After opening its doors in late 2018 as a temporary pop-up to introduce Gerler Wines, Newstead hole-in-the-wall Carl’s became such a local hit that it’s now here to stay – with a whole new look and personality to boot. The dinner menu has gone, and instead the 25-seat venue will be ushering in a new up-and-coming chef from City Winery or elsewhere every two nights to take over the kitchen and unleash their culinary creativity. There will be no need to agonise over meal choices – simply select a two- or three-course dinner and you’ll be served up a seasonal surprise from whichever chef is at the helm that evening. Diners will also have the option to add matched wines specially selected by former GOMA Restaurant sommelier Mark Whitaker, who has joined the Carl’s and City Winery team as group sommelier. Mark plans to rotate the line-up often and keep palates guessing with fresh drops from around Australia and the world, with an emphasis on showcasing some of Queensland’s top drops. The current list features 15 wines – three from City Winery’s Dave Cush, a French chablis, a Tasmanian pinot noir and two from Queensland’s Granite Belt.

A new bar menu will also be on offer from 5:00 pm Wednesday through to Saturday, and 3:00–7:00 pm Sunday. This will give regulars the chance to hoe into old favourites like the 500 g grass-fed sirloin to share, crunchy potatoes with chardonnay vinegar and aioli, a charcuterie board, marinated olives and Australian cheeses. An a la carte breakfast menu will be available from 8:00 am on weekends, with a bottomless mimosa brunch option bringing the merriment between 10:00 am and midday. The venue has also been treated to a fresh lick of navy paint and brown leather banquette seating, as well as an open-plan kitchen to watch all the action.