub for comforting, flavour-packed breakfast dishes with a home-made feel and an Asian twist. Plates like chilli scrambled eggs, miso mushrooms and kimchi, cheese and egg rolls have already earned the cafe a loyal fanbase of locals. With Byron Bay’s Marvell Street Coffee Roasters on pour – plus decadent adaptogenic hot chocolates, organic matchas and sticky chai – this sunny south-of-the-border newcomer certainly lives up to its name. If you’re yet to check it out, head to The Directory for details.
BabyMama, Nobby Beach
Broadbeach’s Mamasan, esteemed for its modern Asian cuisine, has just announced the arrival of a baby sister, BabyMama – a sleek, moody pop-up now gracing the streets of Nobby Beach. BabyMama was born in celebration of Mamasan’s ten-year milestone, with owners Lauren and JP Duitsch ready for an experimental new chapter. The temporary venue is dishing up old favourites, like spanner-crab tortellini and Mamasan KFC, along with a few exciting new additions. Chef Sebastian Tan, with his polished yet playful take on East Asian Cuisine, is introducing dishes like srirachaburrata with Chinese doughnuts, scallop and prawn brioche toast, and 72-hour whole roasted duck served with pancakes. With no set closing date on the venue, guests can sit back and enjoy BabyMama’s curated selection of cocktails without fear, from its blood orange paloma and wagyu fat-washed old fashioned, to a premium selection of sake and a rotating wine list. BabyMama might be the more intimate and relaxed predecessor of Mamasan, but from her already building reputation, it’s clear she has no intention of playing second fiddle. Head to The Directory for opening times.
YORU, Nobby Beach
Joining the growing list of spots putting Nobby Beach on the culinary map is YORU, a new Korean-Japanese fusion izakaya. Meaning ‘night’ in Japanese, YORU has been a project 15 years in the dreaming from husband-and-wife Jessica and Adam Long, who jumped at the opportunity to make it come true when a spot on Nobby Beach’s golden strip became available. With large and comforting servings of humble food, Jessica hopes to honour her heritage by giving locals a taste of real Korean food. The menu boasts freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters, bibimbap rice bowls, crispy katsu, grilled scallops with lemon butter, chicken-thigh skewers and the already supremely popular wagyu skewers with yakitori tare. Afterwards, knock back something from YORU’s colourful cocktail menu – there’s the Violet Geisha, a Japanese whisky, Asian pear and butterfly pea flower sour, or the Seoul Midnight Highball, a soju-based remix of a Tom Collins. Also on offer is a collection of soju and sake, Japanese whisky, local and imported beers, and a sommelier-selected wine list. YORU will soon be rolling out Nobby Beach’s first Korean BBQ tables, with a new omakase menu on the way as well. Check out The Directory for trading hours.
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Haven, Burleigh Heads
Mondrian Gold Coast, the city’s newest five-star hotel, has revealed the jewel in its crown – Haven, a produce-driven restaurant overlooking the Burleigh foreshore. The sophisticated, seafood-forward venue is headed by chef Aaron Teece, who has cooked for royalty and led kitchens across Australia and London. Taking inspiration from its coastal location, Haven offers a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience prioritising clean flavours, native ingredients and local sourcing. With a nose-to-tail and root-to-stem mindset, Teece lets what’s in season guide the menu and lets nothing go to waste, with delicacies like spanner crab, line-caught oysters and king prawns. And if sunlit lunches and twilight dinners aren’t what you’re looking for, there’s always LiTO on the ground floor, where chef Andrea Morigi expertly blends Italian dishes with the laid-back energy provided by the seaside alfresco terrace. Head to The Directory for opening times.
Bread Winner, Kingscliff
There’s nothing like topping off a day of sun, sand and sea water with the satisfying crunch of a stellar sandwich. Inspired by this common fantasy, fellow stay-at-home dads, Kyle Mapp and Reuban Kremer, manifested their love of sandwiches into Kingscliff’s newest sanga spot, Bread Winner. An ode to craftsmanship, culture and community, Bread Winner hosts a succinct six-item menu, stacked with lovingly curated sandwiches and banh mi rolls. Highlights include the crispy pork banh mi with house-pickled daikon and pork liver pate, the slow braised pork and beef meatball sub with Kyle’s signature vodka sauce and scamorza, and the roasted Brussels sprout roll with guajillo romesco and salsa verde (which has turned the heads of even the most devout meat-eaters). Once its liquor licence pulls through, you can also expect glasses of Spangled Drongo and Earth Brewery pouring up. These crunchy creations are homed in a 70s-inspired fit-out, with rich timber wood panelling and a warm nostalgic charm. Check out The Directory for opening hours.
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