Casual Dining
Boom! Shake the room – an inner-city bar transforms into a moody underground izakaya
Food & Drink

Boom! Shake the room – an inner-city bar transforms into a moody underground izakaya

22 Sep 2020

As many hospitality operators adapt to the demands of pandemic life, many restaurants, bars and cafes are evolving to meet the new normal. Fortunately for us foodies, many of these moves have produced incredibly tasty results. The venue formerly known as The Boom Boom Room has been given a new direction and a (slightly) different name. Introducing Boom Boom Room Izakaya – a concept blending Japanese-inspired morsels and cocktails with a luxurious jazz-bar aesthetic. more

Casual Dining
Sneak peek – have a look at the gooey goodness at Mac From Way Back's Woolloongabba home
Food & Drink

Sneak peek – have a look at the gooey goodness at Mac From Way Back’s Woolloongabba home

17 Sep 2020

For many hungry festival goers and ravenous street-food seekers, the sight of Mac From Way Back's vibrant yellow food truck was enough to induce rapturous joy. The wagon built a huge following thanks primarily to its menu of creamy mac'n'cheese and juicy smash burgers, but now Mac From Way Back is shifting gears, or rather, coming to a stop. In the coming weeks Mac From Way Back will open a bricks-and-mortar eatery in the heart of Woolloongabba – creating a dedicated home for baked mac, cheesy burgs, loaded fries, mind-boggling desserts and ice-cold beers. We've got a look at the goods ahead of the official opening but be careful, because this feast is not for the faint of heart or full of stomach. more

Casual Dining
Bites, beers and beats – Bao Bar unveils its slick South Brisbane home
Food & Drink

Bites, beers and beats – Bao Bar unveils its slick South Brisbane home

10 Sep 2020

If the recent coronavirus-related lockdowns were good for anything, it was for innovation – especially in our hospitality scene. Among the pandemic-inspired experiments to emerge from the first half of the year, Bao Bar's pop-up concept was far and away one of the most popular. When dine-in restrictions eased, the brains behind the idea figured continuing Bao Bar with its own standalone location was a no-brainer. This Sunday September 13, Bao Bar will unveil its new bricks-and-mortar joint in South Brisbane – showcasing a beefed-up selection of fusion-inspired baos plus ice-cold beers to wash down the goodness. more

Casual Dining
Drop anchor at The Prawnster – Kangaroo Point's new floating seafood restaurant
Food & Drink

Drop anchor at The Prawnster – Kangaroo Point’s new floating seafood restaurant

03 Sep 2020

We might be biased, but we reckon Queensland is home to some of the country's best seafood. Don't believe us? Take a trip along the coastline and you'll see firsthand how bountiful our shores are. Thankfully you don't need to go far to get a taste of our tip-top tidal treats – just head to the marina at Kangaroo Point and board The Prawnster, the new floating restaurant specialising in fresh, unadulterated prawns, bugs and oysters. more

Casual Dining
Red Hook
Food & Drink

Lunch is sorted – where to find delicious dining deals around Brisbane City

03 Sep 2020

On a budget this week? Trying not to splurge out on your lunch break? If money is too tight to mention, fret not – these Brisbane City restaurants, cafes and retailers have got your back so you can score a little lunchtime bonus. Whether you're in need of a coffee to keep you conscious, a feast that'll fill your belly or something to satisfy your sweet tooth, Brisbane City has plenty of stellar deals and cheap eats offers that will save you a pretty penny. more

Casual Dining
Seafood spot Piranha Fish Caf drops anchor at New Farm's Merthyr Village
Food & Drink

Seafood spot Piranha Fish Caf drops anchor at New Farm’s Merthyr Village

27 Aug 2020

To us, there's nothing like the feeling of unwrapping a paper-wrapped parcel of grilled or battered fish and crispy golden chips. In fact, if we had our say, we'd place a top-quality fish and chip joint in every suburb. Anyone that shares even a small modicum of the same fondness for fish will be excited to hear that a new seafood joint opened at Merthyr Village last week. Piranha Fish Caf is the brainchild of two hospitality veterans eager to deliver a quintessential fish-and-chip experience, but with some elevated aspects to help set it apart from the traditional mould. more

Casual Dining
Bald Hills icon Bonny View Hotel gets a spiffy makeover
Food & Drink

Bald Hills icon Bonny View Hotel gets a spiffy makeover

27 Aug 2020

On Thursday August 20, the beloved northside pub and bistro formerly known as the Bonny View Tavern reopened with a new look, new menu and new name. Now known as the Bonny View Hotel, the establishment has been treated to a luxurious makeover to the tune of $1.3 million, which has significantly spruced up the 85-year-old locale with some improved amenities that'll impress, and some new culinary tempters that'll get folks drooling. more

Casual Dining
Wing Fix brings its American-style comfort food to Coorparoo Square
Food & Drink

Wing Fix brings its American-style comfort food to Coorparoo Square

20 Aug 2020

Let's be real, nothing soothes the soul (and quells hunger) quite like a juicy burger or a handful of saucy chicken wings. The team at Wing Fix knows this, which is why they've refined its menu to focus on these two elements (they also nail fries as well, to be fair). After conquering tastebuds with their Morningside eatery, the Wing Fix crew opened a larger space at Coorparoo Square back in March. With an upbeat atmosphere and much more elbow room for waving a drumstick or two around, this outlet is perfectly suited to those who are craving the warm embrace of some American-style fare. more

The Locals Next week:

Casual Dining
Trade Coast Hotel embraces a new century with an eye-catching overhaul
Food & Drink

Trade Coast Hotel embraces a new century with an eye-catching overhaul

13 Aug 2020

Few pubs in Brisbane can boast a history as storied as The Pinkenba Hotel. With a lifespan that goes back more than a century, The Pink has been a tried and true oasis for locals living in or around the coastal suburb. After a period of substantial renovations, The Pink has been transformed, boasting a new look and a new name. Introducing Trade Coast Hotel – a modern and multifaceted watering hole perfectly equipped to carry on the venue's legacy for another hundred years. more

Casual Dining
Hot chooks, fine wines and street eats – boutique precinct Albion Central makes a splash
Food & Drink

Hot chooks, fine wines and street eats – boutique precinct Albion Central makes a splash

23 Jul 2020

The Albion five-ways is one of the busiest junctions in town. While most folks pass through on the way to someplace else, a brand-new retail development is hoping to make the intersection a destination in its own right. Albion Central has landed, bringing with it a juicy rotisserie chicken dispensary, a gourmet delicatessen, a bakery hawking pastries and Vietnamese street food, a mouth-watering yiros joint and much more. more

Casual Dining
Proof BBQ & Booze | Brisbane's best American barbecue
Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s best American barbecue restaurants

15 Jul 2020

Apologies in advance to all plant-based eaters out there – this round-up is strictly for the carnivores. This time around, we’re checking out the finest hunks of meat available around town. No, we’re not talking about Aussie Thunder Male Revue. We’re talking about barbecue – American barbecue, to be precise. Brisket, pulled pork, ribs, sausages – if it’s smoky, saucy and meaty, it’s exactly what we’re after. We’ve assembled a list of some of the best bricks-and-mortar barbecue locations in Brisbane. Be wary of reading while hungry – this list will get the salivation glands working overtime. more

Casual Dining
Eleven Rooftop Bar transforms into open-air Mexican restaurant MAYA
Food & Drink

Eleven Rooftop Bar transforms into open-air Mexican restaurant MAYA

09 Jul 2020

The year so far has been unpredictable, to say the least. When it comes to weathering the storm from a hospitality standpoint, many operators believe the best response is to be unpredictable in turn. Local restaurateurs Jason and Katie Coates count themselves among this group. The duo has utilised the lockdown to initiate change on a significant scale, completely overhauling Eleven Rooftop Bar – one of The Valley's most beloved nightspots – and transforming it into MAYA Mexican. The venue will open officially on Saturday July 11, here's what you can expect ... more

Casual Dining
Fresh catch – Potato Boy and Northside Coffee Brewers arrive on King Street
Food & Drink

Fresh catch – Potato Boy and Northside Coffee Brewers arrive on King Street

02 Jul 2020

If we were to definitively rank our favourite comfort foods, fish and chips would have to slot in somewhere at the top of our lists. The combination of crunchy golden chips and crispy fish is an all-time winning tandem, and when you throw snacks such as potato scallops and calamari into the mix it's hard to refute its status at the top. Those of you that vibe with our fish-and-chip assessment will be stoked to hear that a new source of the battered bounty arrived in Bowen Hills yesterday along with a top-notch coffee spot right next door. Potato Boy and Northside Coffee Brewers is a handy one-two punch for lunch seekers and caffeine sippers – cast a line and see what's good ... more

Casual Dining
Spruce up your lunch with the help of Newstead arrival Meet + Greens
Food & Drink

Spruce up your lunch with the help of Newstead arrival Meet + Greens

25 Jun 2020

Although many of us are currently working from home, our work lunches are still something we need to consider. If you commonly find yourself eating your midday meal al desko, we're sure you'd much rather it be something nutritious and delicious. Gasworks Plaza has recently welcomed Meet + Greens, a chic grab-and-go salad and protein pitstop that is looking to un-refine dining and give locals nourishing restaurant-quality food without the price tag. more

Casual Dining
Kulcha'd brings a taste of northern-Indian street food to West End
Food & Drink

Kulcha’d brings a taste of northern-Indian street food to West End

04 Jun 2020

Roti, chapati, naan, paratha and dosa – when it comes to flatbread, Indian cuisine is king. The culinary staple is prevalent in some shape and form in every corner of the country, though over here in Australia we are largely unaware of dozens of regional varieties that are cornerstones of local culinary practice. When Zach Dexter visited the northern-Indian city of Mohali in 2019, he encountered kulcha – a form of leavened and crispy tandoor-baked flatbread filled with chilli, spices and a variety of mouth-watering ingredients. It was love at first bite and since then Zach, his brother Calvin and their family have worked towards raising the profile of kulcha in Brisbane. After a few months of gradual work hindered by lockdown, Zach and Calvin's north-Indian street-food concept Kulcha'd quietly opened for takeaway, delivery and limited dine-in in West End last week – serving a… more

Casual Dining
Get buns on the run from new Teneriffe Japanese-fusion pop-up Bao Bar
Food & Drink

Get buns on the run from new Teneriffe Japanese-fusion pop-up Bao Bar

14 May 2020

If there's one silver lining of the current pandemic crisis, it's the fact that our hospitality scene at large has been incredibly innovative out of necessity. Not only are cafes, bars and restaurants changing the way they get food to their customers, but many are trialing unique menu concepts and fashioning entirely new product lines. On Wednesday May 13, the Only. Specialty Coffee crew and the brains behind Teneriffe Japanese restaurant Hikari will unveil a tasty pop-up concept called Bao Bar, which promises a brand-new menu of mouth-watering baos and sides available for takeaway and delivery. more

Casual Dining
Savour the flavours of Beirut – Shawarma King arrives at West Village
Food & Drink

Savour the flavours of Beirut – Shawarma King arrives at West Village

07 May 2020

Nothing triggers a ferocious appetite within us quite like the site of a spinning vertical meat rotisserie. You know the one – layers of sliced lamb leisurely rotating and cooking, juices giving the picture-perfect pylon a seductive sheen. This mechanism sits at the heart of the Middle Eastern cuisine known as shawarma – one of the most popular street foods in the world. As you can probably guess by the name, Shawarma King is a new foodie concept dedicated to not only dishing up lovingly marinated and cooked morsels, but also a host of other goodies from Lebanon. Shawarma King has brought this multitude of culinary delights to The Garden Pantry at West Village, giving locals a taste of Lebanese cuisine ahead of a larger endeavour planned for 2021 ... more

Casual Dining
Taco time! El Planta launches a meatless Mexican takeaway service
Food & Drink

Taco time! El Planta launches a meatless Mexican takeaway service

30 Apr 2020

It's hard to believe it was less than eight weeks ago that we revealed that beloved plant-based pop-up El Planta was moving to permanent digs. That being said, the pandemic lockdown does seem to be wreaking havoc with our perception of time. Not to be put off their timeline in bringing their style of delicious plant-based Mexican cuisine to the masses, Rick Gibson and Adrienne Jory have forged ahead, last week debuting its takeaway and delivery concept El Planta At Home. more

Casual Dining
Molto bene! The Pizzantica crews opens Amalfi Pizzeria in Clayfield
Food & Drink

Molto bene! The Pizzantica crews opens Amalfi Pizzeria in Clayfield

30 Apr 2020

Anybody else finding themselves regularly lost deep in travel daydreams? Our minds have travelled all over the world these past few weeks (definitely amplified by the influx of 'take me back!' Instagram posts in our feed), so we've been curing our wanderlust through food. If your imaginary passport has its sights on the azure waters of the Positano, we've got good news for you. Your food cure has popped up in Clayfield, aptly named Amalfi Pizzeria, brought to you by the team behind Pizzantica. more