Looking to broaden your culinary horizons this year? Then chew your way through our carefully curated best Gold Coast restaurants of 2024 list.
From Broadbeach to Burleigh, the Gold Coast is awash with glimmering gastronomic delights. In this post, we’re covering nine of the finest dining experiences the city has to offer.
Jimmy Wah’s – Burleigh
Discover Jimmy Wah’s in Burleigh Heads, where vibrant, modern Vietnamese cuisine meets the laid-back charm of the Gold Coast. Dive into standout dishes like the Caramelised Pork Belly and Tempura Soft-shell Crab Banh Mi.
Opt for the banquet to experience a diverse selection of the restaurant’s favourites, perfectly paired with a meticulously curated wine list. A must-visit for an authentic, flavour-packed dining experience that beautifully marries traditional Vietnamese tastes with local flair!
Gemelli Italian – Broadbeach
A Broadbeach institution, Gemelli plates up tasty Italian-style classics in a buzzy, rustic chic locale. Fresh, hand-made pasta comes smothered in flavoursome traditional sauces, while the wood-fired pizzas are as authentic as you get.
Wondering what to order? Try the pumpkin gnocchi or the rigatoni ragu. Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine gave their vino list the coveted “One Glass” rating—expect heavenly sips.
The North Room – Mermaid Beach
North Room serves a sensational seasonal set menu in a sophisticated yet intimate setting. Space is super limited in this teeny-weeny venue, so book well in advance and whittle down your dining party to six guests or less. A quarter of the 20 available seats straddle a communal marble bar—get ready to wax lyrical with fellow foodies.
The well-established gourmet restaurant has earned a stellar reputation for its world-class cuisine. Seasonal, locally sourced produce comprises the contemporary menu. If it’s available, spring for the pork jowl with rhubarb and choko.
Rubi Red Kitchen & Bar – Nobby Beach
Authentic, modest, and utterly delicious, Rubi Red wows punters with its mouthwatering Pan Asian fare. Shareable dishes span steamed, vegetable-stuffed dumplings to grass-fed beef rendang with coconut curry and soft shell crab with spicy Kewpie mayo.
Vibrant, oriental artwork adorns the walls, and there’s a classy rooftop lounge for sunset cocktails. Order the “Feed Me Please” banquet to stuff your face in style.
Siblings@Kirra – Kirra Beach
Overlooking Kirra Beach, Siblings is a new hotspot serving enormous portions of well-balanced meat and seafood dishes. From pork belly to prawn risotto and chimichurri steak tacos, the joint plates up an eclectic array of tasty international favourites.
Grab a seat by the oceanfront boardwalk to dine like royalty as you soak up the view.
Rick Shores – Burleigh
Hospitality heavyweight Rick Shores serves lip-smacking cuisine from their flagship Burleigh Beach restaurant. Contemporary Asian fusion offerings dominate the menu, with dishes like king prawn yellow curry and soft shell crab. And don’t even think of skimping on their signature creation: the Insta-worthy Moreton Bay Bug Roll.
Executive Chef Robbie Oijvall spearheads the kitchen team, preparing a mouth-watering modern Asian menu with influences from all corners of the continent. From bite-sized eats like dumplings and bao buns to big spicy curries and hearty wok-fried rice, there’s something here for everyone.
The Tropic Restaurant
Located alongside Rick Shores (by the Burleigh Pavilion), The Tropic is a sleek a la carte restaurant serving up superb cuisine with an epic ocean view. The tropical-themed interior is the epitome of cool—think tall plantation-style ceilings, a creamy-white and green colour scheme, and strings of photo-friendly fairy lights to frame the horizon.
As for the nosh, twice chef-hatted Guillaume Zika prepares a thoughtful farm-to-table Mediterranean and Mod-Oz cuisine menu. Did we mention there’s a bottomless brunch on the last Saturday of the month?
Restaurant Labart
Any list paying homage to the best culinary delights of the Gold Coast would be incomplete without acknowledging the sublime award-winning fine dining experience on offer at Burleigh’s Restaurant Labart. Showcasing the very best local produce, Labart is truly working-class modern Australian with an unmistakable European influence.
The first venture from acclaimed Sydney chef Alex Munoz Labart, three key philosophical pillars underpin every decision: sustainability, seasonality and simplicity. “Our sole purpose is to make people happy”, says Alex, “We want to do away with the idea that delicious food needs to be served with stuffiness and formality”.
Book a Gold Coast Culinary Tour with Kiff & Culture
Our widely popular Eat & Drink the Gold Coast tour takes you to its top culinary haunts, including a few of these awesome eateries. With door-to-door transfers and multiple stops at the best Gold Coast restaurants, breweries, and distilleries, a fun-filled afternoon is all but guaranteed.
Image Credit: Gemelli Italian via Instagram, The North Room via Instagram, Rubi Red Kitchen & Bar via Instagram, Siblings @ Kirra via Instagram, Social Eating House & Bar via Instagram, Light Years Asian Diner via Instagram, The Tropic via Instagram & Restaurant Labart via Instagramgnocchi
To enhance the exquisite cuisine, you’ll enjoy sweeping ocean views at this buzzy waterfront haunt. Pro tip: rock up at sunset to sip a frothy brew (or vino) as you watch the sky transform into psychedelic shades.
Social Eating House + Bar
A Broadbeach institution, this cosy two chef-hatted restaurant serves superb fare in an intimate, unpretentious locale. Unlike other Oracle Boulevard eateries, the scene at Social Eating House is decidedly low-key—it’s a place for mates to savour good food over an hour or two.
Nibble away on share plates like oysters and charcuterie, or opt for the signature dish: the succulent one-kilo saltbush lamb shoulder. If you’ve still got room for dessert, the cheesecake panna cotta with stewed rhubarb and yoghurt sponge is divine. Otherwise, give their ever-popular espresso martinis a try.
Light Years – Burleigh Heads
Byron Bay hotspot Light Years has set up shop in the Goldie, and its Burleigh Beach restaurant is all about fine food and fun-filled vibes. Chatty wait staff, cruisy tunes, colourful cocktails, and funky oriental-inspired décor ensure a memorable experience from the moment you pull up a chair.
Executive Chef Robbie Oijvall spearheads the kitchen team, preparing a mouth-watering modern Asian menu with influences from all corners of the continent. From bite-sized eats like dumplings and bao buns to big spicy curries and hearty wok-fried rice, there’s something here for everyone.
The Tropic Restaurant
Located alongside Rick Shores (by the Burleigh Pavilion), The Tropic is a sleek a la carte restaurant serving up superb cuisine with an epic ocean view. The tropical-themed interior is the epitome of cool—think tall plantation-style ceilings, a creamy-white and green colour scheme, and strings of photo-friendly fairy lights to frame the horizon.
As for the nosh, twice chef-hatted Guillaume Zika prepares a thoughtful farm-to-table Mediterranean and Mod-Oz cuisine menu. Did we mention there’s a bottomless brunch on the last Saturday of the month?
Restaurant Labart
Any list paying homage to the best culinary delights of the Gold Coast would be incomplete without acknowledging the sublime award-winning fine dining experience on offer at Burleigh’s Restaurant Labart. Showcasing the very best local produce, Labart is truly working-class modern Australian with an unmistakable European influence.
The first venture from acclaimed Sydney chef Alex Munoz Labart, three key philosophical pillars underpin every decision: sustainability, seasonality and simplicity. “Our sole purpose is to make people happy”, says Alex, “We want to do away with the idea that delicious food needs to be served with stuffiness and formality”.
Book a Gold Coast Culinary Tour with Kiff & Culture
Our widely popular Eat & Drink the Gold Coast tour takes you to its top culinary haunts, including a few of these awesome eateries. With door-to-door transfers and multiple stops at the best Gold Coast restaurants, breweries, and distilleries, a fun-filled afternoon is all but guaranteed.
Image Credit: Gemelli Italian via Instagram, The North Room via Instagram, Rubi Red Kitchen & Bar via Instagram, Siblings @ Kirra via Instagram, Social Eating House & Bar via Instagram, Light Years Asian Diner via Instagram, The Tropic via Instagram & Restaurant Labart via Instagramgnocchi
