The Gold Coast is one of those underrated gems that we haven't really taken to yet as a mecca for great food. But if you're in the category of people still generalising the coastal region as merely a town for surfers and partiers – you'd be sorely mistaken.
In fact, as a former resident myself, I'd like to put the record straight. And in recent years, we've seen areas like Burleigh Heads and Kirra and Mermaid Beach begin to really come into their own as foodie hot-spots have thrust open their doors.
But if you'd like some guidance on where to go when you're in town, then look no further. While we're not self-appointing ourselves the arbiters of cool, we'd like to think we've cultivated some pretty good taste over the years – and this is our non-exhaustive but fairly definitive guide to the best and coolest restaurants to try in the Gold Coast right now.
1. Rick Shores (Burleigh Heads)
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Best for: Bug rolls, oceanside spritzes, canapés.
Open: Every day
Rick Shores is a bit of a Gold Coast institution and a favourite of both locals and visitors alike. Even Austin Butler famously loved their Moreton Bay bug rolls, a dish he became obsessed with while filming Baz Luhrmann's Elvis on Australia's Gold Coast. The menu focuses on fresh, locally-sourced produce for a Pan-Asian inspired menu of dumplings, curries, roasted duck and more. We'd suggest booking ahead for weekends and groups, as this spot is pretty popular. Bookings are for a two hour dining period and only includes indoor seating. If you're hoping to make the most of some good weather, you'll need to walk in for a table outside.
2. The North Room (Mermaid Beach)
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Best for: Wine-fuelled evenings, pretzel bread, cheese toasties.
Open: Thursday–Saturday
The North Room is itty-bitty – seating a maximum of 20 guests over two sittings per evening (or for lunch). Their share-style food and wine menu is ever-changing, featuring stellar faves like pork jowl with blood oranges, beef short ribs with eggplant and salt bush or their ever-famous house pretzel bread. The cuisine is European-leaning, and the ambience is buttery smooth. And for the oenophiles among us, they received the 3 glass award for their wine list for the second year running in 2025. On Fridays, they've also started offering a two-course lunch for $55pp (a steal, if you ask us).
3. Hanks Kirra (Coolangatta)
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Best for: fresh handmade pasta, frosty cocktails, charcuterie.
Open: Tuesday–Sunday
We're a sucker for any place named after a family pet and Hanks (named after the owners' beloved German Shepherd) is no exception. No meal at Hanks is started without a generous order of their Schiacciata (an Italian flatbread served warm), and finished without some cannolis or biscotti. They have an ample (and completely separate) vegetarian and vegan menu, which makes dining with groups a breeze (they have a great private dining room too that seats up to 26 of your mates). Expansive open windows and a 40-strong cocktail list make for a great afternoon or evening of people-watching too.
4. Yamagen (Surfers Paradise)
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Best for: izakaya, pastry masters, sashimi.
Open: Every day
Yamagen in the QT Hotel boasts itself as the Gold Coast's first Japanese fine dining restaurant, but we'd be remiss for not also mentioning it's one of Queensland's largest Japanese whisky collections (over 65 bottles and counting). The Japanese BBQ restaurant and sushi bar puts on live cooking displays and their menu works its way around sushi and delicate market-fresh sashimi. If you're driving in, the venue also offers complimentary parking for up to one hour.
5. Frida Sol Mexican (Palm Beach)
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Best for: Taco Tuesdays, Happy Hours, post-swim feeds.
Open: Every day
Perched on a rooftop, this Mexican bar and taqueria is the spot to hit on a Tuesday – where tacos are $6 and sangria's are flowing for $20 a jug. The menu is full of Mexican classics with a modern twist – from market fish ceviche to beef cheek empanadas. On a sunny day, we'd suggest parking yourself outside at one of their high tables under a shaggy dry grass umbrella, and washing down some tacos with the very best Coconut Margarita on the coast.
6. Restaurant Labart (Burleigh Heads)
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Best for: long lunches, late dinners, grilled prawns.
Open: Wednesday–Sunday
Labart is a gem in Burleigh that was even awarded the Best Restaurant in QLD at the 2024 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards. They're famous for their grilled prawns (which haven't left the menu since they landed). They've been in business for more than seven years now, and are always buzzing. From Friday–Sunday from 12pm, they host delectable long lunches, and have an excellent cocktail hour that runs from 4:30–5:30pm (Wednesday through Saturday) and 12–4pm (Fridays lunch), where you'll find yourself able to park with a $12 cocktail or rotating wine.
7. Norté (Mermaid Beach)
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Best for: agave cocktails, moody interiors, steak.
Open: Wednesday–Monday
Latin American flavours are the centrepiece of Norté – a dining room, agave bar and open-air terrace downstairs from Sueno Rooftop. You'll find slow-cooked short rib al pastor, Mushroom Tetela (a Norté staff favourite), or even dip your toes into some Dulce de Leche Gelato with Burnt Italian Meringue. Their lunch set men (available Friday–Sunday) is a steal – three courses for $55pp.
8. Lucia Tapas (Tugun)
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Best for: Friday night cocktails, tapas hour, alfresco dining.
Open: Wednesday-Sunday
There's no better place to maximise a Gold Coast day than alfresco at LUCIA. Their pink-hued courtyard plays host to live music and drag bingo – and a couple of resident lizards too. You can get in on plenty of Spanish classics like Paella, Jamon and Steak – as well as some frosty cocktails for those hot afternoons and evenings. (They do $15 cocktails all night long on Fridays.) There are plenty of small plates if you're just looking to snack and share over a couple of drinks – or you can Uber Eats the whole feast to your home directly.
9. Oi Zakaya Japanese (Burleigh Heads)
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Best for: affordable but delicious eats.
Open: Tuesday–Saturday
This Japanese restaurant and whisky bar in Burleigh Heads came as a personal recommendation from friends who live in the area – mostly for its infamous $1 gyoza on Tuesdays. They do sushi, tempura, okonomiyaki and plenty of other Izakaya faves – and they've also started doing an epic wagyu sando that you shouldn't miss out on.
10. Madame V (Palm Beach)
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Best for: Yum Cha, classic Japanese fare, great cocktails.
Open: Wednesday–Sunday
Madame V lives up to its namesake with luxe interiors and plush banquettes to lounge in. They offer a-la-carte dining, and also operate as a lounge bar – but their Sunday Yum Cha menu is where it's at. It includes all your favourite yum cha dumplings, along with some of their most beloved dishes like miso eggplant and kingfish.
11. Siblings (Kirra Beach)
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Best for: Surf watching, celebratory meals, summer afternoons.
Open: Every day
A popular spot amongst locals, Siblings is set every so slightly off the sand at Kirra. They're open for lunch and dinner every day and you can opt to sit in their air-conditioned interiors or alfresco to enjoy the best of summer on the GC. Their menu offerings are pretty expansive and Mediterranean-leaning, so it's a great place to take a crowd – or you can opt to stop by for a couple of drinks and snacks post-swim too.
12. Light Years (Burleigh Heads)
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Best for: Asian-fusion, share-style dishes, light bites.
Open: Every day
You may have headed to one of their sister locations in Byron, Noosa, Newcastle or Perth – but they also have a spot in Burleigh. They do some of the best Asian-fusion dishes – from pineapple pork belly to san choy bao. Their Burleigh digs is super cute and colourful – and just a stone's throw from the beach itself.
13. Haven at the Mondrian (Burleigh Heads)
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Best for: Poolside drinks, and feeling like your on vacation (even if you're not).
Open: Every day
Poolside vegetating never looked so good. The newly opened Mondrian in Burleigh boasts a few food and beverage stops, but we're touting their pool-side venue Haven as the must-visit. It's local produce cooked over fire (in their giant, woodfired oven). The interiors are stunning and enjoy some live entertainment as the restaurant also operates as the hotels' pool club (with DJS and cocktails circulating through the cabanas). You can also book out parts of the venue for private events if you've got a special occasion on the cards.
14. Palette (Surfer's Paradise)
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Best for: High tea, tiny sandwiches, post-exhibition feeds.
Open: Every day
The Gold Coast's HOTA precinct (Home of the Arts) has quickly become a mecca of exhibitions, creative events and more for the coast. And their on-site restaurant Palette is an extension of their artistic endeavours in the realm of the gustatory. They do an excellent two-hour High Tea setting that includes a selection of savoury and sweet treats with a pot of Tavalon tea, or you can pop in a la carte for a lunch or dinner that will truly blow your mind (and palette) away.
