Get your freak on in Southport.
Get your freak on in Southport.
Southport is one of the last local suburbs to jump on the foodie bandwagon but make no mistake, the northerners are all aboard and the good times are rolling in.
There are a few noteworthy newbies set to open over the next couple months and leading the recent charge is Coffediction, a venue set to make a lasting impression on the good people of Southport.
Found right in the thick of things on Scarborough Street, the chic space is unmissable, decked out in black and silver hues and with both casual indoor and alfresco dining options. We vote alfresco because people watching is perhaps the greatest of all pastimes.
The idea behind Coffediction is simple; good food made sexy and what could possibly be better. You’ll find all your favourite eats on the menu but with a little added sparkle.
For instance, there are “freakshakes” which are like thickshakes but freakishly delicious and an absolute delight for your eyeballs. The Caramel Kraze is a banger with caramel topping, whipped cream, Tim Tams, pretzels and smarties all artfully arranged and somehow unmoving.
Food-wise for breakfast go the Strawberry Fields pancakes with marinated strawberries, vanilla ice cream and a lick-your-plate-worthy strawberry sauce.
At lunchtime we vote the burgers because they are big and some of the best we’ve ever almost-finished. The Delish Fish is indeed delish with Cajun spiced barramundi, calamari, onion rings, tomato, char-grilled zucchini, cucumber, lettuce and a dollop of yoghurt (side note: how good’s the word dollop).
Down one of those guys and a freakshake and you’ll probably need to be carried out the door in a happy little food coma.
Good one Southport you sweet thing.
LOCATION: 56 Scarborough Street, Southport
HOURS: Sunday – Wednesday – 7am to 4pm Thursday – Saturday – 7am – 8pm
Words and photos by Kirra Smith.
Our sweet, sweet So-Po. There’s something we just love about Southport, maybe it’s the fact that they’ve got bulk bars and restaurants so hunger never has to enter our vocabulary again. Or maybe it’s how you can get a coffee hit and hit of golf done in half a day and then soak up those Broadwater views for the rest of it – shall we go on?
All we know is that there are so many goodies in this CBD gem we couldn’t list them all or you’d be here all day and we know you’re all about less reading and more eating (same). Here’s our round-up of local approved must-do’s!
The all-in-ones
The retailers in Southport get that you’re busy – it is the CBD after all – so time is of the essence and efficiency is the word over here. Brickworks Ferry Rd has everything from the Standard Market Co to get those dinner essentials or to make the perfect charcuterie board, ‘grammable acai bowls at Cardamom Pod and bites like Bird Royale because we’ve always got time for some cheeky chicken.
Upping the ante with a little bit of everything, Queen Street Village is just off the Smith St Motorway so you can pop in for the essentials from gourmet grocer Jones & Co IGA. No time to meal prep? Grab some Asian eats at Wu Kong with peckish plates to keep you going, or a classic pub feed from Queen’s Arms for your parmy fix. When all that eating has got you zonked, get your caffeine hit at Sens Coffee and pop into DENDY to catch the latest flicks and a moment of peace and quiet.
Now did we hear you say retail therapy? Enter: Australia Fair. With the big names in fashion all in one spot along with our biggest vice Kmart on the store list, say goodbye to your savings but hello to a fresh new look. Once you’ve shopped til you dropped it’s time to start your Tour-de-Food at Australia Fair Metro, think pho, dumplings and desserts by the dozen.
For bakery treats
With a name like Sacre Coeur Patisserie it’s no wonder these guys have mastered the art of French pastries so prepare to stock up on croissants in allll the flavours from pistachio to raspberry and everything in between.
No man is left behind at Made With Love who deliver on 100% vegan cakes, pies and pastries because you know what, a donut a day keeps the doctor away or something like that and why should our vegans not be part of the action.
Keeping with the Euro-bakery theme is FARINA & Co, pastries are made onsite daily with all the classics like lemon meringue tarts and buttery croissants but wait, it gets even better – they double as a pasta bar. Grazie!
Pumping out sensational Asian-inspired pastries, desserts and drinks, Delothor Patisserie is our kinda kryptonite!
For a coffee
Coffee addicts, Southport’s got you covered with experiences like SupermarCat Cat Café, which – you guessed it – comes with a side of kitty cuddles with your caffeine fix, it’s so good we won’t judge if you start purring along with your furry friends.
For the more traditional café vibe Humble Café might be humble by name but they’re big on variety from classic cold drips to matcha espresso.
Built on the tried-and-true premise that simple is best, everything about Herringbone Cafe is understated (in the best way) letting the true hero of the space – the food and coffee – take centre stage.
Eight Fifty Espresso boosts productivity and happiness, doling out weekday caffeine fixes from its sidewalk dwelling, sapphire green digs.
For a drink
You already know we’re partial to a cold beverage to round out the day but if you’re after a side of live music with that then Vinnies Dive is the only place to get your fix and an ice cold brew all in one. If you’re after pub vibes you can’t go past SOPO (previously known as RSL CLUB Southport).
Just across the tram line nothing says Southport more than a cocktail (or 5) on Mr PP’s rooftop, perched above Nerang Street so you can people watch til your hearts content. Keeping the rooftop vibes going strong, Aviary Rooftop at Southport Sharks have an epic cocktail menu that talks a big game and luckily for us, it doesn’t just live up to expectations – it’s even better.
Carafe Wine is an eco-conscious space offering top-notch wine from all the most renowned vino regions and zero-waste practices plus a unique menu of sharing boards.
For good eats
Hello foodies, thoughts we forgot about you? We could never! Getting the good times rolling is none other than Good Times Deli who have quickly become known as the home of sandwiches like no other – think Philly Cheesesteak and banger Bahn Mi.
Japanese eatery, KatsuCo, churns out iterations of its namesake dish – traditionally coated in crunchy panko crumb and slathered in curry sauce.
For those on-the-go looking for the ultimate grab-and-go, Shiro Gelato & Snack knows what’s up with a selection of Japanese market eats like housemade Onigiri to get your fueled up and ready to tackle the day and gelato to finish because there’s always room for a sweetie treatie.
If you’ve been having Euro summer FOMO you can find a taste of the Mediterranean at Como Kitchen & Bar or if there’s a little Italian in your stomach screaming for some arancini balls (or is it just us?) you can get a mozza at Mozza Mozza as well pasta served tableside from a cheese wheel.
Since we’re on a food journey around the world you’ll be happy to know that Southport is pretty much THE place to get your Korean BBQ fix – yep, we found and 6 smokin’ hot Korean BBQ spots on the GC and would you believe 5 of them call our humble CBD home. Yep, Southport officially has a license to grill.
Local attractions
So you’ve got your coffee and you’re looking to get at one with nature? Obviously, your next stop has to be Broadwater Parklands. It doesn’t matter if you’re just there for a hot girl walk or trying to find a way to keep your tribe occupied, the shared pathway makes it the ultimate for everyone whether you’re in your running era or just keen to take in the Broadwater views while you bike and play.
Fancy a bit more adventure we hear you say? We got you. Tee off for a full day of fun at Southport Golf Club so you can let your inner Tiger Woods run wild on the green. If land has got you feeling like a fish out of water then pop on over to the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre for a mermaid moment with things like group fitness classes – hello aqua aerobics – as well as Olympic length swimming pools for the pros and splash pads for the little tackers.
If a hands on approach to fun is more your vibe then entering a new dimension at Zero Latency is a must-do, the international juggernaut has given VR new life with games on games so you can immerse yourself in the madness. Sing your little lungs out without fear of judgment and enjoy yourself a lyric fuelled good time at Black8 Pool Hall. Test your relationships and put that brain to work with a prison break escape room at Escape Hunt or pick up a pistol at Southport’s very own – and the Coast’s safest – shooting range, The Shooting Centre.
Words by Jacqueline Bojanowski
This stylish new restaurant reminds us of a bar somewhere in a metropolitan city, well it’s in our little CBD, Southport. Cafe/ breakfast joint in the morning, restaurant during the day and tapas lounge bar at night. And the crazy thing? They’re effortlessly good at it all!
Located on busy Nerang Street, Swannie’s is the perfect spot for business meet-ups, casual lunch or Friday arvo knock-off drinks. Upon entrance, you’re faced with a huge bar (filled with all kinds of alcoholic goodness for later) and a tempting cake display filled with doughnuts (the injectable kind), pastries, caramel slices, muffins, sandwiches and ciabatas! The zebra striped floor, large pendant lights and curved wooden wall hint of your night to come. But you know what’s better than a coffee in the morning? Old-school R&B music! It;s a soulful and smooth start to your day, way to go Swannie’s!
So what’s on offer for brekky? A refreshing iced-coffee, smashed avo and marinated fetta served on crispy toast topped with fresh coriander and just a sprinkle of basil and feta oil (optionally you can add eggs). Sounds pretty basic, but they do it well.
Swannie’s ‘Our Eggs Benny’ consists of two perfectly poached free range eggs with smoked salmon on an English muffin, smothered in mouth-watering house-made hollandaise. Now if you can handle a bit of booze in the morning, we’re not promoting, but informing that their signature dessert/cocktail Don Pedro involves vanilla ice-cream, Bailey’s and chocolate cream (don’t mind if we do).
If you’re enticed to stay beyond breakfast, Swannie’s have live music every night of the week* plus some great specials like $10 Beer and Burger Tuesdays or Cheese and Wine Tasting on Wednesday nights!
Best day to go: They’re literally busy everyday, but we like the buzz of a crowd on a Friday or Saturday night from 4pm til late!
Signature dish: Angus Eye Fillet Steak Sandwich (do it for lunch).
Favourite drink: All the cocktails are tasty, but the Don Pedro s a dessert and cocktail in one for the sweet tooths.
Mon – Live Music from 6pm
Tues – Live Music from 6pm
Weds – Jazz & Blues Night, live music from 6pm
Thurs – Classic Rock Night, live music from 6pm
Fri – Live Music from 6pm
Sat – Live acoustic soloist over breakfast from 8am
Sun – Live acoustic from 12pm
See ya at Swannie’s!
34 Nerang Street, Southport
By Louisa von Ingelheim
Waffles. Part breakfast, part dessert – our only criticism is that we want to see more of them in and around our face.
A dish that lived in the shadow of pancakes for far too long, thankfully tides are changing for this once underrated brunch treat. Hailing from Belgium and extremely popular in the US, these days, the crispy, lattice-like slabs are a familiar and welcome sight on our cafe circuit – in both sweet and savoury form.
When you’re craving golden, grill-forged goodies, here are six of the best places on the Coast to get your waffle fix. Pass the syrup!
Bubbo Dessert
As if straight from the streets of Hong Kong and into our hungry gobs, Bubbo Dessert has got our bubble waffle hook-up. If you’re yet to get a taste of this traditional street-style snack, thankfully you don’t have to go far to do so. To-ing and fro-ing between markets across Brisbane and the Coast – from 5-9pm every Friday & Saturday, you can find the Bubbo crew slinging their waffly wares out of their food trailer at the Dreamworld Night Markets. What better way to say ‘hello weekend’ thank with one of these fluffy yet crisp bad bois, rolled into a cone and stuffed with all the things dessert dreams are made of.
Where: Dreamworld Pkwy, Coomera
Cardamom Pod Brickworks
Known for all things nutritious and delicious – whether you’re in the mood for sweet or savoury, Cardamom Pod has got waffle cravings covered. Among their always satisfying selection of vegetarian treats, our stalwart herbivore hook-up also whips up a pretty mean weekend waffle special that’s well worth cancelling plans to get a taste of. Start your day with an Indian Street Food Waffle served with all the trimmings, or go all out with the dessert style Crispy Waffle, served with banana, biscoff caramel and boba espresso ice cream. YUM.
Where: 3/3 Brolga Ave, Southport
Cheeky Waffles
If you’re not yet acquainted with the debaucherous little dessert destination known as Cheeky Waffle, keep an open mind – and an even wider mouth. More than just an out of the ‘box’ presentation, the saucy waffles this novelty nosher serves up are OMG good. Pick your preferred shape, then have it slathered in toppings like caramel chocolate and Biscoff crumb. You might need some solid willy-power to stop at one.
Where: 3189 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise
Elk Espresso
We just can’t elk ourselves when it comes to whatever this Broadbeach fave is whipping up. The nosh, coffee and service never misses, but the waffles will always have a special place in our heart and tums. With variations like Fried Chicken, Violet Crumble and Matcha & Black Sesame gracing the seasonal menu at one point another, you’d batter believe the obsession only continues to grow (at a similar rate to our sweatpants collection… weird.) There’s a reason why Gold Coasters have been flocking to this one for over a decade… and the waffles rank pretty highly #We’reWeak
Where: Shop G044, Oasis Shopping Centre, 12 Victoria Ave, Broadbeach
Pancake Diner
Burleigh’s new home of diner-style all day eats sure knows its stuff when it comes to all things golden brown and syrupy. Sharing a pedigree with a little Surfers Paradise Boulevard icon known as Pancakes in Paradise, Pancake Diner will hook you up with brunch and burgers from 7am, 7 days a week. Which means, along with boozy shakes, spiders and 12+ pancake flavours, you can get your fix of butter-drenched Belgian Waffles almost anytime you like. Pimp them with ice cream, butterscotch sauce or blueberries in syrup – the waffle’s your oyster.
Where: 16/221 Christine Avenue, Burleigh Heads
Oh My, Waffle
If you’re a fan of sweets, walking into Oh My, Waffle will have you weak at the knees. At this one stop sugar shop, you will find almost type of treat imaginable – NY-style cookies, brownies, brookies, cheesecake, loaded gourmet shakes…and, sorry, what were we saying again? Oh yeah, WAFFLES. With the choice of flavours available well into double digits, consider those cravings conquered. Now, sorry to say but it’s really time we split – there’s a mountain of Banana Butterscotch with our name on it.
Where: Shop 6,1837 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads
Words by Kellie Leader
