Gold Coast Coffee: The Ultimate Guide On Where To Get The Good Stuff

It’s so much more than a caffeinated beverage – it’s a way of life! Coffee connoisseurs on the Gold Coast know that there’s no better way to start the day than with a steaming hot cuppa. The aroma of roasted beans transports you to your happy place and that first sip brings a sigh of satisfaction.

The Gold Coast’s coffee scene sets the bar high, with brilliant baristas slinging flat whites, frothy lattes and long blacks on the daily. We’ve scoured every inch of the Gold Coast from north to south to uncover some of the best coffee on offer. This International Coffee Day (and every day really!) grab your KeepCup and make tracks to these epic spots to get your fix.

NORTHERN GOLD COAST COFFEE

BUOY OH BUOY

The friendly crew at Paradise Point’s Buoy Oh Buoy are slinging steaming cups of Blackboard Coffee from their nautical-themed café seven days a week, from 6am. While you’re waiting, don’t be surprised if you decide to add one of their halloumi brekkie rolls or freshly baked muffins to your order.
Where: 8/27 Falkinder Avenue, Paradise Point

DARRK ESPRESSO

If you find yourself on the Northern Gold Coast looking for a caffeine hit, then make a beeline for Daark Espresso. With a large, wraparound deck, you can enjoy their range of signature brews and single origins alfresco style. Locally sourced, and brewed with love, their iced coffee (a doppio espresso poured over ice and topped with vanilla bean ice-cream) is an absolute must.
Where: 2/41 Musgrave Avenue, Labrador

BEAR BOY ESPRESSO

With a minimalist Scandinavian chic interior, you’d be forgiven for wanting to copy Bear Boy’s aesthetic in your own home. The great news? The coffee here is just as good as their design skills. Pouring Single O’s Killer Bee blend seven days a week – if you’re looking for one of the best coffee spots on the Gold Coast, this is it.
Where: 66/502 Hope Island Road, Helensvale

CAFÉ CATALINA

Perched on the edge of the Gold Coast’s sparkling broadwater, Café Catalina boasts one of the best views for your morning coffee. Pouring super smooth Dimattina Coffee, this sweet spot is dog-friendly so you can bring your four-legged friend along for your daily cuppa.
Where: 10/11 Gold Coast Highway, Southport 

BRICKWORKS

When heading to Southport’s Brickworks to do your weekly grocery shop or to pick up some cheese for a charcuterie board, be sure to refuel with one of the centre’s smooth coffees from Italian caffeine connoisseurs Merlo Roasters.
Where: 107 Ferry Road, Southport

HOT SHOTT

A northern Gold Coast institution, coffee lovers make the trek to Hot Shott from far and wide for the excellent brews and amazing service. Located on a bustling strip in Main Beach, sip on Single O coffee while your four-legged friend downs a puppycino. And if you have room, their trio of brekky sliders (bacon & egg, BLT and cheeseburger) is a must try.
Where: 3/17 Tedder Ave, Main Beach

CENTRAL GOLD COAST COFFEE

STAIRWELL COFFEE

Nestled in the heart of Surfers Paradise, visitors and locals alike can’t get enough of this hole-in-the-wall spot slinging excellent coffee on the daily. Serving a tasty, local roast, Stairwell Coffee offers every single milk variation you could think of including Norco lactose free, Milk Lab (macadamia, almond and coconut) and Bonsoy – so everyone is guaranteed a morning pick me up. Just add one of their delicious toasties for the full breakkie experience.
Where: 67/3131 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise

ESPL.

If you like stunning ocean views with your cuppa then you’ll want to make your way to ESPL., located just across the road from Surfers Paradise beach. Serving a signature Colombian/Brazilian blend (and bulletproof coffee), plus tasty eats like twice-baked sourdough croissants and flaky homemade sausage rolls, it’s no surprise that ESPL. is one of the best coffee spots on the Gold Coast.
Where: 4 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise

PARADOX COFFEE ROASTERS

Offering one of the biggest ranges of coffee blends on the Gold Coast, if you’re serious about your brews, Paradox Coffee Roasters is for you. The roasting team at Paradox has over 15 years of experience, selecting, importing and roasting the finest (and sustainably sourced) coffees from around the world. A sip of the black gold from this place is a heavenly experience for any coffee addict.
Where: 10 Beach Road, Surfers Paradise 

ELK ESPRESSO

Nestled on the beachside of The Oasis centre, across from Kurrawa beach, legions of fans come to ELK for the excellent Proud Mary coffee and then stay for the incredible brunch. The seasonal, ever-changing menu – which features dishes like tempura prawn omelettes and strawberry pavlova waffles – is the perfect accompaniment to their excellent brews.
Where: 4 Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach 

NO NAME LANE

A sleek espresso bar that wouldn’t be out of place in the inner city streets of Melbourne, No Name Lane is for the serious caffeine addicts out there. Without a doubt one of the best coffee shops on the Gold Coast, No Name Lane is pouring Black Sheep Coffee seven days a week from 6am. Pro tip: their fluffy pancake stacks to go perfectly with a cuppa.
Where: 17 – 19 Elizabeth Avenue, Broadbeach

LE BON CHOIX

This patisserie and boulangerie will transport you straight to France with its chic interior and delicate, flaky pastries, which are hand-crafted in-store. The perfect drink to go with your macaron or Croque Monsieur? One of their excellent flat whites, lattes or long blacks of course.
Where: Pacific Fair, Broachbeach 

SOUTHERN GOLD COAST COFFEE

NOOK

Perched on the edge of Burleigh Hill, this hole-in-the-wall is easily to spot thanks to the long line of people queuing up for their morning caffeine hit – some of them still dripping wet from their surf. The baristas at Nook seriously know their stuff, pumping out Byron Bay’s Bun Coffee at an impressive rate so you’ll have a steaming cup of the good stuff in your hands in no time. You only need to wander a few metres up the hill for some of the best views on the coast to accompany your coffee.
Where: 43 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads

ESPRESSO MOTO

An institution for coffee lovers on the Gold Coast, Espresso Moto’s super friendly staff will put a smile on your face the second you step inside their Palm Beach digs. Dog-friendly and always stocked with a cabinet full of tasty treats, they first opened back in 2014 and have been pouring their velvety, Allpress coffees ever since.
Where: 2/1389 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach

BLACKBOARD COFFEE

Crafting their own bold, full-bodied espresso with notes of chocolate and caramel, serious coffee addicts need to make a beeline for Blackboard Coffee. Ethically sourced and hand-picked from farms around the world, you can sip their signature blends at their Varsity Lakes café whilst picking up a bag for home brewing and enjoying one of their incredible brekky dishes.
Where: 7/240 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes

CAFFEINE KINGS

Just like the name suggests, the talented baristas at Caffeine Kings know a thing or two about brewing the perfect cuppa. Located in a former laundromat, this much-loved café pours exceptional brews using beans from a boutique local roaster to create a smooth house blend. Featuring graffiti covered walls and an excellent Asian fusion all-day breakfast, bookmark Caffeine Kings for your next coffee run.
Where: 1920 Gold Coast Highway, Miami 

BAREFOOT BARISTA

An absolute Gold Coast favourite, Barefoot Barista is serious about their coffee. Pouring everything from Costa Rican Single Origin prepared on the Aeropress, to a specialty grade filter roast and pretty much everything in between, you can rest assured you’ll get a solid caffeine hit here. And once you see their incredible breakkie dishes coming out of the kitchen – you’ll be changing your coffee order from takeaway to dine in immediately.
Where: 15 Palm Beach Avenue, Palm Beach

STABLE COFFEE & KITCHEN

Nestled inside Tugun’s Cornerstone Stores, Stable Coffee & Kitchen is the perfect spot to settle in for a cuppa. Their talented baristas are pouring Seven Seeds specialty coffee from Melbourne which goes perfectly with their tasty, seasonal menu – think: potato hash, poke bowls and tacos.
Where: 1/570 Gold Coast Highway, Tugun

ZEPHYR COFFEE CO

This hidden gem, with epic beach views, serves some of the best coffee on the Gold Coast. The crew at Zephyr air roast their coffee using the Sivetz fluid bed method, which levitates the beans on a fluidized bed of hot air, keeping the beans moving and not scorching on hot surfaces. The result? The smoothest coffee you’ll ever taste. Pro tip: Add one of their jaffles (spaghetti bolognese, Nutella and baked bean varieties) to your coffee order.
Where: 1 Churchill Street, Coolangatta

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