MERMAID BEACH
DESPITE ITS PROXIMITY TO BUSY BROADBEACH, MERMAID BEACH FEELS MORE LIKE A SLEEPY BEACHSIDE TOWN THAN A SUBURB. WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CAFES, RESTAURANTS AND LOCAL HANGOUTS ALL WAITING PATIENTLY TO BE DISCOVERED, MERMAID BEACH MIGHT JUST TAKE OUT THE AWARD FOR ‘BEST-KEPT SECRET’.
EAT
When it comes to colourful, curated menus and beautifully decorated cafes, Mermaid Beach is your one-stop shop. Having gained national recognition thanks to a drop in from Matt Preston not too long ago, Bam Bam Bakehouse – with their cruffins, pastries and signature ‘bombs’ – will have you lining up for a sweet treat without batting an eyelid. Around the corner and close to the beach, Rafiki offers laid back breakfast and lunch options in a Mediterranean-inspired setting, while The Milkman’s Daughter has the vegetarians covered with their cruelty-free menu.
DRINK
Breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll never regret stopping by the Little Mermaid. Creative cocktails and drool-worthy dishes are all on the menu at the happening spot, which often hosts local musos to create the perfect vibe. Looking for something a little more low-key? Apres Surf serve up food with heart and beers to match – just a short walk back from the beach, it’s the perfect post surf hangout (as the name suggests).
SHOP
When you’re not hanging out at the beach – we argue Mermaid’s stretch of sand is one of the best on the Coast – be sure to pay a visit to some of the unique stores and boutiques in Mermaid Beach. Fashionistas will love Substance Boutique, while skaters will delight at the range on offer at Precinct Skate Shop. But one thing everyone will be able to agree on? A trip to the Borrowed Nursery. Set inside a former workshop, now transformed into a nursery-slash-party venue, sells, rents and displays plants and pots, while also hosting workshops and events. It doesn’t get much more unique than that.