If you’ve been wandering around Southport lately thinking something might actually be on fire, don’t panic. Chances are you’ve just walked past Fire Baby, where it’s second dining space has just burst into life.

Fire Baby opened up in August with plenty of heat, and now Ember is set to fan the flames even further. Owner and founder Michael Read, alongside Donna Read, have dreamed up their ideal restaurant, a place for pizza, steak and all the smoky bits in between.

Split across two levels, the venue burns bright with two distinct personalities. Upstairs, Fire Baby serves up comfort by the slice thanks to the Italian-born dough whisperer Vincenzo Quaranta. Downstairs is their latest offering, Ember, where flame-licked steaks and charcoal-grilled seafood take centre stage.

Step into the lower-level den and you’ll feel the temperature shift. Ember is moody and sultry thanks to that unmistakable smoky aroma. Think char, think sizzle, think cooking and conversations around a campfire, without having to leave the city.

Ember’s culinary team have been deep in experimentation mode ahead of the opening. Executive Chef Bradley Davids, with roots in South Africa and a lifelong love of cooking over open flames, and Head Chef Lee de Vry, whose journey spans award-winning seafood and modern Vietnamese cuisine, bring bold flavours, precision, and a spark of creativity to every Ember dish. Alongside Junior Sous-chef Jared, they are the beating heart of the Ember experience, every plate fuelled by fire, technique, and a touch of magic.

Start fresh with Pacific Oysters dressed in Champagne mignonette, then dive straight into silky ocean Trout Sashimi with tamarind and shallot. The perfect contrast to the charred flavours to come.

Some mains give the embers a gentle poke like Rigatoni Arrabbiata loaded with basil, olives and stracciatella. But if you like to see flavour seared onto your food, order the BBQ Lamb Ribs with house sauce and chives and BBQ Pork Cutlets with hot honey and pickles.

The true showstoppers at Ember are the premium-cut steaks. The O’Connors Superior MB 5+ Rump Cap is flame-grilled to perfection that you can almost hear it sizzling as it lands on the table. Add Duck Fat Potatoes with smoked salt, seasonal leaves with lemon myrtle dressing and housemade chimichurri, and you’ve got yourself a flaming good time.

To cool off, a curated wine list, standout cocktails and desserts like a vanilla crème brûlée with popcorn ice cream will do the trick.

If, like us, you find it hard to make decisions, especially around food, Ember offers two set menus – the Ember Stone and the Ember Experience. With a starter, middle, main and dessert all planned out for you, there’s nothing to do but enjoy the glow.

Fire Baby and Ember offer Southport something rare, one venue where you don’t have to choose between cheesy comfort food or flame-driven dining, you can have both. A one-stop haven for every flavour mood and late-night whim.

Where: 10 Welch Street, Southport
When: Fri to Sun 12pm – 3pm, Wed to Sun 5pm –8:30pm

Words by Lisette Drew
Images by Mathilde Bouby

Southport, get ready for a new hot spot! Fire Baby is firing up on all cylinders, and trust us, it’s a slice of something special. Doors are officially open, bringing a new dose of deliciousness to the heart of Southport.

The vision for Fire Baby comes from Dr Michael Read and Donna Read, proud locals with a passion for Southport. Michael, a doctor and accomplished businessman, has spent over 35 years building medical, childcare and community-focused ventures in the area. Now, with Donna by his side, he’s bringing his lifelong love of food into the Southport community.

Step inside and you’ll feel like you’ve been tossed straight into the flames in the best way possible. Phillip Buchanan of Burleigh Design wrapped the interior in exposed red brick, so dining here feels like stepping inside a giant pizza oven. Add in the handiwork of Theo Meredith and the TDM Constructions team, and you’ve got a space that’s warm, welcoming and ideal for sharing those cheese-pull moments with friends.

But of course, decor is just the dough base. The real magic happens in the kitchen. Executive Chef Bradley Davids, originally from South Africa, brings the heat with a background steeped in the tradition of cooking over open flames. Growing up with the braai – South Africa’s much-loved barbecue custom – Brad learned early on how to coax incredible flavour out of fire. From New Zealand bakeries to high-end Sydney pubs, and from gastro adventures across the USA, Canada and Europe, he’s carried this flame around the globe. Now, at Fire Baby, he’s stoking it into something truly spectacular.

And then there’s the man behind the oven: Vincenzo Quaranta. Born and raised in Italy, Vincenzo practically grew up with flour on his hands. After perfecting the craft at family-run pizzerias in Italy and later Frankie’s Pizza in Sydney, he’s brought his infectious love of pizza to the Gold Coast. His wood-fired creations are the kind that stop conversation mid-sentence – crispy, chewy and topped with authentic Italian soul.

But first, antipasti. Dive into charcuterie boards piled high with wagyu bresaola, prosciutto, truffle squid ink salami, pancetta, guindilla, piccalilli, olives, buckwheat crisp and puff bread.

The real showstopper is, of course, the pizza. From the simplicity of a classic Margherita with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil and parmesan to the hearty comfort of Patate e salsiccia with mozzarella, provolone, roast potato, salsiccia and rosemary, Fire Baby’s wood-fired creations are shaping up to be the kind of slice that would make even your nonna smile.

Activate your dessert stomach with an ice-cream platter featuring pistachio, 66% Valrhona, and lemon cheesecake, or sip your sweets instead with a Mediterranean Bloom, a refreshing mix of St-Germain, limoncello, Aperol, gin and grapefruit. To top it all off, the wine list is swoon-worthy, brimming with delicious drops from both Australia and Europe.

Opening in two stages, it’ll first serve up classic, wood-fired comfort at Fire Baby Pizzeria before levelling up with Ember by Fire Baby – an elevated dining experience showcasing fire in all its refined, charcoal-grilled glory. One venue, two dining experiences, endless reasons to come back for seconds.

Where: 8-10 Welch Street, Southport
When: Wed – Sun 12pm – Late, take away: 12pm – 8.30pm

Words by Lisette Drew

We all know Fire Baby delivers a flame forward modern Australian menu built on smoke, char and top-tier local produce, but here’s something you might not know. This Southport hotspot also moonlights as one of the Gold Coast’s most VIP-coded function destinations. From weddings and engagements to birthdays, brand launches and work do’s that skip the awkies small talk, Fire Baby has mastered the art of making every event feel iconic.

With its glowing fires, moody colour palette, and serious ‘cool restaurant in a Netflix series’ energy, Fire Baby looks like it was born to host a crowd. And spoiler alert – it was.

From the moment your guests walk in, they immediately clock that they’re not at some naff function room with sad platters, playing spot the waiter to get a drink. They’re at the Pegasus of venues that future them will be talking about long after the last cocktail is shaken.

Fire Baby has multiple spaces to play with, which means it can go from polished private dining to high-energy cocktail party and anything in between without breaking a sweat.

Starting off at Level One, this is where the party people will feel most at home. It’s a vibrant, high-energy space made for events that don’t involve chair covers or cringey slow dances. With room for up to 200 guests, it’s giving “let’s invite everyone we’ve ever met”. The open-plan layout keeps the vibes flowing, the drinks coming, and the mingling effortless.

For something a little more power-lunchmeets-private-soirée, the Buchanan Room is Fire Baby’s private dining and meeting space. Designed for up to ten guests, it’s where deals get done, secrets are spilled, and birthdays are celebrated in quiet luxury. Whether it’s an executive dinner, a client meeting (perfectly set up for presentations) or a fancy-pants intimate gathering, the Buchanan Room proves that business and pleasure can, in fact, share a table.

Over in Ember Bar and Grill, they’ve dialled up the sophistication to a smooth, smokin’ 10 outta 10. With seating for up to 70, this warm, refined space is perfect for entertaining that calls for a more formal feel without tipping into stuffy territory. Expect elevated dishes straight from the grill, a warm, polished atmosphere, and that signature Fire Baby flair. Chef’s kiss!

Or, if you want the kind of event that has people posting, tagging, and sharing for weeks on end, why not go full Mindy Weiss with Fire Baby’s total venue hire. This option hands you – and only you – the keys to Fire Baby in its entirety so you can sip, feast, and celebrate without a single gatecrasher in sight. We’re talking exclusive access to all spaces, letting you design an event that flows from cocktails upstairs to dinner by the grill and back again.

What really sets Fire Baby apart is that everything can be tailored to suit your vision with bespoke catering packages, flexible layouts, branded styling and tailored menus. Cookie cutter function? Never heard of her.

And finally, if you’re the big cheese in the office looking for the ultimate people pleasing team-building experience (yes, even Karen from accounts), you knead to check out Fire Baby’s Pizza Masterclass. Hosted by Fire Baby’s Head Pizzaiolo, it’s perfect for boosting connections, staff morale and client shmoozing. You’ll be rolling dough, topping and taste-testing your way to bonding glory.

So if you’re planning any sort of function or celebration, Fire Baby is ready to turn up the heat and leave everyone raving long after the last ember dies.

Where: 10 Welch Street, Southport
When: 12pm – 10pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Closed Monday & Tuesday
Instagram: @firebabysouthport
Website: firebaby.com.au

Words by Bianca Trathen

STORY SPONSORED BY FIRE BABY