The details
The impressive $3-million-plus bar and eatery is the latest venue from Artesian Hospitality, the group behind Surfers Paradise nightclubs Sin City, Bedroom and Havana. While late-night venues may be in their blood, the owners have taken a sophisticated step into the dining scene with White Rhino, enlisting well-known local chef Adam Dundas-Taylor (owner of Firecue in Nobby Beach) to craft the breakfast, lunch and dinner offering. In a concept rarely seen on the Gold Coast, White Rhino’s bar and dining trade is almost around the clock, operating from 7:00 am through to 1:00 am, seven days a week. Think banana-caramel pancakes by morning, fregula and wild-rice salads for lunch and Moreton Bay bug linguine by night, all before getting acquainted with what lies behind the bar.
The space
White Rhino joins the likes of Hurricane’s Bar & Express and Holey Moley Golf Club in the Circle on Cavill precinct, cutting a striking figure on the corner that overlooks the western end of Cavill Avenue. The venue is complete with lush greenery, ceiling-high indoor trees, a running waterfall and life-like white rhinos, all for your viewing pleasure. The truly eye-catching venue sprawls over two levels and has a hefty maximum capacity of around 600, with 150 dining seats dotted across both the sun-kissed outdoor deck area and an inside dining area known as ‘the birdcage’. A wrought-iron staircase leads you up to a lavish mezzanine level, featuring large velvet booths, hanging plants and pink-hued jungle-themed wallpaper – the perfect vantage point to capture the atmosphere below with an espresso martini in hand.
The food and drink
As for the eats, the breakfast and brunch menu offers a unique take on morning classics – there’s Mediterranean-style poached eggs with haloumi, lemon yoghurt and dhukka, a buttery brioche breakfast burger with local eggs, crispy bacon, melted gruyere and spiced relish, and even an intriguing breakfast pizza topped with free-range eggs, smoked bacon, cherry tomatoes and hash-brown rounds. Adam Dundas-Taylor’s lunch and dinner menu rolls out an ample selection of bar snacks, alongside pizzas, fresh pastas, burgers, steaks and salads, celebrating local produce from both the land and sea. Start with the sweet citrus and sesame-cured salmon with wafer-thin crispy ciabatta or the double-crumbed panko arancini balls with pumpkin, goats cheese and sage. For a light meal, there’s a simple caprese salad made with local heirloom tomatoes and Byron Bay mozzarella, or for something more substantial there’s the roasted pork-shoulder Cuban sandwich layered with shaved ham, Swiss cheese, sweet pickles and a tangy mustard mayonnaise. Chilli-marinated Moreton Bay bug tails join buffalo mozzarella and yuzu aioli atop White Rhino’s signature pizza, while the carnivorous folk can opt for the 650-gram basted pork ribs with a sticky caramelised barbecue sauce. Expect a lot of theatrics from behind the bar, with smoke-infused concoctions joining classic cocktails, tap beers, wines and spirits to keep you hydrated well after the sun sets.
White Rhino is currently softly open to the public from lunchtime until late, with a limited menu. From Friday November 2, full trading will commence.
For contact details and opening hours, jump to the listing in our Stumble Guide.
