Cafes
Okay, once you’ve packed your swimmers, towel, sunscreen (very important) and a fresh pair of threads for the evening (if you are making a weekend out of your trip north), then the next most important thing is a coffee. We suggest yawning for a little bit longer in order to grab a cuppa from one of the Sunshine Coast’s best new coffee spots. Little Sisters Coffee Co opened in Maroochydore in October, offering coffee and treats as well as a chance to browse a few racks of rediscovered clothing. Sunshine Beach welcomed Chalet & Co with open arms when it kicked off trading in September. This beachside cafe has you covered for breakfast and lunch, with java, smoothies and juices to keep you fuelled. Marcoola’s Little Boat Espresso is worth stopping at if only for its signature okonomiyaki green pancake, but we also hear that Little Boat will soon be opening for night trading (with a new bar) and that they have a new addition to the number of Sunshine Coast hotspots in the works (called Winnie) that will be open in Woombye by the time summer hits with full force.
Bars
After a day submerging yourself underwater and working on your tan, complete your coastal unwind with a tipple at a nearby watering hole. Maroochydore’s Sneaky Baron bridges the gap between breakfast and lunch with a range of dishes, but if it’s ocean views and cold drinks that you are after, make a beeline for this Ocean Street venue. Moto Bar at Noosa Heads is known for custom bikes, craft beer and good food. Locally brewed beverages are on tap, with drops from Sunshine State microbreweries joining a selection of rum and gin in the back bar. Speaking of local brews, Caloundra brewery Your Mates Brewing recently opened The Basement in Nambour, which offers craft beer from Your Mates and other Australian breweries. Rick’s Garage is one of the most recognisable spots on the coast, but many Brisbanites might not know that the spot now boasts its own whisky bar above the garage and diner. Stocking one of the largest range of top drops on the Sunny Coast, Rick’s boasts 80 domestic and international whiskies and 140 bottles of spirits. Back in the middle of 2016, Brouhaha Brewery opened its highly anticipated bar in Maleny, complete with a massive deck, ten beer taps and menu of eats using fresh, locally sourced produce.
Restaurants
You can’t leave the coast before trying some its brand-spanking new restaurants. These stack up against some of the best we’ve got in Brisbane, so maybe consider booking in a couple of visits to the Sunshine Coast. Canteen Kitchen + Bar in Coolum Beach is a striking venue that showcases some of the coast’s best seafood and pairs it with the best meat from the hinterlands. Try some duck pancakes, Malay crab cakes or barbecue baby back pork ribs with a cocktail or two. The brilliantly named Dirty Moes on the Mooloolaba Esplanade serves up slow-cooked soul food as well as a range of beer and top-shelf whisky. We’re talking fall-off-the-bone ribs, Philly cheesesteak sangas, chicken wings and a sumptuous meat platter. Noosa’s Bordertown is a restaurant and high-end cocktail bar that plates up cuisine inspired by America’s southern states and Mexico. Order the likes of slow-cooked pork tacos, double beef burgers, mac n’ cheese and jalapeno poppers and wash it down with a delectable cocktail, beer or vino. In Maroochydore, diners are raving about the fare available at Orléans, a restaurant and bar that draws culinary inspiration from New Orleans cuisine and the French city of Orléans. These influences take shape in the form of dishes such as spiced demi boneless quail, seafood gumbo, pumpkin beignet and garlic shrimp.
