Bars Brisbane | The Weekend Edition

Meet Maggie May – the bold new supper club putting its best foot forward in Newstead

20 Oct 2022

Bell-bottoms and short shorts, cork-soled platforms and knee-high boots, pantsuits, jumpsuits, disco glam and hippie casual – the 1970s was a decade of style. Taking inspiration from this fashionable era is Maggie May, Hallmark Hospitality Group’s brand-new eatery and bar, which is set to open in full feather this Friday October 21. Boasting a richly appointed interior that looks plucked straight from a 70s design catalogue, Maggie May is a fetching spot to enjoy classic share-style cuisine, party-time cocktails and new-wave wines – everything needed to steal your heart! Read on for a stickybeak inside this snazzily appointed supper club ahead of its opening tomorrow … more

Food & Drink

Pop a pét nat – striking new wine bar NIKY is now pouring natural wines in Newstead

13 Oct 2022

Wine bars come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small and intimate, some are loud and lively. NIKY, Newstead's brand-new drinking spot sits somewhere at the bold and colourful end of the spectrum. The new vino-soaked sibling of Newstead's Salt Coffee opened this week and is wowing locals with its tack-sharp focus on natural drops and an ever-changing menu of snacks. Here, it's all about zippy, racy, juicy and easy-drinking wines from some of Australia's most exciting producers, served in a setting that we think might end up being one of the most eye-catching venues to open this year. Come and take a gander ... more

Food & Drink

Booze, The Zoo crew’s new Fortitude Valley bottle shop, offers much more than advertised

13 Oct 2022

Bottle shops have evolved in recent years. Though the big-name troves selling beer, wine and spirits remain plentiful, a new breed of merchant has emerged on the scene. These specialty outlets not only stock a more curated selection of potables, but many offer plenty of fodder beyond your usual beverages. Booze – the newly open retail spot from the team behind The Zoo and Stranded – is going above and beyond what you'd expect to find inside a bottle shop. In addition to offering a discerning selection of natural wine, craft beer and independent spirits, Booze is stocking artisanal pantry goods and vinyl records – plus it's serving specialty coffee and takeaway pizza until late! more

Food & Drink

It’s all about the boogie at Superfly Disco, The Valley’s new high-end nightclub (with a light-up dance floor)

06 Oct 2022

It was a raucous scene on McLachlan Street last night, as well-dressed revellers lined up to enter Fortitude Valley's newest high-end nightclub Superfly Disco. Inside, they were immersed in an electric atmosphere propelled by the beats of dance-floor fillers, illuminated by vivid neon and fuelled by premium libations. The Drunken Monkey Group's newest concept throws it back to a bygone era of hospitality, where patrons could leave all of their woes at the door and set the night alight without a care. Superfly Disco is big, bold and, best of all, opening this Friday October 7. Take a peek inside ... more

Food & Drink

Rosmarino’s high-end pizzeria and wine bar sibling Etna opens in Fortitude Valley

21 Sep 2022

What happens when a highly regarded Italian restaurant has a crack at opening a pizzeria? Well, if Etna – the new sibling concept from the Rosmarino team – is any indication, then we'd have to say good things. After months of waiting, the upscale pizza joint is opening to the public this week. Here, traditional techniques are given a fine-dining nudge, resulting in a salivation-worthy menu that encompasses classic crowdpleasers, contemporary choices and ultra-luxe options (topped with sliced duck leg, caviar and scampi, and speck). Throw in a vino list boasting plenty of orange and pét-nat sips and you'll see why Etna has been on our most anticipated list. Have a peek inside ... more

Food & Drink

Nosferatu Distillery’s new Bowen Hills headquarters brings together booze, film and folklore

15 Sep 2022

As Brisbane's distillery scene evolves, a greater amount of diversity starts to filter into the offering. Nosferatu Distillery's newly open Bowen Hills headquarters is punching out some of the most innovative spirits going, drawing from a deep well of inspiration encompassing cinema and legend to create an eye-catching and taste-tantalising range of libations. This working distillery also boasts a cellar door and cafe, where you can get a taste of Nosferatu's spooky spirit selection as well as specialty coffee, charcuterie and more. Take a peek inside ... more

Food & Drink

Stafford sippers, rejoice – Flat Lizard Brewing nails ales at its newly open brewery

15 Sep 2022

Hidden in the back of a Stafford industrial pocket is Flat Lizard Brewing – a new craft-beer operation that has quietly been making cold ones for over a year. The brewery has just launched its taproom, giving locals a taste of its sensational selection of ales, lagers and stouts. Flat Lizard's arrival cements Stafford as a sud-soaked suburb on the rise. Here's what's on offer ... more

Food & Drink

Amaro takes centre stage at Before + After – the new laneway bar slinging liqueur-laced bar food and cocktails

01 Sep 2022

Amaro. Have you tried it? If you're a seasoned cocktail drinker then there's good odds that you have, but if the thought of amaro makes you think of medicinal, tincture-like flavour profiles and herby concoctions, it's time you gave yourself a refresher course on what might be the buzziest booze of the moment. Before + After is a brand-new inner-city bar operated by a seasoned drink slinger (and amaro aficionado) that specialises in divine pre- and post-dinner drinks. It's got bottles of contemporary and vintage amaro, amaro-infused cocktails and a menu of liqueur-laced bar food to enjoy (plus a range of similarly stellar non-amaro options, of course). It's open now – have a peek inside ... more

Food & Drink

Pavement Whispers: Volume 373 August 30

30 Aug 2022

From news of a French-inspired patisserie and sandwich stop in New Farm to a Toowong coffee institution's nighttime pivot, The Weekend Edition is always on the search for the latest food news in Brisbane, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out … more

Food & Drink

Stay and sip or grab and go from Malt Traders’ new location at Heritage Lanes

18 Aug 2022

One of the best resources for craft beverages is doubling its presence in The City. On Wednesday August 17, Malt Traders quietly opened a new honey hole over at Heritage Lanes, offering inner-city denizens a second spot to source single-batch whiskies, biodynamic wines from small producers and exceptional locally made craft beer. And, best of all, you can enjoy your purchase on site. more

Food & Drink

Pavement Whispers: set a course for Soma – a neighbourhood bar opening in Hervey Bay this October

11 Aug 2022

Most of us have dreamed of instigating a sea change at different points in our lives, but few of us gather up the courage to ditch the big smoke in favour of a life of sun, sand and surf. Both Timo van Hest and Neil Yates relocated to Hervey Bay a couple of years back and haven't looked back since. In fact, the two hospitality veterans (boasting experience at venues like Cobbler, Maker, Longsong and Easy Tiger) are looking to plant more roots in the area with Soma, a soon-to-open bar and nosh spot serving an ever-evolving selection of natural wines, a similarly ephemeral range of cocktails and Euro-familiar eats with Southeast Asian twists (such as half lobster with curry butter and frites). It sounds like something worth trekking north for! Here's what we know ... more

Food & Drink

Casa Chow, the colourful up-tempo sibling of Sasso Italiano, is introducing chifa cuisine to Brisbane at South City Square

21 Jul 2022

Ever heard of chifa? If not, don't worry. Pretty soon it'll be the cuisine on everyone's lips. Next week, the hip hospitality gurus behind Woolloongabba trattoria Sasso Italiano will cut the ribbon on Casa Chow – a neon-lit eatery specialising in Chinese-Peruvian (better known as chifa) cuisine. With kaleidoscopic interiors, a scintillating menu of Chinese-accented Latin fare, a dance beat-propelled atmosphere and enough pisco to fill the Brisbane River, Casa Chow is, undoubtedly, a vibe. It opens to the public on Wednesday July 27, but we're here to give you a preview look inside. Check it out! more

Food & Drink

Pull up a chair at Bakery Lane’s Italian-inspired laneway wine bar

13 Jul 2022

One of our favourite ways to spend our free time is cosied up with a good bottle of wine, sharing tales with mates over some tasty nosh. If you’re seeking a laidback locale to do just that, then let us whisper a hidden gem in your ear. Come closer, now ... have you been to uh oh italian wine store + bar in Fortitude Valley? An oenophiles dream, this Bakery Lane beauty is where you can pick out your bottle of choice before sitting down with mates or a good book for some truly Euro-inspired vibes. Add a few Italian snacks for good measure and we're in paradiso. more

Food & Drink

Get the first look at Gastown – Ashgrove’s cosy new cafe and wine bar from the Soul Revolver crew

07 Jul 2022

Anyone that has visited Vancouver has likely paid a visit to Gastown, the storied precinct famed for its Victorian buildings, cobblestone streets, famous steam clock and vibrant dining scene. A new hole-in-the-wall cafe and wine bar from the brains behind Alderley's Soul Revolver Co. is looking to bring a taste of Vancouver (by way of Tasmania) to Ashgrove, opening in the day for coffee, pastries and toasties, and then at night for vino and small plates. Gastown is the name of this fresh-faced locale – read on to take a peek inside! more

Food & Drink

Butler Wine Bar – the intimate drinking spot from the Lune Croissanterie crew – is now open

07 Jul 2022

If you've ever bitten into a buttery croissant from Lune and wondered what the croissanterie crew could achieve if it put the same amount of care and thought into another culinary concept, then we'd like to introduce you to Butler Wine Bar. This long-awaited neighbourhood drinkery is The Lune Co. team's first foray into nighttime trade and they're looking to make a great impression on Brisbane's wine- and cocktail-sipping set. Anchored by a grounded approach that spotlights comfort, community and conscience, Butler packs a lot into a small package. Butler Wine Bar will officially open next Thursday July 7 – we were lucky enough to take its food and drink menu for a test drive. Read on to find out more ... more

Food & Drink

Soak up the sunshine at Fortitude Valley’s new social playground Summa House

30 Jun 2022

It might be the middle of winter right now, but over on McLachlan Street in Fortitude Valley there's a place that parties like it' summer every day. Summa House is a 1100 square-foot open-air venue imbued with sunny vibes and balmy brilliance. With a kitchen dishing up elevated pub classics, bars turning out tropical cocktail jugs and a bottomless brunch that needs to be seen to be believed, Summa House is setting itself up to be a year-round, all-occasion celebration spot. more

Food & Drink

Milton Rum Distillery shows off its new state-of-the-art spirit-making headquarters in Albion

23 Jun 2022

Recent years have seen gin, whisky and even tequila score a spike in popularity, as craft distilleries instigate a golden age of spirit drinking. The team at Milton Rum Distillery is looking to set in motion a similar glow-up for the humble (and, these days, largely underestimated) cane spirit, creating a range of award-winning libations using innovative distillation techniques and a bounty of botanicals. After its Milton home was gutted by flood waters earlier this year, Milton Rum Distillery is now rising from the proverbial ashes, this week unveiling its new production space and distillery door at Craft'd Grounds in Albion. Here, the team will be using a custom distilling apparatus and an Australian-first hydroponic system to create a sustainable spirit-making operation from which the rum renaissance can truly blossom. It officially opens on Friday June 25 – here's what you can… more

Food & Drink

Five cosy spots in Brisbane City where you can warm up this winter

16 Jun 2022

While there's a wealth of culinary gems dotted around The City, there's a handful that boast a particular charm – a cosiness, if you will. Walking into these locales is like being embraced into a warm hug – and that's exactly what we want in the midst of winter. If you're searching for somewhere cosy to wine and dine this season, we have rounded up five spots filled with cushy nooks, decadent dishes and belly-warming cocktails ... more

Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s best cheap eats

26 May 2022

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 (and deals) in Brisbane. more

Food & Drink

Voila, vino! Paddington restaurant NOTA unveils its new wine-bar extension

12 May 2022

Flexibility is a big part of the hospitality game, especially after two years of spur-of-the-moment pirouettes and pivots. No crew knows this better than the brains over at NOTA – Paddington's beloved modern-European eatery. After two-ish years of breakfast sittings, take-home packs and artisanal sweet making, the venue has seized the opportunity to acquire its next-door space (previously a clothing store) and convert it to a swanky new wine bar and function area. Now reopened as NOTA Restaurant & Wine Bar, the team is forging forward with a new outlook and operational scheme. Folks are now free to pop in for impromptu pre-game snacks and a cheeky vino or settle into a leather booth for a lengthier, more leisurely experience. more