Gold Coast dining: nine of the best Broadbeach restaurants and cafes

If you’re looking to try something a little bit more special than the Pacific Fair food court, you’ve come to the right place. Best of the Gold Coast has found nine of the top places to eat in Broadbeach.

If you’re looking to try something a little bit more special than the Pacific Fair food court, you’ve come to the right place.

Broadbeach serves up drool-worthy $6 burritos and a delightful vegetarian buffet that’s easy on the wallet but doesn’t spare a cent on quality.

There’s also a restaurant that will send you straight to an Asian street without a return ticket, plus a pizzeria that’s been satisfying cheese-lovers for 30 years.

Check out our list of eight of the best places to eat in Broadbeach.

Mamasan Kitchen and Bar

3 Oracle Boulevard, Broadbeach

Mamasan Kitchen and Bar’s ocean trout sashimi.

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Mamasan is a melting pot of flavours from the orient expertly modernised to suit a present day palate. Sweet meets savoury in the half shell scallops dish, a small plate that represents what modern Asian is all about. “The half shell scallops, they have a black sesame and umami chilli dressing, with palm sugar toffee shards,” Co-owner JP Duitsch says. “(Toffee shards) is usually something you’d put on ice cream, the sweet cuts through the spice.” Another two dishes that turn the traditional tables are the Mamasan KFC and broccoli and cauliflower with Japanese sesame dressing.

The Cardamom Pod

1/2685-2689 Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach

Cardamom Pod Broadbeach offers an all-you-can-eat option on Tuesday night.

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This Broadbeach restaurant was part of the original Cardamom Pod mob but has since relaxed into its role as the causal counterpart. Owner Sean Pinnell says it’s the place to spend a chilled morning or evening in Broadbeach. “You feel like you could hang out for hours,” Sean says. “The food is ready to go with the hot food and salad buffet, vegan mylk bar and killer desserts.” The Cardamom Pod in Broadbeach is putting a healthy twist on cheap Tuesday — as much hot food and salad from the buffet as you can eat for $16.90.

The Loose Moose

Oasis Shopping Centre, 75 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

The Loose Moose double cowboy burger — yeehaw!

Adding a little sophistication to the souped-up sandwich, The Loose Moose prefers for diners to come back on a regular basis for its refined burgers. “We’re trying to make our dirty food clean,” head chef and owner Michael Dragosevic says. “The Cowboy burger is the bestseller, it’s got the American cheddar, a patty, smoky barbecue secret sauce, char grilled bacon, lettuce, tomato and pickles on an organic milk bun.”

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Hideaway

2657 Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach

Hideaway Kitchen + Bar.

Hideaway takes Asian street food to new heights by keeping a close eye on the hottest food trends. “We make regular trips to Melbourne and Sydney, we recently spent two days in Melbourne and ate at about 30 different restaurants,” owner Scott Imlach says. So what does such intensive, ah, study produce? Scott says baos are big, as are Hawaiian seafood salad bowls and all inclusive menus. “Around 10 years ago no one knew about baos but they’re trendy as now,” Scott says. “The poke dishes, the raw seafood dishes are on trend, and food that incorporates all the gluten free stuff.”

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Betty’s Burgers and Concrete Co

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach

Betty’s Burgers and Concrete Co. PIC TAIT SCHMAAL.

There’s something about Betty’s Burgers that has the hungry coming back en masse. With each burger containing six ingredients or much less, general manager Emily Myors says the burgers are simple yet satisfying. Another secret could be in Betty’s “special sauce”, an accompaniment on almost every burger. The most popular burger is the Betty’s classic: a cheeseburger with special sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion between a milk bun.

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Mario’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

Oasis Shopping Centre, Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach

The new look Mario's Italian Restaurant, Broadbeach, after a complete renovation and makeover.

Mario’s Italian Restaurant was serving pizza to the public before it was cool. “Mario’s has been around for 30 years this year,” owner Andrew Dimattina says. “We’re such an iconic place, and one of the first pizzerias on the Gold Coast.” Don’t expect sourdough bases and minimal toppings on the Italian staple, though — Mario’s pizzas are loaded with ingredients atop a crunchy pastry.

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Kiyomi

The Star, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach

The Star’s Kyomi dish — scampi with foie gras.

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Izakya may date back hundreds of years, but Kiyomi’s offerings are far from archaic. The refined restaurant at The Star Casino blends contemporary influences into its food, decor and service with share style plates and intimate dining areas. The Hiramasa Kingfish dish with miso ceviche and crispy potato captures the essence of modern Asian food with new-age flavours and textures. If Japanese isn’t your thing, The Star is also home to modern Australian restaurant Nineteen and Italian eatery Cucina Vivo.

The Aztec

Shop 11, 7 Albert Avenue, Broadbeach

The Azte’s chicken combination dinner. Picture: Jerad Williams

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When life give you lemons, make margaritas — that’s The Aztec’s motto. After having to relocate to a new spot in Broadbeach last year, this OG Mexican haunt made the most of the opportunity to revitalise its image with an updated menu and extensive tequila bar. You can pick up all of the well-known classics including enchiladas, oven baked burritos, nachos and more, but the new addition taco bar hands out nine types of burritos for $6 each, a great option for saving on cash yet while still getting your fix.

ELK ESPRESSO

Shop 44 The Oasis, Charles Ave, Broadbeach

Violet Crumble Waffles at Elk Espresso, Broadbeach for Best of the Gold Coast brunch

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Elk Espresso’ is one of Broadbeach’s best spots for brunch. “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.