My town, Burleigh Heads must have in excess of 40 coffee shops stretching from West Burleigh, Central Burleigh to North Burleigh. They range from kiosk or nook style, to chain shops such as Zarraffas or the Coffee Club, to trendy ‘shabby-chic’ cafes where all the cool people hang out. They all offer the best tasting coffee and some great tasting organic brands.

Everybody is doing it these days. That is ‘doing coffee’! In fact I would say it is epidemic amongst people of all genres and ages. You see ‘hipsters’ wearing beanies and skinny jeans doing it, young ‘yummy mummies’ with babies in prams doing it, older ‘grey nomads’ doing it and male cyclists clad in lycra (MAMILs) doing it!  We as a population as a whole, have a wonderful love affair with coffee.

Here are a few of my favourite coffee haunts around my backyard of Burleigh Heads:

Commune

This funky indoor /outdoor cafe is housed in an old butcher’s shop and is located just around the corner from my place on Lower Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads. It has a vintage/shabby chic vibe with mismatched old lounges, table and chairs which sprawls out onto an adjoining courtyard area complete with shady umbrellas and wrought iron outdoor furniture. The coffee is superb, juices and smoothies very tasty and the food is all-organic and healthy without breaking the bank. I love their salads and sandwiches which are both healthy and generously sized.

Street Corner Espresso

Located only a few shops down from Commune on the corner of Lower Gold Coast Highway and Deodar Street, this coffee shop, although having such serious competition, stands out on its own. Their coffee is good and the food even better with great traditional and healthy menu options for both breakfast and lunch. The cafe is mainly alfresco with a cool little courtyard at the rear and side of the premises and tables and chairs lining the footpath at the front, where you can watch the world go by.

Nook Espresso

Arguably the best coffee in Burleigh, this little hole in the wall, takeaway only, coffee nook is extremely popular with the morning walkers, joggers and the mummy groups. You can quickly and easily grab a coffee to go and sit in the park or atop Burleigh Headland and watch the surfers ride the point breaks. It is located on Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads right near the swimming pavilion. It does have a big sister coffee shop at nearby Stocklands Shopping Centre out on Reedy Creek Road.

Borough

Borough Barista

Located near the Burleigh Heads Hotel on The Esplanade in Burleigh Heads, this tiny little coffee shop serves up good coffee. It is a big hit with the ‘Lycra fraternity’ on their way back from their morning cycle, but it is also where I grab a takeaway most Saturday mornings after I have walked the National Park with my girlfriends.

Paddock

Paddock Bakery

Described as a bakery, Paddock sells mouth-watering wood-fired sourdough, plus brekkie and lunch, in a stylish weatherboard old house with a leafy garden. This place is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike even though it is hidden away off the main highway on Hibiscus Haven, North Burleigh. Along with the home-made bakery products they serve great coffee.

Burleigh Social

Burleigh Social

A recently opened cafe, also in Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Social is housed in a corrugated iron shed giving it a distinctive rural flavour. Food is healthy and tasty served on disposable brown cardboard plates and the coffee is flavoursome.

Anna Karena

With delicate real china cups and saucers, proper sugar bowls and dainty little teaspoons, this place is a cake or dessert-lover’s dream. Located at 1957 Gold Coast Highway near McDonalds, this cafe also hosts High Tea events and I could not think of a better place to do this with its quaint decor. Most of the cakes in the display cabinet are homemade on the premises and they are simply delectable and decadent!

Hidden Perk

Hidden Perk

One of our favourite weekend things to do is walk the Burleigh National Park and then cross the road at Tallebudgera Bridge over to Koala Park to this little skinny cafe called Hidden Perk. We love their coffee and their breakfasts are the most reasonably priced you will get anywhere on the Gold Coast. You can sit outside on the pavement or tucked away at the back of the cafe is a little courtyard lined with herb gardens.

The Woodbox

Lunching with Friends

This cafe/gift shop is my favourite for having coffee and/or lunch with the girls. Woodbox is located on West Burleigh Road, West Burleigh and is housed in an old weatherboard home. They serve up a great range of sandwiches, frittatas, quiches and salads for lunch and their coffee is very good. While you are here browse the giftware in the shop. You could spend hours here!

Now you will all fully understand why I love my own backyard, Burleigh Heads so much. It simply has the best coffee shops/cafes on the entire Gold Coast.

Where do you like to hang for coffee in your town?