Restaurants
By Brooke Darling
27th Apr 2023
It’s the glitter strip that put our humble surf city on the worldwide tourist map, but there is oh so much more to Surfers Paradise than high rises, novelty arcades and expansive beaches.
In the past few years, Surfers’ culinary scene has really stepped it up a notch or three. So, if you find yourself knocking around these parts with a hunger for some delicious nosh and friendly service, best make good use of your valuable time—and avoid the tourist traps—with our pick of 20 of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise.
COAST Beach Bar & Kitchen
$2.5 million was spent bringing this landmark venue to life and luxury resonates in every aspect of; from the sleek coastal furnishings, to the contrasting brass, leather and marble fixtures, to the standout 14-metre marble bar.The modern share-style menu celebrates the best of Australian seasonal produce and is centred around flavours of land and sea.Setting COAST leagues apart from the pack, a Spanish-style Josper wood and charcoal oven is used to infuse signature dishes with a bespoke smoked flavour, with a large portion of the menu dedicated to ‘Josper Fired’ dishes. The jewel in COAST'S crown is a 2,000-stron wine bottle cellar that boasts 120 wines sourced chiefly from top Australian vineyards.
Citrique
Perched above the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise, lies the foodie paradise that isCitrique. Renowned for its long weekend lunches and seafood market experience,Citriqueis a unqiue and chic dining experience that excels at its signature ocean and paddock-to-plate style dining. Their award-winning seafood buffet will have you sampling a variety of fresh, local seafood for the ultimate sea-to-table expereince. If a buffet presents too many sumptous options for you to choose from, dive into their larger plates—which all showcase local ingredients—like thelavendar honey-glazed duck breast with marinated heirloom beetroots, croquettes, chard leaves, asparagus and fig jus.
Yamagen
Yamagen is a funky Japanese izakaya located inside QT Gold Coast hotel, with one of Queensland's largest Japanese whisky collection (over 65 bottles and counting) plus some of the most innovative and creative Japanese cuisine you'll ever taste. Behind the expansive bar, you can peer into the glass-enclosed kushiage station; the beating heart of the izakaya where smells and smoke wafts as Japanese chefs work over robata grills and binchotan charcoal. Or, nab a posi at the 15-seat traditional sushi bar where you can interact with the chefs and devour plate after plate of omakase (chef’s selection of market fresh sushi and sashimi). If you’re on the hunt for one of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise, well, you’ve found it.
Paradise Centre Dining Precinct
Popular shopping destination Paradise Centre has recently welcomed eight new dining hotspots, creating a vibrant new foodie precinct in the heart of Surfers. The $40 million re-development boasts Queensland's firstWahlburgersrestaurantalongside a 340-seater Tex-Mex jointEl Camino Cantina, Australia's largestTGI Fridaysstore, the Gold Coast's onlyGelato Messinaand more. This bustling foodie hub certainly hosts a wide variety ofrestaurantsif you're struggling to choose.
SakéSisters
SakéSistersis the latest addition toCali Beach Cluband boasting uninterrupted ocean views, an impressive Japanese-inspired cocktail list and a sumptuous menu that hits the sweet spot between Japanese flavours and local produce, it’s one of the Coast’s most sought-after dining destinations.Sake Sisters takes diners on a culinary, sensory experience which starts with light bites like freshly shucked oysters with yuzu caviar and ponzu, moves onto larger bites like wagyu beef black onyx skewers and hits a home run with winners like wagyu striploin with pickled red radish, miso butter and chilli miso. Sake Sisters’ extensive cocktail menu seamlessly fuses Japanese flavours with classic cocktails, with an impressive range of sake, umeshu, yuzu and Japanese whisky, which innovatively complements the sensory dining experience.
The Island
There’s a lot to love aboutThe Island,the Gold Coast's much-lovedboutique hotel offering.Hotel guests and day visitors are welcome to enjoy The Island's hip Italian-inspired restaurant and adjoining bar, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days. Eat your way through starters including the Eggplant Involtini with buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and basil, to spicy bites of fried Ascolana olives and a terra cotta aioli for dipping. Or mains including wood-fired pizzas, pan fried Kingfish and a challenging 400-gram peppercorn-crusted Thousand Guideas Shorthorn rump.But the fun doesn’t end there.Home to the Gold Coast’s biggest rooftop bar and sprawling alfresco patio, The Island Rooftop is bringing the cool back to the tourist precinct’s after-dark scene with DJs, a retro-styled cocktail bar, ample seating, nooks and one of the best Sunday sessions on the Coast.
Salt Meats Cheese
Ensuring you are never too far from cheese, pizza and pasta, Sydney’s renowned food emporium,Salt Meats Cheese, has its very own Gold Coast-based pizzeria and deli, right in the heart of Surfers Paradise. The New York-style menu features truffle gnocchi, flaming Parmesan wheels (Wednesday nights only) and the intriguing black lobster pizza with a squid ink base. Come for novelty offerings like coffee in a cone, all-you-can-eat pizza night on Mondays, or frequent pizza and pasta-making master classes.
T'ang Court
If the recent opening ofThe Langham Gold Coastwasn't exciting enough already, well, we've got some news for you. The Langham's iconic Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant,T'ang Courtis one of Surfers Paradise's best restaurants and promisesa unique and authentic Cantonese fine-dining experience that embraces the essence of Southern Chinese dining. The exquisite menu showcases an array of traditional culinary masterpieces, including duck pancakes with hoi sin sauce, sauteed pearl meat with ginger and shallots, and spicy black tiger prawn with roasted garlic. The80-seat restaurant seamlessly blends modern luxury and traditional authenticity, with an elegant fit-out that celebrates the vibrancy of the T'ang Dynasty.
BOBs Beer
BOBs Beer is so much more than a microbrewery—the sophisticated menu puts a modern twist on French, Japanese and Australian flavours to create a standout lineup you might not expect in Surfers Paradise. Curated by culinary genius, Nobert Szlama, the fusion menu goes against the grain of usual pub fare and boasts smaller plates like delicate chickpea crisps with french kimchi, harissa and rice crackers and oysters mignonette with shallots, shiitake and topiko. Another thing we love about BOBs is their innovative sustainable initiatives—their spent beer grains are 100% recycled and a portion of the grains are made into serving platters for oysters (genius, right?).
Sandbar
Surfers Paradise’s longest established beachfront watering hole underwent a funky Bali-inspired overhaul recently, injecting some desperately needed cool back into the touristy precinct. We love Sandbar’s breezy fit-out, always-holiday vibes, creative menus, extensive craft beer selection and killer cocktail list to accompany those salty sea vistas. Tuck into creative burgers such as Kim Jong’s Demise with Korean-style crispy chicken or the Piggie Smalls with spiced pulled pork and apple relish, or surrender to a delish beachfront serving of Jo’s Proper Fish and Chips, complete with mushy peas. Head to Sandbar, one of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise, and cheers to the good life.
Fu Manchu Oriental Kitchen
Fu Manchu Oriental Kitchen on Surfers Paradise’s Chevron Island has a true Asian fusion menu that morphs from devout traditions to dishes with a European twist. Hiding behind an unassuming London shop front-style facade, Fu Manchu is totally where we want to hang on our next date night, with a dark and moody supper club-ish interior that lends itself to getting cosy and just a lil’ bit boozy. Our tip? Fu Manchu’s Singapore chilli crab and sticky Asian beef short ribs are life changing.
Hyde Paradiso
A Surfers staple, Hyde Paradiso is the perfect spot for Sunday sessions and long lunches that lead into dinner with live DJs setting the mood. If you’re after a European summer escape but can’t afford the airfare, then this is the place for you—the hanging garden draws your eye up and then out to the stunning and uninterrupted beach vista. Food-wise, there's a fresh, seasonal, share-style menu with dishes reflecting the bold flavours of Greek, Turkish, Italian and Moroccan cuisines. Our tip? Order the BBQ baby octopus and the Australian lamb rack and go nuts.
Edgewater Dining
One of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise, Edgewater Dining is one venue that’s successfully embraced the beauty of Gold Coast’s spider web of canals. Situated on Isle of Capri, Edgewater’s sprawling deck opens out to a swoon-worthy view of million dollar mansions and an up close and personal look at the iconic Q1 and glittering Surfers Paradise skyline. With talented restaurateurs at the helm and open for breakfast, long boozy lunches and dinner, seven days, a visit here is a sure bet you and your posse will be satisfied beyond belief. Munch on oysters, lemon pepper calamari,specialty burgers, risotto or perhaps a juicy lamb rump.
White Rhino
White Rhino, the Coast’s $4 million, two-story restaurant and bar venue located in the Circle on Cavill precinct in Surfers Paradise is ideal for those long, boozy dinners and drinks with friends.The interior oozes cool withan elaborate waterfall bar, five-metre-high ceilings and lush greenery. Oh, and there’s also a totally Insta-worthy open-air outdoor garden that’s just perfect for summer drinks in the glorious Gold Coastsunshine.The modern Australian menu features everything fromdrool-worthy burgers to fresh seafood pastas and salads. White Rhino also has a large cocktail and wine list on offer that will have you ordering an Uber home.
Seascape Bar & Restaurant
Got a weakness for seafood? Beeline to the esplanade where you’ll find Seascape Restaurant & Bar. Sprawling over three levels, including a sunny rooftop bar, nabbing a prime positionwith uninterrupted Pacific Ocean vistas won’t be too difficult. Go semi-casual with the bistro on level one or frock up for a fine dining experience in the restaurant on level two. Here you’ll feast on fresh Pacific lobster, Moreton Bay bugs in a Malaysian red curry glaze, Tasmanian Atlantic salmon in a coconut broth, or an impressive selection of fresh local fish cooked to your liking.
Chop Chop
Chop Chopis a sprawling hawker-style market that feature a bunch of permanent Asian restaurants andstreet food stalls, plus an epic bar pumping out cracking cocktails. In case your mouth isn’t already watering, be prepared for cuisine representations from Korea, Thailand, Japan, China and India, plus more, and flavour-packed eats like steaming bowls of ramen, mouth-watering dumplings,butter buns, crispy pork with noodles, honey chicken,Thai sushi with BBQ beef and game-changing bao buns.With lots of dark wood, hanging paper lanterns, oriental styling, steaming woks, flaming barbecues, wafting aromas and chatter from diners, it’s sure to be sensory overload and, even better, cheap! If you need a guide to help you order, check out our round up.
House Of Brews
If a wide craft beer selection is high on your priority list when choosing a restaurant, House of Brews on Orchid Avenue has your name all over it. Beer lovers will be in hoppy heaven with a ridic wall of 32 taps—the biggest draft selection on the Coast. Hungry? While of House of Brews specialises in, well, brews, their extensive beer menu can be paired with classic American BBQ dishes such as sticky BBQ wings and ribs, burgers, steaks and loaded parmys—knock back a coldie while people-watching the frivolities of the nightly Surfers’ circus.
La Diosa Mexicana
Located in Circle on Cavill, La Diosa is further proof Surfers Paradise is becoming a true foodie hub. Combining the traditional flavours of Mexico with his Lebanese heritage, expect a different take on traditional Mexican cuisine. Passionate about fresh and healthy food, all of the ingredients are sourced locally and made from scratch onsite, think salmon ceviche tostadas,Corona battered salmon tacos,Al Pastor pork burritoschipotle andagave chicken wings. Another plus? Their epic cocktail menu.Choose from almost a dozen margaritas, ranging from traditional lime juice through to chilli chocolate made with tequila, chocolate liqueur, cream, chili, orange juice, lime juice, and chocolate bitters. And if that wasn’t enough variety, they also have a selection of over 30 types of tequila and mezcal.
Longboards Laidback Eatery
It’d be a crime to leave long-time favourite Longboards Laidback Eatery off our list of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise. Cheap and cheerful, with poolside seating next door to the towering Q1 Hotel, Longboards has served many a satisfied burger-loving customer with finger-licking appetizers and cheeky burgers like The Budgie Smuggler and The G-Banger. Up for a challenge? Their 1.6-kilo Phat Bastard Burger will ensure you depart from holidays with a lil extra bulge around the waistline.
Filled that hole in your stomach and ready down some cheeky bevvies?You’ll find all our favouriteSurfers Paradise bars right here. Drink up.
Image Credit: COAST Beach Bar, Citrique, Paradise Centre, The Langham,Hayley Williamson,Kaitlin Maree Photographyand Brooke Darling Photography for The Urban List