Southport is best known for its dazzling Broadwater, but, in recent years, it’s also transformed into a fierce contender on the Gold Coast dining scene. A mecca that weaves multicultural influences with fine eats, the best Southport restaurants are just a tram trip away.
From rooftops to hideaways, fine dining to new favourites, Korean to Japanese, Southport shines. And that’s just the beginning. Here are Urban List's picks of the 16 best Southport restaurants to tuck into on your next visit to the northern Gold Coast.
ATTO Korean Cuisine
55 Brooke Avenue, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: ATTO | Instagram
You’re ready for a Friday night feed, and you want fancy. Something lighter than Italian but heartier than Japanese. Enter ATTO Korean Cuisine, Korean fine dining that blends traditional dishes with the occasional modern twist.
Don’t be surprised by the highly ’grammable plating at this Southport eatery, either. It’s owner Yongsul Lee’s gift to the Gold Coast—after stints at multiple prestigious restaurants, including Etsu Izakaya, he’s dishing up a taste of Korean culture in style.
There are really no wrong choices here, but, if you’re dining with a friend, try sharing the Black Angus galbi and the kingfish sashimi (served in a bath of gojuchang and green shallot oil). They’re both beautifully simple dishes that wow on flavour and leave plenty of room for dessert—which matters, because the pillowy mango bisu is genuinely unmissable.
Ramen Danbo
73 Meron Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Ramen Danbo | Instagram
Transport your senses to the alleyways of Shinjuku at this much-loved Southport ramen joint. Ramen Danbo is a long-time local favourite for its silky noodles, authentic broths, and generous servings of personalisable dishes. Choose everything from your noodle firmness, richness, spice, and salt levels. Whether you opt for a classic ramen with tonkotsu pork broth, the negi-goma with its toasted sesame, or any of the six specialties, make sure to take a seat at the bar to watch the kitchen magic unfold.
Ramen Danbo is the Japanese restaurant Southport plant-based eaters can get among too—think miso- and konbu-based vegetarian or vegan ramen topped with atsuage tofu and spring onions. In our opinion, this genuine Japanese restaurant in Southport is a front-runner on the Gold Coast.
Mr P.P.’s Deli & Rooftop
43 Nerang Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Mr P.P's | Isabel Croker
Tucked inside one of the Gold Coast’s few historical buildings, Mr P.P.’s namesake was a Postmaster General whose family called the space home for a century. Today, this moody haunt is arguably the best Southport restaurant for rooftop sips, generously loaded pizza, and top-shelf tipples.
Drop in for a sundowner affair above Southport’s hustle-bustle on the rooftop or hide away in the adjoining vintage Percy’s Bar. We recommend the succulent Australian olives with preserved lemon, thyme and garlic and the sopressa salami pizza with a ricotta base, roasted peppers, basil, and chilli-infused honey. To be fair, though, there are no wrong choices at Mr P.P’s.
Cafe Catalina
11 Gold Coast Highway, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Cafe Catalina | Supplied
A visit to Southport couldn’t possibly be complete without a wander down the Broadwater. With its unrivalled coastal views, a vibrant outdoor bar, and menus spanning breakfast, lunch and dinner, the freshly revitalised Cafe Catalina is ideal for a quick pit stop or a lingering meal.
A mouthwatering experience is on the dinner cards with the crowd favourite: perfectly grilled rib-eye steak crowned with sautéed mushrooms and nestled on a bed of potato slices. While you're indulging, sample the tiramisu crème brûlée with mascarpone, ice cream, and sponge crumble to finish off your dining experience. Swing by from Friday to Sunday for sunset sessions to the soundtrack of live sax, vinyl, or down-tempo DJ tracks.
JFX Noodle & Tapas Bar
82 Marine Parade, Southport QLD 4215
Pull up a seat at this hot spot and you’ll see exactly why JFX Noodle & Tapas Bar is a local favourite. From steaming hot pots and hot plate-ready wagyu to crispy katsu and some of the most authentic ramen on the Gold Coast, this open-air eatery slings up some of our favourite Japanese dishes in Southport.
If you’re lucky enough to visit before the chilli coriander ramen sells out, count your lucky stars and chow down. Other very worthwhile options include the pork katsu don and the mountainous special ramen. Sharpen up your chopstick skills and come with an empty stomach because JFX’s menu is brimming with delish dishes that never disappoint.
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Gal.B Korean BBQ Restaurant
21 Nind Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Gal.B Korean BBQ | Instagram
Forget that long train trip to Sunnybank you had planned. If you’re on the hunt for a centrally located, top-notch Korean barbecue, Southport has you sorted with a plethora of hot spots (no pun intended), and Gal.B Korean BBQ is one of the best.
Conveniently nestled along Nind Street, Gal.B has garnered a reputation for fresh feasts and traditional dishes. Taste your way around favourites such as raw wagyu bibimbap, octopus beef bulgogi, and a selection of BBQ sets to sizzle and flip solo
GOTO Japanese Restaurant
9 Lawson Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: GOTO Japanese | Instagram
Don’t let the shopping centre locale fool you. GOTO Japanese is well worth the pretty pennies you’ll happily hand over for authentic dishes tirelessly created by their team of skilled chefs.
Considered one of the best Japanese restaurants Southport has ever welcomed, some go as far as to say GOTO plates up Australia’s finest Nagasaki cuisine. Melt-in-your-mouth sashimi pairs perfectly with the miso toothfish sugatayaki wrapped in aromatic cedar wood. If you’re a Japanese foodie, keep your taste buds open for hints of Chinese influence—they’re a part of the traditional Goto (Five Islands) dining culture that GOTO nails so perfectly.
Amore Ristorante
59 Meron Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Amore Ristorante | Instagram
It shouldn’t surprise you that an Italian fine dining joint with a name that means ‘Love Restaurant’ is nice. Very nice, in fact. Amore Ristorante is a fresh face in the Southport dining scene, opening its doors in December 2024 as part of the TRYP by Wyndham hotel. And it lives up to its promise, combining a highbrow hotel aesthetic with authentic flavours and the biggest pizza oven we’ve ever seen.
Headed up by Executive Chef Robert McWhinnie, the menu blends familiar favourites like lasagna with the more creative—dishes like buttermilk-roasted chicken with green chilli and pizza rosso lathered in mozzarella, ham, and chilli honey. Add in a dessert list that features tiramisu and Bombe Alaska, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Come for the ambience. Stay for the food. Bring some friends back for round two.
Jafa
253 Ferry Road, Southport QLD 4215
The same unassuming strip mall that houses local favourite Blendlove also hosts Jafa, a frills-free trattoria that’s all about moreish pasta and pizza. Don’t come here expecting white tableclothes and double-digit entrees. This is laidback Southport hospitality at its best—just rock up, slurp down your pasta, and enjoy the lamplit vibes.
But that doesn’t mean Jafa drops the ball on taste. Start with antipasti that range from Byron Bay burrata to truffle arancini, then go for Italian classics like the flavour-loaded pesto and creamy mushroom alfredo. Feeling like a cheeky bit of gluten? Go on, indulge—that pulled lamb and jalapeño pizza might just be calling your name.
Fratello Italian
79 Central Street, Labrador QLD 4215
It’s open season on modern Italian here in Southport. If you’ve already crossed Jafa off your hitlist, Fratello is the hugely popular Labrador eatery that’s light on pretension and big on flavour. Newly relocated to the corner of Turpin Road and Central Street, this casual restaurant is all about exposed brickwork, pendant lights, and chilled conversations.
Flip over a menu and you’ll have to make one of life’s more difficult choices: fresh, handmade pasta or 48-hour-fermented pizza? Our recommendation: burrata, olive oil, and fresh bread, followed by the oxtail ragu (slow-cooked for seven hours), finished off with a Baileys-over-gelato cocktail from the bar (yes, it’s as good as it sounds).
Itaewon Korean Restaurant
27 Garden Street, Southport QLD 4215
Okay, we’re officially sold: Southport is the place to go if you want authentic Asian cuisine. ATTO and Gal.B are in good company with Itaewon Korean Restaurant (named after one of Seoul’s trendiest suburbs). Located at the base of Southport Central’s looming towers, this is no-holds-barred authentic Korean, right down to the grill-served meals.
Be warned: when we say ‘authentic’, we aren’t kidding – the spices here are not for the weak of tongue. If you’re feeling bold, tackle the eye-watering volcano pork bowl (maybe with the help of a friend). No? Try classics like the bulgogi bibimbap or soy garlic fried chicken instead. Oh, and if you don’t have time to do a sit-down meal, Itaewon has a takeaway outlet in Australia Fair. You’re welcome.
Aviary Rooftop Bar
5 Melia Court, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Aviary Rooftop Bar | Instagram
It’s the top-level dining experience Southport begged for, and Aviary Rooftop Bar truly delivers. Because, hey, who needs beachside views when you have the Gold Coast hinterland bathed in the setting sun?
Perched atop Mantra at Sharks, Aviary offers a wide selection of specialty cocktails, including the decadent Lamington (wildflower vodka, Chambord, whiskey, coconut syrup topped with steamed Milo). Honestly, the creative twists featured on the cocktail menu are reason enough to visit. Add small plates that include mezcal-marinated pork belly bites, antipasto platters, and next-level pizzas that range from classic Italian to spicy Korean, and you’ve got yourself one of Southport’s best restaurants.
Izakaya Ichi
42 Nerang Street, Southport QLD 4215
Did we mention that some of the best Japanese restaurants call Southport home? Izakaya Ichi is no exception, featuring competitively priced bites, bowls and beautiful rows of pillowy gyoza. Grab a leather-padded seat, soak up the modern izakaya ambience, and start ordering.
This lesser-known restaurant is conveniently located right by Southport’s tram stop, which comes in handy when you leave with a Wagyu beef don food baby in tow. Oh, and you might just be sucked into taking away an ice snowflake with red bean and green tea ice cream. You’ve been warned.
Quan 55 Restaurant & Bar
55 Brooke Avenue, Southport QLD 4215
Think traditional Vietnamese flavours plus contemporary family recipes—the kind of restaurant that uses a phở pot handed down through the owner’s family over more than 20 years. Vietnamese for ‘bar’, Quann 55 delivers tall cocktails and specialty sugar cane juice sourced from Jacobs Well (freshly pressed daily).
Choose from a selection of snacks like rice paper rolls packed with pork, carrot, and glass noodles, medium plates like the tamarind and soft-shell crab bao, or mains like the infamous pho beef noodle soup served with mouthwatering beef brisket, slices of rare eye fillet beef, and a generous handful of bean sprouts. This broth might possibly change your life.
Muso Ramen And Gyoza Bar
Shop1/58 Brooke Ave, Southport QLD 4215
Muso Ramen had us at ‘no ramen, no life.’ First noodling their way into the hearts of Mermaid Beach locals, you'll also find this quaint, family-friendly eating house at its North Coast location in Chirn Park.
We can’t go past the black miso with a rich pork broth, topped with succulent Kurobuta belly, bamboo, egg, tangy shallots and ma-yu garlic oil. Squeeze in an extra serving of life-changing pork fried rice while you’re at it, all finished with pillowy beef gyoza. With thick and thin noodles made fresh in-store each day, you just can’t beat it.
Cycho’s Buffalo Wings
6 Young Street, Southport QLD 4215
From time to time, we’re all in the mood for a little wing-a-ding-ding. Cycho’s Buffalo Wings is Southport’s answer to all our wing-loving dreams. Conveniently located on Young Street with two hours of free parking at Australia Fair, Cycho’s vibrant wall mural sets the vibe as you step inside.
Expect a menu loaded with crispy-yet-juicy wings doused in sauces of your choosing. Why not opt for the $25 all-you-can-eat wings to tuck into for one blissful hour? With burgers, sliders, loaded fries and vegetarian options (all featuring wings, of course), Cycho’s is, by popular acclaim, the best wings restaurant on the Gold Coast.
Looking for more restaurant inspiration? Check out:
- The Gold Coast's Best Korean BBQ Joints
- Coolangatta's Best Restaurants
- Tamborine Mountain's Best Restaurants
Main image credit: Amore Ristorante | Jade Quinlivan Photography
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