Best of the Gold Coast 2019: the city’s 10 best brunch cafes for mid-morning risers

It’s the perfect compromise between breakfast and lunch. From doughnut French toast to champagne-infused hollandaise, Best of the Gold has found 10 reasons to join the sleep in club.

Baked at Ancora serves up a la carte brunch options as well as plenty of pastries from the cabinet.

IT’S the perfect compromise between breakfast and lunch. Amber Macpherson and Chantay Logan have found 10 reasons to join the sleep-in club.

ELK ESPRESSO

Shop 44 The Oasis, Charles Ave, Broadbeach

Violet Crumble Waffles at Elk Espresso, Broadbeach.

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More and more people are meeting in the middle at Elk Espresso.

“Back when I started my first cafe it was more a breakfast rush, then a lull, followed by a lunch rush,” owner Andrew Whiting says.

“Now it’s jam-packed morning to afternoon with a definite surge from 10.30am onwards for the brunch club.”

For those times when boring bacon and eggs just won’t cut it, Elk’s seasonal menus borrow fine-dining techniques to deliver dishes you’ll drool over.

Andrew’s recommendation from the winter release “depends on whether you’re counting calories”, but he says the waffles are the crowd favourite.

The sweet version is a nostalgia-evoking spin-off of the Violet Crumble with honeycomb, dark chocolate ganache, lilac ice cream and gold flakes, while the savoury option sees pork belly benedict served on a chipotle waffle.

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Breakfast croquettes with aged cheddar and corn beef at Elk Espresso.

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“We have also done aged cheddar and corn beef croquettes for breakfast — who doesn’t like croquettes all day long?” Andrew says.

Delivered in a sun-splashed setting full of flowing greenery, the meals are almost too beautiful to devour … but that’s kind of the point.

“Presentation is a big deal for us, but only secondary to the actual creation of the dish and flavours,” Andrew says.

“At the end of the day it may look ’Gram-worthy but it still has to bring your tastebuds pure joy.”

On the refreshment front, Elk’s specialty coffee will give you a pep talk for the day ahead, but sometimes brunch calls for stronger stuff.

“Bloody marys are making a huge comeback,” Andrew says.

For the record, calories don’t count at brunch, so also feel free to stick to the sweet stuff with ruby or chilli hot chocolate spheres.

BAKED AT ANCORA

118 Wharf Street, Tweed Heads

Baked at Ancora is the perfect spot to roll out a picnic and munch on some pastries.

Eating dessert for breakfast may be borderline acceptable, but it’s almost mandatory for brunch. To get maximum mileage from Baked at Ancora’s tempting treat cabinet, plan a mid-morning pastry picnic on the banks of the Tweed River. While many of the grab-and-go goodies are designed to be enjoyed in the adjoining park, the a la carte menu also contains some brunch stars. The hearty house-made pork sausage roll, and okonomiyaki omelette filled with sugar loaf cabbage, green onions, pork belly, prawns, pickled ginger, Kewpi mayo, bonito and okonomiyaki sauce are recommended.

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THE TROPIC

3/43 Goodwin Tce, Burleigh

The Tropic at Burleigh Pavilion launches bottomless beachside brunch from Saturday 6 July.

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Put your plans on hold — The Tropic is launching a bottomless beachside brunch from July 6. Opening the doors early every Saturday for morning views of Burleigh Beach, executive chef Guillaume Zika’s banquet brunch is seriously indulgent. From 11am, feast on freshly shucked oysters, truffle and mortadella toasties, prawn cocktail rolls and the restaurant’s signature woodfired pig bun. A steady stream of chocolate and strawberry cupcakes and lemon meringue tarts will keep guests sweet. The food-only package is $55 or upgrade to a premium package to keep your glass topped up with Veuve Clicquot and Veuve Clicquot Rosé. There’s also the option to kick on in Beach Bar with DJs from 1pm.

CARDAMOM POD

3/3 Brolga Ave, Southport

It's all peachy smoothie bowl from Cardamom Pod. Picture: Tertius Pickard

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Cardamom Pod owner Sean Pinnell describes his restaurant’s brunch food in one word: artistic. “We try to make each plate a work of food art and something special, not just for show but something that tastes as good as it looks,” he says. The plant-based kitchen prides itself on surprising diners with exceptional flavours made cruelty-free. “Folks like it when you offer them something beautiful on their plate that exceeds their expectations,” Sean says. “Our favourite breakfast would have to be the pumpkin pancakes. They are such a lush treat and taste like pumpkin pie but also feature healthy vegan Nutella sauce, native wattleseed and honeycomb cashew cream, vegan meringue, gingerbread soil and lots of fresh berries.”

PADDOCK BAKERY

20 Hibiscus Haven, Miami

Diners try out the new upstairs eating area at Paddock Bakery at Miami. Picture Glenn Hampson

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Sometimes your tardiness for breakfast is due to the night before, and Paddock Bakery understands. “We have (the) perfect hungover brunch items like the Breakfast in Bread: a chorizo, ranchero, black bean and cheesy bowl of goodness served in our sourdough bread bowl; to our infamous semi-sourdough Doughnut French Toast or classic Toad in the Hole — two eggs cooked into a thick slice of scotch loaf, with avocado, bacon and house chilli sambal,” Paddock owner Chloe Watts says. With a leafy garden setting, strong coffee and the smell of pastries baking all day, Paddock is the perfect place to soothe your sore head.

CROSS AND FEATHER

2/2 Grice Ave, Paradise Point

Cross and Feather is bringing back the boozy brunch. Pictured is a mushroom bruschetta dish and a Bloody Oath bloody mary.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right? Cross and Feather has a line up of decadent dishes and breakfast cocktails ready to put a buzz in your brunch. Owner Pete Jeary calls it morning meals for grown-ups. “It’s breakfast staples but done in a mature way, a more exciting way,” he says. “Our hollandaise is champagne-infused, the mushroom bruschetta is another world of flavour. Our crossed avo is our take on smashed avo — avocado with tomatoes, Persian feta, salsa verde and dukka.” Wash it down with a bloody mary, mimosa or espresso martini and you’ll be sliding into weekend mode in no time … even if it’s 10am on a Tuesday.

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HOT SHOTT

3/17 Tedder Ave, Main Beach

Hot Shott chef Kellie Rolfe with on of her creations. Picture Glenn Hampson

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There is no breakfast or lunch menu at Hot Shott, but a combination of both meals available whenever you want them. A black angus beef burger at 8am? How about buttermilk pancakes at 1.30pm? Hot Shott co-owner Jenna Finch says there’s no rules at her cafe. “We do breakfast and lunch all day,” she says. “We’re very relaxed, playful, we aim for rustic elegance. You don’t have to dress up, you can roll straight of bed and come down. If one in your group wants breakfast, one wants lunch and another wants cake, they can have it.” Look out for Hot Shott’s weekend specials, usually a play on a breakfast staple. “Chef Kellie just did a green eggs and ham special — that was herbed hollandaise with poached eggs.”

FORREAL KITCHEN

5/28 Chairlift Ave, Nobby Beach

Forreal Kitchen — caramel kiss chocolate French toast with salted caramel, banana, chocolate crunch, mint and salted coconut.

Times are changing at Forreal Kitchen, with a new brunch menu ready to mix things up. “Our new menu is edgy and Instragrammable, with fresh produce and hormone-free meats,” Forreal co-owner Shonel Aloway says. “We’ve been here for 18 months, so it’s a really good time to have a fresh start.” The new items include a decadent French toast dish and mushrooms with “special powers”. “Our favourite would be the caramel kiss chocolate French toast with salted caramel, banana, chocolate and salted coconut yoghurt. Probably the best vegan option is the medicinal mushrooms, which is garlic and truffle mushrooms with macadamia cream, or toasted naan.”

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BAM BAM BAKEHOUSE

2519 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach

Cafe Surfing feature from Bam Bam Bakehouse in Mermaid Beach. The Bam Bam Benny. Picture: Jerad Williams

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Bam Bam Bakehouse is a triple treat — great meals, great pastries, great coffee. Revered by celebrities and regular folk alike, Bam Bam whips up decadent brunch dishes that take the cake. Start with the famous eggs benedict. Poached eggs are served atop a croissant that takes three days to prepare, with generous lashings of hollandaise and ham off the bone. There’s plenty for the adventurous appetites, too — the posh shrooms features roasted field mushrooms with herb butter, cannelli bean puree and a fried egg, or try the sticky Korean chicken bowl with kimchi, Asian greens, kewpie and rice. While you’re there, pick up a specialty cruffin, croissant or eclair, because why should dessert wait?

NO NAME LANE

Elizabeth Avenue, Broadbeach

The chilli scrambled eggs dish is part of No Name Lane's new winter menu.

With celebrity-approved coffee and a new winter menu, No Name Lane maintains its reputation as a brunching hot spot. The Broadbeach cafe serves an all day menu from 6.30am to 2pm with a host of comforting breakfast dishes. “Our menu is brand new and designed for these colder winter months,” No Name Lane owner Simon McCloy says. “We have several exciting items including a fermented chilli scrambled eggs, blueberry pancake stack and a brown rice porridge. We serve specials on top of the menu.” Black Sheep Coffee roasters from Brisbane take care of the caffeine, described by Blake Lively as the best coffee of her life.