From spritzes and seafood on the beach to intimate modern Australian tasting menus in candlelit dining rooms, the Gold Coast has a restaurant for every occasion. Explore the diversity of the city’s culinary scene as you jump from Japanese izakaya to family-friendly Italian or sample the city’s hidden gems as you graze your way up and down the coastline.
Read on to discover our pick of the best Gold Coast restaurants.
Best Gold Coast restaurants for Italian food
Tommy’s Italian, Currumbin
Local ingredients meet traditional Italian recipes at Tommy’s Italian, positioned directly along the pristine sands of Currumbin Beach. Beeline for the balcony to soak up ocean views while you graze on Frankie’s focaccia, truffle burrata and pistachio mortadella, or take your pick of pasta or pizza, paired with an Amalfi spritz or Italian-inspired cocktail. Don’t forget to leave room for dessert – Tommy’s original tiramisu is among the best on the Gold Coast.
Balboa Italian Restaurant, Palm Beach
Balboa Italian is a Gold Coast restaurant that has been celebrating Italy’s rich culinary heritage since 2016. The venue pairs showstopping cocktails and a thoughtful wine list with a menu the team describes as classically Italian in inspiration but modern in execution: think signature dishes like beef cheek gnocchi and pappardelle al ragu, made by hand from a mix of the best local and imported produce. Striving to source only the finest local and imported ingredients, Balboa is a must-try.
Best family-friendly Gold Coast restaurants
Gemelli Italian, Broadbeach
Family is at the heart of Gemelli Italian, run by twins Alec and James and their older brother Paul. Bring the whole crew down to their Broadbeach branch to try their home-style dishes made with the best imported Italian products and local seafood, meat and produce. Little ones are looked after with a menu that includes a scoop of gelato, leaving the adults to enjoy traditional antipasti, Neapolitan-style pizza and fresh-made pasta.
BSKT Cafe, Nobby Beach
Saunter from the sands of Nobby Beach straight into the relaxed BSKT Cafe, where the whole family are looked after – pup included. Watch the kids engage their imaginations in the enclosed kids’ play area while you sip on a coffee, turmeric latte or cold-pressed juice, before enjoying delicious daytime plates like the BSKT brekkie burrito or raspberry and rhubarb waffles.
Best Gold Coast restaurants for breakfast
Elk Espresso, Broadbeach
Locals know that Elk Espresso is home to one of the best breakfasts on the Gold Coast. Join them as you work your way through the cafe’s seasonal menu, devouring the likes of blueberry and citrus hotcakes, vegemite curry scrambled eggs and honey lavender French toast. For extra fun, upgrade to a boozy brunch (available 10am-1:30pm every day), enjoying an hour of bottomless mimosas while you dine.
Bam Bam Bakehouse, Mermaid Beach
Cult croissants await at Bam Bam Bakehouse, the pastry destination nestled just a block back from the waters of Mermaid Beach. Stop by for their take on French classics, like a pistachio and cherry croissant basket or cinnamon cruffin, or settle in for brunch, with dishes like the karaage chicken croissant burger keeping things fresh.
The Winey Cow, Main Beach
After nearly 10 years on the Mornington Peninsula, the team from Winey Cow bring their award-winning brunch to the Gold Coast’s Main Beach. Locally sourced produce inspires the menu, with dishes like the Brunch Stack (streaky bacon, avocado puree, halloumi, potato rosti, poached eggs and hollandaise), truffled mushrooms on toast, or Scandinavian eggs. Find out why it’s considered to have one of the best bottomless brunches on the Gold Coast with an upgrade to an hour’s worth of free-flow mimosas.
Refinery Coffee, Currumbin
Kick off the weekend – or any day of the week – with a bottomless brunch at Refinery Coffee, sipping on mimosas for 90 minutes while you devour your choice of all-day dishes like chilli scramble, breakfast bowls or Turkish-style poached eggs with garlic yoghurt. Even if you’re not indulging, this chic cafe is worth a visit – who could say no to specialty coffee from Blackboard Coffee and matcha lattes using tea harvested in the foothills of Japan’s Mt. Fuji?
Best Gold Coast restaurants for seafood
Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads
The clue’s in the name – Rick Shores is all about sensational seafood, sitting just steps from the sands of Burleigh Beach. Pan-Asian influences flow through the fine-dining menu, with the bright flavours of Vietnam and Thailand appearing across dishes such as fried Moreton Bay bug roll, braised beef cheek panang curry and spiced shiitake san choy bau. Book ahead to nab a spot on the balcony.
Siblings Kirra, Coolangatta
Embrace the quintessential Gold Coast lifestyle at Siblings Kirra, the dining destination that celebrates the best of the country’s seafood scene. Make your way through the modern Australian menu, starting with oysters and Byron Bay burrata (topped with charred broccoli pesto), through to baja fish tacos and prawn and a delicious spanner crab and zucchini spaghetti. With views directly over Kirra Beach, and a drinks menu that’s sure to quench your thirst, it’s no wonder Siblings is considered one of the best restaurants on the Gold Coast.
Citrique, Surfers Paradise
Famous for its lazy lunches and seafood experiences every weekend, Citrique is a must-visit when visiting Surfers Paradise. Pop by to sample their award-winning seafood buffet, complete with Pacific oysters, Mooloolaba tiger prawns and spanner crabs, plus wood-fired pizzas, salads and more.
Best Gold Coast restaurants for Asian cuisine
Jimmy Wah’s, Burleigh Heads
50’s, 60’s and 70’s tunes provide the soundtrack for this charming modern Vietnamese restaurant, rated one of the best on the Gold Coast by organisations like Australian Good Food Guide and Delicious100. Instead of having to choose between kingfish sashimi, sticky Vietnamese pork ribs or grilled barramundi, let the chefs curate your meal with the delicious Feed Me menu. Pair with something from the considered wine list for the complete culinary experience.
Yamagen Japanese Restaurant, Surfers Paradise
The Gold Coast’s first Japanese fine dining restaurant doesn’t do things by halves – with an ex-Nobu chef at the helm, and the largest Japanese whisky collection in Australia, Yamagen Japanese Restaurant is a neon-lit tribute to Tokyo’s famous izakayas. Old-school techniques meet big Asian flavours in the moody dining room, where you’ll be able to enjoy market-fresh sashimi, sushi, skewers and more.
Etsu, Mermaid Beach
A red lantern is the only marker of this contemporary Japanese izakaya, hidden behind an unassuming barn door off the Gold Coast Highway in Mermaid Beach. Authentic share plates are the order of the day – think spicy edamame, sashimi, ebi tempura, agedashi tofu and house-made gyoza, plus seafood and wagyu cooked on the robata grill.
Best Gold Coast restaurants with chef hats
Restaurant Labart, Burleigh Heads
This neighbourhood gem has been a mainstay of ‘best restaurants in the Gold Coast’ lists since it opened in 2018, and it’s easy to see why: with European-style banquette seating, a natural-leaning wine list and a front-row seat to all the open kitchen action, Restaurant Labart is a feast for all the senses. Visit for an ever-changing Modern Australian selection that combines a European approach with local ingredients, with dishes like carnaroli risotto with taleggio, quince and rosemary.
Social Eating House, Broadbeach
Sharing is a given at Social Eating House, the two-hatted modern Australian restaurant in Broadbeach’s Oracle complex. Come together over elegant tapas-style starters and larger sharing plates like lamp empanada, BBQ sugarloaf cabbage and 12-hour slow-cooked lamb shoulder, while sipping on bespoke cocktails.
The North Room, Mermaid Beach
Guests are encouraged to ‘eat with their eyes’ at this intimate 20-seat fine diner, where the menu is inspired by the daily delivery of fresh produce from local farmers. Settle into The North Room’s stylish space to taste dishes like spanner crab with bone marrow crumpet, Queensland scallops with Romanesco and finger lime or pork jowl with oca yam and blood orange.
