It’s the glitter strip that put the Gold Coast/Kombumerri Country on the worldwide tourist map, but there is much more to Surfers Paradise than high rises, novelty arcades and expansive beaches.
In the past few years, Surfers’ culinary scene has really stepped it up a notch or three. So, if you find yourself knocking around these parts with a hunger for some top-notch fare, creative beverages and friendly service, best make good use of your valuable time—and avoid the tourist traps—with OB真人视讯's pick of 20 of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise.
COAST Beach Bar & Kitchen
Level 1/86 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: COAST | Supplied
$2.5 million was spent bringing this landmark venue to life and luxury resonates in every aspect of COAST Beach Bar & Kitchen; from the sleek coastal furnishings, to the contrasting brass, leather and marble fixtures, to the standout 14-metre marble bar. The modern share-style menu celebrates the best of Australian seasonal produce and is centred around flavours of land and sea.
Setting COAST leagues apart from the pack, a Spanish-style Josper wood and charcoal oven is used to infuse signature dishes with a bespoke smoked flavour, with a large portion of the menu dedicated to ‘Josper Fired’ dishes. The jewel in COAST'S crown is a 2,000-strong wine bottle cellar that boasts 120 wines sourced chiefly from top Australian vineyards.
Citrique
158 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Citrique | Supplied
Nestled away the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise, lies the culinary paradise that is within JW Marriott Gold Coast. Renowned for its long weekend lunches and seafood market experience, Citrique is a unqiue and chic dining experience that excels at its signature ocean and paddock-to-plate style dining.
Their award-winning seafood buffet will have you sampling a variety of fresh, local seafood for the ultimate sea-to-table experience. If a buffet presents too many sumptous options for you to choose from, dive into their larger plates—which all showcase local ingredients—like the Chef's signature Moreton Bay bug dumplings with lobster bisque sauce and the oven baked snow fish with cauliflower textures and wattle seed dukkah. Don't leave without trying the impressive Rose Illusion dessert with Frangelico and 33% valrhona milk chocolate mousse.
Isla Cantina
Shop 4, G7 Via Roma, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Isla Cantina | Supplied
From the brains behind the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort (Mulpha Hospitality Group), is a stunning waterfront restaurant in the Isle of Capri that brings us a scrumptious combination of modern Mexican and Californian flair.
From pulled pork carnitas with pineapple salsa to tequila and lime popcorn prawn tacos and yellowtail kingfish ceviche, has got a delicious range of casual Mexi-Cali options that are guaranteed to leave you coming back for you. We also love the eight-course feast menu for only $49 per person that's perfect for a group lunch.
Yamagen
7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Yamagen | OB真人视讯
Yamagen is a funky Japanese izakaya located inside QT Gold Coast hotel, with one of Queensland's largest Japanese whisky collection (over 65 bottles and counting) plus some of the most innovative and creative Japanese cuisine you'll ever taste. Behind the expansive bar, you can peer into the glass-enclosed kushiage station; the beating heart of the izakaya where smells and smoke wafts as Japanese chefs work over robata grills and binchotan charcoal.
Or, nab a posi at the 15-seat traditional sushi bar where you can interact with the chefs and devour plate after plate of omakase (chef’s selection of market fresh sushi and sashimi). If you’re on the hunt for one of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise, well, you’ve found it.
Palette
HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Palette | Supplied
is the sophisticated restaurant gracing the ground floor of the stunning and offers a unique blend of art and food. Treat your palette (get it?) with their fresh and modern Australian menu, variety of degustation menus and fully curated wine list, which has scored them a lauded two Chef Hat's from the Australian Good Food Guide.
Your art experience is extended at Palette, with talented Executive Chef Dayan Hartill-Law taking inspiration from major exhibitions at HOTA Gallery to demonstrate just how naturally art and food combine. We recommend you indulge in the tasting menu—with a wine pairing if you're looking to splurge—and we love that Palette also boasts a fully vegetarian tasting menu too. The venue itself sings of artistry and showcases natural materials like timber and stone, which seamlessly work together to create a truly stunning space.
You Might Also Like:
Akoya
The Langham, 38 Old Burleigh Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Akoya | Supplied
If you’re yet to experience the extravagance that is Surfers Paradise’s tallest Jewel tower, look no further than The Langham as your go-to way in. Set on the shores of the Gold Coast’s iconic coastline, it's Akoya’s mouth watering buffets inside the sophisticated culinary home that’ll have you feeling like a food critic in a tasting store.
Wirh daily buffet breakfast, a la carte and shared menus for lunch and dinner, there’s a plate (or several) with your name on it. For those seeking an unparalleled seafood experience, head to on Friday and Saturday evenings for their signature seafood buffet. Delight in the freshest catches from the ocean—plus a smattering of other dishes—prepared with culinary mastery and presented in an opulent setting that enhances the senses.
Bazaar
QT Gold Coast, 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Bazaar | Supplied
Gathering up the mates can be hard enough, let alone all deciding on what to chow down on. This top-tier Surfers Paradise buffet restaurant is your ideal solution, without having to begrudgingly settle on a food court.
Taste your way around this decadent epicurean dining experience up for grazing at QT’s own . Serving up street food-style dishes ranging from Middle Eastern souk through to Latin American bodega, nibble your way around fresh seafood and succulent slow cooked meats with all the trimmings.
The Island
3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
There’s a lot to love about The Island, Surfers Paradise's much-loved boutique hotel offering. Choose between dining at , The Island's signature bar and bistro restaurant or soak up views at lush rooftop bar, .
Home to a lush rooftop bar and sprawling alfresco patio, The Island Rooftop pulls out all the stops with DJs, a retro-style cocktail bar, ample seating, nooks and one of the best Sunday sessions on the Coast. has also recently launched a cheeky 'Sunday Roast Revival' where you can indulge in a succulent roast share-style lunch, entertainment and two-hour bottomless drinks package for $69 per peson.
Salt Meats Cheese
10 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Ensuring you are never too far from cheese, pizza and pasta, Sydney’s renowned food emporium, Salt Meats Cheese, has its very own Gold Coast-based pizzeria and deli, right in the heart of Surfers Paradise.
The New York-style Italian menu features truffle gnocchi, flaming Parmesan wheels (Wednesday nights only) and the intriguing black lobster pizza with a squid ink base. Sweeten your experience with cheap eats like all-you-can-eat bottomless pizza Mondays for $29 per person (when you purchase a drink) and $25 Cheese Wheel Wednesdays.
Valyn Thai
15 Via Roma, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Valyn Thai | Instagram
comes to us from the team behind some of the Gold Coast’s most beloved Thai restaurants. Owners Pattaree Jiranuchaiwattana (Patt) and Vitchaya (Alex) Hasitawet lead seven iconic Gold Coast establishments including Nahm Thai in Coomera, Limlay in Burleigh Heads and Nahm Talay Thai in Surfers Paradise.
The extensive menu puts elevated spins on traditional Thai street food; pair this with show-stopping cocktails and friendly service and you've got one of Surfers Paradise's best restaurants. The Massamn beef cheek curry, confit duck red curry and the Wagyu (MBS 9+) are all exceptional standouts and we love that there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options for plant-based diners.
T'ang Court
The Langham, 38 Old Burleigh Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: The Langham | Supplied
If the opening of wasn't exciting enough already, well, we've got some news for you. The Langham's iconic Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, is one of Surfers Paradise's best restaurants and promises a unique and authentic Cantonese fine-dining experience that embraces the essence of Southern Chinese dining.
The exquisite menu showcases an array of traditional culinary masterpieces, including duck pancakes with hoi sin sauce, sauteed pearl meat with ginger and shallots, and spicy black tiger prawn with roasted garlic. The 80-seat restaurant seamlessly blends modern luxury and traditional authenticity, with an elegant fit-out that celebrates the vibrancy of the T'ang Dynasty.
BOBs Beer
10/2 Elkhorn Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: BOBs Beer | Supplied
BOBs Beer is so much more than a microbrewery—the sophisticated menu puts a modern twist on French, Japanese and Australian flavours to create a standout lineup you might not expect in Surfers Paradise. Curated by culinary genius, Nobert Szlama, the fusion menu goes against the grain of usual pub fare and boasts smaller plates like delicate chickpea crisps with french kimchi, harissa and rice crackers and oysters mignonette with shallots, shiitake and topiko.
Another thing we love about BOBs is their innovative sustainable initiatives—their spent beer grains are 100% recycled and a portion of the grains are made into serving platters for oysters (genius, right?).
Surfers Pavilion
30/34 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Surfers Pavilion | Kaitlin Maree Photography
Spacious with high ceilings, a crisp white interior and expansive yet uninterrupted river views, Surfers Pavilion is a sight to behold. Boasting the largest marina in Surfers Paradise (so you can indulge in the Pavilion's offerings from the comfort of your vessel), the space is simply gorgeous and has a sleek interior that creates the perfect backdrop to your next boozy lunch, sunset drinks sesh or late-night cocktails.
The menu specialises in modern Australian classics—we're suckers for the lavish oyster bar, which serves up freshly shucked oysters paired with champagne, fulfilling your dreams of living it up Cali-style.
Sandbar
52 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Surfers Paradise’s longest established beachfront watering hole underwent a funky Bali-inspired overhaul recently, injecting some desperately needed cool back into the touristy precinct. We love Sandbar’s breezy fit-out, always-holiday vibes, creative menus, extensive craft beer selection and killer cocktail list to accompany those salty sea vistas.
Tuck into creative burgers such as Kim Jong’s Demise with Korean-style crispy chicken or the Piggie Smalls with spiced pulled pork and apple relish, or surrender to a delish beachfront serving of Jo’s Proper Fish and Chips, complete with mushy peas. Head to Sandbar, one of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise, and cheers to the good life.
Hyde Paradiso
Level 2/8 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Hyde Paradiso | Kaitlin Maree Photography
A Surfers staple, Hyde Paradiso is the perfect spot for Sunday sessions and long lunches that lead into dinner with live DJs setting the mood. If you’re after a European summer escape but can’t afford the airfare, then this is the place for you—the hanging garden draws your eye up and then out to the stunning and uninterrupted beach vista.
Food-wise, there's a fresh, seasonal, share-style menu with dishes reflecting the bold flavours of Greek, Turkish, Italian and Moroccan cuisines. Our tip? Order the BBQ baby octopus and the Australian lamb rack and go nuts.
Edgewater Dining
Shop 3 G7 Via Roma, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Edgewater Dining | Instagram
One of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise, is one venue that’s successfully embraced the beauty of Gold Coast’s spider web of canals. Situated on Isle of Capri, Edgewater’s sprawling deck opens out to a swoon-worthy view of million dollar mansions and an up close and personal look at the iconic Q1 and glittering Surfers Paradise skyline.
With talented restaurateurs at the helm and open for breakfast, long boozy lunches and dinner, seven days, a visit here is a sure bet you and your posse will be satisfied beyond belief. Munch on oysters, lemon pepper calamari, specialty burgers, risotto or perhaps a juicy lamb rump.
White Rhino
55 Circle On Cavill, Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: White Rhino | Instagram
, Surfers Paradise's impressive two-storey restaurant and bar venue located in the Circle on Cavill precinct is ideal for those long, boozy dinners and drinks with friends. The interior oozes cool with an elaborate waterfall bar, five-metre-high ceilings and lush greenery.
The recently refreshed modern Australian menu features everything from drool-worthy burgers to creamy seafood pastas and fresh salads. also has a large cocktail and wine list on offer that will have you ordering an Uber home.
Seascape Bar & Restaurant
1/4 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Image Credit: Seascape | Instagram
Got a weakness for seafood? Beeline to the Esplanade where you’ll find . Sprawling over three levels, including a sunny rooftop bar, nabbing a prime position with uninterrupted Pacific Ocean vistas won’t be too difficult.
Go semi-casual with the bistro on level one or frock up for a fine dining experience in the restaurant on level two. Here you’ll feast on fresh Pacific lobster, Moreton Bay bugs in a Malaysian red curry glaze, Tasmanian Atlantic salmon in a coconut broth, or an impressive selection of fresh local fish cooked to your liking.
Fu Manchu Oriental Kitchen
2/44 Thomas Dr, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Fu Manchu Oriental Kitchen on Surfers Paradise’s Chevron Island has a true Asian fusion menu that morphs from devout traditions to dishes with a European twist. Hiding behind an unassuming London shop front-style facade, Fu Manchu is totally where we want to hang on our next date night, with a dark and moody supper club-ish interior that lends itself to getting cosy and just a lil’ bit boozy. Our tip? Fu Manchu’s Singapore chilli crab and sticky Asian beef short ribs are life changing.
Longboards Laidback Eatery
Corner of Hamilton Avenue and Northcliffe Terrace, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
It’d be a crime to leave long-time favourite off our list of the best restaurants in Surfers Paradise. Cheap and cheerful, with poolside seating next door to the towering Q1 Hotel, Longboards has served many a satisfied burger-loving customer with finger-licking appetizers and cheeky burgers like The Budgie Smuggler and The G-Banger.
Looking for more? Check out:
- Mermaid Beach's Best Restaurants
- Tamborine Mountain's Best Restaurants
- The Northern Rivers' Best Restaurants
Image Credit: COAST Beach Bar | Supplied
OB真人视讯 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.