Surfing and swimming whet your appetite. While Burleigh Heads has long been known for its beaches and surfing opportunities, the Gold Coast suburb’s burgeoning food scene is now as much a draw as what happens on the water. Here’s an introduction to some of the region’s most exciting foods and drinks.
EAT
Labart restaurant
After refining his chops at Sydney’s Cirrus Dining and Monopole restaurants, Chef Alex Munoz Labart and his wife Karla Munoz Labart traded the port city for the Gold Coast. Locals – and the initiated in general – were glad they did, especially when the couple opened their eponymous fine-diner in 2018. Europe may be a recurring theme on the seasonal, seafood-dominated tasting menu – mullet roe gives blue-eyed Trevalla an oceanic accent, while calamari gets a starring role on the charcoal grill – but the combination of an Au Courant wine list and the elegant ambience in the bistro Style is a personable blueprint for Australian food around 2021.
Burleigh Baker
Bake and shake is the motto in this family-run bakery. Using slow fermentation, traditional grains and a stone hearth oven, Lisa and Geoff Dance make sourdough bread and rolls that have changed the community’s understanding of how bread can (and should) taste. In addition to delivering to other eateries – see Labart above – Burleigh Baker also runs a café that serves sandwiches, rolls and other brunch favorites that harmonize with its feel-good ethos.
Osteria Del Mare
As the name suggests, this laid-back Italian restaurant refers to its address by the sea with its range of seafood pasta – let’s say spaghetti vongole – and the inclusion of fried calamari and clam soup as the main course. Pizzas are also popular here and range from classics to vegan variations made from dairy-free mozzarella. The restaurant is open for lunch from Friday to Sunday – perfect for living out your fantasies for a short break on the Amalfi Coast. (For added realism, dive into the wine list stacked with Italian and Italian bottlings).
DRINK
Rosellas
Flooded with nostalgia and Australiana, Rosella’s is an establishment that corresponds to the zeitgeist: the drinks menu changes seamlessly from the everyday (tinnies!), While the food menu adheres to the Aussie-Aussie-Aussie theme. Say hello to jaffles, a luxurious shrimp cocktail remix, fancy hot chips and Australian cheese.
Barista district
Some come to Borough Barista for its beachfront address on the Esplanade. Others come for the coffee (hot or cold brewed); Smoothies; cold pressed juices; and other daily items. Or make longer pit stops to refuel burgers; Toast (the avocado toast is peppered with turmeric); Cake; and bowls filled with the goodies. Early risers surfers and swimmers gather at dawn (the café opens at 5:30 a.m.) for their espresso to wake up to before a morning in the waves.
Burleigh Brewing Co
That passionate interest in microbreweries on the Gold Coast? It’s all the fault of Burleigh Brewing Co. Burleigh Brewing was founded in 2006 by Peta and Brennan Fielding and caused a stir with its European lager and evolved – and won international brewing awards – from there. Today, the brewery’s mighty tavern welcomes fans every weekend to try fresh beer alongside beer-related dishes such as pizza, burgers and falafel.
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