Nobby Beach needs little introduction.
With so much culinary talent squeezed into one postcode, this hipster pocket wedged between Miami and Mermaid Beach might have a giggle-inducing name to the unwary but, to locals, it’s the place to be any night of the week.
Nobby newbie or seasoned local, you’ll want to eat and drink your way through our pick of the best cafes and restaurants in Nobby Beach.
The Yard
Tucked away a stone’s throw from the main drag is one of our Nobby Beach faves for coffee and all-day brunching. Yet, we reckon this lovely cafe doesn’t receive enough time basking in the spotlight it justly deserves. The Yard’s cute yet unassuming façade hides a hip interior with whitewash brick, inviting leather stools, recycled wood furnishings and a narrow space that stretches back to a sunny courtyard at the rear. Our pick for eats? We can’t go past the pulled pork eggs benny on a bagel or the smoked salmon on a potato rosti… erry time. Oh, and they’re licensed for those lunches that conveniently roll into an impromptu afternoon session.
Where: 17 Lavarack Road, Nobby Beach
BSKT
There’s a lot to love about Nobby’s BSKT cafe. Cheerleaders for wholesome eats and owned by a local AFL star, BSKT is one of the Gold Coast’s most beautiful beachside cafes and the birthplace of Australia’s first vegan soft serve, CocoWhip. Together with a swoon-worthy interior of dreamy lighting, salty sea breezes, simplistic styling, sketched wall murals, and wood galore; it’s not hard to see why this is widely considered one of the best cafes in Nobby Beach. Another reason we totes adore BSKT is the free wifi; start-ups can get creative working from the ambient space with no pressure to move along.
Where: 4 Lavarack Road, Nobby Beach
MexiCali
A Nobby Beach institution, pull up a stool on MexiCali’s western-facing upper deck to soak up those late afternoon rays. The pork belly taco (paired with the loaded carne asada fries) is to die for, and single-handedly make MexiCali one of the best restaurants in Nobby Beach for a killer taco feast. You’ll often find us here for Taco Tuesdays, when you can dig into these bad boys for just $5 a pop or their epic three-hour long Sunday sesh with live tunes, drink specials, and margs on tap. Holla!
Where: Shop 1, 2223 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach
Hellenika
You don’t need to be Einstein to recognise that competition for your patronage these days is seriously fierce. For this reason, Gold Coast restaurants can often fall in and out of flavour. Not Hellenika. One of the best restaurants in Nobby Beach, this stalwart has and will stand the test of time. The authentic home-style Greek food will visit you in your foodie dreams for weeks to follow—think saganaki, dolmades, wood-fired pork belly, octopus, and the not-to-be-missed house speciality, the incredible baked lamb. Are you drooling yet?
Where: 2235 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach
Sparrow Eating House
If you don’t already know, we are head over heels in looovvee with funky Nobby Beach gem, Sparrow Eating House. While this darling wee restaurant is worthy of the whole kit and caboodle (aka drinks, dinner, desserts, the works…), if you’re just in the mood for fancy drinks with the girls, they’ve got you covered with some of the most creative cocktails in town. Though, trust us, you’ll most certainly want to stick around for the carefully curated share plates and a menu that changes with every season. Is this one of the best restaurants in Nobby Beach? Abso-freakin-lutely!
Where: 2/32 Lavarack Road, Nobby Beach
Gemellini
Baby brother to Broadbeach institution Gemelli Italian, you may be tempted to dine at Gemellini for the eye candy alone. Or not, we don’t mind. A refined addition to Nobby’s hipster scene, Gemellini is dishing up authentic wood-fired pizzas, home-made pastas with recipes inherited from nonno, charcuterie galore, and those drool-worthy Nutella Bomba desserts. What do they say? Nom nom nom.
Where: 2/2247 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach
Cambus Wallace
Gone are the days you need to travel to Broadbeach or Surfers Paradise when in search of a good time post 8pm, with small bars like The Cambus Wallace leading the charge. Moodily-lit and with effortlessly cool cocktail slingers behind the bar, this nautically-themed rum and whisky bar is an after-dark destination in its own right. You can expect live local musos and DJs most nights, plus a rotating roster of soul-satisfying mains and bar snacks such as sliders, whisky-glazed ribs, arancini, and steamed bao. Pass us another Kraken spiced-rum espresso martini please, sexy bartender.
Where: Shop 4/2237 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach
Hachi
Nobby Beach has no shortage of fab eateries, but if you want to save a few pennies (for more gyoza per se), then Hachi is your place ‘cause it’s BYO, baby! Hachi is always busting at the seams come weekends, with diners getting their fill of top value menu highlights such as ponzu salmon, chicken katsu, or crumbed scallops. Basically all your Japanese go-tos are covered on their extensive menu. Did we mention it was BYO?
Where: 2249 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach
Bine Craft Beer Bar
Once upon a time, the only thing you could find on tap was XXXX, VB, Tooheys, and other mass-produced versions of the same. TF those days are over, and we can totally thank trailblazers like Bine Craft Beer Bar for bringing the Coast to the new age. A firm Nobby Beach favourite and Gold Coast’s first dedicated craft beer watering hole, Bine rotates its tap list frequently. Right now, it’s local brews like Balter, Burleigh Brewing, Stone & Wood, and Newstead, among others. Check their website for today’s carefully-brewed lineup. While any time is the right time to visit Bine, erryday between 4 and 6pm, you’ll get a draft craft beer and bucket o’ wings for a tiny 10 bucks. Dinner sorted!
Where: Shop 1—2 Chairlift Avenue, Nobby Beach
Want to read about more of our faves? Here are nine of the best restaurants in Broadbeach.
Photo Credit: Hayley Williamson and Brooke Darling for Metropolist