If you consider yourself in the know, there’s no doubt you would have heard of the Gambaro Group. The Gambaro family name is synonymous with the highest quality seafood in Queensland, holding over 65 years of consistent, award-winning hospitality experiences with an innovative approach to seafood.
The Gambaro Group’s portfolio consists of an array of venues and cuisines, including Gambaro Seafood Restaurant, Black Hide Steakhouse Caxton Street, Black Hide Steakhouse Treasury Brisbane, Persone Italian Restaurant and more.
Until now, the Gambaro Group has only blessed Brisbanites with their culinary expertise, but as of March 2024 they have just opened their first Gold Coast venture and it's as lush as expected.
Image Credit: Awaken Cafe | Brooke Darling Photography
The two new venues at DBar, Coolangatta include a beachfront cafe, Awaken Cafe, and a chic coastal Mediterranean restaurant, Pipi's. Awaken Cafe and Pipi’s will reside on the first two floors of Awaken—the new luxury apartment development in Rainbow Bay by prestigious developer Paul Gedoun.
Occupying the former Cafe DBar space, the sprawling Awaken Cafe sits on the ground floor with indoor and outdoor seating to soak up the panoramic sea views. The laidback venue embodies Coolangatta's lifestyle and strong connection to the beach, with a light, airy palette, coastal furnishings and an impressive floor-to-ceiling bread display.
Image Credit: Awaken Cafe | Brooke Darling Photography
Awaken Cafe aims to offer a health-conscious breakfast experience, specialising in a plethora of freshly baked pastries, croissants, breads and more. The relaxed cafe utilises locally-grown produce and offers fresh salads, gourmet sandwiches, classic breakfast items and, of course, Merlo coffee.
Image Credit: Awaken Cafe | Brooke Darling Photography
Upstairs is Pipi’s, a sleek 100-seater restaurant with a coastal Mediterranean focus, showcasing locally caught seafood, traditonal Mediterranean dishes and a superb wine list. Pippi's embraces coastal ambiance with a touch of Southern European allure—the panoramic 180-degree coastal views are complemented by the stunning restaurant design reminiscent of the ocean.
Image Credit: Pipi's | Brooke Darling Photography
At the heart of Pipi's the open kitchen and bar creates a theatrical dining experience with an open flame Josper grill, oyster display, Peninsula Bar and even a private dining room. Signature menu items include the chargrilled Mooloolaba king prawns with lemon and garlic butter, the handmade lobster linguine with tomato and bisque, and if you're sharing, the Pipi's fresh seafood platter is as impressive as it is delicious. The all-star team is headed up by Executive Chef Thomas Boisselier (Blackhide Steakhouse, Manon Brasserie) and Suzanne Masserann (Blackhide Steakhouse, Bennelong).
Image Credit: Pipi's | Brooke Darling Photography
The expansion down south is an exciting new direction for the Gambaro Group, having only ever called Caxton Street and Brisbane City home.
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Main image credit: Pipi's | Brooke Darling Photography