All of the Gold Coast venues, restaurants and cafes that closed in 2024
An Italian institution served its last supper and Burleigh’s best-known eatery succumbed to redevelopment. In a year marred by mysterious closures, these are the restaurants we’ll miss the most.
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The Gold Coast’s vibrant hospitality scene saw a bittersweet year in 2024, marked by both dazzling debuts and the heartbreaking farewells of beloved establishments.
The year claimed some high-profile scalps, with an Italian institution serving its last supper after 50 years, a Mudgeeraba fixture farewelled and one of Burleigh’s best known eateries succumbing to redevelopment.
Take a trip down meal memory lane at the restaurants we’ll miss the most.
CAFE ON HEDGES
Corner of Montana Rd and Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach
Customers and staff were left in shock when a Millionaire’s Row morning fixture suddenly closed.
A handwritten sign on the front door of Cafe On Hedges appeared in March: “Dear customers, we are sorry to inform you that Cafe on Hedges is permanently closed. Thank you for all the smiles, the Hedges Team … (our beautiful jobless staff).”
A staff member said the closure was “very sad”, while customers were seemingly caught unaware as they turned up for their coffees and meals.
Cafe on Hedges first opened in 2013. It was previously owned by Peter van de Merwe and Rosie Parente, before later being taken over by new owners.
It won numerous awards, including Gold Coast’s Best Cafe from the Restaurant Industry Peer to Peer Awards.
The owners at the time of the closure were contacted for comment but did not respond.
In December, Broadbeach’s Elk Espresso owner Andrew Whiting opened a sister venue called Sunnyboy on the site.
BREAD AND BUTTER
Shop 1/76 Musgrave St, Coolangatta
Kirra residents had to say goodbye to their favourite homemade gnocchi and cheesy pizzas as a popular tapas bar closed its doors after 15 years.
Jorge Mauleon and Sara Grao served their final feast at Bread and Butter restaurant on May 12.
Ms Grao said it was a bittersweet feeling and “emotions were mixed” about the closure.
“It’s been a very long journey and hospitality is becoming a bit harder since Covid and all the overheads,” she said.
“It’s not the same as it used to be and, as Jorge gets older, he now wants to be with his family and continue the catering business, The Italian Job.”
Ms Grao said their 15 years on the southern Gold Coast were a testament to the local support.
“We leave a lot of memories behind,” she said.
“We will relax a little and enjoy some free time. However, I am sure we will be reopening some other venues in the future.”
NICOLINIS
3106 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
Italian institution Nicolinis served its last supper in September, leaving locals lamenting the loss of one of the city’s longest-running restaurants
Founded by Jack Ulliana in the early 1970s, the eatery was gutted when the Bulletin visited its prominent corner site on Surfers Paradise Blvd, despite its website still declaring it open.
The restaurant changed hands over the years, with its most recent owner, Murray Taylor, not wanting to provide comment on the venue’s apparent closure but saying it had been “messy.”
However, he didn’t dispute it was shut and said: “It’s been a really bad experience – there’s still a lot of rubbish to sort out.”
A local on Facebook commented: “What a beautiful family business. A legend to the Gold Coast. Much sadness”, with another local referring to the venue as “legendary back in the day”.
“Remember many great long afternoons turning into nights,” they wrote.
“Jack (Ulliana) used to call you over if he saw you walking on the other side of the street to come for a drink – then about six hours later it was time to go home.”
BIRD ROYALE
Brickworks Ferry Road, Southport
This upscale chicken restaurant, whose motto was to “keep it simple”, was placed into voluntary liquidation on October 9.
Bird Royale, which featured charcoal chicken as its culinary centrepiece, was owned by Gold Coast hospitality boss Dave Galvin.
Mr Galvin said they had experienced “tough trading conditions” and “didn’t want to further the lease”.
“We felt is wasn’t necessary or sustainable to have a shop presence,” he said.
Mr Galvin continues to own and operate a host of popular venues, including Kirra Beach House, Biggera Waters sports bar Crafty’s, Broadbeach bar Kost and Southport Italian restaurant Mozza Mozza.
He said Bird Royale would continue trading as a catering business.
“We love the brand still and the team will be focusing on growing our catering business,” he said.
“We are not saying goodbye to our local customers.”
CALIFORNIA TACOS BROADBEACH
Oasis Shopping Centre, Broadbeach
California Tacos Broadbeach abruptly closed on October 21 after two years in Oasis Shopping Centre, with ex-staff claiming up to 15 of them hadn’t been paid.
The overarching California Tacos brand distanced themselves from the Broadbeach location saying it was no longer part of the franchise.
On October 23, California Tacos Broadbeach director and Hope Island man Andrew John Lendrum, 54, texted staff claiming the closure was due to “terrible sales”.
“The last few days have been very difficult and I’ve been chasing as much advice as possible,” he texted.
“The sales over the weekend were terrible. So I have made the decision to stop trading.”
Mr Lendrum claimed he was trying to sell the business as “this is the only chance of getting everyone paid, including staff”.
“At this stage I don’t know what the time frame or outcome for that will be,” he said.
“I’m doing everything I can to get a good resolution for everyone.”
BURLEIGH TROPICANA
1700 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads
It was the end of a cheap roast era when Burleigh’s landmark corner carvery succumbed to redevelopment in October.
The long-running venue, straddling the Gold Coast Hwy and Connor St, has been gutted as locals await the revelation of its replacement.
It was first opened more than 30 years ago as Pacific Carvery, before being refurbished and renamed Burleigh Tropicana in 2004.
The Ross brothers became its landlords in 2020 after their family fell in love with the eatery.
Nick Ross was won over when he ate his first pork roll with gravy in 1998 with his mum Rose.
He said he decided to sell the property so he could spend more time with his wife, daughter and granddaughter in Thailand.
Developer Josh Guok settled on the high-profile parcel on August 8 for $9.38m and said he had plans to “revitalise the area” – quashing rumours of a new McDonald’s in the process.
“It’s a prime location at the corner junction where people cross the road to get to and from the beach,” he said.
“I understand that some people may be disappointed to see Tropicana go.
“However, I believe that whatever comes next will bring a fresh perspective to this ‘old’ corner and revitalise the area.”
Mr Guok said: “While I don’t plan to open a cafe or business myself at the site, a new venture is in the works to replace Tropicana”.
“As the plans are still being finalised, I’m not able to share further details at this stage.”
MISS MONEYPENNY’S AND FAT FREDDY’S
50 Surf Parade, Broadbeach
After more than five years of trading in Broadbeach, the owner of Miss Moneypenny’s announced he had sold the fine diner, along with neighbouring sports bar Fat Freddy’s.
“It’s bittersweet for me,” Ben Walsh said in October
“I’m proud of what I built there – I built something really different, two venues at the opposite end of the spectrum being Fat Freddy’s next to Miss Moneypenny’s, but they were both really cool offerings.
“It was a good five-and-a-half years.”
Miss Moneypenny’s was one of the go-to restaurants for the suburb and had been awarded an AGFG chef hat from 2021 to 2024.
Less than a week after news of the sale, buyer Moreton Hospitality revealed it would open two new venues on December 1: an “authentic local pub” called The Beach Hotel Broadbeach and modern Australian dining venue Cora.
Moreton Hospitality chief operating officer Lance Burrows said they “jumped at the opportunity to refurbish the precinct”.
Mr Walsh said he still owned Miss Moneypenny’s in Noosa which he hoped he would “spend more time at”.
He added the days of Fat Freddy’s and Miss Moneypenny’s “aren’t over yet”.
“I’ve held on to those brands and I plan on using them again,” he said.
“My days on the Gold Coast aren’t over. I’ll just hold out for the right opportunity, the right location potentially in a new development and hopefully can give Miss Moneypenny’s back to Gold Coasters.
“I thank everyone who visited and enjoyed the Broadbeach venues, and my awesome team.
“A lot of people are a little upset, but … it doesn’t mean I’ll never open a Miss Moneypenny’s or Fat Freddy’s on the Gold Coast again. I’m excited for what the future holds.”
ALLY CHOW NOBBY BEACH
3/2215 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach
Amid an influx of new hospitality venues at Nobby Beach, locals farewelled one of the strip’s favourite eateries.
In October, Ally Chow owners Trent and Leisha Scarr announced they had sold their restaurant after six years.
Locals came in droves to have their last Ally Chow bao buns on October 6.
Ms Scarr said that while the business had been a “great success”, it was “time to say goodbye”.
“For now we will enjoy our first relaxing summer in six years and then head into fresh new ventures in 2025,” she said.
“We are certainly not leaving the restaurant scene and will continue to operate Billy Chow at Kirra while spreading our wings to other venues next year.”
However, all was not lost with the new owners of the venue announcing they would be keeping 90 per cent of the original menu.
Mermaid Beach local Medi Lababi, 28 said he would transform the space into Monsieur Chow by December.
Mr Lababi said he was “incredibly excited” to take over “such a successful and well-loved restaurant”.
“Ally Chow has set a high standard and we look forward to continuing that legacy while adding our unique touch to the dining experience.”
PBA PALM BEACH AVE
6 Palm Beach Ave, Palm Beach
After less than two years serving Palm Beach, the owners of one of its most popular eateries drew the curtains on their creation.
Gold Coast restaurateur Daniel Ridgeway and his wife Ruggie closed their Palm Beach Ave venue (PBA) on June 30.
Mr Ridgeway said they decided to shelve the breakfast, lunch and dinner venue, which debuted in July 2022, because it was “time for a change”.
“The design layout for the new venue uses and breaks up the space much better, creating more intimate areas when needed,” he said.
“At the end of the day, we simply want to give the Palm Beach and Gold Coast locals a dining experience that they want to come back to and call their own.”
Almost four months later, Mr Ridgeway kept his promise and opened a new Asian-inspired restaurant featuring sushi, pork buns and beef dumplings.
Madame V debuted on October 17 with an elegant dining room and “chic” lounge bar.
“We have designed Madame V with dark plush curtain all around, just like Little Truffle (in Mermaid Beach),” Mr Ridgeway said.
WOODCHOPPERS BBQ SMOKE
64 Railway St, Mudgeeraba
Mudgeeraba residents came together to say a farewell to the suburb’s 28-year-old watering hole.
Woodchoppers BBQ Smoke and Grill owners Samantha Saill and Stephen O’Brien announced they had sold the family business and closed their doors on January 31.
“After 28 years of owning Woodchoppers, it’s time to hand the keys over to a new fabulous local family to continue the tradition of great hospitality in Mudgeeraba,” the family said in a Facebook post.
“We want to thank all the great locals for their support over these many years that has made our time in Mudgeeraba one to always remember.”
On January 31, locals came together to share their many memories inside the “Gold Coast icon”.
“So many fond memories to be thankful for,” Susan Bazter said.
“Mudgeeraba Balls, Christmas Days, Melbourne Cups, weddings, birthdays, wakes, live entertainment, lotsa locals, amazing staff over the years, great food and the odd live appearance of a local horse.”
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