Look beyond Burleigh and Broadbeach and sophisticated sips can be found on the Gold Coast with the emergence of hip hood Southport aka Sopo.
Sopo is quickly becoming a thriving metropolis, with a selection of fine establishments luring travellers from the glitter strip to the urban hub.
We’ve searched Southport for some secret gems to help plan your next Gold Coast getaway.
Randy Wallhole
This simple retro café heroes New York style bagels and old school jaffles on its deliciously concise menu. You’ll feel right at home at this welcoming neighbourhood café, filled with eclectic furnishings, arcade games and memorabilia.
Address: 21 Nind St, Southport
Blendlove
From humble beginnings selling at market stalls, the team’s raw desserts became so popular the business has grown into its current premises Blendlove Café. Blendlove is a casual eatery where you can share a health focused, plant-based meal or one of their whole, nutritious treats that are vegan, gluten free, dairy free and refined (case sugar) free, so it’s healthy right?
Address: Shop 1/253 Ferry Rd, Southport
Pearl & Ash Café & Wine Bar
Located in the Brickworks Centre on Ferry Rd, Pearl & Ash is a casually sophisticated café and wine bar. Featuring an all day breakfast menu as well as brunch, salads, burgers or sandwiches Pearl & Ash Café’s menu is sure to have something for everyone.
Address: Shop 11/107 Ferry Rd, Southport
Jafa Pizza & Wine
This neighbourhood pizza and wine bar (located alongside Blendlove) is worth seeking out for its modern and effortless style and pizza’s that rise slowly over 30 hours before being hand shaped and fired at 360 degrees. Sounds worth waiting for, right?
Address: Shop 7/253 Ferry Rd, Southport
Boudouir Lounge
Sophisticated sips have arrived in Sopo with the opening of Boudoir Lounge, a venue which blends cocktail bar with bespoke beauty. The perfect location for a girls getaway, guests can sip cocktails, dine on shared plates all while having their hair and nails done. How very GC darling.
Address: 410/1 Como Cres, Southport
Panezski Artisan Distillery
The Coast’s first artisan Vodka distillery has opened in Southport. Panezski create a range of Polish style vodkas as well as gin and triple sec. Come in and sample a tipple or sit back and enjoy some classic cocktails in the most unlikely of spaces in an industrial estate with some hidden gems. Look out for some cocktail and Vodka appreciation nights coming soon.
Address: 55 Bailey Cres, Southport
Little Cocoa
In the same ‘hood, you’ll find Little Cocoa, artisan chocolates like no other. Behind the pastel pink door, you’ll find chocolatier Alicia Chapman who handcrafts the most incredible pralines, specialty chocolate gifts and the prettiest Ruby Rocky Road with salted caramel macadamia that’s almost too pretty to eat…almost.
Address: 7/10 Bailey Cres, Southport
Stay
Sky Broadwater
Check in to Southport’s newest resort, the luxurious Sky Broadwater overlooking the Broadwater Parklands ideal for girls’ getaways and family holidays. With apartments so spacious you could move right in, it’s perfect for group gatherings in the Gold Coast’s secret gem, Sopo.
The writer was a guest of Sky Broadwater.
Main Image - Image: © 2020 Inside Gold CoastImage: Randy Wallhole, Blendlove, Pearl & Ash, Jafa, Boudoir, Panezski, Little Cocoa, Sky Broadwater
