If you’re yet to explore Mermaid Beach’s restaurant scene, consider your next beachside hang turned up several notches. Snuggled between Broadbeach’s glitz and Nobby’s beach town vibe, Mermaid Beach has our heart for many reasons.
Not just for the long beach days and prime sunset viewing but also for Mermaid Beach’s mix of incredible restaurants, bars and fine dining eateries. Here’s our Urban List round up of the best restaurants in Mermaid Beach to taste your way around in 2024.
Tayta Bar & Restaurant
2243 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Adorned in bold decor, Tayta Bar & Restaurant has to be one of Mermaid Beach’s most intriguing restaurants. Tayta Bar & Restaurant brings Nikkei cuisine to the Gold Coast for the first time—an intriguing combination of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine which originated in the late 1800s and stars traditional Peruvian dishes elevated with Japanese techniques.
Expect creative dishes like salmon with tangy passion fruit and mint oil and be sure to order the signature pisco sour. Saturday’s bottomless brunch is an absolute winner.
Bonita Bonita
2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Arguably one of the best Mexican restaurants on the Gold Coast, Bonita Bonita can do no wrong. Traditional Mexican dishes feature a modern twist, like the pulled chipotle beef empanadas with shaved manchego and habanero crema.
We also love the agave and tequila pork belly taco and the coliflor taco, with fresh guacamole, rocket, cilantro crema, pickled onion and queso fresca. Gluten free and vegan dishes and banquets are both available upon request.
Mr.
28 Chairlift Avenue, Mermaid Beach
Image Credit: Mr. | Instagram
It’s the vibrant modern Australian dining locale Mermaid Beach loves to love. Dishes range from freshly shucked oysters to pork and shiitake dumplings, and even slow-cooked beef tacos with apple fennel slaw and roasted pumpkin tortellini.
Mr. is the perfect Mermaid Beach restaurant for groups of all kinds and the eye-catching cherry blossom wall is a prime spot for group photos. Did we mention their bottomless lunch with two hours of free-flowing tipple?
Piatto
2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Got a hunger that only Italian cuisine using local produce set in an intimate neighbourhood joint can satisfy? We know just the place. Piatto’s neat 16-seat Mermaid Beach restaurant houses an ever-changing menu.
To set the scene for your dimly-lit European dream, dishes range from baked lasagne rotolo through to roasted scallops drizzled with saffron butter and topped with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Spoiler alert—the concise yet creative menu consistently delivers the goods.
Cantina
2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Neighbouring Piatto and owned by the same family, Cantina’s open kitchen and humble menu offers a refreshing addition to the Mermaid Beach restaurant lineup. It's welcoming, it's unpretentious and it's damn good.
This intimate tapas and Spanish tipple haunt is accessible for walk-ins only, from Tuesday through to Saturday from 5pm. Expect a setting reminiscent of ‘cheers’ in all the right ways.
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Little Truffle Dining Room & Bar
2444 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Image Credit: Little Truffle | Supplied
This Mermaid Beach establishment consistently delivers first-class ambience, service and cuisine. With its sophisticated refurbishment, Little Truffle delivers culinary journeys that range from à la carte selections like seared duck breast with butternut pumpkin purée, and Moreton Bay bug and prawn stuffed tortellini.
Through to four-course tasting menus for $80 per person, featuring zucchini flowers with scallop mousseline, and the quail ballotine with truffle and chicken farce paired with five spice confit. Hot tip, stay for dessert.
The Glenelg Public House
2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
This iconic Mermaid Beach restaurant on the main drag has garnered a strong reputation for good reason. With its nod to traditional gastro pubs, The Glenelg Public House’s moody interiors feel as decadent as their meals themselves.
Choose from delights like crispy southern fried chicken wings with blue cheese, fresh apple and celery, to rich truffle cream gnocchi with mushrooms and pecorino. Or, taste your way around the entire steak menu which includes everything from Tasmanian skirt to Queensland rib fillet. BYO appetite.
Mexicali
2223 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Image Credit: Mexicali | Instagram
It’s giving rooftop Mexican fiestas for days. Sip seriously note-worthy margaritas on Mexicali’s sun-drenched balcony to your heart’s content, and you’ll see why this is one of the Gold Coast’s best Mexican restaurants.
Open until late seven nights a week, choose from street-style entradas, share plates and tacos with a wide range of dietary requirement alternatives. We’ll ariba to that.
Goccia Italian Pizzeria
2375 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
If one restaurant were to sum up Mermaid Beach, it could just be Goccia. What with its clean, coastal-meets-modern interiors, fresh dishes bursting with flavour and options for summery alfresco dining.
With traditional dishes and affordable share plates, don’t go past the classic Rita pizza with its fresh tomato base, mozzarella, oregano and fresh basil. Close your eyes and you’re basically lounging ocean-side in Portofino.
Etsu Izakaya
2440 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Image Credit: Etsu Izakaya | Hayley Williamson Photography
Etsu is everything our Japanese-loving dreams are made of and is, hands down, the best Japanese in Mermaid Beach, if not the Gold Coast. Taste your way around the raw bar with its chef-selected sashimi Santen Mori and freshly shucked natural oysters with ponzu and Ikura.
Or make your selection from the robata grill—will it be the Ruby Creek wild mushrooms with seaweed vinaigrette and chives? Or perhaps the grilled beef tenderloin? Every dish is a guaranteed banger.
D’La Rosa
2375 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
This beautiful Mermaid Beach joint has filled the tapas-shaped hole in our stomach and we couldn’t be happier about it. The vibrant Spanish tapas fusion bar is slinging up Mediterranean and Spanish-style tapas perfect for sharing, creative cocktails and laid back vibes.
In terms of must-orders, you can’t go wrong with the Garlic Gambas with garlic-infused prawns, the honey-glazed eggplant and the zesty kingfish ceviche. Be sure to order a jug of the sangria, if you’re sharing.
The North Room
2527 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Image Credit: The North Room | Brooke Darling Photography
On the hunt for a locale to host your next celebration, solo dinner treat or date lunch bonanza? The North Room is our pick for the best Mermaid Beach restaurant for fine dining. Their tasting menu is ever-changing and seasonal.
To give you a taster, their refined dishes may include specialities like spanner crab with bone marrow crumpet, cultured cream and salted egg yolk—and the option to add matching wines. While it’ll set you back a pretty penny, this experience is truly one of a kind.
Poke Poke
2375 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Think: a windswept Hawaiian island marooned in Mermaid Beach. This bowl-loving hideaway is giving tropical hut without the airfare. Poke Poke is dietary-friendly for a range of dietary requirements and offer a range of loaded-to-the-max bowls.
We can’t go past the Tuna Me On with melt in your mouth sashimi grade tuna, soy, sesame, creamy avocado and crispy shallots and for vegetarians, the crispy Cauliflower Power with panko-crumbed cauliflower, coriander, mixed leaves and rice is a winner. Pair with a fresh juice or cocktail for serious island vibes.
Zephyr Kitchen & Bar
2215 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Image Credit: Zephyr | Instagram
Meaning ‘a soft gentle breeze’, Zephyr effortlessly sets the scene for Mediterranean-inspired tapas and next-level cocktails. This laidback yet sophisticated joint recently scored a slick revamp and delivers on the creamy pasta, succulent steak and arancini front. Actually, on all the fronts.
Keep an eye out for regular dining deals like $20 steak night, all-you-can-eat pizza and buy two tapas plates to receive two glasses of wine for $10.
Easy Street Diner
12/2563 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Americana comfort food eat your heart out. Easy Street Diner is easily the best Mermaid Beach restaurant for pork belly loaded fries, southern fried chicken burgers dripping with Cajun mayo, and their infamous chicken and Belgian waffles.
We recommend the double smoked bacon upgrade. Legend has it, no one’s ever regretted the delicious decision.
Muso Ramen
2484 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
If you’re craving authentic ramen in the heart of Mermaid Beach, look no further. This unassuming rock music poster-lined eatery pours the soul of Japan right into your bowl.
From the original tonkotsu with pork, egg and bamboo shoots through to the broth less spicy mazesoba mix. Muso’s rich ramen is best paired with pillowy gyoza and cold Asahi on tap. Not to be missed.
Bistro Lamp
2375 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Quaint by nature, Bistro Lamp is a charming Japanese fusion locale nestled in the heart of Mermaid Beach. Dishes range from street food like crispy agedashi tofu, to farm-style dishes like lamb cutlets with matcha and yuzu yoghurt.
Dive into larger seafood plates like the grilled miso salmon or even the creamy Japanese mushroom truffle pasta with soy butter sauce.
Looking for more Gold Coast restaurants? Check out:
- The Gold Coast's Best Restaurants
- Coolangatta's Best Restaurants
- Tamborine Mountain's Best Restaurants
Image Credit: Etsu Izakaya | Hayley Williamson Photography
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