There’s a celebratory spirit in the air at Lupo. From the warm and welcoming hospitality to the old school rock ‘n roll soundtrack belting out of the kitchen, the rustic, pared-back restaurant is the type of venue that encourages raucous good times with good food and good wine.

The owners are hospitality veterans, the Pearce Family (ex-Espana Tapas Bar and Franc’s Deli Broadbeach) and they know how to set the mood for fun. Mum Thea runs the floor bringing passion and knowledge as she walks diners through the compact but cracking New World wine list spanning classics to funky, low-fi and biodynamic wines that both challenge and excite.

Meanwhile father, Brad, and sons Nick and Harry, man the kitchen, delivering an enticing line up of Spanish-inspired snacks and share plates, such as a whole roasted cauliflower, cooked until tender, daubed with an umami-rich truffle cream and blanketed by melted, bubbling cheese.

Raw dishes are another highlight like the “raw steak sanga” featuring a steak tartare, topped with lightly dressed leaves on sumac-sprinkled crisp bread with a grating of horseradish – simple but brilliant. Or the meltingly tender cured salmon on a splash of horseradish cream, its fattiness balanced by shards of pickled onion, salty capers and fresh cucumber.

A sticky date pudding also demands attention – moist yet light in a whisky-spiked caramel sauce with salted caramel ice cream.

From the drinks flowing at the copper-topped horseshoe-shaped bar to the killer playlists and hearty dishes loaded with local produce, Lupo is set to be your new home away from home.

Must-eat dish: Raw steak sanga
Instagram: @lupo_restaurant