Burleigh Bazaar History

GRILLS are firing up and the smokers are at the ready as a vacant warehouse in the middle of a Burleigh Heads industrial estate transforms into a foodie marketplace.

“Food markets are hugely popular at the moment and we offer something a bit unique and different.”

While other permanent food markets such as Miami Marketta and NightQuarter at Helensvale serve up a variety of culinary offerings, BBQ Bazaar is planned to specialise in grilled, charcoaled, barbecued and smoked food.

BBQ Bazaar owner Michael Salay, who comes from a cooking background, decided on the barbecue concept as a point of difference to other night markets.

“We didn’t want to be the same as the others,” he said.

With 18 food vendors, and eight beers on tap, foodies can feast on smoked meats, pork belly, burnt ends, European sausages, burgers, wood-fired pizza, South American dishes and deep fried Hungarian bread.

Although there was some opposition from locals when the idea for the marketplace was first flagged, Mr Salay said he believed finger-licking food would attract locals in droves.

“We had 80 objections because some locals were under the impression it was a nightclub and would be very loud,” he said.

Now The Burleigh Bazaar is one of THE hotspots on the coast.

• This article originally appeared in The Gold Coast Bulletin in April 2018. Journalist: Kate Paraskevos,