General Information

Food & Wine
Looking for a bite to eat? Then be tempted by more than 500 restaurants in the region offering every style of cuisine.
Australian cuisine is renowned around the world for its blend of European and Asian styles mixed with local flair.

Sample Queensland delicacies such as Barramundi and Queensland Mud Crab or try ''Bugs'' - tasty crustacean the Moreton Bay Bug. Queensland beef is exported around the world. Try exotic meats such as crocodile or kangaroo.
Known for its tropical bonanza, sample the wide array of fruits and vegetables or buy something fresh from one of the region's markets.
Some restaurants cater for Halal and Kosha requirements while others specialise in vegetarian or vegan menus.

There's everything from fine five-star dining, al fresco cafes and eateries reflecting Australia's multicultural population. Choose from Italian, French, Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, German and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Watch a working brewery and take a tour at Yatala or discover boutique breweries at Surfers Paradise and Sanctuary Cove.
You can visit an award-winning environmental theme park with more than 500 varieties of tropical fruit, visit an historic rum distillery, learn about honey or avocados.

Explore the Gold Coast wine trail with seven boutique wineries and cellar door outlets within an hour's drive of beaches. The trail encompasses the beauty of Tamborine and Springbrook Mountains, the Albert River, Canungra and Mount Cotton. Many of the wineries have a relaxed approach to tastings and vineyard tours. There are harvest festivals, winemaker's dinners and musical events. For an extended grape escape, stay in a nearby farmstay or guesthouse or make sure you can enjoy your wine tasting experience through packaged winery tours.
You'll find major restaurant precincts at Tedder Avenue in Main Beach, Marina Mirage, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta. Head to the hinterland within 30 minutes drive of Gold Coast beaches to Tamborine Mountain, Springbrook, Mudgeeraba or south to Murwillumbah for Devonshire teas and restaurants in rainforest settings.
Surf Life Saving Clubs are dotted along the coast offering affordable meals or buy some fish and chips and eat simply overlooking waterways. Rural hotels or ''pubs'' often offer value-for-money fare.
Or, for those in self-contained apartments, just buy some superb fresh produce and do it yourself.

There's an array of food festivals including A La Carte in the Park in June at Southport, A La Carte on the Beach at Coolangatta (September) and the Broadbeach Festival (October).

Tipping is not mandatory in Australia but may be applicable for exceptional service. Generally diners leave a small tip at a restaurant to indicate satisfaction with service and the cuisine. Restaurants may be licensed or BYO (bring your own wine/beer/alcohol).

The new and popular wine trail in the Gold Coast hinterland is growing in size and picking up medals and awards on the way. There are now seven boutique wineries and cellar door outlets, all within an hour's drive of the beaches. Encompassing the rainforest beauty of Tamborine and Springbrook Mountains and the emerald countryside of Albert River, Canungra and Mount Cotton, the Gold Coast's burgeoning wine district features picturesque vineyards producing premium wines.
The cellar doors and wineries operate from historic homesteads and buildings or purpose-built venues incorporating tasting and restaurant facilities.