Big flavours and bigger vibes – Costa Taco brings a slice of Mexico to Burleigh Heads
Burleigh’s dining scene just turned up the heat. The team behind Broadbeach and Byron Bay’s wildly popular taquerias has opened Costa Taco Burleigh Heads – a bold new outpost that captures the colour, energy and authenticity of Mexico’s coastal cantinas. This is the biggest and most ambitious Costa Taco yet – a sprawling space where crisp margaritas, handmade tortillas and good times collide. Take a peek inside …
Costa Taco, the cult-favourite taqueria adored for its vibrant flavours and community spirit, has unveiled a sprawling new home along the Gold Coast Highway that hums with good energy, clinking glasses and the scent of freshly pressed tortillas. Step inside and you’ll find yourself transported to Mexico, with interiors that take cues from contemporary cantinas, where stripped-back concrete walls meet glossy white tiles, splashes of sun-bleached yellow and hand-painted signage. Though raw and industrial, it’s a a space that feels authentic and alive with laughter and the promise of another round.
The Burleigh venue combines two adjoining spaces into one expansive open-plan dining room, with seating for 110 and a 15-seat bar that gleams beneath warm pendant lights. The layout encourages flow – from bar to booth to breezy front terrace – where afternoons naturally stretch into sunset sessions. “We wanted to capture that same spirit you feel in Mexico — relaxed, connected, and completely in the moment,” says co-founder Nick Stanley.
Costa Taco’s menu remains a love letter to coastal Mexico, where freshness and flavour reign supreme. Expect the favourites – beef birria tacos, crispy Baja fish, ceviche tostadas and the cult-favourite quesabirria – alongside new seasonal dishes showcasing the best local produce. Each bite tells a story of simple ingredients done right, handmade tortillas, bright citrus and spice that lingers just long enough to make you reach for another sip of your margarita.
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And speaking of margaritas, the bar program is a standout. Costa Taco Burleigh boasts one of the most extensive selections of premium tequilas and mezcals in Australia, including rare drops imported directly by the team. Whether you prefer your mezcal neat and smoky or your cocktail tart and salt-rimmed, this is a venue that takes its agave seriously – so seriously that it has made its own, and serves it with a side of sunshine.
The move north marks a new chapter for Costa Taco, which started as a small but spirited Palm Beach pop-up before expanding to Broadbeach. “Palm Beach was where it all started – it was home,” Nick says. “But we always knew the space was temporary, and the goal was to grow. Burleigh gives us the chance to take everything we’ve learned and build the dream version of Costa Taco.”
With its stripped-back beauty, coastal ease and food that feels like happiness on a plate, Costa Taco Burleigh Heads captures the best of both worlds – Mexican soul and Gold Coast spirit. Whether you’re here for a quick taco stop, a long lazy lunch or a round of margaritas that turns into many, this is coastal dining with heart, flavour and a little fiesta in every detail.
Head to The Directory for opening times.