The Gold Coast has no shortage of places to soak up the sun. Rooftop bars? Check. Oceanside restaurants? Check. But if you’re seeking out a quiet corner to cuddle up with a coffee and a book, you need to know where to look. Here’s our guide to the cosiest Gold Coast cafes – each one perfect for this drizzly weather.
Tucked away, literally, underneath the stairs in Central Arcade (one of Surfers Paradise’s oldest commercial buildings), the aptly named Stairwell Coffee is a true hidden gem. It’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there, but once you do, you’ll come back for more.
Just like its namesake, Miami’s Velvet Café and Lounge is soft, sultry and seriously inviting. Moody hues and cosy textures make this café/lounge the perfect place to tuck yourself away with a good book – and maybe linger long enough for your cappuccino to turn into a cocktail.
Locals know there are so many cosy corners to hide in at Paddock, the 70-plus-year-old Queenslander that has become one of Burleigh’s most loved – and longest-running – cafes. Take your pick between the Loft, the Barn or the café itself, depending on your mood, and indulge in everything their pastry cabinet has to offer.
There’s something inherently cosy about an art gallery – especially if that art gallery is a treehouse, complete with a fireplace, set amongst a lush rainforest. At Albert’s on Lyrebird, the Springbrook café within Gallery 369, that’s exactly what you’ll find.
Did we mention we love cafés in art galleries? If you’re looking for an option closer to come, Currumbin’s iconic Dust Temple is more than just an art gallery – it’s a café, venue and (sometimes) marketplace all in one. There’s nothing better than sinking into a vintage armchair, warm drink in hand, and examining their eclectic collection of artworks.
A trip out to Pasture & Co, in the Currumbin Valley EcoVillage, is always a good idea. The values of the wider community are evident on the menu, where you’ll find sustainably sourced, eco-friendly options – the kind that make a rainy morning in a cosy café feel even better.
Deeper into the valley, Currumbin Valley Harvest is a café and a marketplace all in one. Pull up a chair by the balcony to watch the creek cruise by, enjoy a warm drink and a delicious meal, then leave with your selection of fresh, locally-grown produce from the organic farmers market. Heaven.
