Bars Brisbane | The Weekend Edition

The round-up: Brisbane’s best cheap eats

20 Sep 2018

Rent is due and you are still a few days away from getting your paycheque – but your stomach is growling and you need to feed as soon as possible for as cheap as possible. Instead of hitting the closest drive-thru and settling for fast food, there are plenty of places around town that offer cheap eats that are damn tasty. It’s time to get creative with how you spend your dollars – stretch your money by taking advantage of the following best value for money meals in Brisbane. more

Food & Drink

Stokehouse boosts its riverside vibes and cocktail craft at STOKEBAR Q

13 Sep 2018

Long a popular destination to savour crisp river breezes and delightful cocktails, few bars captured the magic of Brisbane as perfectly as Stokehouse Q’s Stoke Bar. We’re inclined to believe that if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That being said, a little bit of evolution can only be a good thing. After closing in August as part of a million-dollar renovation, Stoke Bar has been transformed into the newly open STOKEBAR Q. Along with a fashionable new look, STOKEBAR Q is also raising the stakes with seasonal cocktails and hand and fork snacks. more

Food & Drink

Fortitude Valley’s newest laneway California Lane opens to the public

06 Sep 2018

After several months of gestation, the younger sibling of Winn and Bakery Lanes is finally open to the public. Boasting a schmick al fresco dining area and several new faces, California Lane is the third food and shopping hub from the Apostolos family, which takes inspiration from Fortitude Valley’s formative history and pairs it with a colourful West Coast vibe. more

Food & Drink

Get the first look at Fortitude Valley’s newest speakeasy TSO Lounge & Dining

30 Aug 2018

The age of clandestine cocktail bars and alehouses might be nearly a century behind us, but the spirit of the Prohibition age is still alive and well in the contemporary tipple scene. Don't believe us? Just look at Fortitude Valley's newest arrival. Drawing inspiration from the history of the 1920s is TSO Lounge & Dining, a split-level watering hole steeped in local heritage that is offering a modern take on classic cocktails and culinary opulence. more

Food & Drink

The Oxford Garden adds a dose of leafy leisure to Bulimba

30 Aug 2018

Like flowers blooming after the winter chill, springtime is set to bring some new venues perfect for soaking up the warmer weather. The Oxford Garden is the first of these spots to arrive on the scene, opening up recently in the heart of Bulimba’s Oxford Street precinct with a host of share cocktails, magnum rosés and a menu of fresh eats in tow. more

Food & Drink

The Weekend Series: take a sip trip and tour southeast Queensland’s best distilleries and breweries

23 Aug 2018

It’s all well and good pouring yourself a drop of your favourite spirit at home or cracking a cold beer from the fridge, but it doesn’t quite compare to sipping from the source. If you are serious about your drink, booking yourself and your crew for a brewery or distillery tour is one of the most enjoyable ways to savour your booze of choice. Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Byron Bay are home to a few enticing tours, which not only give you some insight into how your drop of choice is made, but also allows you to sample the freshest batch before it’s bottled. more

Food & Drink

From Peruvian pop-ups to flavour pimps – Mongrel unveils its Milton digs

16 Aug 2018

After 13 months of well-received pop-up restaurant experiences, the Mongrel trio have made good on their promise of a bricks-and-mortar joint of their own. The self-proclaimed ‘flavour pimps’ have installed their brand-new bar and eatery on Park Road in Milton, promising out-of-the-box flavour pairings, a choice list of Australian-made beverages and a fresh take on casual hospitality. more

Food & Drink

Coffee titan Campos opens its stunning new cafe Long Island in Newstead

16 Aug 2018

Over a span of more than 10 years, Campos has grown from fledgling roaster to one of Australia's preeminent proponents of craft caffeine. The powers behind the hospitality group are making some changes in 2018, the largest being the relocation of its Brisbane flagship cafe from Wandoo Street to a stylish location in Newstead. The newly opened Campos Long Island is a stunning and modern hub, blending the brand’s renowned coffee service with new multi-faceted offerings that take diners from sunrise through to sunset. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: what’s open this Ekka public holiday

13 Aug 2018

In case you haven’t heard the sounds of fireworks over Bowen Hills or had your Instagram feed inundated with scenes of carnival fun, we’d like to let you know that the Ekka is in town. Aside from the show bags, games, animals and assorted attractions, the best thing about the Ekka is undoubtedly the annual public holiday that we all get to enjoy on Wednesday August 15. If you've been to the Ekka already, are saving your visit for another day or simply wish to avoid the holiday crowds (more show bags for us, really), there are plenty of spots around town open and ready for your custom. Here's a handy list of bars and eateries for you to enjoy this Ekka public holiday. more

Food & Drink

Petrie Terrace’s The Lord Alfred unites past and present for its substantial overhaul

09 Aug 2018

Caxton Street fixture and heritage-listed watering hole The Lord Alfred has undergone a serious makeover. The longstanding corner pub has been undergoing refurbishments over recent months, and now the new-look establishment is officially relaunching this weekend. Think elevated cuisine, eight unique nooks to inhabit and a livelier atmosphere, and you’ve captured the essence of The Lord Alfred Hotel’s new persona. more

Food & Drink

Comfort food gets the fine-dining treatment at Albion’s Lodger Kitchen & Bar

09 Aug 2018

Two seasoned hospitality experts have struck out together to bring something a little bit different to Albion’s dining scene. Blaire Gillespie and Daniel Collins have combined their talents to give their favourite comfort foods a fancy sprucing, plating up creative and charming fare (and tasty drinks to boot) at newly opened Lodger Kitchen & Bar. more

Food & Drink

Introducing Brewski 2.0 – Petrie Terrace’s craft-beer haven grows up

02 Aug 2018

Caxton Street’s street-side bar and eatery Brewski has been an oasis for parched beer lovers for nearly as long as craft beer has been popular in Brisbane. Although real estate along the Petrie Terrace strip is at a premium, Antoinette Pollock and Matt Emmerson of Brewski have always envisioned an expansion of facilities. The pair has ingeniously enacted a plan to expand downward and upward for a series of new additions to their beloved watering hole, adding a brand-new dining area, a specialised function space and plans for an on-site bottle shop. more

Bars

Food & Drink

Get the first look inside Fortitude Valley’s brand-new social hub X Cargo

26 Jul 2018

Since it was first announced in early 2017, we’ve been eagerly devouring every morsel of information on X Cargo that we could get our hands on. After countless drive-by expeditions along McLachlan Street, we were invited in to get a sneak peak at Fortitude Valley’s brand-new open-air party playground ahead of its opening to the public on Saturday July 28. Boasting three bars, a commercial kitchen, an on-site cafe, a sizeable beer garden, colourful murals, spacious lawns and sky-high shipping-container balconies, X Cargo already is shaping up to be one of the biggest arrivals in Brisbane’s nightlife scene, where fun and frivolity is paramount. more

Food & Drink

Grungy laneway hideaway Hellcat Maggie stakes her turf in Brisbane City

19 Jul 2018

Fans of the Scorsese classic Gangs of New York (or anyone with knowledge of the Big Apple’s bloody past) will have heard the name Hell-Cat Maggie. In the 1840s the name would make blood run cold with fear, but today the name carries friendlier connotations. Hellcat Maggie is a brand-new laneway bar and eatery that embodies the same gritty and charismatic attitude of the famed crim, but instead of brawling with the Bowery Boys, this bar focuses on beers, burgers and breakfast. more

Food & Drink

Make tracks for Fortitude Valley’s new laneway haunt Whistle Dixie

19 Jul 2018

In years past, wishing for a laneway eatery that catered to breakfast, lunch and dinner crowds equally would be considered rosy fantasising. Now, times have changed, as evidenced by the cheekily named Whistle Dixie. This railroad-inspired locale is delivering an all-day service to denizens of Fortitude Valley’s Emporium strip, offering ample space to graze leisurely while daydreaming of the next fantastical arrival. more

Food & Drink

The Weekend Series: southward bound – five hotspots you must try around Byron Bay

19 Jul 2018

Whenever the weather report heralds the arrival of mild temperatures and clear skies, we immediately pack an overnight bag and make a hasty pilgrimage south to Byron Bay. The home of coastal vibes, free-spirited fun and a booming foodie scene, Byron Bay is a no brainer for those that really want to put some kilometres between them and the big smoke. Speaking of Byron Bay’s cafe and restaurant scene, we weren’t kidding when we say the Byron Shire is bursting with hotspots. With Splendour in the Grass on our doorstep and warmer temperatures approaching, now is as good a time as ever to acquaint yourself with a few southern destinations. more

Food & Drink

Barbecue, beer and benedicts – Morningside’s Southside Tea Room relaunches

05 Jul 2018

It seems like it was born only yesterday, but we merely blinked an eye, and suddenly Southside Tea Room is all grown up. We can reminisce the good old days when menu highlights included three chips and dip – we will cherish the memories and never forget them – but six years on, Southside has truly come of age. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s ten best bars as voted by you

05 Jul 2018

Brisbane’s bar culture is booming, meaning we are never short of spots to get a cheeky knock-off cocktail or blow the froth off a few cold ones on a weekend. We’re not just lucky in the quantity stakes, we’ve also been blessed with a quality collection of watering holes. This year’s EAT/drink Awards asked readers to tell us which bars they thought deserved the honour of being named Brisbane’s best, and we’ve got to hand it to you – you’ve all got great taste. Although the title of Brisbane’s best bar was hotly contested, we’ve managed to narrow it down to a top ten list – with a little help from you all, of course. more

Food & Drink

Yavanna brings its style of plant-based comfort food to Paddington

05 Jul 2018

What do you get when three hospitality lifers (who happen to be vegan) team up to create brand-new bar and restaurant? You get one heck of haven for plant-based eaters and omnivores alike. Yavanna has begun its rollout of comfort food, bringing familiarity, fun and flair to the table with a range of dishes that will have even die-hard carnivores on drool watch. more

Food & Drink

C’est Bon Wine Bar brings a flexible approach to French hospitality

28 Jun 2018

Woolloongabba’s long-running French cuisine institution has expanded. C’est Bon has seized an opportunity to turn its neighbouring tenancy into a stylish wine bar, making something old new again while maintaining quality and laying the groundwork for an exciting future. C’est Bon Wine Bar is bringing a level of flexibility and accessibility to Woolloongabba’s dining scene, with a versatile offering of fabulous French food and wine that’ll bring out the Francophile in anyone. more