The new Gold Coast restaurants, cafes and bars that landed in June

Hicksville, Southport
Follow the smell of smoking brisket to Hicks Street, where the team behind Fire Baby has opened its biggest venture yet. Hicksville pairs an all-day cafe with an American-style smokehouse centred around low-and-slow barbecue, serving everything from 16-hour smoked brisket and bourbon-glazed pork ribs to southern fried chicken, loaded buns and classic Southern sides. Whether you’re dropping in for a morning coffee or settling into the backyard bar with barbecue and beers, it’s the kind of place that rewards arriving hungry.

Fletcher’s Pantry & Espresso, Burleigh
Some cafes feel like they’ve always belonged. Set inside a heritage-listed Burleigh building, Fletcher’s Pantry & Espresso has quickly found its happy place. From the owner of Pasture & Co, the all-day cafe carries over favourites like chilli scrambled eggs with Meredith goat’s cheese, smashed avocado with macadamia butter and garlic mushrooms on toasted sourdough, while carving out its own identity with indulgent croissant waffles, house-made lasagne, roasted vegetable pie, seasonal soups and generously filled sandwiches. Pastries, focaccia and charcoal bread are baked fresh on site each morning, while shelves lined with local produce, flowers and pantry staples make it as much a neighbourhood pantry as it is a cafe.

You might like

Best Of

Fresh on the scene – the Gold Coast’s best new cafes and eateries to open this year (so far)

Best Of

The recap: the Gold Coast’s best new restaurants and bars of the year (so far)

Jin Izakaya, Mermaid Beach
While Jin Izakaya quietly opened earlier in the year, it wasn’t until June that we finally pulled up a chair. Taking over the former Easy Street Diner site, the warm, timber-lined restaurant embraces the slower rituals of Japanese dining, with thoughtful share plates, quality sake and genuine hospitality encouraging you to settle in rather than rush through. The menu moves from sashimi, karaage and shiso prawn toast to chef Dai’s signature Egg Tokyo Dome – a silky tofu and egg custard with a molten cheese centre – alongside teishoku lunch sets inspired by the Japanese philosophy of ichiju-sansai. With Australian produce, artisan Japanese tofu and an almost entirely gluten-free menu, it’s a considered addition to Mermaid’s dining scene that’s well worth making time for.

Valentina, Surfers Paradise
One of Surfers Paradise’s most recognisable beachfront venues has entered a new era with the arrival of Valentina, transforming the former Hyde Paradiso into a warm, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar. Inside, terracotta tones, woven textures and striped banquettes set the scene for a menu that meanders along the Mediterranean coastline, from tuna crudo and fluffy focaccia to house-made pasta, king-prawn orzo and market fish, all best enjoyed with a limoncello spritz in hand. Add sweeping ocean views, weekend bottomless long lunches and a soundtrack of local DJs, and Valentina makes a compelling case for lingering.

Actually Good Matcha, Burleigh Heads
What started with a trip to Japan has become one of Burleigh’s most exciting new openings for matcha lovers. After spending the past year introducing locals to premium matcha through pop-ups, founder Caitlin Merriman has opened the first permanent home for Actually Good Matcha. The tiny takeaway window champions high-quality Japanese matcha from Shizuoka, served traditionally or transformed into creative drinks including the cult-favourite Miso Sticky & Sexy and the refreshing Fit GC Babe. The mission is simple – to show just how good matcha can be when quality comes first.

Gritty Garms Co., Burleigh Heads
What began with a late-night purchase of a vintage clothing bundle has grown into one of the Gold Coast’s coolest new hangouts. After outgrowing its tiny Palm Beach store, Gritty Garms Co. has reopened in a larger Mermaid Beach flagship, bringing together carefully curated vintage fashion with a specialty coffee bar led by co-owner Amara Gray. Alongside quality coffee and matcha, the drinks menu draws on Amara’s South and South-East Asian heritage with creative sips like the BBC, Ubeo and Pandan Coco, each paired with matching mini cinnamon scrolls from Cinnamon & Co. More than just a retail store, the new space is designed as a place to browse, linger and connect over great coffee.

Missed a few from last month? If you’re heading north, check out Pause Button Cafe and Smug Club in Coomera, Fig ’n’ Fox, Surfers Paradise and in Burleigh Heads, you’ll find SHŌTŌ, Choubidou Cafe and The Laneway. In Palm Beach, seek out the new UE Bagels.