5 Best Brunch Restaurants on the Gold Coast, Australia for 2025

The Gold Coast, Queensland is one of my absolute favourite places in the world for many reasons – the beautiful beaches, the consistently good weather, a developed wellness culture, and the incredible range of delicious brunch spots.

One of my favourite activities on the Gold Coast is to discover new cafes and to explore the surrounding area, either along the coastline, tucked into the hinterlands or in the city. There are many great brunch spots to enjoy, covering a wide range of styles and dietary preferences.

Whether you’re coming towards the end of your 2 week East Coast Australia itinerary, or just popping down from Cairns, you’ll want to make sure you are eating your way through the Gold Coast. To help with this important endeavour, I’ve curated a list of of 5 of my favourite brunch spots in the Gold Coast to guarantee you have a world-class brunch when in the “Sunshine State”!

1. The Cardamon Pod, Brickworks

This gorgeous, ‘instagrammable’ café is an incredible brunch spot (and also makes for a great space for working). The Cardamon Pod is located in Brickworks, Southport, which is a gorgeous, higher-end, outdoor shopping centre.

This is always the the first place I eat at when I’m in the Gold Coast. The Cardamom Pod is largely plant-based, but offers some dishes with eggs and dairy. Its fit-out is stunning, bright and spacious, and has a very ‘hippie’ vibe to it.

My favourite dishes include the acai bowl, which is a decadent and beautiful creation – and almost too pretty to eat! To be fair, all the dishes at the Cardamom Pod look too pretty to eat. The vegan pumpkin toastie is equally delicious and indulgent. You must also try the iced chai latte with vegan cashew ice-cream – yes, it tastes as good as it sounds.

To top it off, the front counter also boasts a big range of exciting vegan cakes and treats.

Overall, the brunch experience at the Cardamom Pod, with its beautiful interior and dishes that will make you say ‘WOW’, makes it one of the best brunch spots on the Gold Coast.

2. The Milkman’s Daughter, Mermaid Beach

On the topic of aesthetically pleasing cafés on the Gold Coast, the Milkman’s Daughter is second to none. Tucked away in Mermaid Beach, and only a few minutes’ walk to the ocean, this café is truly a memorable experience.

This gorgeous, light-filled, beach-themed space serves a vegetarian and seasonal brunch menu that is to die for! The menu is intentional and each dish is filled with healthy ingredients and a lot of flavour. My go-to dish is the farmer’s breakfast – a beautiful, generous spread of eggs, avocado, baked beans, hash browns, grilled vegetables and falafel.

If I’m being honest, the real reason I visit the Milkman’s Daughter is for the iced dulce de leche – a divine blend of house vegan coconut thick caramel, coconut milk and double espresso. There’s little debate here: this drink is the real winner for me.

I could sit at this café all day long, enjoying the beautiful layout and inspiring atmosphere.

3. Currumbin Valley Harvest, Currumbin

The magnificent Currumbin Valley Harvest is nestled in the Gold Coast’s Currumbin Valley, possibly my favourite place in the region. Currumbin Valley exists amongst luscious mountains and the much loved Currumbin Creek. The nature in this area is unparalleled, and I would recommend you to take a day to immerse yourself in this spectacular setting.

The Currumbin Valley Harvest offers a fully organic kitchen, using local and seasonal produce. I love that many of the ingredients are even grown on site! Their menu is consciously chosen, prioritising clean and simple food. They are especially known for their organic buckwheat wraps – I always go for the Tassie salmon wrap.

The intricate and unique drinks menu is incredible – the matcha frappe blended with rose water drops mixes some truly unique flavors. I love how you end up leaving this brunch spot with a happy belly and a nourished soul. It is totally worth the little trek into the mountains – I can guarantee you that the adventure, nature and incredible food will be well worth it.

4. Paddock Bakery, Burleigh Heads

Paddock Bakery in Burleigh Heads is often considered one of the Gold Coast’s best and busiest cafes. Located just a few minutes drive from the iconic Burleigh Beach, this renovated Queenslander home attracts customers from far and wide – and rightly so!

Paddock is a café-come-bakery in a big, beautiful, rustic-style outdoor setting. This space is always pumping with people and offers the best cafe atmosphere. There are many indoor, outdoor and upstairs seating options, suiting all weather conditions. It goes without saying that dogs are of course welcome here.

Also, the service is fantastic and the cafe is very well-run, which just amplifies the delicious quality of food. Paddock offers an expansive brunch menu with delicious options: my favourite dish is the ‘rustic avo’, which is exploding with fresh flavour. And, for a sweet treat, the bakery at the front counter serves a range of delicious and intricate pastries – the extravagant doughnuts are a crowd favourite!

A review of Paddock would not be complete without mentioning the elite coffee, consistently.

5. BSKT Café, Nobby’s Beach

BSKT (pronounced ‘biscuit’) is an institution on the Gold Coast for coffee, brunch, and healthy and tasty meals. It is located a few steps away from the iconic Gold Coast beach, and is always bustling with people, babies and dogs. Open from 5am everyday, BSKT is serving top-quality coffee and food to its many loyal patrons.

There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for any occasion. Also, BSKT offers a wonderful and spacious working environment (if you need to work remotely). The extensive food and drinks menu caters to all dietary requirements, and has many great vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

BSKT is the home to Australia’s first vegan soft serve, CocoWhip. They serve this delicious and healthy treat in many of their sweet dishes, and also on its own with different toppings and sauces.

Honestly, no trip to the Gold Coast is complete without a morning swim in the ocean, followed by a delicious breakfast and coffee from the legendary BSKT Café. Melbourne may be Australia’s brunch capital, but can you really compete with brunch + a Gold Coast beach?

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