Best of Brisbane
The year in review: Brisbane’s best cafe openings of 2023
Food & Drink

The year in review: Brisbane’s best cafe openings of 2023

07 Dec 2023

As the final weeks of 2023 sees Brisbane shifting gears into holiday mode, we're getting ready to reflect on what the past 12 months have brought us. While this year wasn't a huge one for brand-new brunch slingers, it was big on sandwiches, bakeries and boutique coffee spots. We've collated a list of what we think are some of the year's best new cafe openings, from the viral sensations to the quiet achievers. In no particular order, here are our picks ... more

Best of Brisbane
The round-up: what restaurants and bars are open on Monday night in Brisbane
Food & Drink

The round-up: what restaurants and bars are open on Monday night in Brisbane

02 Nov 2023

If you’ve never experienced the Monday blues then you must be a robot. Just kidding (sort of), but starting the work week after the dizzying delights of the weekend can be a little bit soul destroying. Our solution is to extend some more of that fun into Monday. “How?”, we hear you ask. Simple – book in for dinner out one Monday night. Brisbane’s not as sleepy as it used to be. These days there are countless venues that are open for Monday-night trading, from fine-dining institutions to reliable neighbourhood eateries (and more than a few bars, too). If you want to line up a hot dinner date before the week gets too hectic, or if you're in hospo and are looking to make the most of your weekend, check out Brisbane’s Monday night scene and see what’s open using this handy list. more

Best of Brisbane
Industry Beans | Best cafes, bars and restaurants in Newstead
Food & Drink

The round-up: here are Newstead’s best cafes, bars and restaurants

19 Oct 2023

Recent years have seen Newstead evolve into a nexus of high-end hospitality, rivalling The City and Fortitude Valley as Brisbane's go-to dining destination. From izakaya-style vinyl bars, widely regarded breweries and flame-powered eateries to coffee-slinging outposts from nationally regarded roasters, if there's one spot guaranteed to deliver great nosh, it's Newstead. We've gathered our favourite cafes, bars and restaurants in the area into one handy list – here are our picks ... more

Best of Brisbane
1889 Enoteca | Brisbane's best pasta | The Weekend Edition
Food & Drink

The round-up: where to sample Brisbane’s best pasta

19 Oct 2023

We owe a huge amount of thanks to Italy. Without their historic culinary influence we wouldn’t have pasta, and if we didn’t have pasta, we’d have a massive gap in our diet. Brisbane is home to a plethora of Italian-inspired eateries that vie for the title of Brisbane’s Best. We couldn’t possibly crown a winner, but we can clue you in to some of the best. Here are some of our picks for Brisbane's best pasta spots. more

Best of Brisbane
Sunsets Rooftop | Brisbane's best rooftop bars | The Weekend Edition
Food & Drink

The round-up: soak up sun or starlight at the best rooftop bars in Brisbane

05 Oct 2023

When the weather is turning it on, there's no better feeling than getting elevated. We love flocking to our closest rooftop bar, getting sky high and soaking up the rays while taking in a killer view. Brisbane's skyline is slowly filling in with some top-notch rooftop bars, and we've taken it upon ourselves to list some of Brisbane's best. Forget your fear of heights – once you take in the vistas at these elevated haunts, you'll never want to come back down to earth. more

Best of Brisbane
Greca | Brisbane's best Greek restaurants
Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s best Greek restaurants

21 Sep 2023

Opa! Greek food is – without a doubt – one of the most inventive and flavoursome cuisines in the world. Succulent souvlakis, delicious dolmades, crispy calamari, helpings of haloumi – these are some all-time favourites, but they are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Greek feasts. Brisbane boasts a mighty fine selection of Greek restaurants to choose from, so we figured we’d save you the hassle of looking and list our picks right here, right now. more

Best of Brisbane
The round-up: navigate The Valley like a pro with our BIGSOUND survival guide
Food & Drink

The round-up: navigate The Valley like a pro with our BIGSOUND survival guide

31 Aug 2023

From September 5–8, some of the best up-and-coming bands on the Australian music landscape and hundreds of industry big-wigs will descend on Fortitude Valley for BIGSOUND, the southern hemisphere's largest music industry gathering. For three days and nights, The Valley's amazing cluster of music venues will come alive with song and the streets themselves will buzz with activity. If you're in town to take part in BIGSOUND's conference, are a band performing gigs as part of the live showcase or are a music-loving local simply keen to catch some acts on stage, you'll want to have a list of food and drink spots handy for quick reference. Introducing our BIGSOUND Survival Guide, wherein we list our favourite venues for coffee and breakfast, lunch pit stops, high-roller dinners and late-night party palaces. more

Best of Brisbane
ZA ZA TA | Brisbane's best vegan spots
Food & Drink

The round-up: fill up on goodness at Brisbane’s best vegan spots

17 Aug 2023

Put your presuppositions in the bin – plant-based food is not just salad and steamed vegetables. Vegan cuisine is becoming increasingly prominent due to the rise of dietary requirements and a conscientious focus of what we put in our bodies. For those of you who can’t stomach the thought of canning the cutlets and trashing the T-bones in favour of salad, please relax – we aren’t here to sway you to veganism. What we will say is that dining as a vegan can be hard in our predominantly meat-eating society, but also very rewarding – even if you love bacon and eggs. We’ve chosen to point out Brisbane’s best vegan spots well worth sampling. more

The Locals Next week:

Best of Brisbane
Range Brewing | Brisbane's best craft-beer breweries
Food & Drink

The round-up: here’s a comprehensive list of Brisbane’s best craft-beer breweries

03 Aug 2023

We might be biased, but we reckon Brisbane is one of the best cities in Australia to be a craft-beer lover. The City has seen a huge influx of froth-soaked newcomers over the past decade, to the point that no matter where in Brisbane you live, there's a good chance that there's an independent froth maker serving freshly tapped tipples and cracking community-friendly vibes nearby. To celebrate International Beer Day on Friday August 4, we’ve assembled a list of Brisbane's best craft breweries (assorted, loosely, by location) to help you navigate the city's ever-evolving and ever-growing beery landscape. more

Best of Brisbane
Riser Bread | Brisbane's best bakeries
Food & Drink

The round-up: get your carb fix from one of Brisbane’s best bakeries

27 Jul 2023

Let's be real for a spell – is there anything as pure and good as a freshly baked loaf of bread? We think not. If we are being completely honest with ourselves, a simple artisan-baked sourdough or baguette is enough to put a smile on our face, but place us in front of a cabinet filled with flaky croissants, picture-perfect pastries, covetable cakes, tantalising tarts and dreamy doughnuts, and we're liable to cry with unadulterated joy. Brisbane boasts a bevy of fantastic bakeries, from the French-inspired patisseries and the woodfired wonders to the cake-making powerhouses and humble neighbourhood locals. Want to know who we consider to be some of the city's best? Read on ... more

Best of Brisbane
Coffee Anthology | Brisbane City's best coffee spots
Food & Drink

The round-up: start your day on the right note with a visit to Brisbane City’s best coffee spots

20 Jul 2023

Coffee. It's the lifeblood of Brisbane City, where thousands upon thousands of workers descend daily – almost all of whom need some sort of caffeine-infused hit before they start their day. Thankfully for the bleary-eyed hoards, The City is home to many sensational caffeine dispensaries, including specialty focused stalwarts and express espresso outlets. No matter if you're a latte lover or a filter fanatic, you're sure to find the jolt of your preference amongst this list of Brisbane's best coffee spots. more

Best of Brisbane
The round-up: Brisbane's biggest food openings of the year (so far)
Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s biggest food openings of the year (so far)

29 Jun 2023

Whew! Is it just us, or has the first half of 2023 sailed by? It's time to take a minute to catch our breath and look back on the whirlwind that was the past six months with a cheeky retrospective of some of the biggest openings so far. In the last half-year alone we've scored head-turning Sardinian-inspired restaurants, Queensland outposts from interstate heavyweights, a neighbourhood bar soaked in heady Australiana, a chic 70s-style laneway cocktail spot, a craft-beer brewery with wacky experimental leanings, a modern minimalist bakery and a bevy of top-notch sandwich shops. Read on to see what you might have missed! more

Best of Brisbane
The Scratch | Brisbane's best craft-beer bars
Food & Drink

The round-up: knock back a few at the best craft-beer bars in Brisbane

08 Jun 2023

These days you can find craft beer at just about every bar, bottle shop and barbecue in Brisbane. It's an undeniable fact that craft beer is now a crucial part of Australia's booze culture, with our country's boutique beer flourishing over the past decade. One of the biggest factors contributing to craft beer's increase in profile is the proliferation of top-tier craft-beer bars – you know, the haunts and hideaways that champion the hoppy, malty, fruity, sour and chocolatey drops we've come to love. Brisbane boasts a stellar collection of craft-oriented boozers across town – we've decided to list some of the best! more

Best of Brisbane
The recap: the best new Brisbane restaurants, bars and cafes this month
Food & Drink

The recap: the best new Brisbane restaurants, bars and cafes this month

31 May 2023

With the winter months now at our doorstep, one might assume that we're entering a lull when it comes to exciting foodie happenings. But fear not, as Brisbane's dining scene continues to flourish, dishing out a number of neat nosh spots that are sure to keep locals satiated this hibernation season. Among this month's favourites is a scorching-hot Racecourse Road arrival, West End's pizza turn burger joint and the Mexican nosh-spot serving the nation's biggest serving of nachos. Read on to hear more about some of May's best ... more

Best of Brisbane
The round-up: Brisbane's best ramen spots to beat the winter chill
Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s best ramen spots to beat the winter chill

25 May 2023

Once the mercury starts to drop (or the rain sets in), ramen season comes on in full force. Ramen is quickly catching on in popularity around town, with several noodle soup joints specialising in the hearty dish. Forget all about your five-pack of instant mie goreng ramen noodles – the real deal is so much better that it’s unfair to call them both ramen. We’ve compiled a list of the best spots to get your slurp on, which we reckon is worth a hearty (r)amen!   more

Best of Brisbane
Broken Hearts Burger Club | Brisbane's best burgers | The Weekend Edition
Food & Drink

The round-up: Work your way through Brisbane’s best burgers

17 May 2023

There are few meals more satisfying than a big ol’ juicy burger. Whether you like them stacked or simple, this famous two-handed food is universally adored for a reason – and through the countless variations we have encountered in our travels around Brisbane, we have adopted some clear favourites. From tried-and-true local stalwarts to the craziest creations, we’ve collated a list of what we think are the best burgers in Brisbane for you to wrap your laughing gear around – and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. more

Best of Brisbane
The round-up: rock out at Brisbane's best live-music venues
Food & Drink

The round-up: rock out at Brisbane’s best live-music venues

20 Apr 2023

Brisbane’s always had a strong musical heritage, dating back to the days of The Saints and The Go-Betweens, through to the heyday of Powderfinger, Savage Garden, George, The Grates and the current crop of stars such as Violent Soho, The Jungle Giants, Mallrat and Cub Sport Brisbane’s live music scene is a melting pot of styles, with numerous venues dotted around the city hosting gigs on just about any given night. Our music scene is as healthy as ever, and if you’re keen to step out for a bit of rock‘n’roll, punk, jazz, blues or whatever catches your ear, have a look over this handy list of Brisbane’s best live-music venues and get amongst it. more