Gold Coasters—winter is here! Or at least our version of it, which means we can crack out our knits and knee-high boots (or if you’re really brave – and tall – the thigh-highs). It’s the best time of the year to be out and about, flaunting fabulous hair free from the humidity’s tyranny, and where better to enjoy the cooler season than Garden Kitchen & Bar at The Star Gold Coast?

As always, they’ve lined up some stellar winter noms to keep you warm and well-fed, plus every Friday and Saturday night there’ll be a DJ on deck, inviting you to break out your best moves…without breaking a sweat.

Fire Pit Package
I mean, what’s winter without a fire pit? Picture you and up to five of your closest pals gathered around a crackling fire, toasting to good times with a bottle of Pepperjack Shiraz, and snacking on a specially crafted charcuterie box. And, Garden Kitchen & Bar are even including chocolates in the hamper package, because they don’t go straight to your thighs in winter (that’s our story and we’re sticking to it). It’s the ultimate way to experience a cozy winter evening without having to set up camp in your pokey backyard. This two-hour session of pure winter bliss will set you back $99 for the package for up to 6 people. Bookings are recommended.

Winter Delights
As the temperature dips, Garden Kitchen & Bar transforms into the ultimate winter retreat for your tastebuds with a special addition to its mind-blowing menu.

Indulge in an un-brrrrr-lievbly good three-course feast, starting with Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup. Elegantly paired with poached bay lobster salad and a lightly smoked chili oil, it’s simply winterful! Then it’s time for the main event and trust us – it’ll be love at frost sight…or bite! We’re talking Braised Lamb Shoulder, served with smoked eggplant puree, pickled red onion, coriander, and mint. To top it all off, dive (figuratively, pls not literally) into the Dark Chocolate Fondant and don’t even try and steal a mouthful of ours because if looks could chill…! The ultimate winter wonderland for your palate, devour its decadent salted caramel sauce, caramel gelato, and chocolate crumble. For $65 per person, it would be rude not to.

Gifts from The Garden
If you need an excuse to round up your crew, complimentary Whispering Angel Rose should do the trick. Order four or more main meals at Garden Kitchen & Bar and receive a 750ml bottle of Whispering Angel Rosé – on the house! Have a bigger posse to entertain? Go big (or go home) with eight or more mains entitling your group to a 1.5L Magnum Whispering Angel Rosé. Cheers to that!

So, grab your friends, your appetite, and your love for all things cozy and head to Garden Kitchen & Bar at The Star Gold Coast. Winter, we’re ready for you!

For bookings and more information, go here.

When: Various activations happening all winter long. Subject to availability, change and cancellation.
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Casino Drive, Broadbeach

Words by Bianca Trathen

STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST

The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol. Guests must be aged 18 years or over to enter the casino. BET WITH YOUR HEAD, NOT OVER IT.

Is it ever too late for a cup of the good stuff? The haters will say yes, but the loyal bean lovers will argue otherwise and frankly – we agree!

For those who love themselves a coffee (isn’t that all of us?), getting yourself a cup of steamy — or icy — inspiration after 3pm is tough. We’re aware most cafes close around 1pm, or at a push 2pm. And that’s all perfectly well and fine. However, if your cravings for caffeine don’t have any sense of time, this situation undoubtedly causes you some unnecessary upset.

You want to organise an afternoon meeting but everywhere is closed? We hear you. Put down the Google search because we’ve done the heavy lifting and found the Gold Coast’s best spots serving up the good stuff after 3pm. These cafes recognise that coffee never sleeps and continue to serve it well into the afternoon, and in some cases, the evenings. So when those mid-afternoon caffeine withdrawals start to kick in, fear not, we got you.

Tarte Beach House
You know, weekdays aren’t the only time you need a late arvo coffee moment – and Tarte Beach House understood the assignment. Your nights get later come Friday to Sunday so it just makes sense that they’re on the tools until 5pm – the perfect time for your last brew before you start taking your coffee in espresso martini form.
Where: Shop 1 2/4 Thrower Drive, Currumbin

Nook Espresso
The ultimate little coffee nook for your afternoon pick me up, Nook have been brewing the goods for as long as we can remember and lucky for us – they do it until 4.30pm every week day. Bonus points that it’s in primo location for the parents among us desperate for some coffee goodness post school pick up.
Where: Stocklands Burleigh, 149 W Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Heads

Buoy
Oh Buoy, have we been waiting for a spot in Nobby’s to fill the afternoon coffee shaped hole in our heart. With coffee on tap until 5pm – conveniently coinciding with the end of your work day – pop in for a cuppa and pick up those last minute groceries for dinner (that you definitely didn’t forget) at The Oxley Village Grocer.
Where: The Oxley, 17 Lavarack Road, Mermaid Beach

Black Dingo Café
Southern Gold Coasters have we found a treat for you, one of the newest cafes on our foodie scene, Black Dingo is already loved by locals for pouring up cups of liquid gold until 3pm every day. Serving up The Cats Pyjamas Coffee AND the most epic ocean views, we don’t need to convince you why to check this one out.
Where: 1 Tweed Terrace, Coolangatta

Madison’s Café
Our knight in shining coffee (and treaties), this Broadbeach institution is known for satisfying your coffee craving all. day. long. Fear not because their coffee machine is on until 6pm and bonus points for the fact that you can finish with a cookie croissant – if there’s any left, that is!
Where: Oasis Shopping Centre, 75 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

Rose Gelateria
Should you find yourself in Sanctuary Cove after a mini shopping spree, a game of golf, parking up your superyacht (same) or decadent dinner at one of The Marine Village’s iconic restaurants, this gelateria is serving up delicious gelato right up until late (9pm in fact). The same is said for their perfectly made coffee, which you can have poured over gelato. Just saying…
Where: Shop 39a Masthead Way, Sanctuary Cove

Fixx Café and Lounge
Fixx my name, coffee fix by nature, one of our favourite spots inside QT Gold Coast just gets that once the clock strikes twelve we’re still looking for the good stuff aka coffee. Pop in for the crowd favourite high tea or if you’re on the run, takeaways are on the table until 4pm.
Where: QT Gold Coast, 7 Staghorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Ottimo
With owner Davide holding a Diploma of Gelato making from the Gelato University of Carpigiani in Italy (no joke), you’d be right to have a sneaking suspicion the gelato here is likely out of this world. And in truth: it is! Mix it with all-day (until 9.30pm-10pm every night) served coffee utilising beans roasted in Italy, and you have a slice of Europe in Coolangatta. Bellissimo!
Where: 18/52 Marine Parade, Coolangatta

South Coast Coffee Co.
Being one of the Gold Coast’s best roasters and dispensaries of magnificent coffee is not enough for these guys, oh no. They also have an adjoining café space with out-of-this-world sweet treats and coffee flowing till 5pm during the week (4pm Sundays) – we’ll cheers to that.
Where: Shop 3G10, Capri Via Roma, Surfers Paradise

Merlo Torrefazione (Brickworks)
If coffee is a happy part of your life (and if it isn’t, are you okay?) then you’ll want to pay a visit to these guys in Southport for you CBD folks. With pretty much every known piece of coffee apparatus under one roof, you can’t go wrong. They also roast on-site and serve coffee right up till 6pm most days, so you know it’s good.
Where: Brickworks Ferry Road, 107 Ferry Rd, Southport

The Kiosk Burleigh
All that walking (or running if that’s what tickles your fancy) is thirsty work so before you hit the pavement, we’re guessing you’re going to need a cheeky caffeine hit. Enter: The Kiosk Burleigh, answering our coffee prayers all the way up until 7pm – never too late for a latte if you ask us.
Where: 43 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads

Riverland Kitchen
This creekside all-rounder brings brekkie bites and gourmet burgers to the banks of Terranora Creek and serves coffee until 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Where: 45 Kennedy Dr, Tweed Heads

Words by Jacqueline Bojanowski