From health hubs and hidden bars to a tropical Thai treat, there’s so much to savour in Tugun

THERE’S so much more to Tugun than the meeting of two highways. We’ve found the best local haunts well worth a detour.

House of Hubert at Tugun.

THERE’S so much more to Tugun than the meeting of two highways.

We’ve found the best local haunts well worth a detour.

STICKY RICE

443 Golden Four Drive

This Thai with a twist establishment has been trading for a matter of weeks although its owners Sarah Romruen and Monty Schmidt are no strangers to Tugun’s foodie scene.

The duo owned and ran Café Caribou before selling up a year ago and travelling the world.

Tugun’s Thai restaurant Sticky Rice.

They’ve now returned to the old neighbourhood for their next venture.

“My dad is Thai and we’ve been to Thailand many times,” Sarah says.

“We love the food but we wanted to make it a little different.”

The menu stays true to traditional flavours and ingredients but with a modern touch.

There’s wagyu sirloin with nam jim jaew, spicy dipping sauce, and barramundi with Thai green apple and herb salad with basil sauce.

Sticky Rice has tropical island style decor.

The decor is tropical island style rather than the dark wood and purples of traditional Thai establishments.

Sticky Rice is already booking out as word gets round the travellers have returned.

HIDDEN

455 Golden Four Drive

The aptly-named alleyway bar has recently reopened after a quick kitchen reno with a new chef, new menu and the same killer cocktail list.

Hidden is an intimate live music venue specialising in tapas and unique cocktails.

Cocktails at Hidden Bar, Tugun.

Owner Marie Phillips describes its new food offerings as truly sublime.

“The chef comes from a Mauritian background and has Michelin training so it’s quite special, not what you’d normally find.”

She recommends the gateau patate, a small pastry filled with roasted sweet potato, honey and coconut, or the jerked salmon and prawn cakes served with roasted pineapple.

The umami sour cocktail — vodka, passionfruit and basil — is still on the menu and there are people who travel just for Hidden’s naughty espresso martini. The secret ingredient: Nutella.

Umami sour cocktail at Hidden Bar, Tugun.

HOUSE OF HUBERT

5 Tooloona Street

House of Hubert takes the farm-to-fork philosophy seriously, doing its best to source fresh seasonal produce from local farmers.

It grows its own herbs and bakes its own banana bread with bananas from the trees out the back.

Barista Ben Cargill describes the menu as healthy, modern Australian — with great coffee (and he’s not just saying that).

“There’s a laidback vibe with good, nutritious food,” Ben says.

House of Hubert at Tugun.

Breakfast is served all day, which keeps fans of the breakfast burrito happy.

The corn fritters with smashed avo, cherry tomatoes, coriander and chipotle mayo are also wildly popular.

The lunch menu features gourmet burgers and a generous range of nutritious salads that can be customised to suit individual tastes.

BACKBONE BAR & KITCHEN

12/489 Gold Coast Highway

Beer aficionados Chris Wormald and Ben France have made their mark in Tugun marrying their curated local craft beer menu with tasty Asian bites.

Backbone Restaurant’s Ben France and Chris Wormald. Photo: Richard Gosling

The food is light and fresh — snacks, baos and dumplings bursting with Eastern flavours, designed to be shared and enjoyed with a drop from the taps or a splash of organic/low-intervention wines.

In the 18 months Backbone has been doing its thing, Chris says they’ve converted quite a few locals to the delights of craft beer.

“When we started, we’d get people looking for the beer they were used to but now they’ll give anything a try,” he says.

With the weather cooling, be on the lookout for some promised curries on the food side of things, perfect with heavier, warming beers for winter.

Backbone Bar and Kitchen, Tugun.

NICHE & CO

4/449 Golden Four Drive

This superfoods cafe is perhaps best known for its abundant smoothie and acai bowls but there is more to this vegan-friendly hangout.

Owner Haines Osborne says the emphasis is always on fresh food and the menu caters for most sensitivities and intolerances.

A breakfast favourite is the vegan eggs benedict, featuring ‘created eggs’ from vegetable sources.

Superfoods and vegan-friendly café Niche & Co has a breakfast favourite - vegan eggs benedict.

It’s worth ordering just to behold.

“We do poke bowls for lunch, the vegan Mexican nachos are always a hit and you have to try the smoky pulled jackfruit,” Haines says.

Vegans are coffee snobs too though so don’t be afraid to order a brew there.

Haines guarantees you won’t be disappointed.