When we hear the words “Squealing Pig”, precisely none of us think of a noisy swine. Our minds wander straight to our happiest of happy places – anywhere treating us to a tipple or two of our fave vino.

So you can imagine the woo-girling when we heard our all-time-fave eats and entertainment venue, The Star Gold Coast, is making Squealing Pig the hero of their food and drinks menus this month. Wine not we say, and clearly we’re not alone as The Squealing Pig Prosecco Long Lunch at Cucina Vivo has officially sold out (reaches for Kleenex). But don’t despair because there is plenty of other mouth-watering food and get-in-my-glass-worthy grape-juice action at The Star this month and as always, we are here for ALL.OF.IT!

Wine & Dine Lunches
Ahhh, our two favourite words – wine and dine. And no-one does a wine and dine sesh quite like Garden Kitchen & Bar, our ultimate cheers-to-the-weekend destination. Available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for lunch throughout September and onwards, we’re invited to partake in a delectable two-course meal, paired with two-hours of glorious free-flow wine (#RSVPyes).

Choose from either an entrée and main or main and dessert, and devour the likes of Calamari with Citrus Aioli, Macadamia Crusted Salmon and Sticky Medjool Date Pudding to name a few. Enhance the amazing flavours with your choice of select Rosé, Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, and #LifeMade. Bookings are highly recommended. $99 per person.

Wine Pairings
Once again at Garden Kitchen & Bar, all lunch and dinner menus have been updated with Squealing Pig wine pairings. Squeal! Available throughout September, why not try your favourite Garden Kitchen & Bar dish (or a newbie) levelled up with one of the Marlborough’s finest drops. For example, choose the delicious Ceviche of Yellowtail Kingfish starter matched perfectly to the Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc or complement the Crumbed Borrowdale pork cutlet main with Squealing Pig Pinot Noir. You don’t have to tell us twice!

Wine of the Month
Make your way to either Harvest Buffet or Food Quarter to celebrate the wine of the month! What is it you ask? The Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc of course, because nothing says spring like sav. $11 per glass or $50 a bottle (our tip – order the bottle. Always.Order.The.Bottle).

Special Squealing Pigs Inspired Cocktails
There’s only one thing better than a glass of Squealing Pig and that’s a cocktail with Squealing Pig! Head to Garden Kitchen & Bar or Atrium Bar and sample a Limoncello Spritz, Cointreau Spritz, Peach Bellini, or Pimm’s Spritz. If you can’t decide (same), we won’t judge if you order all four! $20 per cocktail.

Live on The Lawn
Good times are always had taking in the vibes and tunes of Live on The Lawn at Garden Kitchen & Bar. September is no different with the honest and poetic sounds of Byron Bay based singer-songwriter Kyle Lionhart on Saturday 10^th from 5pm – 6:30pm. If you’re around a little earlier, catch Sydneysider Gaudion performing one of his exciting and energetic sets from 3pm – 5pm. GC institution Sex & Chocolate are in da house on Friday 30^th (eeee), and quintessential crowd-pleasers McKenzie Band and Soul Collective have your September Sundays on The Lawn sorted.

For bookings or to find out more about any of The Star Gold Coast’s Squealing Pig or September activations click here

Where: 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
When: Various activations throughout September

Words by Bianca Trathen.

STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST

The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.

How good is an icy cold beer on a balmy afternoon? Heck, or any afternoon for that matter. Especially right here on the Gold Coast, where not only are we blessed with copious amounts of year-round sunshine, but an increasing array of talented breweries and equally impressive spots to take a load off and enjoy their hard work.

Although the possibilities for lavishing yourself with a great beer are endless, here’s our whittled down top 11 spots (listed north to south) to grab a brew on any (post-lockdown) afternoon you please! Cheers to that.

Fortitude Brewing Company
Fortitude Brewing Company is special because they brew under not one but two names. Fortitude for the dependable beers you enjoy with mates and Noisy Minor for the loud beers we all love now and again. Due to brewing excellent beers, it’s Tamborine Mountain’s best spot for a Sunday sesh. Enjoy hot gourmet pizzas and one of their 14 icy-cold beers while you listen to the live band on the patio.
Beer to sip: Fortitude Pacer — the perfect session pale ale.
Where: 165 Long Rd, North Tamborine

BOB’s Beer
The newest beer stop of the bunch is BOB’s Beer. This highly anticipated first microbrewery in Surfers Paradise opened with an impressive range of beers on tap and an incredible menu filled with bites you might not expect. Positioned on a corner block means there’s also plenty of window seating for watching the world go by outside. Talented (former) Melbourne brewer Ryan Fullerton and his team have created inhouse a lager, IPA, XPA and a Saison among six others, all available on tap (plus six guest taps from around Australia and NZ).
Beer to sip: Turmenator, a brut IPA that’s dry, spicy and tropical with hints of fresh tumeric root and saffron.
Where: 10/2 Elkhorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise

House of Brews
The name says it all. House of Brews has a whopping 32 beers on tap! In fact, they have so many kegs, they’ve even got a ‘keg room display’. If you aren’t a beer lover (sacrilege), there’s every chance if you still head to House of Brews, they’ll make a beer lover out of you. The food menu is inspired by traditional American BBQ so grab yourself some sticky ribs and maybe an Onion Ring Volcano tower. You’ll be one ever so happy afternoon beer drinker.
Beer to sip: Huge selection! Try something — left of centre — from North America if you can.
Where: 17 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Bine Bar & Dining
The Gold Coast’s first craft beer bar, Bine, is adored by locals and packed to the brim every single weekend (and often throughout the week). Serving over 100 bottled beers and with eight rotating taps, the folks at Bine know their brews. Not to mention there are food specials daily, including regular 50 cent chicken wings specials every weekday evening! Wash those down with a beer or two, and that’s an excellent way to pass some time by anyone’s standard.
Beer to sip: Something local like Currumbin Valley Brewery.
Where: 1/28 Chairlift Avenue, Nobby Beach

Lost Palms Brewing Co.
The baby of the Gold Coast’s brewery bunch, Lost Palms joined us just four years ago, all bright pink and pretty and with a unique selection of very delicious beers on offer. Currently, you’ll find a Hibiscus and Guava sour and American style mango and passionfruit wheat ale. And if you feel like something a little different and looking after the rig, they’ve even knocked up a peach seltzer brewed from grain and coming in at a marginal 80 calories a serving — that’s just a 25-minute stroll on the treadmill, by the way. They also have a small share-style menu and a basketball hoop so you can both feast and play while you sip.
Beer to sip: Lost Palms Hibiscus & Guava Sour — a sour tropical lolly in a glass.
Where: 11 Oak Avenue, Miami

Precinct Brewing
Bursting onto the Miami arts precinct scene with a rapacious welcome, Precinct Brewing has quickly made itself a solid status as a place to grab a freshly made beer, pull up a stool and forget all of life’s woes. They make matters much more bearable with the tastiest of pizzas, stand-up comedy, and some captivating, limited releases like their recent Lime & Chilli Lager and Manuka Smoked Pilsner — yummy!
Beer to sip: Check out their weekly Friday releases for exclusive flavours!
Where: 17 Christine Avenue, Miami

AWOL
If robust and deep flavoured ales get your heart rate rising, you have to try out Black Hops newest foray into brewing beer. Located a hop, skip and jump away from Black Hops HQ, this new — hidden in plain sight — stylish bar will take your tastebuds on an odyssey with imaginative barrel-aged beers. Ex gin, wine, and whisky barrels from worldwide have been sourced to help produce the Gold Coast’s most inventive brews with some serious ABVS to match. Not for the faint of heart, but nevertheless some seriously great drinking to be had.
Beer to sip: AWOL Rebellion Stout — imperial stout aged in used Tasmanian whisky barrels: delish.
Where: 4 Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Heads

Black Hops Brewing
What do you get when you mix three mates, a passion for beer and a little know-how? Damn good beer. That’s the story behind Black Hops who have three brewery/taproom sites across Burleigh Heads, Biggera Waters and Brisbane. The boys have worked super hard to build a solid reputation for themselves not just here on the Gold Coast but nationally with multiple awards and trade recognitions. Their original easy-going taproom tucked away in Burleigh Heads is the perfect watering hole when the mercury starts to rise.
Beer to sip: Black Hops Send It Session Ale — light, fruity, and not too strong.
Where: 15 Gardenia Grove, Burleigh Heads and 14 665 Pine Ridge Road, Biggera Waters

Burleigh Brewing Co.
One of the unprecedented and best brewers on the Coast, husband and wife team Brennan and Peta Fielding opened Burleigh Brewing Co. to rave reviews, and it’s been onwards and upwards ever since. The brewery is spacious with lots of outdoor seating and always filled with revellers having an absolute time. When they’re not throwing big events, be sure to slip in for an exceptional selection of craft beers, all of which we’re big fans of.
Beer to sip: Burleigh Brewing Burleigh Bighead — No carb, no-fuss big flavoured thirst quencher.
Where: 2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads

Balter Brewing Company
When a gang of pro surfers came together and created an award-winning brewery, Australia sat up and paid attention. And although the original owners may have parted ways with their baby, the beer is still on point, and it’s still the perfect spot to enjoy a few brews with the crew. There’s a sweet outdoor area where the kiddies can run about and weekly food trucks with live music in the evenings. Too hard not to love this spot: plenty of tasty frothies to sample.
Beer to sip: Balter XPA — Balter’s most awarded beer can be yours fresh from the production line.
Where: 14 Traders Way, Currumbin Waters

Craft House Bar & Restaurant
Craft House has the Tugun beer-drinking scene covered with 20 Australian craft beers on tap at any given time. When one tap runs dry, they swap it out for a completely different kind, meaning you can go there often and experience something new. And if you feel like trying as many as possible, you must do one of their tasting paddles. Not to mention their food menu is pretty all-time with share plates aplenty, meaning you might nip in for a quick one but end up staying a little longer.
Beer to sip: Lots of choices — try something you’ve never had before.
Where: 445 Golden Four Drive, Tugun

Words by Alex Mitcheson.

Picture the scene: it’s your team’s game night, and you and your crew are more than keen to catch the action in a location with full coverage, the coldest of beers, and a sprinkling of outstanding food options. Anything less would be a colossal failure, right? Seeking down such establishments that are solely devoted to delivering these things is not always the most straightforward task. But at the same time, neither is it impossible! Luckily for you, we’ve done our homework and compiled a list of the best sports bars on the Gold Coast to enjoy the action while adequately showing your support for your team. Shouting at screens may or may not be included.

The Star Sports Bar
Many would say this place is in pole position as the Gold Coast’s premier sports bar venue, and we think that’s rightly deserved. If the 23 large screens, private (pre-bookable) booths and a gigantic 10.5-metre screen aren’t impressive enough, you should be swayed by the coldest beer around and a multitude of nearby food outlets for you to fuel up pre-game or celebrate your team’s victory.
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Main Gaming Floor, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach

Crafty’s Sports Bar
Aptly positioned at the northern Gold Coast’s prime shopping outlet Harbour Town, Crafty’s gives you the option of mixing shopping with seeing whatever sporting event you might be into. Or, if it’s better suited, the chance for you or your partner to do so whilst the other takes their time with over 200 stores. Make plans to grab some essentials and then settle in with some fantastic food and craft beers. Score!
Where: Harbour Town Eats – 147/189 Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters

The Sporting Globe Bar and Grill
Part of a sizeable chain of sporting bars across the country, these guys certainly know how to look after sporting fans. Apart from expansive coverage of all the action, there are food specials every day of the week, and if you’re seeing the Gold Coast Titans game at the Cbus Stadium, come in beforehand for a drink, and these guys will even take you there and back. How good is that?
Where: Robina Town Centre, 19 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina

Burleigh Town Hotel
This one is a real showstopper, boasting a zhuzhed up modern bistro and the sports bar to end all sports bars. The newly renovated Burleigh Town Hotel is the ideal destination to catch all of the sports action. Featuring a state-of-the-art 11-metre mega screen… It’s the biggest pub screen in the southern hemisphere and if you think that’s impressive, have a go of the suspended cylinder screen promising perfect viewing from every vantage point #jawdrop.
Where: Tsipura Drive, Burleigh Heads

The Avenue
This hotspot is more renowned as the place you head to take the night up a gear with vibrant music, entertainment, and drinks specials. And that’s a fair comment. However, should you want a great place to catch the next big fight with eating options and the ever so easy decision of sticking around and partying till the small hours, it’s a slam dunk!
Where: 3-15 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Coolangatta Hotel
On the southern end of the Coast, The Coolangatta Hotel is the prime location to catch any sporting activities and be assured of a buoyant and passionate atmosphere. Pair it with a splash and lounge on one of Coolangatta’s famous golden beaches, and then be sure to stick around for the post-game live music, and you are onto a hole in one.
Where: Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Fat Freddy’s
How does an American-style sports bar with a Gold Coast twist sound? Too good to be true, right? Wrong. Because you need to look no further than Fat Freddy’s on Broadbeach’s Surf Parade. Grab a highchair at the bar and enjoy unhampered views of seven screens overhead as bartenders look after you with libations galore and a polished bar snacks menu which should make getting up to leave your seat an arduous feat if you ask us!
Where: 50 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

Ashmore Tavern
If you’ve driven past the good ‘ole Ashmore Tavern recently, you’ll have noticed it’s looking anything but ‘ole these days. Undergoing an extreme makeover, we’re not just talking a lick of paint and a few trusty Kmart prints, but an epic $5 million reno sporting some serious a la mode flex. There are sleek new indoor and outdoor dining spaces and a large sports bar with an adjoining balcony. With big screens showing sports daily you’ll never miss a moment of the biggest sporting events at the Sports Bar.
Where: 161 Cotlew Street, Ashmore

Words by Alex Mitcheson & Belinda Symons.