WINNING WAY TO START THE DAY
BREAKFAST really is the most important meal of the day in Southport, home to our city’s No. 1 morning meal.
Serving rainbow pictures on a plate, the plant-based Cardamom Pod is an Instagrammer’s paradise.
Whether it’s pumpkin protein pancakes drizzled in a healthy version of Nutella or super-sized smoothie bowls, head chef Manju Pinnell is constantly pushing the breakfast boundaries.
“We live by the mantra ‘eat the rainbow’, so we use lots of colours and flowers,” Manju says. “Things like blue spirulina, pink pitaya, turmeric, ube (purple yam), beetroot and unique flavours from maca, coconut sugar, Lucuma and doterra essential oils.
“The most popular dishes would be the Snickers and original acai bowls, the avo benny, waffles and pancakes.
“The presentation is very pretty and Instagrammable and it tastes as good as it looks. Everything is homemade from scratch and we use a lot of healthy ingredients.”
In further proof Southport has its pick-me-up priorities straight, it’s also home to some of our readers’ favourite coffee haunts, including Raw Espresso and Simple Coffee House.
You can even go straight to the source of one of the Gold Coast’s most in-demand caffeine dealers.
Silipo, hiding in Southport’s industrial precinct, recently expanded its operations to include a kitchen.
“No one does coffee as well as us, it’s what we live and breathe, and so we wanted to bring people food that’s as good as the coffee,” owner Richard Silipo says.
Back up your brew with a trio of sliders — Bourbon pulled pork and slaw, Cajun barramundi and yoghurt or Greek lemon chicken and oregano.
While China Town offers a trip for the tastebuds, it’s not the only culinary gem in this multicultural melting pot.
Chanoyu Japanese Infused Cafe on Alicia Street made our Best of the Gold Coast list for kid-friendly eateries.
“I love the opportunity to introduce kids to flavours they may have tried before and Chanoyu is the perfect place to do that,” says Coffee Mumma Belinda Meginley.
“This cafe is tucked into a quiet complex overlooking a park, plus it has a fantastic kids’ play area filled with toys.
“Almost everything is made inhouse and is really reasonably priced.”
For more CBD colour, check out the growing collection of street art or visit the FSG Gallery in Railway Street before April 15 for an exhibition of Indigenous Australian art reflecting the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers region. The experience, titled Ngullingi Ya Wahlu (Us with You), will feature Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and storytellers sharing stories of their culture and history with native foods, music, dance and a tour of the gallery.