If there’s one place on the Gold Coast where you can shop till you drop, eat your body weight in quality nosh, do some srsly cool stuff, and wander amongst stunning natural parklands, it’s Robina.  There’s also a hospital, a train station and a sports stadium, one of which is exciting enough to make our list (hint; it’s not the hospital or the train station).

In honour of this central GC gem, we’ve compiled a list of 14 reasons why Robina peeps love their ‘burb, and why wider GC locals travel en masse to experience all it has to offer.

Pasta Emporium
With their Euro background and extensive experience in the food industry, mum and daughter duo Natalie and Sonia have created an artisan pasta boutique store like no other. Made with a high-quality durum wheat semolina (rich in fibre, protein, vitamin B and also digestion friendly), their fresh-as pasta can be paired with a selection of nasty-free slow cooked sauces. The.Best!
Where: Easy T Centre, 514 Christine Avenue, Robina

Palmer Golf Course
Carved out of 65 hectares of native woodlands with fairways lined by towering gum trees, this uniquely designed course is in the top 30 resort courses in the country #noice. A 6078-meter, 18-hole, Par 71 championship golf course (Aust Course Rating 72) designed by the Marsh / Watson team, its rolling fairways, manicured greens, towering eucalyptus and natural water course make it a local and visitor fave.
Where: Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina

Zone Bowling / Timezone
This dual-branded entertainment venue is an uber-exciting entertainment experience, combining Zone Bowling and Timezone in one renovated super space. Perfect for a birthday of any vintage and for corporate functions, you’ll find ten pin bowling, the latest arcade games, a laser tag arena with a ‘futurism/apocalyptic robots’ theme, and super fun spin zone bumper cars (coming later this year). Just yay!!!
Where: Robina Town Centre, 1 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina

My French Pastries
A venue called My French Pastries needs no introduction but since it’s amongst the cream of the crop here on the GC, we’ll give them one anyway. Jen and Antonio Marchesi have created something really spesh with French pastries made from scratch. Think key lime Chantilly, lemon meringue, blueberry and chocolate tarts, and if you’re not salivating, you must be unwell. A special shout-out must go to the scrumptious savoury goodies, providing a well-rounded experience for your tastebuds.
Where: Robina Quays Shopping Centre, 5/361 Robina Parkway, Robina

Eddy + Wolff
The trendiest of the Robina bunch, Eddy + Wolff opened in early 2019 bringing exceptional, modern Asian eats to the people. It’s a sleek, 22-seat venue serving up ten-outta-ten eats, just like it’s northern brother from the same mother, Can Tho Kitchen at Runaway Bay. The menu features BBQ-style dishes, snacks, larger plates and sides, all of which are designed to share and hail from Thao and Vien’s home country of Vietnam, China, Japan and Korea to name a few. The drinks list is tight and perfectly curated to match the food with an unmissable lemon sake. An absolute fave.
Where: 44 Commerce Drive, Robina 

The Kitchens
Fact; foodie marketplace-style situations are one of life’s greatest gifts. The Kitchens is precisely that, with an array of exceptional venues all in the one beautifully appointed area. Think tasty teppanyaki, big ‘ole burgers, a vegan foodie venue and even a craft beer bar offering delicious eats to name a few. There is more choice here than you can poke a stick at and bonus; it’s attached to one of the region’s best shopping centres #UnicornsDoExist.
Where: Robina Town Centre, Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina 

El Camino Cantina
A good time Mexi-joint at Robina Town Centre, what’s not to love? Rocking one of the most colour-filled interiors you ever did see, a menu packed with family-friendly Mex-cellent eats, and frozen margaritas, it’s love at first sight/bite/sip. The legendary venue is one of seven Queensland restaurants, synonymous with funky neon signage, sweet sombreros, and an all-round winning ambience. Gather the crew and get on it.
Where: Robina Town Centre, Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina

CBUS Super Stadium
Home of our beloved Titans, CBUS Super Stadium is one of the best regional stadiums in Australia and it’s ours, all ours (insert wicked snigger). Not only do Gold Coasters spend their weekends cheering on the boys here, but we’ve also been lucky enough to watch A-league and international football games, the Nitro Circus, and the Rugby 7s as part of the Commonwealth Games. High five to CBUS for being our homegrown hub of sporting joy.
Where: Centreline Place, Robina

Robina Pavilion
A tried and tested (regularly. Very regularly….) favourite, Robina Pav features a sleek look’n’feel, dreamy deck overlooking the water, a specialised kids area, and plenty of good vibes. Boasting a menu packed with epic eats from woodfired pizzas to stacked burgers, it would be rude not to get involved with the impressive cocktail menu #IfWeMust. It’s the perfect spot for sun-soaked afternoon sessions with you posse.
Where: 229 Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina

Robina Parkway Dog Park
Obviously one for the locals with hairy mates but if you live further afield and have a furry friend in tow, we highly recommend. There are all kinds of fun things for your doggo to explore including tunnels and hurdles, and they’re bound to make a new buddy or two in the process. If you don’t have a pooch, get down there anyway and score free pats a-plenty #GoodForTheSoul.
Where: Lot 21, Robina Parkway, Robina

Parkway Coffee
Ahh Parkway Coffee how we love thee and your equally irresistible sibling Third Base in Palmy. Like its southern sister, this Robina crowd pleaser offers similar laidback community vibes, and also serves up the same level of tasty brunch eats. Their Reuban Toastie with beef pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, gherkins, and thousand island dressing on golden toasted sourdough is the perf example of Parkway’s culinary prowess. Pair your feed with some quality time in the garden…and day made.
Where: Robina Quays, 361 Robina Parkway, Robina

Cheltenham Park
If open spaces and oodles of greenery, in the middle of a city no less, is your thing (yes please), Cheltenham Park is the business. There are plenty of areas for the kids – human and fury – to run themselves ragged (#yeahmums!) bushwalking tracks, and big leafy trees to stretch out beneath with a picnic and your favourite people. Perfect for escaping the rat race without chewing through the petrol in search of a tree change.
Where: Cheltenham Drive, Robina 

The Sporting Globe
The spacious, sports-themed bar and restaurant made a big splash on Robina Town Centre when it first moved in and continues to do so in 2023. Within The Sporting Globe there are no less than 50 high definition screens including two 5m2 screens and a nine-screen video wall, so yeah nah, you’re not missing a single second of the action. They’re also serving up perfect sport-watching food, frosty bronsons galore, and an all-round cracking good atmosphere. It’s a sure thing.
Where: The Promenade, Robina Town Centre, Robina

Alpine Indoor Climbing
Robina’s state-of-the-art climbing centre is positively R.A.D if you’re somewhat of an adrenalin junkie, or someone looking for a new sporty-spice-esk challenge. Alpine Indoor Climbing is a favourite amongst both professional and beginner climbers (including those lacking in coordination, AKA us). There are varying levels of challenges and you can go across, straight up, or anyway you like really, and there are cushioned pads underneath should you lose your grip. Good times.
Where: 86 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina

Words by Bianca Trathen.

European people are exceptional at many things; equality, being ridiculously good looking, fashion, architecture they don’t knock down for the sake of a few dollars, literature, okay, okay they’re exceptional at everything.

At the very top of that list though, Europeans are connoisseurs of fine coffee and good food, made with love and conveniently, those are two of our favourite things.

Which is why it makes us extremely happy that a brand new European-inspired eatery opened in Robina recently bringing all the fine coffee and good food we could possibly wish for.

The newbie is called Dark Fluid Espresso and it’s the work of two absolutely delightful Europeans (obviously) whose goods you’ve probably sampled, and loved, before.

Sonia and Jovan Ivanovski owned the much-loved deli (plus a few others across the Coast) that once lived where The Kitchens now stands at Robina Town Centre stocking all of the European meats and cheeses and coffee and what an absolute treat that place was.

Anyway, all that goodness has now been moved just a short stroll away to the Easy T Centre and that’s good news for everyone.

The space boasts indoor and outdoor seating with ALL of the car parks out front and a cosy, welcoming vibe that’ll make you feel right at home.

Menu-wise you can expect the very best brunch goodies sprinkled with a little of that European flair and washed down with Wilde coffee fresh out of Melbourne.

A couple of favourites included the Black Truffle Eggs with semi-dried tomatoes, grilled asparagus, prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, sourdough and truffle oil. Perfectly balanced tastiness.

We also enjoyed the Smashed Avocado (of course) because there was a whole lot of avocado plus feta, Parmesan, cherry tomatoes, radishes, roasted seeds and fresh mint on rye bread – perhaps the best we’ve ever had.

There’s also a delightful Haloumi Burger and Vanilla Pancakes and we would like to eat every single one a few more times thank you very much.

For an after-brunch treat there are homemade (by Sonia) cakes and slices, European specialties and also of the good old caramel variety and if you’re more into takeaway type situations there’s delicious sandwiches, wraps and salads for your lunching pleasure.

In summary, if you’re after a homestyle, flavour-packed feast with a side of fine coffee and that European welcoming vibe you no doubt love, look no further than Dark Fluid Espresso.

They would love to have you.

LOCATION: Easy T Centre, 510 Christine Ave, Robina
HOURS: Monday to Saturday 6.30am to 4pm and Sunday 7am until 3pm

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

Remember as a child when climbing to the top of things was the absolute greatest achievement possible? Well turns out, even as an adult, reaching (literal) new heights makes you feel like a million dollars.

So much so that Robina has recently acquired a brand new, state-of-the-art space so we Gold Coasters can climb things to our hearts’ content (but in air-con).

It’s called Alpine Indoor Climbing and it’s an extremely interesting (and aesthetically pleasing) venue designed for everyone from beginners to the advanced among us, to experience the challenging satisfaction of bouldering (with pretty coloured, faux boulders because, indoors).

Created by husband and wife team Jamie and Kirsty Booth along with Jamie’s brother Joe Booth, Alpine Indoor Climbing opened as the only climbing space on the Coast of its’ kind and let us tell you, it’s impressive.

The actual space itself was designed by an innovative German company by the name of Blocz and the process of creation is fascinating. Jamie and Kirsty created a model which was built and scanned in and over numerous months in design phase the project came to life.

And said project is a room with geometric shapes built onto the walls and brightly coloured boulder-like blocks (technical) placed on said shapes to resemble climbing an actual cliff face.

You can go straight up, up at an angle, upside down, any which way you please really, following tracks built at different grades. Which means you can practice on climbing walls the pros train on and yes, there are soft mats beneath to cushion you, should you fall (climbing back down is recommended of course).

Basically it’s the good time your younger self would have absolutely loved, but built for your adult self (strictly 10 years old plus) wanting both a challenge and a fun time.

Not to mention you can get coffee and have a chat with other climbers, many of whom can give you tips on becoming your very best climbing self.

If you haven’t climbed a boulder in quite some time (same), you can get a casual visit pass and then once you’re hooked, go for a 10-visit pass or a membership for six or 12 months or a no contract membership. And you will get hooked!

Alpine Indoor Climbing was built by climbers for both those who are already passionate about the sport and those who don’t yet know they are.

We highly recommend getting down to Robina to give it a go for yourself, you’re guaranteed to work up a sweat and probably have a laugh while you’re at it.

Plus, your inner child gets to feel like a million dollars and there’s nothing better than that.

LOCATION: 86 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina
HOURS: 6am until 8.30pm Monday to Friday, 8am until 6pm Saturday and 10am until 6pm Sunday

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

STORY SPONSORED BY ALPINE INDOOR CLIMBING