As featured on Flight Network website, written by Lisa

Photo credit: Julia Koefender
With the Brisbane River running through the city you get plenty of opportunities to enjoy walks, sightseeing, restaurants and bars located right at the water. Brisbane is a super cool city offering tourists both great indoor and outdoor fun when visiting. There is plenty to explore with cool culture, lively nightlife, both active and relaxing activities, plus endless delightful restaurants and bars showcasing exactly why Australia is leading some of the best food revolutions in the world.


Photo credit: Toby Charlton-Taylor
Get ready to take on a new amazing Australian city where you will see, discover and taste your way through 72 spectacular and very unforgettable hours. Brisbane might be overlooked sometimes, but we are here to show you that this city is one of the very best in Australia! So pack your bags as we’re heading to Queensland Australia and the beautiful city of Brisbane.

Day One

Morning:

After a flight, we all need that little kick in the pants to shake off the flight and feel energized to start our vacation. So let’s head straight to Bean Cafe + Bar. This great spot is inviting and chill, plus the coffee is fantastic. Great baristas will prepare your favourite style of coffee while you lean back and enjoy the friendly atmosphere and Brisbane charm. Bean Cafe also serves snacks if you’ve built up a hunger from your flight. No doubt, this place will give you the first delicious taste of Brisbane!


Photo credit: Gold Coast Island Buggy Tours
After such a magical coffee you should feel ready for some adventure to kick-start the day even more. And there is one place offering you some of the best adventures on the Gold Coast, Gold Coast Island Buggy Tours. Joining one of their tours you will undoubtably bring your adventurous spirit out while seeing some of the fantastic nature in Queensland. You can ride your own buggy, share with a friend or the entire family. Some tours also involve boat cruises and Segways. This will be a very cool experience, and you will see so much of the area while having a blast!

After a fulfilled time this morning, you’re probably ready for a bite to eat and feel ready to relax in a warm, chill atmosphere. And maybe enjoy a mouthwatering pizza? At Corbett & Claude, you’ll get a chance to do just that. Corbett & Claude have a rustic, home-style atmosphere and serve up some memorable dishes using only the best ingredients. The style, the vibe, the food and everything in between will set the tone for all the amazing Brisbane food you’re going to enjoy these next 72 hours.

Afternoon:

When on vacation it is important to balance out all the fun and adventure with relaxation and to treat yourself to some luxury. And we’ve found just the place in Brisbane to do that! Earth & Skin is a Beauty Spa, but not like any other as they believe in using only natural products without harmful chemicals. Their products are natural, organic, vegan and cruelty-free. “A beauty salon with a difference” as they describe themselves, and you can enjoy some luxury while knowing it is in no way harming you or the environment.


Photo credit: Taste Champagne
We continue this day with even more luxury. Make sure you plan your visit to Brisbane around Taste Champagne. This is the ultimate champagne showcase on the planet, and it hits Brisbane in August. This is a grand tasting where you can try everything from very popular names to smaller estates. You will be able to discover all the latest and your favourite champagnes in Australia. Whether you like your sparkles or not, this is the ultimate champagne indulgence of your life!

Night:

Next, we’re going a bit more casual, and we’re heading to the cool spot Riverland Brisbane Beer Garden and Street Food. This awesome spot features a stylish bar and no less than five individual kitchens to choose your dinner from. Carolina Kitchen is permanent here, but the others are rotating giving you the chance to try some unique and different street food options from all over the world. This a a place to hang and chill and enjoy some tasty drinks and yummy food. The location is top notch too so you can enjoy a chill arvo or night at the water.

This evening isn’t quite over yet, even though we do want you to be ready to continue your adventures fresh again tomorrow. But this next place you just cannot miss! To end your evening go to Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall. You will almost feel like you stepped back in time to an old western whisky bar. The decor, which consists of dark leather, velvet drapes, chandeliers and giant mirrors, gives you the feel of a lavish honky-tonk saloon. This is a popular place amongst locals and visitors, so it is for sure the ideal spot to visit on your first night in Brisbane.


Photo credit: Heal House
As always we like to find you the hidden gems when it comes to where to spend your nights so you can rest up in style and comfort while you are travelling. And we have found a true hidden gem here in Brisbane! So to relax, sleep and enjoy a gorgeous room make sure to book Heal House. This is a small luxury, boutique guest house and one of Brisbane’s most unique accommodations. There are only three guest suites giving you an intimate, tranquil experience. Heal House is located in the quiet suburb of New Farm, but it is still close to all the action. This will be your own little sanctuary in the middle of lively Brisbane.

Day Two
Morning:

Photo credit: Paddock Bakery
Good morning sunshine, time for your second day in beautiful Brisbane! Let’s make it another ripper of a day. To set the tone for the day, let’s begin with a deliciously yummy breakfast at Paddock Bakery. Located in an old, renovated Queenslander home this bakery offers a cozy setting to begin your morning. The owners love what they do and passion is felt in everything they serve. So fill up on delicious coffee and a tasty breakfast and get ready for your second Brisbane day.


Photo credit: Bardon Yoga
We’re staying on the theme of treating yourself and feeling awesome, that’s why yoga is next on the agenda today. Find Bardon Yoga and join a hot yoga class in Brisbane’s original hot yoga studio. You don’t have to have tried yoga before as everyone is welcome and with great teachers and many daily classes, you will find the perfect spot to roll out your mat and stretch out. If hot yoga isn’t your thing another amazing studio Shri Yoga offers some different classes like Align & Flow, Yin, Restorative and Meditation, also with spectacular instructors. No doubt Brisbane has some top talent in yoga, and you will feel absolutely wonderful after a morning in either studio!

Afternoon:

After this physical activity, you deserve a little treat, the chocolatey yummy kind of treat. Keep your yoga pants on, you know – elastics – and head to I Heart Brownies. This will most likely be the best brownie you have ever tried! Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. With different flavours to choose from you might just want to try them all. Don’t worry, you deserve it, so enjoy treating yourself with some sweets.

It’s time for a bit of shopping following the brownie indulgence. Let’s go to Carrara Market where you can burn off some of the brownies while strolling around great market stalls. There are over 350 stalls, cafes and other attractions at the market, like the Reptile Show where you can get up close with Australia’s most venomous snakes. If you aren’t into the dangerous species they also host a Cat Carnival in July this year.

Night:

Photo credit: All in Brewing Co.
Next up, a Cold One! After some serious shopping that’s what we all need. So find your way to All in Brewing Co. This brewery is all about quality beer, sustainability and community. Serving full flavoured ales, lagers and everything in between. At All In Brewing they have seven core products and a never-ending list of seasonal beers, so you will surely find the perfect brew for you. Go kick back, relax and enjoy a cold beer at this awesome brewery.

It is dinner time and for that, you have to head to Factory 51. Located in an up and coming suburb of Brisbane this place houses a chic bar and a fantastic restaurant. Both are located in a charming old and renovated red brick building so you can enjoy a unique rustic atmosphere while trying their delicious share plates, authentic wood-fired pizza and much more. If you still feel like beer they have 10 craft beers on tap, but if you’ve had enough beer for the day Factory 51 also has a great wine list with boutique Australian wines.

Not only does Brisbane have great food and fun things to do, but there is also many talents and a great music scene here in town. To experience this you will end your evening at The Triffid. Created by a great artist, this venue is one of the best music venues you can find as it is both visually spectacular and has a fantastic team of staff. Here you will find the best of international, national and local acts, so make sure to check out the gigs while you’re in town. The Triffid also has an outdoor pop-up beer garden very popular amongst locals. This is a must while in Brisbane!

Day Three
Morning:

Breakfast time, or depending on how late it got last night, brunch time! This morning make sure you can enjoy your first important meal of the day alongside a glorious view of Brisbane. The best place to do that is Medley Cafe and Restaurant. Serving breakfast seven days a week and a very popular brunch place, you will fall in love with it. So fill up on the fresh, tasty food while relaxing with a view of beautiful Brisbane from this perfect riverside setting.


Photo credit: 19 Karen Contemporary Artspace
If you’re missing a little art culture on your visit to Brisbane do not worry, there is plenty of great stuff to see for that too! That’s why we will be going to an art space next. Make your way to 19 Karen which is a truly spectacular contemporary art space. The gallery represents over 70 International and Australian artists of various styles and genres from Urban and Street art to Pop art, Expressionism, Contemporary Figurative and Abstract to Realism, Surrealism and Pop Surrealism and anything in between. Covering one big white cube space in a 380 square meter converted warehouse this is a must for everyone wanting to see Brisbane’s great cultural scene.

Let’s pretend that we’re doing a little trip to Spain today for lunchtime. Because you’re eating lunch at Olé which is an awesome restaurant with colourful Spanish vibes and atmosphere. In Spain, eating is an event and often enjoyed with friends so the tapas is very popular here. Tapas enables you to enjoy multiple smaller dishes and try more of the delicious fresh food on Olé’s menu. Their Paellas are to die for too! Regardless of what you order, you will absolutely feel as if you took a small trip to Spain while eating your lunch here.

Afternoon:

Photo credit: City Cave
Time to treat yourself a little more. Next up is City Cave Float and Wellness Centre. Here at City Cave, you will find a unique approach to wellness where they combine holistic and clinical services. They offer many different services where their Floatation Therapy in particular is very popular. Never heard of it before? Well, it is known to be a very peaceful type of therapy which will help your body and mind recover. You will literally be floating in water with salt and through sensory deprivation and the healing properties of Epsom salts, the floatation therapy will aid in neurological, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, muscular, skeletal as well as personal growth and healing. This is a different, but a very special, treat you should give yourself to make your body feel great for when you return from Brisbane.


Photo credit: Butterbing
After a nice little float, it’s time for a tasty little sweet snack, and possibly the opportunity to bring a taste of Brisbane home to your family and friends. This will undoubtably be one of the best cookie sandwiches you will ever taste. Butterbing delivers to different cafes around Brisbane, and you can buy their cookie sandwiches in gift boxes as well. Go find the cafe closest to you and make sure to bring some home for your friends and family, it will make you extremely popular, we promise!

Night:

Photo credit: Elixir Rooftop Bar
How about starting this last Brisbane night with a rooftop bar in a relaxing setting enjoying some cocktails created by award-winning bartenders? Sounds good? Okay then, find Elixir Rooftop Bar. In the busy streets of Brisbane, this rooftop provides a hidden tranquil spot where you can wind down after all your adventures these past days. The atmosphere is fresh and chill with wooden decor and lush plants, and you can find a comfortable day bed to rest the tired body. Your trip to Brisbane is coming to an end soon, and you will be sorry if you missed this spot before leaving town.

Now time for food and more delicious drinks. Right in the heart of Brisbane, you will find Wandering Cooks. This is the hub of the Brisbane food and drink community, bringing artisan producers, chefs, buyers, suppliers, educators and the food & drink-loving public together. You will find more than 105 micro kitchens, an incredible bar and so much atmosphere. Whether you would like to eat, drink, cook or party, this is absolutely the place to spend your last night in Brisbane!


Photo credit: Nightfall
Now let’s truly end this Brisbane adventure in style. Spend your last overnight in Brisbane glamping at Night Fall. This is a luxury tent camp which sits beside the crystal-clear tumbling headwaters of Christmas Creek and Queensland’s ancient Lamington National Park rainforests. Only limited to very few travellers, this place will offer an intimate and private stay in these awesome luxury tents. What better way to end your vacation than to find this slice of heaven, to get one of the quietest and most fantastic sleep in a beautiful tent under the stars. We’re in love with this place!

After waking up in your own luxury tent it is time to head back home. It is sad, we know, Brisbane will absolutely have made you fall in love with its vibes, nature, food and creativity. Don’t worry though, it is easy to come back again, and we promise that there is enough to do for many more 72 hours in this beautiful city.

As featured in TimeOut Melbourne, written by Nicola Dowse

Sandwiches are good, but cookie sandwiches are better. Especially when they’re sold at cute pop-up events with a 35 percent discount.

Melbourne-based sandwich cookie creators Butterbing have been baking delectable cookie treats for three years now. To celebrate they’re hosting a pop-up ‘Flavour Frenzy’ party at Fitzroy North's ice cream parlour Billy Van Creamy where they’ll be selling all their moreish biscuits for 35 percent off.

Take your pick from 25 different flavours of cookie sandwiches. There will be classics like salted caramel, peanut butter, espresso, nutella and vanilla bean, as well as some brand new flavours to try. Or grab yourself a ‘Billy Bing’ – two of Butterbing's chewy brownie cookies sandwiching a scoop of gelato from Billy Van Creamy.

The frenzy sale is happening for two hours only
on Saturday, October 28. 12 noon to 2pm

Billy Van Creamy 27 Best St Fitzroy North 3068

As featured in the Sancell Blog

Using bubble bags, thermal liners, courier bags and gel packs, Butterbing are able to ship their Cookie Sandwiches far and wide.

This week we had the pleasure of going out to meet Simone Clark, General Manager of buttercream biscuit juggernaut, Butterbing. Butterbing make arguably Australia’s most delicious cookie sandwiches in Sancell’s home town of Melbourne. We have the pleasure of supplying them with protective packaging and cold chain solutions that allow them to send their tasty morsels to connoisseur’s, cafe’s and restaurants all around the country.



Butterbing have invested a great deal of time, money and creative energy into building and growing their brand over the last 5 years. Product development and packaging have been critical components to their popularity and subsequent growth. As a predominantly online business it has been imperative to create shipping solutions that ensure the finished product arrives fresh and safe in their beautiful bespoke cartons and canisters, ready to eat.

Working closely with State Manager Eddie Yamanyilmaz, Simone and her crew have developed a complete solution for shipping temperature sensitive goods all around Australia, even as far as Geraldton in WA! Collaboratively, the pair have created a range of solutions for a variety of order quantities and destinations.

Online gift pack orders are sent out in the signature Butterbing magenta canister. To ensure each canister arrives at its destination safely (and most importantly, with the cookie sandwiches ready to devour!) a small snug fitting bag with adhesive strip is used to secure the goods before being slipped into a convenient Sancell courier satchel for sending. The large 30mm bubbles provide considerable cushioning and resistance to impact during transit.



For small to medium cafe, restaurant and catering orders Simone and Eddie developed a purpose engineered larger 30mm bubble bag which snugly fits a single carton or 3 gorgeous canisters. These bubble bags are supplied on an easy to dispense roll which reduces handling and speeds up the production line. Let’s face it, if the Butterbing crew didn’t pack these insanely tasty cookie sandwiches quickly they would probably never make it to the customers… they are seriously so damn delicious!

Large orders are dispatched in a robust outer carton and lined with a custom made Sancell metalised-polyester thermal liner. Three inner cartons fit snuggly side by side inside the liner. The liner is made specifically to safely enclose and protect the highly perishable contents within. Sancell Protecta Chill gel packs are then placed in the carton to regulate temperatures throughout the journey. The thermal liner minimises radiant heat transfer whilst retaining the cold supplied by the gel packs, creating a temporarily chilled environment for minimal cost.

Working with growing companies like Butterbing who are willing to try new things and push the boundaries is what Sancell is all about. Using Sancell bubble bags, thermal liners, courier bags and gel packs, Butterbing are able to confidently ship their Cookie Sandwiches far and wide. We love nothing more than working with creative companies to develop unique shipping solutions, so contact us today to discuss your tailored solution.

As featured in the Dandenong Journal written by Casey Neill

Butterbing started as an honesty stall on a Fitzroy North front porch.
Simone Clark now sells her Dandenong South-baked sandwich cookies to cafes across the country.

“It started in my home kitchen in 2013,” she said.
She’d place baked goods in a fridge on her front porch and neighbours would grab them and leave cash behind.
“I would also bake and deliver to nearby cafes either by foot or by bike,” Simone said.
“From there our customer base grew.” She moved into a commercial kitchen in Eumemmerring through a sublease she found on Gumtree, and recently into a Dandenong South factory space. “We’re pretty much dotted all over cafes around Australia now,” she said.

Butterbing exclusively makes brownie cookie sandwiches filled with buttercream and ganache. Simone was the first to market with the product so had to pioneer the packaging and more. “We have over 50 recipes of buttercream on rotation,” Simone said.
“It’s always the same chocolate cookie. We just change the centre. “Initially when the bakery started I had a whole range of products and my focus was very different.
“About six months into that I started making these cookie sandwiches. They just were an instant hit. “People were drawn to them. They took over.”

She rebranded as a cookie company instead of a general baking company.
“Typically cookies are quite dry. Ours are really quite the opposite of that. “They’re, basically, a cake in cookie form. They’re really moreish. “I don’t have a traditional sweet palate. They are pretty sweet but they’re not excessively sweet. “We use salt to tone it down.”

Simone has found a niche in the speciality coffee scene and wants to expand her reach further interstate.
“But we want to make sure that we stay a classic product,” she said. “We’re not quite interested in being a food trend.” Every Butterbing cookie is handmade, from the batter through to the flavours in the buttercream.“It’s very much a labour of love,” Simone said.

“We make about eight different flavours a week.” They’re born from discussions around the lunch table, food trends and partnerships with other companies. “It’s quite hard for people to move away from caramel and chocolate,” she said. “It’s typically the combination that people absolutely love. “Whatever goes well with chocolate, we give it a go.”

Simone’s team also makes birthday cake-sized Butterbings and recently introduced a gender reveal sandwich cookie.

As featured on The Party Bebe

Have you heard of Butterbing's? This Melbourne-based co. makes the most delicious chocolate brownie cookie sandwiches and delivers Australia-wide!

I recently served Triple Chocolate Butterbing's at an event in Melbourne and couldn't get over the response from guests; everyone wanted to know where these cookie sandwiches were from! They truly are delicious.

I was thrilled to catch up with Simone Clark from Butterbing Cookie Sandwiches and hear what's in store for this innovative Australian company.

Hi Simone, please tell us about Butterbing Cookie Sandwiches and how your brand started.

Butterbing Cookie Sandwiches started in my home kitchen in 2014 with a small batch made from ingredients from the local supermarket. I had the desire to create a delicious dessert that was new and unique, so the Butterbing was born! I’ve always been passionate about baking and food, as well as being interested in small business management. It was a tonne of hard work but we’ve grown over the years to the company it is today!

The brownies are sooo dense and delicious and the buttercream fillings are just delightful, can you share some baking tips and tricks with us?

Thank you! Using high-quality ingredients such as couverture chocolate and local free-range eggs is always a great idea. My biggest baking tip is ‘never be satisfied!’ Your method and recipe can always improve so continue working hard to create the yummiest dish you can. Even now we’re constantly reviewing and tweaking our methods to improve our product. We want Butterbings to be the best they possibly can be!

What are your most popular flavours?

Our most popular flavours are what we call our ‘Hero Mix’, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter, Nutella and Vanilla. They’re flavours that people know and love outside the cookie sandwiches, so people are always keen to try them!

Pictured above is a Butterboom - a 1.5kg cookie sandwich which is perfect for birthdays and celebrations. Butterbing even has a gender reveal range with pink or blue buttercream inside!

The online store and delivery service is super convenient for busy parents
Totally! In Melbourne where we’re based, we actually offer same-day delivery. We ship Australia wide which we’re really excited about, however it does take a tiny bit longer. We want everyone in Australia to be able to try our cookie sandwiches!

Lastly, can you share some insights into what's ahead for Butterbing?

We’re really keen about developing a wedding range for our customers. We’ll be looking into catering more events, so a lot of exciting things on the horizon! More broadly, we’re planning on expanding by releasing more delicious flavours and stocking in more cafes around Australia.

 As featured on the Scoopon's Melbourne Food Bible

Melbourne! Prepare yourself for the latest scoop on the best bites, devilish desserts and culinary magic this city has to offer.

For saints and sinners alike, our Melbourne Food Bible is THE definitive food guide, giving you never-before-seen access to your new favourite healthy feasts, the most sinfully guilty treats and monstrous food challenges.

Our Melbourne Food Bible is here to help and unlike your traditional menu, we're serving dessert first. Get ready to dig in! Guilty Treats: Our sweetest Picks 'round town
Oops, you just stole a cookie from the cookie jar, didn't you? It's okay, your secret is safe with us. Since we're sharing, we have some secrets too...

Melbourne is the ultimate foodie destination and with so much on offer, it's hard to choose.. Let's take a look at the guilty treats that made our list of must-try sweets that will definitely break the diet. Drum roll, please...

The Bakers Wife

This succulent eatery combines 27 years of baking expertise with friendly service, for an experience that will have you coming back for more. Set in a stunning industrial-style aesthetic, The Bakers Wife bakes delicious sweets on premises that are truly out of this world.
Oh, the donuts; take your pick from Custard, Nutella and Jam. Each bite gets better, with oozing flavours from the centre, your best bet is to buy all three.
Time for a riddle...
What do you get when muffin meets croissant? CRUFFIN. Yes folks, The Bakers Wife are well known for their Cruffins. You just can't go past the custard stuffed Cruffin, taking shape of a muffin complemented with pastry of a croissant and a strawberry on top, this dessert will melt in your mouth.

Now, let's talk Vanilla Slice. But not just any Vanilla Slice, The Bakers Wife Vanilla Slice. Grab a box of 10, because these bad boys fly out the door. No seriously, they have wings. These desserts are a first in best-dressed kind of deal so be sure to get in early.

The Challah French Toast is to die for. This unique take on the brunch favourite is served with fresh berries, lemon curd, pistachio praline and Mascarpone Brulee; there isn't much more that needs to be said. Let your taste buds do the talking!
Address: 414 Burke Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124

Lukumades

Noun // pronounced, 'loo-koo-ma-thez'

Definition:
- A deep fried dough pastry known as the 'Greek donut'
- The best thing you'll ever put in your mouth
Nestled on Peel St, West Melbourne, Lukumades serves up delicious Greek-style donuts with a range of exciting flavours. Taking you to Greece and back, grab a selection of childhood favourites...
Oreo Balls, lathered in Melted Chocolate, sprinkled with crushed Oreos and Cookies & Cream to finish. Have it your way with Milky Way, a classic twist on a household favourite with melted Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate and Chocolate Gelato. Get your Twix Fix with a drizzle of Salted Caramel Sauce, crushed Twix and Vanilla Bean Gelato bathed in melted Milk Chocolate. For the traditionalists out there, grab your Greek Donuts with honey and Cinnamon.

Butterbings Cookie Sandwiches

What are they? 🤤

Well, it started in 2013 with Simone Clarke baking away in her home kitchen. After a few bowls filled with ingredients from her local IGA, a kitchen mixer and some 10 cups of coffee, the iconic Butterbing was born...

Smashing two brownie cookies either side of a delicious filling, the Butterbing is a scrumptious, flavour-bursting chocolate cookie that has teased the streets of Melbourne for the last 5 years. You'll find this gem in over 100 cafes around the city.

Don't be alarmed - we've chased down a couple for you!
Manchester Press
Little Bang (RMIT)
The Honourable Judge
Father John Cafe
Urban Fox
Reunion & Co
Or if you prefer, have these mouth-watering treats delivered straight to your door by ordering them online at Butterbing! Indulging your taste buds from the couch has never been sweeter.

Gelato Messina

How good does an ice cream parlour need to be to have a line down the street in winter?

Messina good!
At Gelato Messina, there's no room for excuses. With Gelato that packs a punch every lick, Messina's open plan space offers a firsthand view of the creamy magic as it happens, so you can watch the freshly prepared gelato make its way from machine to cabinet, then straight into your hands.
What's on offer?
Pear & Rhubarb with Chocolate Fondant... Coffee & Hazelnut... Vanilla & Chocolate Fondant... Italian Nougat & Tiramisu... Poached Figs in Marsala & Gianduia.... Coconut...
Okay, you get the drift; the flavours are insane.
For those who enjoy the classics, Gelato Messina stocks traditional Vanilla, Salted Caramel and White Chocolate plus much more! Every ingredient is made in-house, from the pistachios to the brownies, to the apple pies and the spiced rhubarb.
Visit Gelato Messina in Fitzroy, Richmond and Windsor today.

There you have it!

Our dessert secrets are out - and it's only our first issue...
We apologise in advance to those trying to stick to their diets, but hey, we all need to live a little, right? The next instalment of our holy grail of culinary creations entails a journey across the city for the BIGGEST dishes in existence.
We're about to bring a whole new meaning to the term 'food coma', with monsters that will challenge you mentally, physically and spiritually. Think you've seen the biggest, baddest burger, like... ever? Hold onto your napkins 'cause you're in for a shock.
Stay tuned for the next issue of The Melbourne Food Bible - the food game is about to change - big time.

As featured in The Weekend Edition Gold Coast written by Janna Hrastovec

If you’ve ever ventured to Melbourne, then you’d most probably be familiar with the gooey, buttery goodness of the Butterbing cookie sandwiches. Pals, our time has come – you can now find these drool-worthy cookie sandwiches right here on the Gold Coast. Oh, and they are here to stay.

You can thank the coffee geniuses at Paradox Coffee Roasters in The 4217 in Surfers Paradise, because this is the first Gold Coast location where you’ll find the Butterbing goodness on the daily. For those thinking ‘what the heck is a Butterbing?’, it’s two dark-chocolate brownie cookies separated by a smushing centre of delicious buttercream, which come in a variation of mouth-watering flavours.

At Paradox, you’ll find an assortment of these buttery delights on offer, including Nutella, vanilla bean, peanut butter and salted caramel. These little morsels of goodness have created a sugar-crazed fuss in the southern state – and it’s not that hard to see (or taste) why. The only natural thing to do now is go and try one, or all four flavours, for yourself. Right now.

As featured in The Canberra times written by Jil Hogan 

The GABS Beer, Cider and Food festival kicks off in May and three Canberra brewers are heading along, each armed with a unique brew just for the event.

The festival, which is the biggest of its kind in Australia and one of the top of its kind in the world, visits Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, and Canberrans can also get a smaller taste when the GABS Festival comes to Canberra on June 3 at The Durham.

Kevin Hingston of Pact Beer Co. They have teamed up with Melbourne's Butterbing Cookie Sandwiches to make a salted caramel porter called 'Who poured the porter in the cookie jar'. Photo: Jamila Toderas

Each year, brewers are asked to produce a unique festival beer. Past years have included beers with belly-button lint, whale vomit, and this year there's one with bone marrow.

Pact Beer Co has taken the liquid dessert angle, teaming up with Melbourne's Butterbing Cookie Sandwiches to make a salted caramel porter delightfully titled 'Who Poured the Porter in the Cookie Jar'.

Pact's Kevin Hingston met Trevor Stubbs when they were working together in IT, and Stubbs' partner Simone Clark was baking as a hobby in her Thermomix. Stubbs and Clarke moved to Melbourne, and started selling treats from an honesty box on their porch. Due to the popularity of their cookie sandwiches, Butterbings was born.

"We've been talking about brewing a Butterbing beer for ages, but Trev was very keen that we use actual cookies, rather than a beer in the key of butterbing," said Hingston.

"Dairy is a big no-no in beer brewing, and I was pretty resistant at first. The first prototype brew was absolutely nuts, with my chiller becoming clogged with cookie bits, but the end result was actually really tasty."

The final product is a drinkable beer with subtle flavour sensations of rich, salted caramel cookies, and everyone who buys a glass of the beer at the festival gets a cookie sandwich, while stocks last.

"While we did use 20kg of the Butterbing salted caramel sauce and a few kilos of whole biscuits, a lot of the velvety cookie sensation comes from using 30 per cent oats in the mash and carbonating with nitrogen - the same gas you find in Guinness and other stouts," said Hingston.

"The carbonation helps cut through that 'dairy slick' that we certainly noticed during the fermentation - another reason why people don't brew with dairy products normally. It was quite an undertaking to get the slickness off the brewery floor, hoses, and tools."

It's the third year at GABS festival for Pact, and in the past they've brewed a quince hefeweizen, and the Pact with the Devil Belgian IPA which is about to come back as a seasonal beer.

After the event, Pact will have a limited supply of kegs of the special brew for wholesale, and it will be available at the GABS Comes to Canberra event.

But don't expect to see it making regular production.

"The cleanup was insane and the cost of cookie sandwiches that went in would make any CFO cry," said Hingston.

Pact won't be the only ones flying the flag for Canberra brewing at the festival.

BentSpoke Brewing Co have created 'Joe Carb', a beer to, "keep you nice and puckered up whilst keeping you trim," and Capital Brewing Co have brewed 'Double Double', a double dry hopped DIPA with a serious hops punch.

The GABS Beer, Cider and Food festival is on in Melbourne on May 19, Sydney on May 27 and Auckland in June 16.​ See gabsfestival.com.

Miss out on Morning After’s Butterbing pop-up last week?

As featured in The Weekend Edition Brisbane

Then you better hotfoot it there this weekend for round two! After a roaring success with Melbourne’s famous gluten-free brownie cookies, the West End cafe is hosting a second Butterbing pop-up this weekend, increasing the order and extending the offering from Friday May 12 to Sunday May 14. As per last week, salted caramel, peanut butter, Nutella and vanilla bean cookie sandwiches will be available, as well as almond crunch. Be sure to get in early – last weekend’s pop-up sold out super quick!

DATE & TIME: Fri May 12 2017 ‐ Sun May 14 2017, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
LOCATION: Morning After, Corner Vulture and Cambridge Streets, West End
TELEPHONE: 07 3844 0500

FREE || Butterbing Cookie Sandwich Time!

As featured on Shop The City 

Picture this… two dark chocolate brownie cookies joined with a center of delicious buttercream – in any flavour you desire (well almost…) that’s a Butterbing!

Available for FREE to keep you on your feet, exclusively during Shop The City. That’s right, Melbourne’s BEST cookie sandwiches, given away for FREE!

ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, HOW MUCH WILL I ENJOY THEM? Probably 12.

COST: FREE
TIME: May 17th 2017 5PM – 10PM
LOCATION: The Strand Melbourne, Outside Midas

What is "Shop the City?"
Melbourne’s best one day shopping event has returned! Vist Emporium Melbourne, Melbourne Central, Melbourne’s GPO, QV Melbourne and The Strand Melbourne on May 17 and enjoy over 300 offers from more than 1000 stores. There’s also 25+ pop-up events and experiences for you to discover while you shop.