Nothing says ‘summer on the Gold Coast’ like a refreshing bowl of acai. You can almost taste it: thick, smooth, with just a hint of tartness, balanced by a clean burst of fruit and a crunch of nutty granola. Add an iced latte and a beach walk into the mix, and you’ve got the perfect Gold Coast brunch.
But where exactly can you find that perfect bowl? Don’t worry—we’ve got you. Here are 12 of the Gold Coast/Kombumerri Country’s best acai joints (in no particular order), served up and ready to go.
Helen’s Cafe and Juice Bar
1/29 James Street, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Helen’s Cafe and Juice Bar is the acai OG of the Gold Coast. Located halfway along Burleigh Heads’ James Street, this laidback health bar serves up everything from caffeine to Cocowhip—including some monstrous vegan wraps—but its six bowls are the standout.
Choose the signature Helen’s Bowl (acai plus goji berries, strawberries, and cacao nibs), add some colour with the Pink Pitaya and Green Bowls, or opt for the Chocolate and PB Cookie Dough Bowls to satisfy your sweet tooth. (And if you’re not hungry enough for a full bowl, go for one of the many smoothie options instead.)
Our favourite: the classic, no-frills Acai Bowl. Order a large, add a scoop of peanut butter, and spoon it down while surveying the Burleigh bustle. That’s our kind of morning.
The Cardamom Pod
3/3 Brolga Avenue, Southport QLD 4215
Image Credit: Cardamom Pod | Instagram
Ah, Cardamom Pod. This vegetarian eatery is a fixture of the Gold Coast brunch scene—and, when you check out the plating, it’s easy to see why. Each dish is a kaleidoscope of cutely cut fruit that practically screams “take a photo of me!”.
That same aesthetic extends to the acai. You’ll need to dig through a literal rainbow of toppings to get to the purple stuff (although, trust us, it’s not exactly a hardship). If you’re feeling a little naughty, grab the Snickers bowl instead—there’s something about granola and caramel-y goodness that just goes so well together.
P.S. Do yourself a favour and order one of the Pod’s specialty drinks. The apple pie latte is, well...addictive.
Niche & Co
449 Golden Four Drive, Tugun QLD 4224
Good waves. Good vibes. Great acai. There’s a bunch of reasons to visit Tugun, but Niche & Co is pretty close to the top of our list. Sitting just a block from the beachfront, this little cafe ticks all the boxes: single-estate coffee, a menu that looks good and tastes better, and, of course, the bowls themselves.
The options range from the Kirra Original (acai blended with banana and apple juice) and summery Mango Bowls to the more indulgent Peanut Butter and Cacao & Coconut Bowls. Of course, brunch is just another meal, and there’s nothing that says you have to stick to savoury dishes. Go on, order a Mocha Bowl. Or a Snickers Bowl with caramel chia mousse. Or a…no. It’s time to stop. You’re drooling.
The Salt Mill
784 Pacific Parade, Currumbin QLD 4223
Image Credit: The Salt Mill | Instagram
If we wrapped up Currumbin and put it into a single cafe, it might look like The Salt Mill. This laidback hole-in-the-wall is all sun-faded timber and rough-hewn stools—perfect for a post-surf acai bowl and coffee.
And, hey, those bowls are seriously high-calibre. The Salt Mill steers clear of the sweet stuff, focusing on combinations of fruit and cacao nibs that complement the acai’s natural tartness. They don’t skimp on the granola, either. If you’re in the mood for something a bit lighter, slurp down a smoothie or one of the two pitaya bowls instead.
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Blendlove
1/253 Ferry Road, Southport QLD 4215
Blendlove is right up there with the Cardamom Pod for the Gold Coast’s hottest plant-based eatery. Slinging up vegetarian dishes like sweet corn and zucchini fritters, its minimalist aesthetic is best enjoyed with a cup of caffeine and some early morning sunlight.
Look at the Blendlove menu, though, and you won’t find a single acai bowl. Instead, you can scale up any of the eight smoothie options to a ‘bowl size’, which comes with complimentary fruit and granola. You could go for classics like the Acai and Sunrise Bowls, but, if you’re like us, one dose of coffee per morning just isn’t enough. Order the Banoffee Espresso bowl, sub out the granola for chocolate buckinis, and pair it with a piccolo for an extra-great day.
Commune
1844 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
There’s a saying: “It’s not the number of acai bowls on the menu that matters, but how good they taste.” Actually, we just made that up, but it’s certainly true for Commune. Located just a stone’s throw from James Street, this Burleigh Heads staple is equal parts eclectic hole-in-the-wall and trendy coffee bar.
There’s plenty of good stuff on the menu (special mention goes to the chorizo burrito), but we’re here to talk acai. Commune’s single bowl features a clean blend of acai, blueberries, and banana—a hint of extra sweetness that’s balanced out by an excellent paleo granola. Wash it all down with a coffee made on beans from Commune’s sister cafe, Blackboard.
Tugun Fruit & Flowers
467 Golden Four Drive, Tugun QLD 4224
Image Credit: Tugun Fruit and Flowers | Instagram
One block north of Niche & Co is Tugun Fruit and Flowers, which levels up the standard acai experience with a selection of locally sourced bouquets. Order a bowl, browse the blooms while you wait, then wander down to Tugun Beach.
Speaking of bowls: there are three up for grabs. Opt for the original acai, which is a blend of berries, banana, and coconut water, the cacao acai, or the pitaya bowl. Each one comes served in a generously-sized container that makes keeping all your toppings on board a little bit easier. Wash it all down with a fresh-pressed juice—the citrus-rich Zinger is a great way to cleanse your palate.
Nectar Espresso
North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club, 293 The Esplanade, Miami QLD 4220
Acai and beaches go together like coffee and croissants—exceptionally well. That’s good news for Nectar Espresso, because this hole-in-the-wall is as close to the water as it’s possible for a cafe to get. Order at the side of the North Burleigh surf club, grab a seat under an umbrella, and admire the views.
Like Commune, Nectar is all about quality over quantity. The single acai bowl on the menu almost overflows with summery fruit and a cheeky dusting of coconut—bonus points for the cinnamon toasted muesli, which is also available gluten-free. For a proper Nectar experience, arrive early (the cafe opens at 5am) and take your bowl up to the North Burleigh lookout to watch the sun rise.
Goji Granola Bar & Cafe
60 Santa Cruz Boulevarde, Clear Island Waters QLD 4226
You don’t come to Goji Granola Bar & Cafe for your standard acai. You come for the bright colours, the bold flavours, and those dramatic coils of Coco Fluff that make you go “woah!”. (And, yes, Coco Fluff is Goji’s house-made answer to Cocowhip.)
The menu features five acai-adjacent options: plain acai, pitaya, Mermaid Blue, Nutella, and taro. Our pick, though, is the Dubai Acai Bowl. Think acai, granola, and strawberries, smothered in a layer of pistachio knafeh—and, if you don’t know what that is, Google it. Add a swirl of Fluff and twin churros for extra sweetness.
Oh, and did we mention that there’s plenty of al fresco seating? Goji is dog-friendly, so bring your fur baby along and set them up with a pile of Puppufluff.
Nobby’s Shack
2241 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
There’s a whole series of great eateries scattered along the Gold Coast Highway, and Nobby’s Shack is one of them. Its unassuming shopfront unfolds into a spacious shaded deck—the perfect spot to get stuck into some acai by yourself, in company, or with your fur baby.
The menu features four bowls, but prepare to be hypnotised by the Espresso Bowl. There’s something pretty special about sipping an actual coffee while eating espresso-infused acai loaded with cacao and coffee beans. Or is that just our caffeine addiction talking?
Yo-Chi
Various Locations
Image Credit: Yo-Chi | Supplied
It’s in the name. Yo-Chi is all about frozen yoghurt and good energy, with a side of self-serve acai. Born in Melbourne, the brand now has 36 stores across Australia, including five on the Gold Coast. Walk into any of them and you’ll see the same eye-catching aesthetic—sweeping wooden floors and sophisticated yoghurt dispensers, all bathed in clean, white light.
The thing we love about Yo-Chi is the self-serve setup. Pull a bowl of acai and smother it in whatever crazy combination of toppings you want with zero judgement. Fudge brownies, cookie dough, mochi, fruit pearls… this is the place you come to fall off the low-sugar bandwagon. Just make sure you bring some friends so you can do it in company.
Oakberry
Various Locations
If you want to get a handle on just how popular acai has become, take a look at Oakberry. It’s a franchise dedicated to the purple stuff—and, wow, it’s popular. We’re talking seven locations across the Gold Coast, including the OG Burleigh store (next to Oi Izakaya and Hail Mary) and a hole-in-the-wall at BSKT.
To be fair, acai in a cup is a great idea. It’s perfect for chowing down during a beach walk, and you get to dig through alternating layers of granola and acai, instead of having all your crunch at the bottom or top. We also love the DIY menu, which lets you pick unlimited toppings—plus one for the coconut chia pudding.
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Main image credit: The Salt Mill | Instagram
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