August 2026 Gold Coast Openings: 12 New Cafes, Restaurants and Bars to Try (With Addresses)

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August 2026: Your Guide to the Hottest New Gold Coast Openings

The latest bites to land on the Coast.

It's been a busy August for the GC food scene, with a fresh crop of cafes, restaurants and bars cropping up right across the coast.

From Vietnamese coffee and Japanese feasts to French bistros and Filipino-inspired croffles, this month's openings take us on a trip around the globe. Pack your appetite and come hungry!

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Vector Coffee

Southport favourite Vector Coffee has supersized in a big way, trading its tiny 12-seat setup for a spacious 60-seat venue right next door. Founded by the science-loving duo Kirsten and Tom Palmer, the cafe has always had great chemistry — and the new space brings a full kitchen, a bigger team and plenty more room to linger. Expect signature favourites and creative caffeine concoctions.
Where: 18A Young Street, Southport

Salty's

Some catch-ups are too good to end, and Salty's is built for exactly that. The new all-day local boasts a sprawling beer garden, big screens and room for 350 mates. Fuel up from 5:30am with brekkie, then stay for wood-fired pizza, pub classics and tasty burgers. Add local beers and cheeky cocktails, and you've got plenty of reasons to keep the conversation going.
Where: 2241 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach

Bistro Margaux

Consider this your excuse to get très chic. Bistro Margaux is the latest venture from the team behind Lars Bar & Grill, plating classic French fare alongside an impressive wine list and plenty of Champagne. Tuck into escargots, French onion soup, steak frites and duck confit, then settle in for some prime Nobby Beach people-watching. C'est magnifique.
Where: 2215 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach

Blend Greenness

Eating healthy just got a lot tastier. Blend Greenness is serving wholesome eats with an Asian-inspired twist, from loaded rice bowls, katsu sandos and prawn wonton noodle soup to drinks like Coconut Cloud or Green Booster smoothies, plus specialty coffee and premium matcha. Going green doesn't have to mean skipping flavour.
Where: 5/1916 Gold Coast Highway, Miami

ACE'S Coffee

Hospitality veterans Jesse Garlick and Lynsey Fairhurst spotted an empty shop at Miami One over lunch one day — and a month later had signed the lease for ACE'S. Jesse is no newcomer, having opened cult Mermaid Beach cafe Skull & Bones back in 2012. Now, with little ones in tow, the pair are back with New York-style focaccias, fresh-baked cinnamon buns and seriously good coffee.
Where: Shop 5/1934 Gold Coast Hwy, Miami

Kōstel Milk Bar

The humble milk bar just got a matcha makeover. Kōstel Milk Bar is the new Burleigh hangout from husband-and-wife duo Jimmy and Pixie Parker, serving Japanese-inspired pastries and specialty coffee. Treat yourself to house-made white chocolate matcha strawberry lamingtons, sesame cinnamon scrolls and Japanese pumpkin doughnuts, washed down with dirty matchas and hojicha hot chocs.
Where: Shop 11/3 Deodar Drive, Burleigh Heads

Nigiwai

Forget your standard sushi stop — Nigiwai brings a little drama to the table. The new Broadbeach restaurant serves premium sashimi, omakase sushi and unexpected creations like Hotate Sushi Truffle Shots. Sit among the bonsai trees and soak up the Japanese oasis while sipping a Matcha Coconut Cloud or Lychee Yuzu Martini.
Where: Oasis Shopping Centre, G.66B/75 Victoria Ave, Broadbeach

BLENDS

Why stop at a fresh fade when you can leave with a caffeine hit too? BLENDS has added a takeaway coffee bar to its Burleigh barbershop, pouring coffee and matcha alongside a seriously fun lineup of cold foams like Raspberry White Choc, Pistachio Cream and Brown Sugar Float. Booked in for a trim or just chasing a brew — BLENDS has you covered.
Where: 5/1837 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads

Chunky Dough

Chunky Dough has gone from tram-stop kiosk to Southport dessert hotspot. Pastry chef Jeff puts his Filipino heritage front and centre with indulgent creations starring ube, pandan, mango and coconut. Expect gooey cookies, loaded croffles and flavour-packed drinks — including an Ube Flan crowned with a whole leche flan. This is a sweet success story worth sinking your teeth into.
Where: Shop B001, 56 Scarborough Street, Southport

May's Vietnamese Coffee

Shaking up the James Street coffee scene is May's Vietnamese Coffee, a new hole-in-the-wall with four coffee bases and four signature cold-foam Toppers — that's 16 combinations to sip your way through. Start with the cult-favourite Vietnamese Iced Coffee and signature egg-based foam, then come back for Nutella, Mont Blanc or Salted Caramel. And don't forget to grab a slice of baked cheesecake.
Where: 47 James Street, Burleigh Heads