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The Gold Coast may not be the capital of Queensland, but it sets the standard for fabulous fare.
From coast to country and markets to multi-award-winning restaurants, the region’s dining scene is incredibly diverse. And while there are endless opportunities to glam up for an evening of haute cuisine, dressing down and enjoying casual eats overlooking the water can be just as rewarding — and you’re likely to have change from a Twenty at the end of it!
Not sure where to begin? Book your Gold Coast accommodation and let’s get cracking! Here’s a foodie’s guide to visiting the Gold Coast, with recommendations for places to eat to suit every taste and budget.
Watch our video of ten top things to do on the Gold Coast:
Top 10 Things to Do on the GOLD COAST, Australia, 2025 | Ultimate Gold Coast Travel Guide
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Cheap and cheerful
Paddock Bakery (Burleigh Heads)
Make your first stop Paddock Bakery in Mermaid Beach, which has long reigned as the Goldie’s best bakehouse and cafe. Situated in a beautifully restored 80-year-old cottage, Paddock is loved by locals for its casual style and shabby chic vibe. At its heart is a wood-fired oven, where flames lick at one of the zestiest sourdoughs on the coast. Bread is a foundation element of many of the cafe’s dishes — from the nostalgic Dippy Eggs, to our favourite: the Purple Toast — a lavish mix of beetroot, za’atar, Meredith goats’ milk feta, and honey roasted walnuts, served on house-made 7-grain sourdough.
Red Hot Cod (Burleigh Heads)
Great food and service win loyalty, which is why Red Hot Cod was voted the Gold Coast’s Best Fish and Chips by readers of the Gold Coast Bulletin. Whether you buy a budget-friendly fish-and-chips lunch or splash out on fresh snapper, sweet potato chips, and a Greek salad, your seafood will be Australasian, wild caught (except for the salmon), and freshly cooked. Vibrant poke bowls are made to order and we love their Bali bowls in cooler weather. Walk across the street to the park to eat your catch overlooking Burleigh Beach. There’s nothing like it.
Cychos Buffalo Wings (Southport)
Ex-flight attendant Cyrus (aka Cycho) continued to soar when he started his own food truck and then restaurant serving upmarket wings and burgers to Southport diners. The wings are the main destination for many diners, and you can indulge in a gastronomic journey around holiday destinations like Italy, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines (Cyrus’ birthplace). The wings are backed up by bao, burgers, hotdogs, and loaded fries, as well as a number of special deals and combos.
Mid-range meals
The Collective (Palm Beach)
Part bar, part collective of five restaurants under one roof, The Collective has been pumping since it opened in 2016. Every group diner’s dream, you can order from five menus in one: Italian, Asian, Mexican, Greek or American. Individual diners can even order dishes from different menus! This spacious two-level venue has a bar on each level, and there’s plenty of room for a business lunch or intimate date to be happening downstairs while a hens’ party enjoys its own space upstairs. With such diverse cuisines on offer, The Collective’s menu caters well for modern dining preferences, making it a local’s ‘go to’ venue for extended family dining.
Izakaya Midori (Reedy Creek)
When top Japanese chef Fumiyoshi Iwasaki became vegan, what evolved was exceptional. Midori, meaning ‘green’ in Japanese, owned by Chef Fumi and his wife, may be in an obscure location, but the food in the Gold Coast’s first plant-based Japanese restaurant sees diners travelling from Brisbane and beyond to eat there. From gyoza to sushi and curries to ramen, Fumi puts his own vegan spin on well-known dishes, while also creating new ones. Among his spectacular creations is the signature Midori Ramen — a deep rich green plant-based soup containing ramen and vegan pork mince. It’s not only deliciously addictive, but also Insta-worthy!
Top End dining
Kiyomi (Broadbeach)
Just like its namesake (a rare Japanese citrus fruit), Kyomi reflects both the elegant blend of East and West on a plate, and the palate profile of fresh, citrus flavours which permeate the menu. With inventive and spectacular presentation, expect to be surprised by each dish in the izakaya-style degustation as it arrives in well-moderated succession. Looking too beautiful to eat, seared scampi dressed in a mist of edible flower petals and tiny batons of apple and mizuna are guarded by their shells around the plate. It’s no wonder that Kiyomi continues to reign at the top of the Gold Coast’s elite foodie scene. It’s an experience not to be missed.
The North Room (Mermaid Beach)
Dining at The North Room in Mermaid Beach feels like you have discovered a hidden treasure. This tiny, hatted restaurant is a labour of love for husband-and-wife team Tim and Shannon Stewart. We love to sit back and enjoy the parade of beautifully composed dishes that exit Chef Tim’s kitchen. A degustation at the North Room is food for inspiration. It offers the comfort of widely known ingredients and impeccably sourced produce, presented with a twist to entice and surprise both the eye and the palate. It’s a place where rhetoric meets practice, where service is genuinely informed without being stuffy.
Burleigh Pavilion (Burleigh Heads)
The ultimate natural bird’s eye view of the Gold Coast has always belonged to Burleigh Hill. While a picnic on the hill is free for anyone to enjoy, the Pavilion holds pride of place closest to the sand. Downstairs, diners at Rick Shores can feel sea spray on their faces as they enjoy pan Asian bites. Upstairs is Burleigh Pavilion — a select but relaxed venue where locals gather for drinks and food overlooking the stunning coastline — and full-service restaurant The Tropic, which boasts some of the best seafood on the coast. This is the perfect spot for a long lunch watching the Gold Coast play on the beach beneath you. Alternatively, begin with drinks as you watch the sun set, then dine against an unsurpassed vista of the lit skyline of Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise. It’s well worth the indulgence.
This post was published thanks to RACV Royal Pines Resort.
Browse our range of Gold Coast tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our foodie’s guide to visiting the Gold Coast? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Cover image: Kyomi. Image: Destination Gold Coast
About the writer
Marj Osborne has been reviewing restaurants for over twenty years, formerly for Mietta’s Eating and Drinking in Australia, and more recently for her own blog — Good Food Gold Coast. Her work has also been published in Cafe Culture, Cove Magazine, the Gold Coast Bulletin, and Blank Gold Coast. A researcher, teacher-librarian, and former hospitality educator trained in vegetarian cooking and wine appreciation, Marj believes in positive living and thinking, and spending time enriching the body, mind, and soul. She finds joy on country road trips discovering hidden gems.
