What's hot in Brisbane dining

Like to be ahead of the crowd and amongst the first to try something new?

You'll be busy keeping up with the restaurants that have opened or will be opening very soon across Brisbane City.  It's over 20 and that's not the end of it.

Don't forget to add the ones that I've missed in the comments below. Here's the short list -



The City

Vintaged Bar + Grill - Hilton Brisbane

Old is new again at Vintaged Bar + Grill at Hilton Brisbane. The Harry Seidler designed hotel now lays claim to a restaurant which sets new standards in dining. Choose your ideal serve of properly aged beef from the dry age case and have it cooked to order on the open grill, or take a seat at the coveted chef's table where you will be entertained by live cooking at the grill. To perfectly complement your meal visit the Wine Room, a wine-lover's paradise. Browse the extensive collection and select by the glass or bottle from a hand-picked collection of the finest Australian wines. Take a seat at the wine table and sip, learn and taste as our expertly trained team takes you through the best we have to offer.

Motion Bar & Grill – Brisbane Marriott

After a $3 million transformation Brisbane Marriott’s new Motion Bar & Grill has a new menu, two of Australia’s largest wine walls, plush interior and riverfront alfresco Deck dining. The restaurant has luxurious booths, Chef’s Grill Table overlooking the theatre of the open-kitchen, high set tables in the stylish M Bar and outside seating on the M Deck overlooking Brisbane River.  

Esquire  
145 Eagle Street, Brisbane

Brisbane is fast warming to a cosy and credible new eating destination tucked away in the Eagle Street restaurant precinct.   Esquire is Ryan Squire’s second venture and the city’s second degustation-only restaurant. It offers a bare menu that keeps you guessing, but never disappoints.  Rustic fare with modern eccentricities and the novelty of chefs occasionally serving their creations combine to bring a daring new experience to Brisbane’s palate.

Organic Char  
Eagle Street Pier, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane

Everything is green at Organic Char. Including the fresh, new-world, green and white décor. Seating only 50, Organic Char is the place to go to treat yourself to tasty, robust meals of lamb roast, kingfish fillets and pork belly.  John Kilroy’s third restaurant offers a guilt-free dining experience – everything on the menu is either organic, sustainably produced and/or leaves a minimal carbon footprint.

Malt Bar and Dining 
28 Market Street, Brisbane

Malt Bar and Dining, located in the historic Wenley House, mixes old world sensibilities with intimate, modern design.   Spanning three levels, Malt offers a private underground dining space, a fine dining area, and shimmering city views from the top level Attic Bar.   Al a carte, set menu, or tapas – whichever you prefer will ensure elegant and cosy choices such as Coffin Bay oysters, fish pie, and buttermilk fried chicken or chicken liver parfait.

Pescatore Wine Bar    
10 Felix Street, Brisbane

Just as the name suggests, Pescatore Wine Bar specialises in the freshest Queensland seafood and, the best international and local wines. Choose to purchase your seafood and indulge at home, or relax with a glass and tuck into the tasty Italian delights executive chef Trent Robson has waiting.  The romanticism and flavour of Italy comes alive in hearty risottos, crisp pizzas and salami platters, as well as more substantial offerings.

Dragonfly, 
Edward Street, Brisbane

Descend into Brisbane’s new basement bar. Dragonfly provides mouth-watering cocktails and perfectly crafted dim sum by Michelin trained Head Chef, Joshua Clunas. Located at the bottom of the Queen Street Mall in Edward Street, this luxuriously decorated and exotic bar is open until 5am.

Spring (opening soon)
cnr Felix and Mary

Being hailed as Brisbane’s newest food emporium Spring will bring Brisbane a new and exciting way to enjoy seasonal, regional, ethically and sustainably grown, organic food. It is a restaurant, a takeaway facility, a cooking school, a retail concept and a wine store. Sitting on the corner of Felix and Mary Streets, Spring will become a CBD hangout for those wanting to eat and learn about their food and where it’s from.

Survey Co, (opening soon)
Burnett Lane
The newest Brisbane laneway bar due to open in Burnett Lane just off Albert Street, by the end of the year is Survey Co. Owner Simon Livingstone who also owns the well-patroned Piaf and Sardine Tin says the vibe will be European and the menu will include a separate small-bar menu which includes oysters and caviar. The restaurant will have several different dining spaces including an open-air courtyard.

Fortitude Valley

Harajuku Gyoza (opening soon)
394 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

A hard day at work calls for a feed of gyoza (Japanese dumplings) and beer.   The owners of Harajuku Gyoza are obsessed with this most ubiquitous and delicious of Japanese fast foods, and have recreated the style and flavour of gyoza sampled in one of Tokyo’s busiest inner-city suburbs. 

Bitter Suite    
2/75 Welsby & Lamington Streets, New Farm

Brisbane beer lovers have cause to be excited by a new arrival in riverside New Farm.   Featuring four local craft beers on tap, as well as 25 other Australian brews by the bottle, Bitter Suite is all about the beer.   The modern Australian menu has an emphasis on tasting plates and offers up warm and delicious concoctions like spiced warm lamb salad and house-made ricotta gnocchi.

Brunswick Social  
367 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

Perfect for an evening meal, or a post-drinks snack, Brunswick Social’s cavernous space is bringing all the goodness and convenience of Asian-style dumplings to Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. With everything priced at just $8, the temptation to sample freshly steamed BBQ pork buns, prawn and mushroom dumplings or fried fish cakes and spring rolls is not easily resisted – and, of course, don’t forget to wash it down with a sparkling cocktail, or beer.

Albion
Stockholm Syndrome
340 Sandgate Road, Albion.
A Swedish accented venue with cabaret bar behind what used to be Ciao Baby on Sandgate Rd, Albion. Expect to find dill-flecked, prawn-laden toast Skagen, meatballs, gravlax and more.




South Bank

Ole  
Shop B12, Little Stanley Street, South Bank

Located in the already busy Little Stanley Street in South Bank, Ole has managed to attract even more people to this food packed precinct, offering an authentic Spanish experience.   With a menu all in Spanish, generous servings of classic tapas dishes such as salt cod fritters and patatas bravas and Friday night flamenco dancing, Ole is winning hearts.

Cove Bar and Dining-

new South Bank dining precinct(opening soon)

A summer afternoon in Brisbane will never be the same again after you’ve sampled oysters and champagne from Adam Barton’s Cove Bar and Dining, which opens soon at the former Boardwalk site at South Bank. Reminiscent of a trendy bar from New York’s Greenwich Village, Cove will have available between 15 and 20 varieties of oysters to be enjoyed with accompaniments like cucumber and Pimm’s gel, or watermelon granita and lime salt.     

Stokehouse
new South Bank dining precinct (opening soon)

The Stokehouse will open its doors at South Bank on November 1. Located at the new dining precinct in South Bank at the former Boardwalk site, Stokehouse will offer a fresh, inspiring and locally sourced menu to be enjoyed, Queensland style, on a massive deck stretching over the mangroves. The restaurant also provides unparalleled views of the Brisbane skyline, and bar and private venue options.   

Popolo- 
new South Bank dining precinct(opening soon)

Emboldened by the undeniable success of his Petrie Terrace eatery Libertine, restaurateur Andrew Baturo is set to add a Tuscan-influenced  gem to the Brisbane culinary scene. Meaning ‘people’ in Italian, Popolo is set to feature time-tested favourites such as pizza, alongside uniquely Tuscan offerings like wild boar and pheasant.

Left Bank- (opening soon)
new South Bank dining precinct

Brisbane’s Francophiles will soon have somewhere to sit back, relax and indulge in food, wine and a waterfront vista in a delightfully Parisian way. Combining the seduction and boldness of French cuisine and the laid-back warmth of a Queensland setting, Left Bank is the new business venture from Louise and Stuart Price, formerly of London Club at Teneriffe.

The Jetty-
new South Bank dining precinct (opening soon)

Proving that South Bank is Brisbane’s new premium dining destination, Bulimba’s ever popular The Jetty will launch its sister restaurant in the riverside location. This modern Australian restaurant will focus on fresh, local seafood, and retain the same vibe and attention to detail that has made the original a firm favourite.

French Martini (opening soon)
Little Stanley St, South Bank

Overlooking the green spaces of the South Bank Parklands, when opened, French Martini will act as a sophisticated charcuterie, champagne and cocktail bar. Owners of Parc restaurant, Louise and Stuart Price are spreading their wings with this 45 seater restaurant which has a menu that features everything French. 

Paddington
Cabiria    
6/61 Petrie Terrace, Paddington

With the understated bar styles of New York and Europe as the inspiration, Cabiria Wine Bar is set to bring to Brisbane a whole new experience in boutique bar offerings.  This wine bar, luncheonette and oyster bar features wine from all over the world, a full boutique and craft beer menu, market fresh oysters and classic European dishes served as tasting plates.