After ten years of damn-good drinks, a long-time staple of James Street's after-dark scene is closing. The team behind Gerard's Bar – a beloved spot for killer cocktails, choice charcuterie and one of Brisbane's best cheeseburgers – has sold the venue to new operators and soon, the space will be reborn as something fresh. Here's what we know ... more
After 32 years of entertaining Brisbane music fans, The Zoo has announced it will be closing its doors on July 8 along with its sister spot Stranded Bar on May 8. The closures come in response to the rising operational costs for music venues. more
Brisbane's live-music scene is set to score a boon in the form of a brand-new inner-city entertainment venue. When The Star Brisbane opens as part of the $3.6-billion Queen's Wharf development, so too will LiveWire – an energetic hub boasting a jam-packed schedule of music, comedy and other special events. Here's what we know ... more
After the hectic Easter long-weekend festivities, it’s easy to forget that we have another public holiday right around the corner. Anzac Day is here, so it’s a good idea to plan accordingly. If you plan to spend your day catching up with family and friends, it’s handy to know that there are places around town that will be open. We've found the spots around Brisbane that are trading on the Anzac Day public holiday this Thursday April 25 – so if you need a coffee, some brunch or an arvo tipple, this is the place to find it. more
One of Brisbane's top-flight ramen joints has evolved. Taro Akimoto of Taro's Ramen has introduced a brand new izakaya-style menu at his inner-city location on Queen Street, serving up authentic and creative takes on izakaya staples like curry-dusted karaage, homemade chicken jerky with shichimi mayo, crispy yaki onigiri and wagyu garlic steaks alongside his famed bowls of steaming ramen. more
We're firm believers that every suburb should have its own neighbourhood wine bar. The crew behind City Winery agrees, which is why the urban-winery's own cellar door offshoot Ardo's is popping up all over town. Ardo's has just opened its newest vino cave in Milton – a community meeting point that champions Brisbane-made wine and showcases it in a slick modern-industrial setting. more
If you took a survey of Brisbane foodies and asked them which Gold Coast restaurant or bar they'd most love to see expand to Brisbane, there's a high chance Mexicali Bar Y Taqueria would rank at the top. The widely beloved coastal Mexican-inspired hot spot has long been a buzzing nexus for Nobby Beach noshers, and now the taco-tossing outfit has come to north. Last week Mexicali celebrated the opening of its new Bulimba location – a colourful rooftop bar and eatery serving bang-on Baja-style fish tacos, exquisite elotes and a range of mighty fine margs. Take a look inside ... more
Brisbane’s pub scene is evolving to start 2024, with a number of independent operators looking to inject a bit of energy into The City’s schooner-sloshing sphere. A seasoned publican has just tapped the kegs at The Rose & Crown in South Brisbane, a two-level British-inspired gastropub that’s serving traditional cask beers (alongside pints of the best Guinness you’ll taste outside of Ireland), as well as a taste of London via pub staples like beer-battered fish and chips, Scotch eggs and, of course, a classic Sunday roast. more
Our favourite holiday for feasting is finally upon us! While most of our diets will be made up of chocolate and hot cross buns (no judgement here), you may be on the lookout for some places that are staying open this Easter long weekend to keep you well-nourished and well-hydrated ... after all, it’s all about balance. There’s a spectacular selection of cafes, bars and restaurants open this Easter ensuring we stay full and fuelled all weekend long. Take a peek at our extensive list … more
With its brand-new inner-city location on Mary Street, pastry-making powerhouse Doughcraft has not only expanded, but evolved. The Albion-born concept is still pumping out baked goods that fuse French and Italian inspirations, but now the crew is branching into aperitivo hour – serving primo paninis, stacked meat and cheese boards, rosemary-infused negronis and Corsican wines on Thursday and Friday evenings. more
After a huge 2023, Hamilton's resurgent riverside lifestyle hub Portside Wharf is set to carry momentum into 2024 with a brand-new retailer incentive program bringing more fresh blood to the precinct. In June, the team behind Newstead Social will open another pub-style concept at Portside Wharf, one serving schnitties, steaks, burgers, ice-cold beers and colourful cocktails. Here's what we know ... more
A once-buzzing corner of Fortitude Valley's entertainment precinct is set to come alive again later this year. The old Alfred & Constance site will soon be reborn as the Brisbane outpost of popular Burleigh pizza, pasta and party palace, Justin Lane. It'll boast a 200-person dining space, an underground cocktail spot, a coffee slinger and a brand-new rooftop bar. Here's what we know so far ... more
No meal is as versatile as pizza – it can cater to nearly any diet and taste and is easily made at home. Meat, cheese, sauce, vegetables, meat, seafood, cheese, meat – if you can dream it, your pizza can have it. Everyone has an opinion of where the best pizza in Brisbane can be found, so instead of simply adding our two cents to the definitive conversation, we decided to compile a list of the spots that do pizza exceptionally well. Check out the list below and then have yourself a pizza party! more
How does a bar known for dispensing good times as much as it's known for serving good drinks celebrate its own birthday? By going absolutely balls to the wall, of course. Frog's Hollow Saloon is turning two and it's marking the occasion with a month of booze-fuelled parties and takeovers from some of Australia's most esteemed bars, including Adelaide's Cry Baby and Memphis Slim’s House Of Blues, and Sydney's star martini spot Bar Planet. Here's what the crew has planned ... more
It's not often that a chef with some top-tier bona fides steps away from the pumping kitchens of Brisbane's biggest restaurants to open their own neighbourhood eatery. But that's exactly what rising star Yogesh Budathoki has done with Monal Dining, Newstead's newest destination for small plates, share-style mains and all-Aussie wines. Perfect for both spontaneous snacking sessions and celebratory occasions, Monal Dining is keeping the Newstead boom going into 2024. more
Just before we called time on 2023, a crew of energetic hospo whiz kids planted a flag in Hamilton with Ach (pronounced 'ah-k') – a punchy nosh spot and vino-pouring haunt where Middle Eastern cuisine (and wine) is the star. Here, a mammoth custom-built woodfire hearth is putting flame to hunks of Margra lamb and swordfish skewers, while loaves of challah are being served straight from the oven, and bottles of Lebanese sparkling are uncorked with panache. It's an early standout for a suburb that's set for a big growth spurt – here's what we know ... more
In the final weeks of 2023, just before Brisbane hunkered down for the festive weekend, the team behind cherished Italian restaurant Ramona Trattoria gave Coorparoo locals a sneak peek at Bar Rocco – the team's brand-new next-door wine bar and eatery that's giving die-hard diners a chance to devour a sensational selection of snacks, hand-shaped pizzetta and woodfire-grilled mains. We scored the first look at the new nosh spot – here's what we saw ... more
For a long time, the Eagleby stretch between Brisbane and the Gold Coast didn’t offer much that would inspire one to veer off the Pacific Motorway. That all changed in 2015 when Distillery Road Market arrived – heralding the beginning of a new food and entertainment precinct centred around community and connection. The most recent addition to the precinct has been unveiled and it’s no small feat – the $6-million, one-million-litre capacity lager brewery, Perentie Brewing Co. Lager lovers, this one's for you. more
The loss of the northside's beloved Toombul Shopping Centre in 2022 following devastating floods is one that still cuts deep for many of us. Not only did we lose a nostalgia-drenched icon, we also said goodbye to a number of local businesses we loved to frequent. One such business was neighbourhood watering hole Dapple + Waver, which upon closure received an overwhelming outpour of community support mourning its closure. We'll it's time to dry those tears suburban socialites – Dapple + Waver is back. more
This Friday January 26 is a public holiday, which means it’s a short week for many. As much as we love a day out of the office, The Weekend Edition team would like to acknowledge the significance of this date for First Nations people and believe it is not a date to celebrate. However you choose to observe this day, there are a bunch of cafes, restaurants and bars keeping their doors open on Friday January 26. If you're keen to get out and support your local, here's a list of what's open ... more
