Restaurants
In good spirits – Hennessy treats hard-working hospo heroes to dinner and drinks
Food & Drink

In good spirits – Hennessy treats hard-working hospo heroes to dinner and drinks

A regular fixture on bar shelves around the world, luxe liquor Hennessy has long been a favourite tipple among seasoned swiggers. In 1992, hip-hop icon Tupac even dedicated a whole song to his love of the brown bottle. To help reciprocate the love, Hennessy is extending a helping hand to the bartenders, waiters and restaurateurs that faithfully serve its spirit. The cognac giant has revealed its hospitality recovery initiative, which is set to provide struggling hospo workers with a free dinner and drinks on them. Now, that's sure to go down a treat. more

Restaurants
Chopsticks at the ready – chow down on yum cha bites at contemporary Chinese eatery Brisbane Phoenix
Food & Drink

Chopsticks at the ready – chow down on yum cha bites at contemporary Chinese eatery Brisbane Phoenix

Since its opening in the luxe Brisbane Quarter precinct just last year, Brisbane Phoenix has become a Brisbane City dining-crowd favourite. The Chinese restaurant serves up mouth-watering contemporary and traditional a la carte dishes, as well as a seriously impressive yum cha selection – lobster tails, anyone? Following a temporary closure of its doors due to COVID restrictions, the sophisticated Chinese eatery is back and better than ever and ready to fill your tum with delicious seafood morsels, steamed dumplings, roast meats and much more. Now, grab those chopsticks! more

Restaurants
Felons Brewing Co. and Mr Percival's reopen at Howard Smith Wharves
Food & Drink

Felons Brewing Co. and Mr Percival’s reopen at Howard Smith Wharves

In good news for fans of riverside sundowners and leisurely park catch-ups, the Howard Smith Wharves team has announced that popular venues Felons Brewing Co. and Mr Percival's will reopen in accordance with current government regulations tomorrow, Thursday June 18. Additionally, the precinct is also welcoming back its Weekends on the Lawn events, implementing a series of social-distancing measures to let guests sip and snack safely. more

Restaurants
Bring on the meat sweats – Smokey Moo opens at Gasworks Plaza
Food & Drink

Bring on the meat sweats – Smokey Moo opens at Gasworks Plaza

Yesterday, Monday June 15, a curious smoky smell starting wafting across Gasworks Plaza. Those with sharp olfactory sensors will have been able to make out notes of macadamia, black wattle, hickory and pecan – and also, perhaps, the smell of lovingly smoked meat. The heady aroma was emanating from the kitchen of Smokey Moo – a beloved low-n-slow barbecue concept that has just opened in Newstead after two years across the river in East Brisbane. After some pandemic-related delays, Smokey Moo is cooking up a storm – serving mouth-watering hunks of barbecued beef and satisfying sides, while also debuting a new range of cocktails to wash it all down. more

Restaurants
Savour paddock-to-plate goodness at Kangaroo Point gem Lamberts Restaurant
Food & Drink

Savour paddock-to-plate goodness at Kangaroo Point gem Lamberts Restaurant

Favoured by Kangaroo Point locals – who now might not be so pleased to hear that their secret go-to dining gem has been revealed – Lamberts Restaurant has reopened its doors following a temporary closure due to COVID-19 restrictions. Boasting a paddock-to-plate ethos that is reflected in its sophisticated and mouth-watering menu, Lamberts Restaurant is waiting to welcome you back with top-notch seafood eats, flavourful seasonal produce and flowing drinks. more

Restaurants
Kulcha'd brings a taste of northern-Indian street food to West End
Food & Drink

Kulcha’d brings a taste of northern-Indian street food to West End

Roti, chapati, naan, paratha and dosa – when it comes to flatbread, Indian cuisine is king. The culinary staple is prevalent in some shape and form in every corner of the country, though over here in Australia we are largely unaware of dozens of regional varieties that are cornerstones of local culinary practice. When Zach Dexter visited the northern-Indian city of Mohali in 2019, he encountered kulcha – a form of leavened and crispy tandoor-baked flatbread filled with chilli, spices and a variety of mouth-watering ingredients. It was love at first bite and since then Zach, his brother Calvin and their family have worked towards raising the profile of kulcha in Brisbane. After a few months of gradual work hindered by lockdown, Zach and Calvin's north-Indian street-food concept Kulcha'd quietly opened for takeaway, delivery and limited dine-in in West End last week – serving a… more

Restaurants
A night at the theatre – treat yourself to a personal concert and world-class fare at The Tivoli's new intimate restaurant
Food & Drink

A night at the theatre – treat yourself to a personal concert and world-class fare at The Tivoli’s new intimate restaurant

A much-loved Brisbane institution favourited by avid concert-goers, The Tivoli has welcomed musicians of all genres since its doors first opened to the public in 1917. Since the theatre's temporary closure in March due to COVID19, a large number of The Tivoli's devotees have been left feeling a little lost without their regular trips to the venue. Thankfully, The Tivoli is reopening its gates once more, revealing a new intimate in-venue takeover experience that will blow the socks off both lovers of terrific music and mouth-watering eats. more

Restaurants
Fast five – our takeaway picks for the weekend ahead
Food & Drink

Fast five – our takeaway picks for the weekend ahead

We're almost two-and-a-half months into the pandemic lockdown and the days of going out to eat seem like a fond, but distant, memory. Although restrictions are relaxing and allowing small groups to dine in, takeaway is still the safest and most convenient option for those looking to support cafes, bars and restaurants. While we are doing our best to keep you informed of all of the spots that are making the transition to click-and-collect, we figured we'd put together a quick hit-list of venues to help make your decision-making process easier. Here are our splurge-worthy suggestions ... more


Restaurants
The round-up: the best locally made hampers to help you picnic with a pal
Food & Drink

The round-up: the best locally made hampers to help you picnic with a pal

While crucially important in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 and helping flatten the curve, being cooped up in our houses takes its toll. In good news for our sanity, on Saturday May 2 the state government eased restrictions on public gatherings slightly, allowing pairs to now enjoy an intimate picnic. In response, several local cafes have thrown together a range of mouth-watering picnic hampers – not only adding an extra revenue stream for venues while lockdowns remain clamped tight on our dining scene, but also allowing us to indulge in some much needed outdoor feasting. more

Restaurants
The round-up: the best Japanese takeaway in Brisbane
Food & Drink

The round-up: the best Japanese takeaway in Brisbane

Although social-distancing has been great for those of us that needed to sharpen our cooking skills, there are still a load of dishes that are beyond our humble capabilities. Master sushi chefs we are not, so when we've got a hankering for Japanese fare – be it ramen, sashimi or yakitori – we like to get it from the best. If you're in the position to help out our local restaurant scene by ordering in, why not consider Japanese? We've compiled a quick list of spots that are offering authentic Japanese fare via takeaway or delivery, making it a satisfying and safe option for your next treat meal. more

Restaurants
Highly anticipated restaurant Agnes opens … as Agnes Street Bakery Pop-Up + Bottle Shop
Food & Drink

Highly anticipated restaurant Agnes opens … as Agnes Street Bakery Pop-Up + Bottle Shop

Imagine spending years working on a concept of a venue. You find the perfect space. You begin to build the ideal team. You work towards a date. You get ready to open. Then a worldwide pandemic and government-mandated hospitality shutdown stops you right in your tracks. This was the reality for highly anticipated restaurant Agnes in Fortitude Valley, which was due to open in late March. So, like basically every other restaurant, bar and cafe still open, the team had to make some serious changes to the concept – and Agnes Street Pop-Up Bakery + Bottle Shop was conceived. more

Restaurants
The round-up: hatted hospitality at home – the fine-dining restaurants offering takeaway fare
Food & Drink

The round-up: hatted hospitality at home – the fine-dining restaurants offering takeaway fare

If you're anything like us, this period of social distancing and self isolation has led to a slip in our standards. Before coronavirus, we dressed up to go out to dine – now if we bother to put on pants we feel accomplished. One thing we refuse to allow is the degradation of our tastes, especially when it comes to food. While Brisbane's hospitality scene adapts in the wake of dining restrictions, many eateries are transitioning to a takeaway-oriented service – including our hatted and fine-dining institutions. This week, consider treating yourself to some of the best cuisine (and booze) to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. The best part, you still don't need to wear pants! more

Restaurants
West End welcomes colourful taqueria and mezcaleria Mama Taco
Food & Drink

West End welcomes colourful taqueria and mezcaleria Mama Taco

Although we were saddened to hear of Luigi's Italian's recent closure, we were thrilled to learn that the Luigi's team weren't gone for good. The skilled crew have merely shifted operations a few doors down on Hardgrave Road in West End for a brand-new concept. Here, the Luigi's team have swapped pizza dough and mother culture in favour of Mexican fare and mother mole for Mama Taco – a contemporary take on traditional taquerias and mezcalerias. more

Restaurants
Rise and shine! Donna Chang is now serving breakfast
Food & Drink

Rise and shine! Donna Chang is now serving breakfast

The only thing that can sway us away from a well-deserved sleep in is the promise of a phenomenal breakfast. We're not talking about eggs on toast – we want something extra. Beloved inner-city restaurant Donna Chang has just debuted a new breakfast menu, featuring mouth-watering eats imbued with some signature Chinese-inspired tweaks. more

Restaurants
Chopsticks at the ready – Mei Wei Dumplings opens at Treasury Brisbane
Food & Drink

Chopsticks at the ready – Mei Wei Dumplings opens at Treasury Brisbane

We're going to be honest with you folks, the sight of handcrafted dumplings brings tears of joy to our eyes. The salivation-inducing reveal as you uncover steamy basket after steamy basket is like unwrapping a bunch of birthday presents, but we don't need to wait a whole year to enjoy this feeling again and again. Gold Coast-born Cantonese dining concept Mei Wei Dumplings has made its way up the M1, opening a new location underneath Treasury Brisbane. If delectable dim sum, spicy stir-fry dishes and bang-on barbecue sounds like your idea of a great time, head to Mei Wei Dumplings when it opens at 11:00 am today, Thursday March 12. more

Restaurants
Thai time – Phat Elephant opens at UPSTAIRS at Toombul
Food & Drink

Thai time – Phat Elephant opens at UPSTAIRS at Toombul

Last year a frenzy of activity saw Toombul Shopping Centre transform into one of Brisbane's most happening foodie precincts. UPSTAIRS at Toombul brought multiple cuisines under one roof, with several established names opening new outposts at the revitalised retail hub. While these restaurants got up and running, one tenancy was conspicuously vacant – leaving guests curious as to what was in the works. Well, now it's time to address the elephant in the room – popular Brisbane City eatery Phat Elephant is bringing its tantalising Thai fare to Toombul tonight, Thursday March 5, slotting in perfectly amongst the hub's dining array. more

Restaurants
Golden Lane
Food & Drink

The round-up: dine on dim sum at the best yum cha in Brisbane

If there is anything that we love more than steamed dumplings and pork buns, it’s large quantities of steamed dumplings and pork buns. Yum cha is one cuisine that we will always have room in our stomach for, and it is a good idea to come hungry. If you are a novice when it comes to authentic Chinese yum cha, we suggest ticking a few spots off this list to get the best experience. more

Restaurants
Devour breakfast doughnuts and sand-crab benedicts at Toowong's Hooch & Co
Food & Drink

Devour breakfast doughnuts and sand-crab benedicts at Toowong’s Hooch & Co

The brains behind beloved Toowong Italian restaurant Barolos have been busy to start 2020, taking over the space once home to Covet Bar & Restaurant and transforming it into brand-new eatery and bar Hooch & Co. The 60-seater is quietly earning some buzz thanks to its canny infusion of Asian flavours across brunch and lunch bites, not to mention its grounded and warm neighbourhood appeal. more