Casual Dining
The round-up: Brisbane's must-try openings of 2018
Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s must-try openings of 2018

06 Dec 2018

Phew, what a year it’s been! We’re only a few weeks away from the festive season and the New Year’s celebrations, but it seems like there’s still so much more to cram in before 2018 wraps up for good. Thankfully we’ve got some much-needed holiday time on the horizon, which should allow us to take a breath and look back at everything that’s happened this year. If you’ve been too busy to cast your eyes north, you might not have noticed Brisbane’s banner year in terms of new openings. Bars, cafes, hotels, restaurants – 2018 was a boom year for top-tier hospitality arrivals. If you’re planning a trip up the M1 over summer, pencil a stop or three at some of the best new openings in Brisbane over the past 12 months. more

Casual Dining
West End icon The Boundary Hotel reopens after a modern rejuvenation
Food & Drink

West End icon The Boundary Hotel reopens after a modern rejuvenation

29 Nov 2018

Never Been Kissed, She’s All That, Grease, Clueless. These classic movies have one thing in common – they all feature a stunning makeover moment. We’re suckers for a head-to-toe overhaul, which is why we’ve been champing at the bit to get a look at The Boundary Hotel’s new look. The storied boozer has been undergoing a modernisation of sorts in recent months, and now the pub is officially opening its doors to the public today, Thursday November 29. From a brand-new rooftop bar to a hot-to-trot pizzeria, The Boundary Hotel’s new amenities are looking to invigorate the venue’s appeal without sacrificing the honest vibes that made it a West End staple for more than a century. more

Casual Dining
Home to everyone – 24-hour gastropub Beirne Lane opens in The Valley
Food & Drink

Home to everyone – 24-hour gastropub Beirne Lane opens in The Valley

15 Nov 2018

Last Friday, Fortitude Valley’s Brunswick Street Mall welcomed the anticipated new arrival from the Celissa Group, Beirne Lane – a 24-hour haven that allows guests to dine all day, drink all day and dance all night. The newest tenant of the revitalised T.C. Beirne Building is drawing upon the enterprising spirit of its home’s namesake, looking to be a welcoming hybrid of bar and restaurant hospitality that reflects Thomas Charles Beirne’s Irish heritage, fascination with Japan and his love for Fortitude Valley. more

Casual Dining
Plant-based deli Flora by Greenhouse Canteen brings meat-free eats to West End
Food & Drink

Plant-based deli Flora by Greenhouse Canteen brings meat-free eats to West End

15 Nov 2018

Earlier in the year, heralded Gold Coast outfit Greenhouse Canteen & Bar made a big splash in Brisbane’s plant-based dining scene with its northernmost eatery. Now, six months on from Greenhouse Canteen’s arrival, the wholesome food specialist has opened up an express outlet on West End’s fringe, dishing up an assortment of delicious daytime eats from vegan-friendly nachos, waffles and burritos to grab-and-go salads, sandwiches and coffee. more

Casual Dining
Kimchi Cheese Smile delivers Korean cafe fare to East Brisbane
Food & Drink

Kimchi Cheese Smile delivers Korean cafe fare to East Brisbane

15 Nov 2018

It doesn’t matter if you’re drinking deep from a perfectly made cup of coffee or cleaning the remnants of a stellar meal from your plate, if you’re chasing a sip or snack with a contented smile then you know you’ve picked well. It’s that kind of hearty satisfaction that East Brisbane’s Kimchi Cheese Smile endeavours to provide with every order. The new arrival is dishing out a tasty interpretation of Korean fare, serving everything from brunch bibimbap to K-Pop liquor and soju cocktails. more

Casual Dining
Sip cocktails in the breezy surrounds of The Terrace by e'cco
Food & Drink

Sip cocktails in the breezy surrounds of The Terrace by e’cco

08 Nov 2018

Eight months on from relocating to its current digs in Newstead, e’cco bistro has scored an alfresco addition just in time for summer cocktail season. Philip Johnson and Mary Randles officially opened The Terrace by e’cco this week – a shady spot for casual nosh. If you need some encouragement to read on, then know that The Terrace is delivering oyster happy hours, chicken karaage milk buns and mouth-watering mojitos. Sounds pretty good, right? more

Casual Dining
King Street welcomes the arrival of deluxe food mecca Mercado and The Duck Room
Food & Drink

King Street welcomes the arrival of deluxe food mecca Mercado and The Duck Room

08 Nov 2018

Over the past two years, King Street has been adorning its culinary crown with an array of fantastic eating and drinking spots, but its latest sparkling addition is looking to set a new standard when it comes to shopping and dining. Mercado is being hailed as a one-stop marketplace for provisions and produce, offering everything from fresh seafood and decadent patisserie treats to boutique wine and Cantonese roast duck. The boutique market is opening on Saturday November 3, and it's got everything you could possibly need to stuff your pantry and fridge to bursting point. more

Casual Dining
West Village unveils its lush foliage-laden food haven The Garden Pantry
Food & Drink

West Village unveils its lush foliage-laden food haven The Garden Pantry

25 Oct 2018

Following successful foodie pop-up activations at The Laneway earlier in the year, anticipated lifestyle development West Village unveiled its latest stage over the weekend – a lush green space and a casual-dining hub featuring some of Brisbane’s most popular names. The Garden Pantry sits on the fringe of West Village’s leafy communal area and is dishing up a vibrant mixture of cuisines from fresh and colourful Hawaiian to hearty Italian fare and tantalising Asian-inspired eats. more

The Locals Next week:

Casual Dining
Wholesome noods – i like ramen opens its permanent plant-based eatery in Fortitude Valley
Food & Drink

Wholesome noods – i like ramen opens its permanent plant-based eatery in Fortitude Valley

25 Oct 2018

It’s been an emotional couple of weeks for fried-chicken loving denizens of Fortitude Valley, but it also marks an exciting new age for the entertainment precinct's food scene. Brunswick Street’s The Coop recently announced it was transitioning from meaty bistro into a fully-fledged plant-based eatery in conjunction with the folks behind i like ramen. The Gold Coast-born noodle soup crew has been wowing tastebuds for weeks through it’s weekly vegan ramen pop-up at The Coop, and now salivating slurpers can get their fix every night of the week from today, Thursday October 25. more

Casual Dining
Grab a slice at Welcome to Bowen Hills’ new permanent fixture Harry’s Pizza
Food & Drink

Grab a slice at Welcome to Bowen Hills’ new permanent fixture Harry’s Pizza

18 Oct 2018

Although Welcome to Bowen Hills is known for hosting a rotating cast of Brisbane’s best food trucks and pop-up vendors, fans of a classic margherita pizza or freshly baked garlic bread will froth on the news that, as of today, the precinct boasts a handy pizzeria of its own. Harry’s Pizza is now open, swingin’ hot slices of pizza pie on the fly and right into our hot little hands. more

Casual Dining
Fat Belly Jack's heats up Petrie Terrace with its Nashville-style hot chicken
Food & Drink

Fat Belly Jack’s heats up Petrie Terrace with its Nashville-style hot chicken

11 Oct 2018

We’ve barely had time to breathe after the frenzy that was the Lobster Shack pop-up, but the Hashtag Burgers crew has already struck again with the culinary goods. If your nose flares favourably at the scent of spice, get ready to flip – Fat Belly Jack’s has opened on Petrie Terrace, promising sizzling serves of Nashville hot chicken with beer, boilermakers and bourbon to boot. more

Casual Dining
Step right up – B. Lucky & Sons arcade and bar opens in Fortitude Valley
Food & Drink

Step right up – B. Lucky & Sons arcade and bar opens in Fortitude Valley

27 Sep 2018

Fortitude Valley is set to welcome a new hotspot that adds a retro tinge to our night-time revelry. The classic gaming arcade has come back in vogue in recent years, and the latest venue to mash up old-school games and new-school cocktail chic is B. Lucky & Sons. On Thursday September 27 B. Lucky & Sons opens to the public in the T.C. Beirne Building, inviting all comers to experience the neon lights, the nostalgia-inducing sights, the intoxicating flavours and the memorable fun of this retro gaming nirvana. more

Casual Dining
Brisbane City's new specialty coffee and salad outlet Only. delivers the essentials
Food & Drink

Brisbane City’s new specialty coffee and salad outlet Only. delivers the essentials

27 Sep 2018

Although flush with top-notch specialty coffee outposts, Brisbane City’s ever-growing demand for the good stuff means that there will always be room for more. The latest addition to The City’s heaving coffee scene is Only. – a minimalist outpost tucked into the Eagle Street-end of Queen Street. The team behind Only. has chosen to hone in on two perpetually in-demand items – specialty coffee and salad – for its new nook, and time-poor inner-city workers are already responding with rapturous enthusiasm. more

Casual Dining
Fritzenberger brings its finger-lickin' fare and frothies to Wilston
Food & Drink

Fritzenberger brings its finger-lickin’ fare and frothies to Wilston

20 Sep 2018

The team behind the popular bar, burger joint and brewery Fritzenberger has added a second location to its portfolio – smack-bang on two years since the brand’s initial launch on Petrie Terrace. Feverish fans of Twisties-salt covered fries, Southern-fried chicken and juicy burgers are fasting ahead of the store's opening tomorrow Saturday September 15 in Wilston – we’ve got a look inside the burger and brew pub, clueing you in on a few tasty wrinkles. more

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

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

Casual Dining
Schoolyard treats make a comeback at Woolloongabba’s Tuckshop Time
Food & Drink

Schoolyard treats make a comeback at Woolloongabba’s Tuckshop Time

16 Aug 2018

Remember the days of the old schoolyard? Pizza rounders, choccie milk, meat pies and Slush Puppies – these were some of the lunchtime staples that made our time at school so memorable. These days our homemade lunches just don’t seem to compare, and although burgers and sweets are easily within our reach, they’re lacking some of the magic of those old-school tuckshop lunches. Tuckshop Time is a new sunny eatery underneath Woolloongabba’s South City Square that is triggering our nostalgia centres with its modern interpretation of schoolyard morsels. more

Casual Dining
Petrie Terrace's The Lord Alfred unites past and present for its substantial overhaul
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