Healthy cafés on the Gold Coast that make eating clean easy

Gourmet vegetarian is the name of the game at The Cardamom Pod in Broadbeach. Their colourful dishes are a far cry from the days when vegetarians had to settle for bland, all-green salads - the crew here serves up the most beautiful plant-based dishes, super smoothies and beetroot, matcha and gingerbread lattes. Mouthwatering options like pumpkin pie pancakes, a Snickers acai bowl, and porcini arancini ensure you leave here on the biggest natural high.

Blendlove

With a mantra of keeping things simple, this Southport gem offers a plant-based menu free of dairy, preservatives, artificial colours and gluten.

Blendlove founders Riki-Lee Gilbert and Sharlene Fletcher have come a long way from their market-selling beginnings in 2013. The well-established café still continues to draw in crowds hoping that their favourite raw treats haven’t sold out for the day.

If you’re stopping by before 11am, try Blendlove’s happy hashies for breakfast – housemade truffle hash, garden greens, kale-naise and coconut bakon, avocado and black sesame. If smoothies are your jam, the spiced coconut and almond butter is a local favourite.

For more great breakfast options on the Gold coast, check out these hotspots.

Greenhouse Canteen and Bar

Make your way to Miami to discover an inventive vegan menu that’s attractive to even the staunchest carnivore. Tucking into Greenhouse Canteen and Bar’s smoked jackfruit enchilada, it’s hard to believe you’re not chowing down on melt-in-your-mouth beef.

With more eats like cauliflower wings with smoked house relish and nut mince tacos, this Gold Coast vegetarian café can’t be accused of dishing out boring fare. You’ll even find craft beers, small batch vegan wines and cocktails to wash it all down.

Marie Anita's Gluten Free Cafe & Bakery

Whether you’re a full-blown chia-pod-loving foodie or just want eggs on toast, Marie Anita’s in Mermaid Beach has got your gluten-free back.

With a background in artisanal baking, it’s no surprise that you can pick up a loaf of GF bread ‘to go’ with your (organic) morning coffee. There’s a dedicated kids menu and a swing set in the backyard, so the little ones will love it here, too.

The good news doesn’t just stop with the food. Minimising its eco footprint is a big deal to Marie Anita’s, so only green cleaning products are used in the café and, where possible, they compost their food scraps and coffee grinds.

BSKT Café

After an early morning swim on Nobby Beach, BSKT is the perfect place to refuel for the day ahead. The hipster local’s menu of Cocowhip bowls, smoothies, cold-pressed juice and organic coffee along with free wifi will entice you to sit and stay a while.

From superfood breakfasts to fresh lunches like falafel bowls and prawn tacos with pineapple and cucumber pickles, you could easily become a bona fide local here. It's dog-friendly and kid-friendly, with an outside play area. Stick around to sample the cocktail menu too.

Goodness Gracias

A Palm Beach favourite, Goodness Gracias proves Mexican cuisine can taste just as heavenly without the meat and cheese. Known for a 100% plant-based menu, flavours don’t come any fresher than the burrito bowls, tacos, nachos and quesadillas that take advantage of jackfruit, plant-based beef and chicken, and plenty of veggies. 

Pier B Espresso

Head to the northern end of the Gold Coast to Sanctuary Cove, where the ultimate healthy brunch awaits. The hearty all-day breakfast menu at this dog-friendly café makes it tough to choose between sweet (like the refined sugar-free Snickers brownie) or savoury (like the gluten-free vegan corn fritters). There are plant-based burgers up for grabs here too, and if you're also craving something not-so-healthy, grab a doughnut to go. 

Niche & Co

Tugun’s Niche & Co. is the winning place for acai bowls. The menu is extensive – if you’re a sweet tooth you’ll have a hankering for the salted caramel option – making this a top (healthy) pitstop on a dash to the airport along the Gold Coast Highway.

If you’re after something savoury, the avocado smash is a crowd favourite for breakfast, while smoked barramundi and mango salad, burritos, bagels and nourish plates will satiate those midday hunger pangs.

Caffé Republic

Vegan, keto, paleo, you name it, Caffe Republic in Southport have something for every kind of healthy eating (and kindly spells it out nice and clear on their menu so you don’t need to ask a million questions when ordering).

From the moment you enter past the lush green wall, you just feel more energised; maybe it’s the buzzing atmosphere or because you know you’re about to eat nourishing whole foods with a conscious.

While most of the dishes are of epically generous proportions, the Lite Bites menu is perfect for fuelling up, without the food coma. 

Stable Coffee and Kitchen

You don’t need to swear off meat when it comes to clean eating on the Gold Coast, and Stable at Cornerstone Stores in Tugun knows this. They source ethical meat, pair it with local produce, and create nutritious dishes like organic beef brisket tacos or the simple, delicious bacon and egg roll.

All about supporting local, Stable sources its sourdough from nearby artisan bakers Bread Social, and after 10am you can chill out with a cold beer from Currumbin locals Balter Beer or choose from a rotating wine list featuring Australian minimal intervention producers.

Want more ideas for clean eating on the Gold Coast? Check out our vegan Gold Coast guide or these halal eateries.