With its sparkling beaches, hot surf spots and theme parks, Australia’s Gold Coast is the country’s most popular tourist destination. But what you may not know is that it’s also a GoldMine of Hare Krishna restaurants. Australia, the prasadam center of the Western World, has an incredible twenty devotee restaurants throughout the nation. And no less than six of those are on the Gold Coast alone – all within a thirty-kilometer radius.

So if you want the biggest and most varied amount of prasadam options, to suit all tastes, budgetsand dietary needs, it might be time to plan a vacation to the Gold Coast.

The most recent, Govinda’s of Coolangatta, opened on May 16^thto instant success. Here’s our rundown of them all: 

Govinda’s Coolangatta and Govinda’s Burleigh Heads

The homey interior of Govinda’s in Burleigh Heads

In the early 2000s, the thousand-acre New Govardhana farm in the Tweed Valley, New South Wales was in major financial debt, until temple president Ajita Das had the idea to do prasadam catering at music festivals around the country. The effort not only saved the community – it was so popular that the public began asking when devotees would open a restaurant.

Ten years ago this April, Govinda’s was established in Burleigh Heads, a pleasant beach town. Since then, it’s been New Govardhana’s main source of income, helping the farm care for its 80 cows, develop Krishna conscious schools, and more. Although it’s a small venue, it serves out 500 plates of prasadam daily.

“People would wait for us to open in the morning, and then flood in,” says manager Nitai Chandra Das. “We’d have a line out the door, and fill up until no one else could fit in. So we knew we had to open another one.”

Both the Govinda’s in Burleigh Heads and the new Govinda’s in Coolangatta are located in beautiful coastal towns, at walking distance from the beach, and share the same look and menu. Outside, Lord Jagannath’s smiling face against a green background creates a recognizeable logo. Inside, the décor is simple yet homey, with rustic wood and tile.

Prices are very affordable – comparable to a Subway foot-long – and serving sizes are generous. The main offering is a small, medium, or large combination plate with rice, curry, a special of the day, pakoras, and kofta balls – Govinda’s signature hit. Customers can also order five different salads, lasagna, samosas, filo pastries, housemade drinks like lemon ginger and lassi, and rich cheesecake for dessert.

The famous koftas are the most popular item at Govinda’s Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta

Govinda’s has a welcoming mood, where people only explore the culture and food at their own disgression – but there is a definite Krishna conscious atmosphere. From a small altar behind the hot display, deities of Gaura Nitai and Jagannath oversee proceedings. Kirtan plays softly in the background, while free small books by Srila Prabhupada such as Perfection of Yoga and Chant and Be Happy sit on every table.

“People read them during their meal, and a lot of people take them home with them,” Nitai Chandra says. “We go through boxes of books.”

Over the years, Govinda’s has become a small phenomenon. People eat there five days a week, and take prasadam home to feed their families. Everyone loves it, from young to old; from famous surfers to health department staff. When devotees are trying to get through red tape with their local council, or snag a good deal on equipment, people are often happy to help as soon as they hear that they work at Govinda’s. The prasadam has even become a pop culture touchstone – “During a meal on the TV show The Bachelorette, they were eating our food!” Nitai Chandra says.

Govinda’s popularity has softened people to Krishna consciousness to the point that many visit the New Govardhana farm, join in when Harinamas pass, or take books from book distribut