Best of the Gold Coast 2018: Coast’s best group dining venues

CELEBRATING a special occasion, planning a festive feast or toasting the end of the year with a squad? Get the party started at one of these group-friendly venues.

High tea at Greendays.

CELEBRATING a special occasion, planning a festive feast or toasting the end of the year with a squad? Get the party started at one of these group-friendly venues.

THE COLLECTIVE PALM BEACH

1128 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach

The Collective Palm Beach is perfect for large group dining.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN AND GET A FITBIT

Pretty much every taste and dietary requirement is covered by The Collective’s five different kitchens.

“The venue atmosphere also lends itself to being great for groups with an energetic outdoor vibe,” co-owner Jeremy Davidson says.

“We cater for groups up to 400 people for private use of the whole venue, or split our different areas up into any private/semi private/shared options for parties between 10 and 400 people. Our rooftop and garden areas have been really popular for groups as well.”

If you’ve got more than 20 people in your entourage, Jeremy suggests choosing from their three set menus.

“There is a $45, $55, and $75 option with drinks packages also available. You can still pick dishes from any of our five restaurants and our special events team will help design your menu.”

If you’re sticking with a la carte, The Collective’s digital menus make splitting the bill an absolute breeze.

The Collective in Palm Beach enjoying busy trade on a Saturday night. Picture: Michael Saunders

“You assign your name to each item you order and at the end we can find all of your items under your name … so easy,” Jeremy says.

It’s not too late to book in a Christmas party — this crowd favourite has a $65 package that includes a welcome drink, table theming and a choice of menu items.

“We will also be having live music on for most of December so you can bust out those office party dance moves,” Jeremy says.

THE STAR GOLD COAST

Broadbeach Island, Broadbeach

Banquet menu at Imperial at the Star, The Star Gold Coast.

The Star Gold Coast is celebration central year-round, but Broadbeach’s entertainment hub is in overdrive as we countdown to Christmas.

While weekends are pretty packed, there’s still festive function availability midweek. The team can also help plan personalised birthdays, engagement parties and anniversaries, with groups of 12 or more able to choose from banquet menus at Imperial at The Star, Garden Kitchen & Bar, Cucina Vivo and Nineteen at the Star (yep, it includes the famous miso Patagonian toothfish).

13 OF THE BEST FINE DINING SPOTS ON THE GOLD COAST

When Harvest buffet opens this summer it’ll boast a boosted capacity of around 500 seats with private dining rooms available for booking.

If you’re looking for a fantastic value option for up to 10 friends, Garden Kitchen & Bar offers a midweek share menu featuring no less than eight delectable dishes for $55 per person.

HELLENIKA

2235 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach

Restaurateur Simon Gloftis at Hellenika. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Generosity in both food and spirit ensure this Nobby Beach eatery is a favourite for feasting with friends and family.

Plan warm-up drinks upstairs at Bar Hellenika before descending on the smart dining room.

With dips, grilled kefalograviera cheese, southern calamari, salty pork belly, veal dolmades, baked Junee lamb, the signature salad, fresh watermelon and Greek sweets, the $68 per person entry-level banquet guarantees nobody leaves hungry.

SEVEN OF THE BEST ROOFTOP BARS ON THE GOLD COAST

If you’ve left your run too late to book a Christmas party, there’s bound to be another occasion around the corner.

“The good thing about Greek food is you can eat it every day of the week,” owner Simon Gloftis says.

“I love whiting, octopus, we make beautiful dart fish, whole baked trout in the oven.”

HIDEAWAY KITCHEN & BAR

2657 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach

Hideaway Kitchen & Bar in Broadbeach. Photo: Jerad Williams

With set menus and street-style spaces, the vibrant Hideaway Kitchen & Bar practically plans the party for you.

Get away from the hustle in the graffiti-splashed Buddha’s Banquet Corner, a haven for 14-20 friends.

Set selections include the $50 per person Sumo Spread bulging with kingfish sashimi, dumplings, chargrilled salmon teriyaki skewers, karaage chicken, sticky lamb ribs, pad Thai noodles, wok-fried beef and a dessert platter.

The signature umbrellas above the alfresco area at Hideaway Kitchen & Bar. Photo: Jerad Williams

Plant-based parties can choose from vegetarian set menus including spring rolls, dumplings, tofu, street corn, papaya salad and tofu bao.

If you’re thinking big, splash out under the umbrellas and reserve the entire alfresco area for up to 200 people, including exclusive use of the outdoor bar.

SANDBAR

52 The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise

Sandbar on the Espanade at Surfers Paradise.

Sandbar lends an air of coastal cruise to any occasion with its alfresco beachside cocktails and complimentary ocean breezes.

Situated opposite the beach on the Esplanade at Surfers, its spaces can be configured for large or small groups — Cafe Corfu is for more intimate soirees while the larger Riva Beach Lounge provides a casual party vibe to any occasion.

Both feature indoor/outdoor seating, easy bar access, flexible food and drink options and, if in doubt, the entire venue can be yours for up to 250 people.

GOLD COAST’S TOP TEN NIGHTCLUBS — AS VOTED BY YOU

Sandbar’s signature cocktail is the famed coconut margarita but it also serves the Coast’s largest selection of beers — more than 100 — as well as an array of premium spirits, including 33 whiskeys and 15 rums.

Sandbar offers no fuss, custom packages for any event and will even look after entertainment and theming if required, although the coastal cruise default is pretty hard to beat.

VAPIANO

Soul Boardwalk, Cavill Mall, Surfers Paradise

Pizza at Vapiano in Surfers Paradise.

Is there a cuisine better suited to large groups than Italian?

At Vapiano it’s all about the food, the drinks and la dolce vita. Groups can take advantage of the in-house chip cards for individual ordering, taking the pesky maths out of bill splitting at the end.

But for larger parties, marketing co-ordinator Dani Zawila says you can’t beat the easy functions packages.

Italian favourites at Vapiano, Surfers Paradise.

“They’re a great way to cater for everyone,” she says. “There’s a cocktail and antipasto option or a three-course meal depending on what sort of gathering you have in mind.”

The sit-down meal features endless handmade pizza and fresh salad until you call pieno, with drinks at happy hour prices.

Vapiano caters for groups of up to 250 in the heart of Surfers Paradise.

GREENDAYS

8/6 Ashmore Road, Bundall

Greendays at Bundall.

Despite its handy location on the corner of two busy roads, Greendays (formerly Evergreen) offers a botanical oasis of calm and tranquillity, perfect for elegant get-togethers.

Its curated garden setting can comfortably hold seated groups of up to 120 people and around 200 for cocktail and canape standing events.

Owner Ai Ling Chin says the venue has several nooks including “the library” and a bar area suitable for more private events and is very flexible in welcoming groups of many sizes and catering preferences, offering bill splitting for groups up to 20.

Dining in the foliage at Greendays.

“We have some lovely private areas and offer two or three course set menus,” she says.

“Our high teas are also very popular. We take pride in tailoring special events to our guests’ needs.”

BEST HIGH TEAS ON THE GOLD COAST

Much-loved over the years by the ladies who lunch, Greendays is now also open for evening meals on Thursday and Friday nights during summer and can be booked out entirely for Saturday nights for larger groups.

“We also still have dates available for Christmas parties,” Ai Ling says. “It’s definitely not too late.”

BASKK

Shop 2, 52-58 Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Festive fare at Baskk

FIVE OF THE BEST GOLD COAST GRAZING BOARDS

This southern gem is perfect for large parties with its cool beachside vibe, clever tapas style menu and sumptuous grazing boards.

Baskk’s flexible event packages can be customised to suit all occasions and group sizes, with food options ranging from selected plates to house special pizzas to a seven course tasting

menu.

Private parties can reserve the deck, or half the deck, the pizza area or even the entire venue for groups up to 200, while for smaller groups, Baskk staff won’t batt an eyelid if you ask to split the bill.