J’s Brunchette in full bloom
J’s Brunchette opened in May 2024, a welcome addition to the Mermaid Beach dining scene. It brings us something very different: a garden café just a five-minute walk from the beach with the resident pastry chef being one of the owners. Owners Jasmine Chen, Chef Ming Yiu and business partner Lyn met through mutual friends, […]
The inventive Freghete
‘Eat it. Feel it. Love it.’ When it comes to passion, nowhere is it more evident than at Freghete. Freghete exists because of passion, following a couple’s desire to make great food, proudly building on the traditions of their various countries and sharing that love with others. “I’ve always been interested in food and wanted […]
Margarita on at Nude Amigos
If the thought of downing a margarita of two with the girls appeals, then listen right up. The site that once housed Cardamom Pod has been reborn as Mexican restaurant, Nude Amigos. From the folk at Kin, Burleigh, comes a clean, bright venue bathed in light but discreet enough to house a lunchtime tipple with […]
The Winey Cow moves north
When ‘Cafe of the Year’ award-winning Mornington restaurateurs set up shop on the Gold Coast, we’re really curious about what they will bring to our dining scene. And in the case of The Winey Cow, it’s a lot. For owners Cam Henderson and his wife Jill, their wine bar, founded in 2014, seemed an obvious […]
A Bit of Side Piece
Owner operators of the newly opened Side Piece Coffee in Varsity, Miles Gaebel, Dylan Jamsa and Lee King, had long histories in hospitality before joining their skills to open their own cafe overlooking Varsity. When we popped in for a visit in their first week, the trio was so full of enthusiasm for their new […]
Lunch at The Flying Horse Cafe
We love seeing great people succeed in business. Especially those whose focus is clearly on great food and service. We often ‘follow that chef’ from place to place, knowing that when we do eat out, it’s going to be a top experience. Fin Tully is one of those chefs. A New Zealander by birth, Fin […]
Tapas from a Rose
There are times when tapas and a share platter fulfil our dining needs more than a one-plate meal. Perhaps we have time to spare and feel like a glass of wine and a nibble, or a cocktail and bite to eat before a show. Maybe even a quick catch up without full commitment to a […]
Lunch with the Pickers
There’s a part of me that always returns to country. It’s the yawning openness, the homeliness of imperfection, and the people who populate these spaces that make all the difference. So, when I find one of those places, I immediately feel at home. I breathe out, relax and look around me in wonder. That’s exactly […]