When it comes to cafes, places like Broadbeach, Burleigh and Currumbin are spoiled for choice. But hunting down those perfect brunch spots on the northern end of the Gold Coast/Kombumerri Country? It’s a little trickier.
Luckily, we’ve gone ahead and done all the tasting and testing for you. These are the top 11 cafes and coffee shops in Southport, in no particular order. Prepare to get hungry.
Cafe Catalina
11 Gold Coast Highway, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Cafe Catalina | Instagram
Gazing out over the glittering sweep of the Gold Coast Broadwater, Cafe Catalina delivers fusion cuisine that pulls together Japanese, Middle Eastern, and modern Australian influences. Seat yourself indoors for a warm Italian ambience (special shoutout to the iconic wallpaper, which features hundreds of different beach names from around Australia) or on the open-air deck for sunshine and cool ocean breezes.
Don’t come expecting your stock-standard cafe fare, though. The Catalina experience—crafted by Executive Chef David Vandenabeele and his team—is all about fresh, seasonal flavours and quality waterfront dining. That means dishes like chorizo and pork belly cassoulet and field mushroom poke bowls, complemented by a healthy dose of Dimattina coffee.
If you can’t make it to Cafe Catalina during daylight hours, don’t stress. It’s open until late from Wednesday to Sunday, and the sumptuous dinner menu—plus a lineup of beverages from the hands of head mixologist Ant—makes it well worth a nocturnal visit.
Hazel Espresso
9 Davenport Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Hazel Espresso | Instagram
Hazel Espresso is nestled in the heart of Chinatown, the kind of tucked-away cafe that seems to call you in off the street. And, trust us: if you answer, you’ll be glad you did. Owners Long and Hazel serve up a Viet-fusion menu in a cheerful, bright-lit setting—think light wooden tables, concrete-finish walls, and a smattering of devil’s ivy.
Choose between dishes like the deliciously overstuffed breakfast bánh mì or the delightfully fluffy chilli crab scrambled eggs. The indisputable star, though, is the bò né flaming beef—a slightly intimidating bowl of Scotch fillet, fried egg, and cherry tomatoes that’s plated to perfection.
Hazel’s drinks are equally mouthwatering, with options like the Hanoi egg coffee (our recommendation), sea salt cream coffee, Vietnamese filtered coffee, and taro latte poured over spheres of ice. It’s all brewed on ST. ALi coffee, so you can rest easy knowing you won’t ever get a bad coffee here.
Blendlove
253 Ferry Road, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Blendlove | Instagram
Streetside Ferry Road might not seem like a natural home for one of Southport’s best plant-based cafes, but Blendlove makes it work. Sun-soaked and minimalist, this sleek establishment serves up a vegan spread that includes some of the top acai bowls on the Gold Coast.
Expect perfectly plated chow that leans heavily on veggie staples like potato, mushroom, and beans (plus plenty of gluten-free options that don’t taste like cardboard). If you make it in for lunch, the Macho Nachos is well worth your time—enough jack fruit, beans, and chips to keep even the hungriest carnivore happy. The on-menu caffeine comes courtesy of Wolff Coffee Roasters and the expert baristas never miss here.
Do keep an eye out for Blendlove’s monthly special too. With past dishes like Biscoff chocolate waffles and kimchi pancakes, trust us—you don’t want to miss out.
The Cardamom Pod
3 Brolga Avenue, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Cardamom Pod | Instagram
The Cardamom Pod is the true OG of Gold Coast vegetarian dining, and it shows: no matter what time of day you rock up, there’s a good chance you’ll have to wait. But don’t let that put you off. From the cutesy flowers and star-cut fruits to the delightful range of specialty drinks, this is one Southport cafe that’s definitely worth your time.
Once you’ve secured a seat, work out whether you’re feeling like sweet or savoury. Both are good options at the Pod, and—even if you’re not a vegetarian—dishes like the gluten-free dosa crepe and gourmet toastie are seriously filling. On the sweet side, you’ve got options like jaw-dropping acai bowls and, of course, those viral pancakes that are as much artwork as food. Add a pleasant hint of bitterness with a matcha from Nya Rituals or Botanica Organic bean juice.
FARINA & Co.
15 Pinter Drive, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: FARINA & Co. | Clayten Fowler Photography
Newcomer FARINA & Co., which opened in July of this year, delivers three of our favourite things in one place: coffee, croissants and pasta. Picture a combination of cafe, Italian bakery, and trattoria, housed among the bougie retail outlets of Alcove. Inside, it’s all dark furniture and white tiles, dominated by an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action handmaking your pasta and pastries.
While you can absolutely just grab an espresso and croissant to go, we have to say: you’d be missing out if you didn’t find a table and peruse the lunch menu. The pasta here is on par with some of the Gold Coast’s best Italian joints, and, happily, it’s available gluten-free.
You Might Also Like:
WavyBone Coffee
129 Queen Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: WavyBone | Instagram
“If a cafe has a custom-branded La Marzocco, you know their coffee’s going to be good.”—a wise person, probably. And, well, it’s certainly true for WavyBone. With locations in Southport and Broadbeach and a mobile coffee caravan, these guys are pretty familiar with the art of baristering (yes, we just made that a word).
Wavybone Southport migrated from Musgrave Street to the brand-new Queen Street Village earlier this year, and the new fit-out is everything we could have hoped for: a sophisticated blend of natural timber and black highlights that would be right at home in Melbourne. Take away a specialty coffee brewed on Blackboard beans, or dine in with a selection of toasties, bagels, and light bites.
Sens Coffee
2 Como Crescent, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Sens Coffee | Instagram
Sens Coffee is the second establishment in the Sens family—and it has the same inner-city vibe as its Adelaide Street sibling. Black leather seating, polished concrete floors, and warehouse-style pendant lights give this Southport cafe an upscale feel that we absolutely love.
The menu is equally trendy, with a stable of highly ’grammable dishes that go all out on presentation. The name of the game is ‘simple done well’—like the avocado toast and smoked salmon and eye-catching pancake stack—but the bulgogi beef sandwich (tender shreds of marinated meat smothered in cheddar and honey mustard) is definitely a standout. Add a cold-pressed juice to your order for a mouthwatering brunch experience.
humble cafe
9 Nesbit Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: humble cafe | Instagram
Turn off Ferry Road, head east into the suburbs of Southport, and you’ll find yourself outside humble cafe. A relatively recent addition to the Gold Coast cafe scene, humble fits its name perfectly—a piccolo-sized shot of great food and coffee, served in a sun-soaked space that’s just big enough for half-a-dozen tables. Even the aesthetics are in lowercase (think white brick and soft pastels that feel oh-so-perfectly designed for your Instagram).
Despite the small kitchen size, there’s a strong selection of fusion cuisine, ranging from potato rosti to pulled beef brisket. Coffee lovers, feel free to rejoice. That menu comes with Allpress beans, available in creative specialties like the matcha espresso and tangy Americano. And if you’re not a coffee addict like us? Don’t stress—smoothies and premium teas like taro and hojicha are also up for grabs.
Vector Coffee
18A Young Street, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Vector Coffee | Instagram
Vector Coffee is the kind of coffee shop we love: small, unassuming, and totally obsessed with caffeine quality. Huddled on the edge of Chinatown, this Southport eatery dishes up a selection of cafe classics—sandwiches, bagels, and eggs-on-toast combinations—that play nicely with its broad selection of beverages.
Combine a Reuben bagel or breakfast hotdog with coffee brewed on specialty beans from brands like Black Mass Roasters and Market Lane (Vector features new guest roasters each week). Our suggestion: a ceremonial-grade matcha from Matcha Society and a kimchi sourdough toastie—there’s something about layers of melted cheese and kimchi that is just *chef’s kiss*. Parking can be hard to find, so consider leaving your car at the nearby Southport Library and walking over.
zi espresso
149 Scarborough Street, Southport QLD 4215
Owned by husband-and-wife duo Scott Lo and Daphne Zi, zi espresso is cut from the same coffee-focused cloth as Vector. This cosy nook maxes out on warm service and local vibes, supplementing a compact menu with cold-pressed juices and specialty caffeine.
Don’t come here to satisfy your sweet tooth, though. There’s a strong emphasis on whole foods, and most of the condiments and sweet treats are house-made. Order a halloumi, bacon and egg sandwich, round out your order with a fresh smoothie, and wander down to the nearby Broadwater Parklands for a waterside brunch.
Ground N Sound
23 Musgrave Avenue, Chirn Park QLD 4215
Eclectic. Funky. Wildly, joyfully maximalist. Ground N Sound has its own very unique vibe—one that dances from studded leather couches to floor-to-ceiling murals and chandeliers. It’s open until 10pm Fridays and Saturdays, regularly hosting local musicians and other creative events.
If you visit this Chirn Park cafe during daylight hours, expect an all-day breakfast menu populated with staples like oversized brekky rolls, zucchini fritters, and acai. The coffee is pretty great too—although no-one’s judging if you decide to swap your lunchtime latte for a cheeky cocktail.
Looking for more Gold Coast cafes? Check out:
Main image credit: FARINA & Co. | Clayten Fowler Photography
Urban List Best Of: has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.