Crepes, croissants and cosy corners – Choubidou Cafe brings French charm to Burleigh
Hidden within Burleigh’s leafy Hibiscus Haven precinct, a charming new French cafe has quietly opened its doors, bringing a little slice of Paris to the Gold Coast. Long-time locals may remember the rustic cottage-style site as Burleigh Social and, more recently, Common Ground, but it has now been thoughtfully reimagined as Choubidou Cafe – a warm and welcoming new venture from hospitality duo Ammish Adu and Javier Moreno.
Opening its doors this week, Choubidou Cafe is bringing French-inspired brunches, buttery crepes, croissant Bennies and warm hospitality to one of Burleigh’s most recognisable cottage-style spaces. Ammish and Javier first worked together years ago before deciding to take on a project of their own, eventually stumbling across the venue earlier this year. The pair were immediately drawn to its slightly rustic, countryside feel – something that helped shape the direction of the cafe from the outset. “From outside it feels like you’re in the city but it has a little bit of that farm-house vibe,” Javier tells us. “We thought we could really play with that idea and do something fresh and farm-to-table inspired.”
“Burleigh is an amazing location,” Ammish adds. “The locals are amazing down here and this street itself has its own charm.”
Outside, classic French-style woven cafe chairs spill onto the alfresco terrace beneath creeping bougainvillea and white-framed windows, while inside, a long bench seat stretches the length of the dining room, broken up by intimate two-seaters and warmed by the sounds of sizzling bacon, steaming milk and French music drifting through the open kitchen. Cups of First Fruits coffee move steadily across the counter as locals settle in beneath soft morning light filtering through the windows. There’s an ease to the place straight away – relaxed, welcoming and comfortably familiar from the moment you walk in.
That feeling, Javier says, was intentional from the outset. “We really want a place where people feel welcome when they arrive,” he says. “Sometimes you walk into a venue and feel like you’re an inconvenience. We wanted something different.”
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French cuisine isn’t new territory for Ammish, who also owns the beloved Le Jardin Cafe in Main Beach. Between the pair, the menu blends classic French inspiration with dishes tailored to the Gold Coast breakfast and brunch crowd. “We’ve tried to incorporate the French theme into what locals will obviously be happy to consume,” Ammish explains. “We’re not putting frog’s legs on there or garlic snails,” he adds with a laugh.
The menu moves between sweet and savoury crepes, folded omelettes, croque-inspired sandwiches and generous brunch plates. The steak frites arrives with a secret five-herb sauce and truffle fries, while fluffy folded omelettes come filled with everything from smoked salmon and capers to sauteed mushrooms, wilted spinach and French herbs. Elsewhere, there are classic bennies served on toasted croissants, baguettes stacked with smoked salmon or grilled chicken and sweet crepes loaded with Nutella, apple crumble or raspberry cheesecake filling.
The venue’s playful name also comes with a story. Suggested by the team’s French chef, Choubidou is a French term of endearment, something akin to “my darling” or “sweetheart”. “We wanted something people would remember,” Javier says. “Also, it sounds a little bit like Scooby Doo.”
Choubidou Cafe is bringing a little Parisian charm to Burleigh Heads – one crepe and coffee at a time. Head to The Directory for opening times.
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