St Helens is the first restaurant venture from Seattle-born chef Jess Hayes and her husband Brendan, who moved to the Gold Coast from Brendan’s native Melbourne in 2018. Perched along Musgrave Street where Kirra borders Coolangatta, the new dining spot (named after Mount St Helens, a volcano that erupted in 1980) delivers a refined take on American fare, taking inspiration from the fresh, vibrant, seafood-driven cuisine found in Seattle and the greater Northwestern-American region.

Split into snacks, small plates and larger share-style dishes, the St Helens menu is designed to capture the region’s best produce and seafood, while introducing unique takes (including vegan and gluten-free spins) on comforting American classics. Snack on the likes of local prawn fritters with spicy cocktail sauce, grilled baby cos with green dressing, parmesan and pickled celery, the vegan mac ‘n’ cheese with garlic crumbs, and the carnivore-fooling Kirra Fried Cauliflower with ranch dressing. As for the larger plates, think Clarence River free-range buttermilk-braised pork shoulder with polenta and peach chutney, seared crab cakes with pickled cucumbers, and sugar-cured rainbow trout with roast potatoes, cherries and horseradish cream. The bites are accompanied by a concise bar selection, featuring mainly Australian wines, cocktails and a series of small-batch spirits, including intriguing tipples like sheep’s whey vodka.

Keen to check out St Helens? Head to our Stumble Guide for opening hours, location and contact details.