Dining out can be such a joy. Yes, even with kids in tow. Thanks to the plethora of kid-friendly cafes and restaurants dotted all across the Gold Coast, your next family meal out doesn’t need to be a stressful event.
From dedicated kid-friendly menus to epic play areas, here are our picks for the top family-friendly restaurants and cafes on the Gold Coast right now.
Dune Cafe
945 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach QLD 4221
Dune Cafe is situated right at the entrance to a kid’s wonderland, with the Pirate Park and Palm Beach Parklands spread out from it like a great big backyard. Not only is their menu an ever-changing delight of colourful treats for grown-ups (think: truffled mushroom on sourdough and chilli scrambled egg bowl with veggies), they also have a range of meals for smaller appetites starting at a tiny $6.50.
Even a human's best friend gets a look in with a menu for doggos. Bring the whole family along for brunch and then hit up the calm waters of the Currumbin Lagoon, or kick a ball around in the ample green space. Perfect Sunday, or what?
Historic Rivermill
950 Beaudesert-Nerang Road, Mt Nathan QLD 4211
This hinterland gem is one of the most picturesque cafes you’ll encounter on the Gold Coast. Nestled up against the Nerang River with plenty of shade green hills to park your picnic blanket on, the Historic Rivermill offers up plenty of options for parents who are looking for a way to entertain the kids that doesn’t break the bank.
You can bring your own food along, or hit up the café for a cuppa and some tasty fare. Don’t forget to feed the gorgeous green turtles that swim up hopefully to the water’s edge when people are about, and go and pet the alpacas at the in-house petting zoo. It’s quite the unique experience.
BSKT Cafe
4 Lavarack Rd, Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
Image Credit: BSKT Cafe | Instagram
BSKT is one of the Southern Gold Coast’s most-loved cafes, managing to be largely organic, gluten-free, low in added sugar and mouth-wateringly delectable. It’s why this popular Nobby’s haunt has been pretty much packed from open to close on every single day of its operation.
Another reason would definitely be the enclosed kids play area out the back, where you can pop the little ones in for hangs while you chill with your matcha latte and Cocowhip brekkie bowl. Sorted.
The Collective
1128 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach QLD 4221
It doesn’t get much more family-friendly than five restaurants under one roof. At The Collective Palm Beach, you and your family can choose between Mexican, Greek, Asian, American and Italian cuisines.
Opt for downstairs dining in the sprawling restaurant space or head upstairs for rooftop views. There’s also a dedicated kids’ menu and The Collective is also located close to Tallebudgera Creek and Palm Beach, so the little ones can work off their energy at the sun-soaked beaches.
Gold Coast Surf Clubs
Various Locations
From north to south, Gold Coast’s surf clubs are where we go when we’re looking for delicious pub feeds with a side of ocean views. They’re all pretty family friendly in terms of their food offerings and setup, but if we had to single out a few, we’d say that Talle Surf Club can’t be beaten in terms of easy beach and playground access (and is right next to Talle Creek Beach too, if waves aren’t your jam).
Save some money by heading to North Burleigh Surf Club on Monday and Tuesday nights where kids eat free, and the indoor kids room with jungle gym is hard to go past at Mermaid Beach Surf Club.
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Wallaby Hotel
42 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba QLD 4213
The Wallaby is a Gold Coast icon, known for its tasty pub fare, warm atmosphere, delightfully heritage aspect and amazing live music. The multi-million-dollar restoration it recently underwent has given it a more family-friendly slant, with the huge back deck playing host to fenced and covered kid’s playground with all the modern, state-of-the-art fixings.
The kids menu has three $7 options to choose from, with a drink and dessert just $3 to add on, so you can take the whole family without breaking the bank. The kids menu even comes as a printed sheet of paper with native Aussie animals to colour in.
Miami Marketta
23 Hillcrest Parade, Miami QLD 4220
If you haven’t had a night out at Miami Marketta, add it to your hit list stat. This casual night market is the definition of family-friendly, with a huge array of delicious food stalls to tempt even the fussiest kids, and a mouth-watering display of desserts to match.
Kids love to run amok in the alley, and dance up front to the usually free and always amazing live music on offer. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights are the G.O. at the O.G. Gold Coast night market.
Custard Canteen
1525 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach QLD 4221
Image Credit: Custard Canteen | Instagram
This laidback beachside café is the perfect place to take the family after a hard morning’s swimming at Talle Creek Beach. With shoes optional, you can pull up a table under the umbrellas outdoors and help yourself to a giant box of—arguably—the best Portuguese Custard Tarts this side of the equator.
If you can manage to tear yourself away from these delightfully sweet treats, Custard Canteen also has a tasty lunch and brunch menu filled with diet-busting goodness like eggs benny on a croissant and karaage chicken burgers. Good luck getting out of there without buying the kids some of their famous, gooey cookies with an inside surprise.
Citrique
158 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
If there’s one thing we know kiddies love, it’s a buffet. And Citrique has one of the best. From piping hot bacon, sausages and crispy hash browns to house-baked pastries, freshly made waffles and Asian breakfast delights, Citrique is undoubtedly one of the Gold Coast’s best buffets, and it’s situated in a beautiful location, too.
At just $38 for locals, load up on fresh fruits, cold meats section and breakfast cheeses—because they are a thing now. Citrique is located in close proximity to the hustle and bustle of Surfers and also boasts an epic, kid-friendly lagoon pool if you’re staying onsite.
Southport Sharks
Olsen Ave and Musgrave Ave, Southport QLD 4215
Southport Sharks is the go-to for many Gold Coast family outings, and there are plenty of good reasons for that. At Frenzy’s, not only can the kids feast on a huge array of delicious cuisines for dinner (but let’s face it, they’ll be stuffing themselves with nuggets and chips), there is also the Wonka-esque dessert bar, packed to the brim with colourful bites and DIY soft serve.
Once dinner is done, it’s off to the epic, supervised kids play area for movies, basketball, games and much more. The only issue is telling them it’s home time.
Pancakes in Paradise
3046 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Show us a kid that doesn’t love pancakes, and we’ll show you an adult that doesn’t love pancakes. Everyone loves pancakes, is our point. And where best to get your fix, than in paradise?
This long-term Surfers Paradise diner offers up an unapologetically decadent menu in the form of sweet and savoury pancakes loaded with all your favourite toppings and combos, including strawberries and whipped cream, black forest, banana, chocolate, bacon and sour cream. And if that isn’t enough to get the kids drooling, they’ve also got a hefty offering of family-friendly faves like nachos, schnittys, burgers, hot dogs and salads.
Hinterland Hotel
53 Station Street, Nerang QLD 4211
This historic Nerang venue has clearly been modernised with families in mind. The spacious open dining areas lead directly into an epic fenced kid’s play area with plenty of viewing space across one side of the restaurant, so it’s easy to keep an eye on the little ones while you’re tucking into the slow-cooked Graziers beef pie with mash and onion rings (trust us).
There are also interactive screens to occupy the most curious of young minds, and a dedicated kids menu to fill their bellies with everything they know and love, including nuggets, cheeseburgers, fish and chips, pizzas and all the special treat desserts.
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