Little Mali

The place is often busy in the mornings and there can be a bit of a wait, but the coffee is well worth it, and also the dairy free thickshakes with cocowhip are amazing! vibe is really cool for a small cafe, I go there most mornings �

Mali? As in My Bali?

My own Bali heaven?! Well, maybe that is not what they intended when opening this place at the Gold Coast. But that’s exactly what o thought while visiting them!

It’s such a cute little cafe similar to the ones I picture that are in Bali and the walls and decoration is beautiful! It has such natural and plant based beauty that it makes you feel like you’re in a magical earthy temple! 🥰 plus, there is the beach a few steps away like in Bali 😂

Oh and obviously, I haven’t got to the best part - the food 👏 Bali is definitely known for the instagramable and cheap food but guess what, THIS IS EVEN BETTER. Here not only is the food AMAZING but their prices are so humble that I would have to say that you’re make a huge mistake if you haven’t yet visited your own private hot tropical island here 🏝❤️

The place is located at the very edge of the Southern Gold Coast and it’s possibly like I said one of the most humble yet hidden gem I’ve seen lately. You can see it’s quite popular among the locals because it has endless lines for even a takeaway coffee 😂 and acai! And brunch! Basically everything really.

But the good thing is that you don’t have to wait much for your order either because oh man, these guys know the REAL DEAL. They sure know how to provide a fast yet perfect service and let me tell you straight away hat even that little waiting time is very well tolerated because the general vibe and environment is of tolerance, happiness and just GOOD VIBES. The whole place is very simple with some peculiar touches of natural beauty and I absolutely loved it. The feeling you get is that you can get your ‘me’ time here and that is something we all could use a little more indeed.

One thing I have to make a note is that the menu isn’t online and I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I think that should be something that should be noticed if the cafe wants to attract a bigger audience. These days people look for the menus online, both in written and visual form and it would be a great strategy for them. And in fact I knew after visiting and starting to write this review that they are indeed placing the menu online when they come up with the definitive new menu soon! They just signed up for Mr Yum and expect the biggest drools, I tell you - these guys have a huge potencial (very very honest opinion!) because I think that things work best when they are genuine and come from the heart. Of course that everyone starts small and it might even taken a little more time than big chains and venues, but hard work is always ALWAYS acknowledged and I’ve seen it over many places.

And even though they are still working on the online menus, quite the opposite happens inside the store that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED. Yes, on the opposite, they have not only the paper menus but also a charcoal board behind the counter with the most mouth drooling items! They have not only smoothies and smoothie bowls, but also PREMIUM smoothies 🤭 AND NEXT LEVEL SHAKES!

If that doesn’t draw you in, then buddy, you need to rethink your life 😂

They aren’t just solely plant based as they want to appeal to all dietary preferences, but they facilitate changes very easily and their main focus is always to make the costumer happy. I wanted to try a couple of things, as most items could be done vegan friendly, so I had to ask for advice for the staff. Here’s what I got to try!

- Peanut Butter Protein Bowl - they are known for their smoothie bowls and I can see why! I would personally have stocked with a more fruity option but I was told this was the most popular one and it did sound quite interesting, so why not?! Just hear me out (read me out? 😂): it’s a blend of Amazonia acai with cacao, vegan protein and peanut butter. Like SERIOUSLY. How can you go wrong with that?! Taste wise is massively decadent and nutritious. Enriched. An explosion of goodness! And if that wasn’t enough it came topped with all the superfoods, from cacao powder, to different types of seeds and some fruits. The final touch was my personally favourite as I’m sure it’ll be of many - A MASSIVE PEANUT BUTTER BLOB 👏😍🤤 you can see the rawness and the uniqueness of itv you can taste the quality! Actually the whole bowl is divine and not only in terms of ingredients, but obviously thickness and taste. In fact when I told them (at the end) that the thickness was impressive they said: ‘well, if it’s an acai now, it has to be thick, there’s no other option’ 😂❤️ I want to try the other bowls! I WANT TO TRY THEM ALL! I would recommend going hungry people 😂👏👌

- Vegan Pancakes - new menu item that will be coming quite soon! Yes, they will have some vegan banana pancakes that will soon be perfect in terms of presentation but I got to try to review and see what could be improved! I have to say - not much really, it’s very much perfect in terms of consistency and taste. I would literally leave them as it is! They are absolutely a favourite of mine in terms of flavour because I am a huge banana lover and the pancakes were great in consistency and size. It came with some vegan icecream on top that I kindly suggested to be changed and the toppings as well slightly modified just for more aesthetic purposes than anything. Because like I’ve told them, the pancakes are ABSOLUTELY great and just a few final presentation touches will do the drill! Maybe even a little of vegan Nutella in there. Or some blue spirulina sprinkles! I know that the final version will be fantastic and I cannot wait to try it! Mine came with poppy seeds and almond flakes with I decorated it with as it was what was available and I loved it, so I cannot wait to see the final!

- Mali Bowl - as a sweet based foodie I have to admit that I could not have loved this bowl more! It just perfect in terms of savoury and intensity, being light and at the same time nourishing and fulfilling. With a based of quinoa with 3 massive falafels, great in consistency and taste, topped with a beetroot spread, that I couldn’t recommend more and wished I actually asked for more, it is a great start for a true food palate adventure! It has the famous and always appreciated avocado, and a slight risky yet very well achieved and accomplished spiced cauliflower - I am FAN! It also comes with some mushrooms and a perfectly poached egg that can easily be substituted if you want to make it vegan. I also decided to add on some smoked salmon that was the best decision I could have made! Slightly salted but not too much, it came also with the most beautiful presentation and a great great serving! I want this again and I cannot recommend it more! 👏

- Lean Green Smoothie - I didn’t think I would actually wanted to ask for a green smoothies because I know how green ‘lean’ smoothies are and how just watery and not enjoyable they can be, from trying some at some expos and events. But I actually asked which one was the house favourite and besides he peanut butter salted caramel one (that OBVIOUSLY would be a winner) but it was this one! I was surprised because they have SUCH great combos but hey, decided to trust them and weren’t they right?! This is ace 👏❤️🤤 they actually blend mostly green veggies and I wouldn’t say this would turn out to be such a great combo BUT IT IS! With spinach, kale, banana, spirulina and coconut water they have sure perfected the ratios here and come up with one of the best green smoothie and health based smoothie I’ve tried so far! Very very impressed and would definitely love to see this is a bowl!

- Macadamia Latte - I actually had obvious my usual almond latte and it was soooooo good. I didn’t think I would find such amazing options like this one outside Melbourne but they SURE DO MAKE AMAZING COFFEE and I wouldn’t certainly mind to have this cuppa every day and that is why I decided to have a go at a macadamia one too! I utterly love the consistency of this nut and absolutely loved the taste. It came with the perfect amount of foam like the almond did, great latte art (which is always hard in plant based milks, but these guys make it seem very very easy!) and they sure make it perfect. Fact: it has been 1 day and I just want that coffee back again! 👀🙊😂

This is the place you will want to come back and call it your usual place. The place where you walk in for the first time and they want to know your name not just because they want to ‘gain’ another costumer but because their interest in getting to know you is genuine and they really want to know!

Like I said they will be launching a mind-blowing new menu that it’s impossible not to fall in love! NEW MENU?! I AM IN 👏❤️

LOVE THIS PLACE. What an awesome corner coffee shop. It's so good I don't mind spending $9 for my morning COCOWHIP for brekky which is DELICIOUS (no refined sugars, YES PLEASE).Breakfast & Lunch here usually when I'm in town. Lunch = salads are always bang on. Very nice. Had everything from giant couscous salad to a deconstructed vegan sushi salad. Coffee = always consistent and milk is never burnt. Perfect drinking temperature, even on hot days. Definitely a spot to check out and swing by. Take Away only, no real sitting room, but with the location and beach a walk away, it's all meant to be. GO HERE. GO HERE NOW...

Little Mali- what a find, a secret well guarded by Coolie (Coolangatta) locals. Situated on the corner of Boundary St and Ward St the cafe oozes a relaxed Gold Coast style and is patroned by casually dressed skate boarders, young Mums and surfers with their hair still wet from a morning surf.

Everything is made to go like the brekki box in its TA recyclable cardboard box. The coffee is strong and smooth which is perfect when you come out of the ocean wet with salt spray, still feeling the Aug-Sep chill.

The salads are fresh and for a small cafe they offer a wide variety of wraps, rolls, pastries, raw food delicacies and juice options.

Their is often a hub bub of local gossip going on while people wait for their coffees and customers are always warmly greeted by the staff and the passionate chef.

Try the falafel salad with fresh veggies, sweet chilli and hummus & a 'daily habit' cold pressed juice- not a bad habit to make!

Finally a fresh addition to coolangatta Breakfast scene . awesome coffee and great fresh cold pressed juices . the Bircher Muslie is a goes for breakfast on the run.