Cruising up by water to a café in the morning is an ideal way to wake up your boatie senses. Here are breakfast spots that offer the best harbour views on the Gold Coast. Food tasting reviews and photos by Michael Von Backstrom, Roselle Tenefrancia and Andy Kancachian.
Edgewater Dining
(Capri on Via Roma, Isle of Capri)
The trendy Edgewater Dining has a very welcoming eight-berth public pontoon directly in front it. Operated by restaurateurs Peter and Tracey Cianci, Edgewater has a constantly evolving menu that incorporates the seasonal changes. A light brekky option is the French Toast ($17) with crispy smoked bacon, nutmeg, cinnamon and maple syrup. Healthy options include the Bircher Muesli ($16.5) with dried fruits and nuts, honey, seasonal berries and yoghurt and a Market Fresh Fruit Plate ($15.5) with natural yoghurt and Manuka honey. The Edgewater Dining breakfast menu is a truly comprehensive gastronomic experience, as you begin the morning with the view of Surfers Paradise skyline.
Southport Yacht Club
(Main Beach, Southport)
With the majestic charm of the Southport Yacht Club harbour to mesmerise you, it’s a great place to begin your weekend with a hearty buffet breakfast ($15pp). Good honest food, the bountiful selection is undeniably value for money. For starters, there is a fresh fruit platter and cereal of your choice, and a variety of wholegrain bread. The buffet selection includes scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon rashers, sausages, baked beans, and grilled tomatoes. Flowing fruit juices, brewed coffee and tea are available. Guests will be captivated by kids enjoying the introductory Funsail on the Club’s sandy beach, especially with the capsizing drill, when the kids get wet and frolic madly in the water—by far the most entertaining. Buffet breakfast is available Saturdays and Sundays.
Anchorage Café
(Horizon Shores Marina, Wongoolba)
One of the Gold Coast and Brisbane’s best kept secrets, the Anchorage Cafe overlooks the boats at the marina. You can enjoy a peaceful breakfast, and listen to the sounds of water lapping against the hulls, fish leaping out of the water, birds popping in with their ‘Mornin’ tweet, and then, if you’re lucky, you can spot the delightful frolics of dolphins playing around the marina. We recommend the ever-reliable Eggs Benedict ($16), using a delightful assortment of fresh and local ingredients, served on a bed of toasted Turkish bread and topped with a collaboration of wilted spinach, two poached eggs, tomato, hollandaise and your choice of ham, bacon or salmon. The Anchorage Café is gluten-free friendly and have lactose-free milk options. Courtesy berths are available free of charge while dining at the café. To confirm a brekky berth, book ahead.
The Press Café
(Harbour Village, Coomera Waters)
This small yet busy café overlooks the marina. Its open-plan kitchen layout adds to the vibe, as Damien and his team push out the orders in no time. Nobody likes getting their breakfast when their coffee is either cold or finished. The Breakfast Burgers ($10) and coffees arrived in less than five minutes(!), and are therefore very popular with the boaties for takeaways. A lightly toasted Brioche Bun comes with fried egg, bacon, cheese, tomato, rocket, BBQ sauce and aioli—light yet filling, saucy but not messy. It’s not every day one finds great value with superfast and friendly service.
Klein’s Coffee, Bar & Grill
(Runaway Bay Marina, Runaway Bay)
With the best view of the marina, Klein’s Coffee, Bar & Grill is open seven days a week and has a great breakfast menu that ticks all boxes. All menu items such as the Nutritional Breakfast ($15.9), Small Breakfast ($7.9), Omellette ($10.9) and Supa Breakfast ($13.9) all portray true value for money. But it was the uniquely different Rosti Stack ($17.9) that made this breakfast experience a memorable one. A rosti set on baby spinach, bruschetta, and a poached egg all topped with hollandaise sauce is perfectly paired with a great cappuccino ($4.2) and fast friendly service. Klein’s nailed it!
The Boatshed Bar
(Currumbin Creek, Currumbin)
The serene creek first thing in the morning is an amazing shade of blue that you don’t see everywhere. The Currumbin area boasts a strong SUP community, dragon boat teams, surf life savers, and paddlers out on the water. There are also houseboats, kayaks, tinnies, even the occasional trailer-sailor yacht cruising passing. Boatshed manager, Glen Spragg, and head chef, Tommy Kennedy, are both keen sailors, racing every week at Southport Yacht Club, and are also surfers and paddle boarders. For a full tummy, we recommend the Boss Brekkie ($16) with spinach, bacon, smashed avocado, two poached eggs on toasted ciabatta. An interesting boatie’s favourite, the Blackened Benny ($15.5) on ciabatta with house-made black pudding and fresh hollandaise sauce, may not be for everyone, but we found it delicious.
Quarter Deck Kitchen & Bar
(Gold Coast City Marina, Coomera)
Delicious food, Calippo Café coffee, friendly staff and a relaxing view amount to an excellent breakfast experience! Quarterdeck’s breakfast variety manages to satisfy, with the Smashed Avocado ($18) being highly recommended, with two perfectly poached eggs on sourdough accompanied with grilled bacon and a flavourful dukkah twist. For the larger appetite, the QD’s Big Breakfast ($22) is a winner, and includes grilled bacon, pork and fennel sausage, eggs, beans, confetti cherry tomatoes, two potato rostis and sourdough toast. For a lighter option, Quarter Deck’s homemade granola is a must try.
The Galley
(The Boat Works, Coomera)
A comfortable spot among the sails and masts allows you to soak up the views of the boats, the natural wood and reclaimed timber interior. The beautiful carpentry alone is breathtaking, making this breakfast destination (with easy mooring access) an absolute must. The gentle clink of ropes against masts add to this wonderful experience. Our favourite is the Boat Works Benny ($16) with poached eggs and avocado salsa with (or without) toast. Good coffee and friendly fast service are mainstays. But in this case we just wanted to laze around, enjoy the views, soak up the excitement of actual boat works, and absorb the “old-ship” carpentry.
