Restaurants Brisbane | The Weekend Edition

Pavement Whispers: Alanna Sapwell to transform Wasabi into pop-up restaurant Esmay

02 Jul 2020

When ARC Dining announced its closure at the start of the year we were crestfallen. While Brisbane locals might not have ARC's superstar chef Alanna Sapwell's cooking out our fingertips, the culinary wiz isn't staying idle. On Wednesday July 15 Alanna will be taking over the kitchen at acclaimed Noosa Heads icon Wasabi Restaurant & Bar for a three-month period to run a pop-up restaurant called Esmay. Here's what we know ... more

Food & Drink

Brisbane’s restaurants and cafes reopening for dine-in service

02 Jul 2020

After months of lockdowns and takeaway-only feasts, it seems like going out for dinner is finally back on the menu. The first stage of easing the federal and state restrictions has commenced, meaning that restaurants and cafes can slowly start to welcome diners back in groups of ten from Saturday May 16. If you're not up to date on the government's three stage plan to reopen, you can catch up here, but essentially there will be a gradual removal of restrictions until venues are back to serving at full capacity. As great as this news is, it's important to remember that we're not out of the woods yet, so it's crucial that restaurants and diners adhere to safety measures otherwise we'll be back at square one in no time. If you're keen to dine out, make sure you book – nearly all restaurants and cafes will be implementing strict reservation-only policies, so be sure to check in with the… more

Jumbo | Brisbane's best Thai | The Weekend Edition — Restaurants

Food & Drink

The round-up: tantalise your tastebuds at Brisbane’s best Thai restaurants

02 Jul 2020

Any cuisine that can plate up fiery curries, saucy noodle dishes and zesty salads has our immediate vote, so you can only imagine how much we love Thai cuisine. Give it to us takeaway, or sit us down for a dine-in experience – either way we’re always ready to take on some Thai. Brisbane is flush with incredible Thai eateries, from flash restaurants to hole-in-the-wall neighbourhood joints. Everyone has their preferred spot, but we’ve endeavoured to collate as many as we can into a list of what we hear is the best. If you’re reading this on an empty stomach, be prepared to pick up an unshakable craving for Thai right about now … more

Food & Drink

In good spirits – Hennessy treats hard-working hospo heroes to dinner and drinks

29 Jun 2020

A regular fixture on bar shelves around the world, luxe liquor Hennessy has long been a favourite tipple among seasoned swiggers. In 1992, hip-hop icon Tupac even dedicated a whole song to his love of the brown bottle. To help reciprocate the love, Hennessy is extending a helping hand to the bartenders, waiters and restaurateurs that faithfully serve its spirit. The cognac giant has revealed its hospitality recovery initiative, which is set to provide struggling hospo workers with a free dinner and drinks on them. Now, that's sure to go down a treat. more

Food & Drink

Chopsticks at the ready – chow down on yum cha bites at contemporary Chinese eatery Brisbane Phoenix

22 Jun 2020

Since its opening in the luxe Brisbane Quarter precinct just last year, Brisbane Phoenix has become a Brisbane City dining-crowd favourite. The Chinese restaurant serves up mouth-watering contemporary and traditional a la carte dishes, as well as a seriously impressive yum cha selection – lobster tails, anyone? Following a temporary closure of its doors due to COVID restrictions, the sophisticated Chinese eatery is back and better than ever and ready to fill your tum with delicious seafood morsels, steamed dumplings, roast meats and much more. Now, grab those chopsticks! more

Food & Drink

Felons Brewing Co. and Mr Percival’s reopen at Howard Smith Wharves

18 Jun 2020

In good news for fans of riverside sundowners and leisurely park catch-ups, the Howard Smith Wharves team has announced that popular venues Felons Brewing Co. and Mr Percival's will reopen in accordance with current government regulations tomorrow, Thursday June 18. Additionally, the precinct is also welcoming back its Weekends on the Lawn events, implementing a series of social-distancing measures to let guests sip and snack safely. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: Brisbane’s best pizza joints

18 Jun 2020

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

Food & Drink

Bring on the meat sweats – Smokey Moo opens at Gasworks Plaza

18 Jun 2020

Yesterday, Monday June 15, a curious smoky smell starting wafting across Gasworks Plaza. Those with sharp olfactory sensors will have been able to make out notes of macadamia, black wattle, hickory and pecan – and also, perhaps, the smell of lovingly smoked meat. The heady aroma was emanating from the kitchen of Smokey Moo – a beloved low-n-slow barbecue concept that has just opened in Newstead after two years across the river in East Brisbane. After some pandemic-related delays, Smokey Moo is cooking up a storm – serving mouth-watering hunks of barbecued beef and satisfying sides, while also debuting a new range of cocktails to wash it all down. more

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Food & Drink

Savour paddock-to-plate goodness at Kangaroo Point gem Lamberts Restaurant

18 Jun 2020

Favoured by Kangaroo Point locals – who now might not be so pleased to hear that their secret go-to dining gem has been revealed – Lamberts Restaurant has reopened its doors following a temporary closure due to COVID-19 restrictions. Boasting a paddock-to-plate ethos that is reflected in its sophisticated and mouth-watering menu, Lamberts Restaurant is waiting to welcome you back with top-notch seafood eats, flavourful seasonal produce and flowing drinks. more

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

Food & Drink

Pavement Whispers: Eleven Rooftop Bar to transform into open-air Mexican restaurant MAYA

04 Jun 2020

While the recent easing of lockdown restrictions has been a big win for small-scale restaurants and cafes, our bar and pub scene likely won't see relief for another month. Until locals can gather at our watering holes once more, Brisbane bars are being forced to adapt. One notable pivot comes from hospitality crew The Coats Group, which is implementing some massive changes at its crown jewel venue Eleven Rooftop Bar. Come July, the Fortitude Valley hotspot will be reborn as MAYA – a pop-up Mexican restaurant and bar not only offering incredible views, but elevated street eats and margaritas all night long. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: slurp up the best ramen in Brisbane

02 Jun 2020

Once the mercury starts to drop, 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

Food & Drink

A night at the theatre – treat yourself to a personal concert and world-class fare at The Tivoli’s new intimate restaurant

28 May 2020

A much-loved Brisbane institution favourited by avid concert-goers, The Tivoli has welcomed musicians of all genres since its doors first opened to the public in 1917. Since the theatre's temporary closure in March due to COVID19, a large number of The Tivoli's devotees have been left feeling a little lost without their regular trips to the venue. Thankfully, The Tivoli is reopening its gates once more, revealing a new intimate in-venue takeover experience that will blow the socks off both lovers of terrific music and mouth-watering eats. more

Food & Drink

Fast five – our takeaway picks for the weekend ahead

28 May 2020

We're almost two-and-a-half months into the pandemic lockdown and the days of going out to eat seem like a fond, but distant, memory. Although restrictions are relaxing and allowing small groups to dine in, takeaway is still the safest and most convenient option for those looking to support cafes, bars and restaurants. While we are doing our best to keep you informed of all of the spots that are making the transition to click-and-collect, we figured we'd put together a quick hit-list of venues to help make your decision-making process easier. Here are our splurge-worthy suggestions ... more

Food & Drink

How to support the local Brisbane hospitality scene during the coronavirus threat

08 May 2020

UPDATE March 23, 2020: We told you we'd be regularly updating this, as the coronavirus situation is rapidly evolving. As of midday Monday March 23, the federal Government has forced the closure of all pubs, clubs, cinemas, casinos, nightclubs, indoor places of worship, gyms and indoor sporting venues. Restaurants and cafes will be allowed to operate, but only to offer takeaway and delivery services. Currently hotels can operate in an accommodation-only capacity, and supermarkets, convenience stores, banks, petrol stations, pharmacies, food delivery services, bottle shops, hairdressers, beauticians and freight and logistics services can continue to operate. COVID-19 is a serious virus, which means we need to take serious steps to overcome it. As you can see from the latest Government protocol, this usually comes at the expense of small businesses – especially our bars, cafes and… more

Food & Drink

The round-up: the best locally made hampers to help you picnic with a pal

07 May 2020

While crucially important in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 and helping flatten the curve, being cooped up in our houses takes its toll. In good news for our sanity, on Saturday May 2 the state government eased restrictions on public gatherings slightly, allowing pairs to now enjoy an intimate picnic. In response, several local cafes have thrown together a range of mouth-watering picnic hampers – not only adding an extra revenue stream for venues while lockdowns remain clamped tight on our dining scene, but also allowing us to indulge in some much needed outdoor feasting. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: pep up your week with a takeaway feed from Brisbane’s best Italian restaurants

30 Apr 2020

Put the instant pasta sauce back in the pantry and ditch the discount coupons from your local Pizza Hut – this week we're indulging our love for top-tier Italian eats by ordering in from some of Brisbane's best Italian eateries. If you've been itching to twirl your fork through some choice carbonara, inhale some arancini, feast on focaccia and sample slice after slice of pizza, use this list of Brisbane's best Italian restaurants doing takeaway to help guide your choice. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: the best Japanese takeaway in Brisbane

23 Apr 2020

Although social-distancing has been great for those of us that needed to sharpen our cooking skills, there are still a load of dishes that are beyond our humble capabilities. Master sushi chefs we are not, so when we've got a hankering for Japanese fare – be it ramen, sashimi or yakitori – we like to get it from the best. If you're in the position to help out our local restaurant scene by ordering in, why not consider Japanese? We've compiled a quick list of spots that are offering authentic Japanese fare via takeaway or delivery, making it a satisfying and safe option for your next treat meal. more

Food & Drink

Highly anticipated restaurant Agnes opens … as Agnes Street Bakery Pop-Up + Bottle Shop

09 Apr 2020

Imagine spending years working on a concept of a venue. You find the perfect space. You begin to build the ideal team. You work towards a date. You get ready to open. Then a worldwide pandemic and government-mandated hospitality shutdown stops you right in your tracks. This was the reality for highly anticipated restaurant Agnes in Fortitude Valley, which was due to open in late March. So, like basically every other restaurant, bar and cafe still open, the team had to make some serious changes to the concept – and Agnes Street Pop-Up Bakery + Bottle Shop was conceived. more

Food & Drink

The round-up: hatted hospitality at home – the fine-dining restaurants offering takeaway fare

09 Apr 2020

If you're anything like us, this period of social distancing and self isolation has led to a slip in our standards. Before coronavirus, we dressed up to go out to dine – now if we bother to put on pants we feel accomplished. One thing we refuse to allow is the degradation of our tastes, especially when it comes to food. While Brisbane's hospitality scene adapts in the wake of dining restrictions, many eateries are transitioning to a takeaway-oriented service – including our hatted and fine-dining institutions. This week, consider treating yourself to some of the best cuisine (and booze) to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. The best part, you still don't need to wear pants! more