The Salty Chook lands in Rainbow Bay with free-range chicken and classic burgers
Just steps from the sand at Rainbow Bay, a new local has landed and it’s exactly the kind of no-nonsense, beach-day feed the southern end has been crying out for. Folks, meet The Salty Chook – one cluckin’ good lunch spot.
The Salty Chook is the latest venture from Nila Oppedisano and Nick Kerr, the duo behind nearby Little Mali Tuck Shop. And while the offering might look simple at first glance, this is no average chook nook – it’s comfort food, done with intent.
The idea had been simmering in the back of Nila and Nick’s collective consciousness for years. Originally from Sydney, where chicken shops are everywhere, they always found it strange that rotisserie chook spots – the kind you lean on when you don’t feel like cooking – never really took hold on the Gold Coast. So when the long-held takeaway site just a few doors down from Little Mali finally became available, they knew it was time.
The Salty Chook keeps things refreshingly straightforward. Free-range rotisserie chickens anchor the menu, available by the quarter, half or whole — ideal for grabbing on the way home from the beach or feeding a hungry family sprawled on the grass nearby. Chips are thin, crisp and tossed in the house Salty Chook seasoning (the recipe stays firmly under wraps), while sauces are made in-house, from chicken jus and garlic butter to Nashville hot and chilli bomb.
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Burgers round out the offering, with The Salty Chook Classic (fried chicken, ranch, cheese and lettuce) already emerging as a crowd favourite. The Firebird brings a hint of heat with Nashville hot sauce and pickles, while the grilled Spicy Porto caters to those chasing something lighter. There are smashed Angus beef options too, including The Mac and The Oz (yes, it has beetroot), plus a panko-crumbed snapper burger with house-made tartare. Plant-based diners aren’t overlooked either, with crumbed ‘chick’n’ patties available across the range.
True to form, everything is made the way Nila and Nick would eat it themselves — free-range chicken, locally sourced ingredients and a sharp focus on consistency. It’s not about overloading the menu, but nailing the classics and letting the location do the rest. Down the track, there are plans to expand the offering with additional sides like mac ’n’ cheese and desserts, but for now, the focus is squarely on chooks and burgers.
Slotting neatly into Rainbow Bay life, The Salty Chook is built for grab-and-go surfers, easy local dinners and those nights when cooking feels like a stretch too far.
Head to The Directory for opening times.
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