Pick Your Food Mood, We’ll Match It With A Meal At This Buzzy Dining Precinct
Sunshine Plaza is officially breaking out of the shopping centre category to make a play for one of the best food destinations on the Sunshine Coast. And we’re here to tell you, the game is strong. Line-worthy froyo, killer Korean fried chicken, table-grilled wagyu, New York-style subs, gelato made fresh each morning and a proper pint of Guinness. It’s all your fave things to chow down on in one place that dishes up something for just about anyone.
Consider yourself an Asian food fanatic? Or a self-proclaimed sanga connoisseur? We’ve made our top eats and drink picks at Sunshine Plaza, sorted by your food mood. Because let’s be honest, that’s how you go about figuring out what to eat. It’s the age-old question: “What are you in the mood for?”
Jump to:
- For The Fresh And Feel-Good Crowd
- For The Asian Food Fanatic
- For The Burger And Sando Obsessed
- For The Fried Chicken And Flame-Grilled Crew
- For The Sweet Tooth
For The Fresh And Feel-Good Crowd
Image credit: Oakberry Açai | Instagram
You’ve just spent hours wandering about Sunshine Plaza. Energy levels are depleted, mood is waning, and you just want something with pizzazz—something fresh to leave you feeling good and energised. Fishbowl is where it’s at. The Sydney-born salad spot is quick, easy and entirely delicious. It’s made-to-order salads with an Asian-inspired twist, like the five-spice beef box, miso-glazed eggplant and tofu, and a chilli chicken salad packed with kale, carrot, cucumber, spicy broc, and a spicy sesame dressing. Go nuts.
Meanwhile, if you define fresh as Mediterranean, Zeus Street Greek has the healthy goods. We’re talking Greek pitas, loukoumades, zesty chargrilled lamb, and bowls built for Spartans. The Zeus Box is our go-to with chicken, Yia Yia’s chips, Greek salad, two pitas and four dips. It’s sure to fill your tum and fuel your muscles to carry just a few more shopping bags.
Fancy a feed you can tackle one-handed? Zambrero does fresh, generously loaded burritos, bowls and tacos packed with well-seasoned fillings. Better yet, every meal purchased helps provide a meal to someone in need through its Plate 4 Plate program, so you can tuck in knowing your lunch is doing a little good, too.
And for the fruit nuts out there, you’ll do well to pick up an açai bowl or smoothie from Oakberry Açai. The new double peanut butter is just what you might need—Oakberry’s signature açai, banana, strawberries, vegan granola, and double the peanut butter.
For The Asian Food Fanatic
Image credit: Yakiniku Hibiki | Supplied
Sunshine Plaza really has it all, and if you’re in for an Asian feed, the food precinct is ready for you. Momo Chicken is dishing out excellent Korean street food with some of the best Korean fried chicken in town, huge burgers and loaded Korean snack packs.
Japanese-wise, how could you say no to a sushi train? Wara Sushi has the pros in the kitchen preparing top-notch nigiri, aburi, hand rolls, sashimi and tasty sides (hello, seaweed salad), whizzing around on colourful cloche-covered plates. All you need to do is sit back and wait for the food to choo, choo, choose you.
If dinner with a side of theatre is your thing, Yakiniku Hibiki hands over the tongs and puts you in charge of the grill. Sear slices of Australian M9 and Japanese wagyu over hot coals at your table, cooked exactly how you like them. Short on time? The donburi bowls are a strong lunch move; order the yuzu kosho prawn or teppan beef. Otherwise, dig into the salmon sushi and sashimi bento. Round up your crew and book ahead.
For The Burger And Sando Obsessed
Image credit: Joe's Deli | Supplied
Queensland’s burger and sando scene is having a serious moment, and Sunshine Plaza is one of the perfect places to see—and taste—it in full swing. And you know Betty’s Burgers has made its mark here. A Sunshine Coast-born spot at one of Sunshine Coast’s best foodie spots—it just makes sense. The full all-day menu is on offer, from their made-to-order beef, chicken and vego burgers; fresh super bowls; and all the delicious snacky bits like the crispy chicken strips, calamari bucket, and onion rings.
Lucky for you, burger folk, you’ve also got Australia’s famed Grill’d on the cards. It’s all in the name of health with low-gi, high-fibre bun options, their signature healthy fried chicken range and the impressive amount of vego and vegan-friendly burgs to get in your gob. Pair your burger with the chicken bites and a T2 strawberry peach iced tea, and you’ve got yourself a superb lunch.
For the sando-obsessed, you’re going to type Joe’s Deli into the directory. Huge, loaded New York-style subs served out of a very chic spot with strong retro diner energy. The Joe’s Deli name is growing into a dynasty at this point and for good reason—the sangas are next-level. Bonus points for newness because this spot only just swung open its doors a few months ago.
For The Fried Chicken And Flame-Grilled Crew
Image credit: TGI Fridays | Facebook
Sometimes, fried chicken is the name of the game. And if that happens to be the case, one fateful afternoon at Sunshine Plaza, you need not think beyond Nando’s—the official home of Peri-Peri chicken. It’s simple: a quarter chicken, half or the full bird. Have it as a meal, mixed in a salad, loaded in a burger, tucked into a wrap, or smothered in peri chicken gravy. However you like it, it’s winner, winner, chicken dinner (or lunch).
If you need a spot that does a bit of everything, plus some sublime chicken, TGI Fridays is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. In the chicken department, their Southern-style wings, aptly named ‘Cripsy AF’, hit the spot every time. For the spicy and flame-grilled lovers, round up a crew and go ham on the sizzling fajita towers—flame-grilled chicken or chargrilled steak, your pick.
Meanwhile, Gilhooley’s is the Irish pub doing the most. Hearty Irish pub grub, smooth pints of Guinness and one of the best flame-licked steaks you’ll have on the Sunny Coast—200g of tender eye fillet, 300g of rich-in-flavour rump cut or 300 glorious grams of delectable sirloin. You can thank us later. Or better yet, thank Sunshine Plaza for hosting such a stellar pub and hitting the nail on the head for variety.
For The Sweet Tooth
Image credit: Yo-Chi | Facebook
At Urban List, we strongly believe dessert is a vital part of one’s day. Considering Sunshine Plaza is practically a food haven at this point, you can meet your daily dessert needs without leaving the centre. For the froyo fans, no one does it quite like Yo-Chi. Grab your cup and pick your flavour from the rotating combos before gracing their signature buffet-style toppings bar. If you haven’t tried the limited-edition cookie fries yet, don’t be shy.
As the neon sign in the store suggests, do yourself a favour and cop a scoop from Gelatissimo. The stellar gelato spot keeps the flavours fresh, seasonal and tasty. Feast your eyes on the 20+ options ranging from classic choc and vanilla scoops to far-from-traditional flavours like lime cheesecake, Tokyo Lamington-spiked ice-cream, and deluxe Gianduia cremino. Pro tip: sign up for their Club Gelato program and score your first scoop for just $1.
No doubt Sunshine Plaza has one of the best bubble tea joints in the country on board. Gotcha Fresh Tea blends Taiwanese ingredients with Southeast Asian and Western flavours to create their signature creamy pearl milk teas and refreshing fruit teas. Better still, the caffeine-addicted will be glad to know Gotcha Fresh Tea just dropped their new Dalgona Series—three Korean whipped coffee drinks in classic Dalgona, Dalgona matcha and a salted caramel number. All topped with frothy whipped coffee cream.
Craving your next feed? Keep planning your Sunshine Plaza food crawl over here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Sunshine Plaza and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Main image credit: Joe's Deli | Supplied