C’est Bon, 609 Stanley Street: Although C’est Bon has been operating since 2008, there’s never been a better time to stop in than right now. The current owners have overhauled the restaurant in recent years, adding a private cellar dining room, a garden terrace and rooftop deck. The main restaurant space is where you’ll want to go for dinner. Head chef Andy Ashby is plating up the likes of pressed Sovereign lamb with sesame bearnaise, Queensland Spanish mackerel with bourride, lobster eclairs and duck parfait with rhubarb. Oh, and the wine list is sensational, too!

Detour, 6/11 Logan Road: Damon Amos blew diners away when he launched Logan Road fine-diner Detour in 2017, and several year’s on he’s maintained the same standard of fare that established it as one of the best restaurants in Woolloongabba. Across a menu that is inclusive to vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free eaters, Damon explores various textures and ingredient pairings, creating a truly unique array of dishes. The K.F.D (Kentucky fried duck), wagyu brisket pastrami, succulent star-anise pork belly, cured kingfish with apple, tiger’s milk and sorrel, and wombok with cured salmon and sesame are just some of the phenomenal options you’re likely to find here.

1889 Enoteca, 10–12 Logan Road: This spot is not only one of the best restaurants in Woollongabba, but it’s one of the best in all of Brisbane. We’ve listed this restaurant in our best Italian and best pasta round-ups, so that should clue you in to its overall quality. 1889 Enoteca’s menu of Roman-style eats – including braised pork and beef pappardelle, spaghetti and guanciale carbonara or pork and fennel sausage gnocchi – is the stuff of legend.

Mr Badger’s, 24 Logan Road: Dan Rodriguez, the brains behind Canvas and Electric Avenue, has been busy in recent years. He’s almost singlehandedly taken over the Logan Road cul-de-sac, teaming up with business partner Adam Pykett to open Mr Badger’s – a deli, sandwich and pizza bar – a few doors down from his other successful concepts. Described as old-world New York meets early-1900s Brisbane, Mr Badger’s lets diners relax inside a replica of Joseph Badger’s tram, the Palace, where they can devour stacked sandwiches and bagels, Detroit-style pizza, antipasti plates, steak frites and tapas. There’s cocktails on offer, too, not to mention plenty of wine, beer and coffee.

Easy Times Brewing Co., 20A Logan Road: Next to Mr Badger’s sits Easy Times, a place where the beers flow as freely as the banter. Housed in a former motorcycle repair business, Easy Times’ impressive gas-powered brewing system pumps out a stellar range of brews, which includes pale ales, session ales, double IPAs and a golden Munich-style lager.

Sasso Italiano, Shop 4/148 Logan Road: Woolloongabba’s not short on options when it comes to Italian eats, but if you’re looking for a spot with a bit of swagger and a touch of retro-inspired aesthetics, look no further than Sasso Italiano. Inspired by Italian-American eateries of the 60s and 70s, Sasso blends 70s-influenced and contemporary aesthetics with a savvy people-first approach to hospitality. Devour family-style Italian eats like pork cotoletta, burrata coated in bagna cauda, and ricotta-and-yolk-filled raviolone, as well as plenty of pizzas coming out of the Marana Forni woodfire oven. Love a negroni? Sasso’s bar whips up exclusive variations concocted from spirits made in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. Sasso is the first of many eateries opening at South City Square on Logan Road. Which brings us to our next entry …

Casa Chow, 4b/148 Logan Road: FnB Collective, the crew behind Sasso Italiano, opened Casa Chow at South City Square in July 2022, introducing Brisbane diners to chifa, a type of cuisine that traces its origins back to the first wave of Chinese migration to Peru in the mid-19th century. The team is pairing chifa specialities like anticuchos de corazon (Peruvian-style skewers), chicharron de pescado (crunchy fish fritter) bao buns, chaufa prawn and pork fried rice, and lomo saltado with a curvy and vibey design that comes alive at night. Think external neon signs and custom LED strip lights, with music emanating from an elevated cubby-hole DJ booth.

Frankie’s Smokehouse, 719 Stanley Street: Love a bit of barbecue? Then you’re gonna love Frankie’s! Boasting one of the largest smokers in operation in Australia, Frankie’s doles out hearty serves of Texas-style barbecue, including 12-hour smoked JBS Pure Prime brisket, beef short rib, pulled Northern Rivers pork, and pork ribs. An assortment of sides – think smoked wings, loaded fries, onion rings, hot links and Frankie’s zesty corn – help fill in any gaps. The bar is stocked with a host of familiar names when it comes to craft beer, with Sea Legs, Bridge Road, Brick Lane, Black Hops, 4 Hearts and Young Henrys featuring off tap and in tins.

Clarence, 617 Stanley Street: This 35-seat modern-Australian eatery was one of the first big-ticket openings to wow diners in 2022. The tandem of chef Ben McShane and front-of-house wizard Franklin Heaney are putting their skills to the fore for this bistro-style venue, which is reminiscent of the humble neighbourhood eateries of Paris. The menu is produce-driven and reactive to seasonal shifts, with dishes like pig-head terrine with peas, grapefruit and ginger, coral trout with fresh borlotti beans braised with cherry tomatoes, and house-made pork-belly ham and snake bean chutney showing a deft use of ingredients. The drinks list boasts the same ever-evolving versatility as the food, with a tight range of beverages including three sparkling wines, six whites and six reds (all interesting local labels), as well as a clutch of Australian spirits.

Little G, 64 Logan Road: Little G moved into the neighbourhood in 2020 after earning a cult following in Dutton Park. Now situated at the base of The Drapery on Logan Road, the restaurant is earning loads more loyal fans with pizzas topped with the likes of smoked chorizo with heirloom tomatoes, Sicilian olives and goats curd, green peas with truffle, goats cheese and lardo, and hot salami with olives, stracciatella and honey. That’s not all – Little G also dishes up sides like crispy fried chicken and chermoula lamb ribs, as well as vino from new-wave makers including and local craft beers.

Ben’s Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant, 14 Annerley Road: A bona fide local institution, Ben’s Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant is one part lively eatery and one part karaoke bar. We’re not kidding – you can savour serves of egg noodles with barbecue pork, grilled king prawn salad and salt-and-pepper tofu one minute, and then rock out to ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ the next.

Electric Avenue, 23 Logan Road: When the Canvas crew opened Electric Avenue in 2017, it cemented the Logan Road cul-de-sac as Woolloongabba’s bona fide foodie hub. The ground-floor dining area is lavishly appointed with comfortable seating and old-school bistro atmosphere, while the menu is loaded with contemporary choices made from seasonal and locally sourced produce. Opt to graze on share plates of grilled calamari, roast-duck bao buns and pork-belly tacos, or tuck in to some substantial plates including braised beef-cheek pie, bangers and mash, Spanish mackerel, handmade gnocchi, and rib fillets. Fancy a drink? If you head upstairs, you’ll find the secret speakeasy Mrs J. Rabbits, which serves craft cocktails, fine wines and whisky.

Superfly Pizza, 17 Gibbon Street: Superfly is a secret little pizza joint tucked away in Woolloongabba’s Eden Lane precinct. Originally starting life as a modern Japanese izakaya-style venue, Superfly is now a community eatery for locals to frequent on the regular. Superfly’s menu offers a range of pizzas that skewing slightly to favour red-base options, while also cooking up rotating specials topped with more experimental flavour pairings. The bar here stocks a killer selection of minimal-intervention wines, with some Mediterranean varietals and Italian-inspired cocktails added to the mix.

Mirchh Masala, 3/110 Logan Road: Situated directly above Woolloongabba’s sizeable Indian grocer on Logan Road, Mirchh Masala is commonly listed amongst Brisabne’s best Indian eateries. The menu is entirely vegetarian and is packed with variety, from the signature chole bature and iconic street food bhaji pav to masala cheese dosa and crispy fried samosas.

Can You Keep A Secret?, 619-621 Stanley Street: Perhaps one of Brisbane’s worst-kept secrets, this retro-themed craft beer and wine bar is effortlessly charming, wooing guests with its homely interior and menu of craft beer, wine, spirits and cocktails. Described at the bar that love built, CYKAS? is also a great place to catch some live music, with local artists performing intimate gigs within the cosy, vintage surrounds.

Norman Hotel, 102 Ipswich Road: Although self-styled as Brisbane’s worst vegetarian restaurant, this steakhouse has a resume that attests to its status as a top-flight carnivore haven. Woolloongabba’s mecca of all things meaty has earned its place in our city’s heart as a beloved institution that specialises in steak, but the menu also offers morsels for those seeking something lighter – think braised pork, mussels, parmigiana and more.

Honourable mentions: It’s a testament to the strength of a suburb’s dining scene when there are too many places to mention in a list like this. Nevertheless, we would be remiss to not include the Brisbane German Club on Vulture Street, Barrels & Stills, Pincadia, The One Mile and The Tailors on Logan Road, and Brisbane Brewing Co. and Boo’s Kitchen on Stanley Street.

If you’re looking for more restaurants in Woolloongabba, be sure to have a browse through our Stumble Guide!