Make yourself at home at new Bowen Hills watering hole Half Pint Kitchen + Bar
If there’s one thing the Cheers theme song taught us about hospitality, it’s that we do want a place (this place being a local bar) where everybody knows our name. Newly open Half Pint Kitchen + Bar in Bowen Hills operates on this warm and approachable mantra, and has created an atmosphere that’s almost an extension of one’s living room – just with the added benefit of craft beer on tap, juicy burgers cooking on the grill and more board games than you could reasonably keep in the back of your own linen cupboard.
It’s hard to deny the comfort of one’s your own abode – everything you need for a good time is in reach, from entertainment to snacks. If we could transport that convenience and cost atmos with us always, we’d be eternally at ease. While it may not be feasible bringing your couch (complete with worn-in cheek grooves) to the local drink spot, if your regular haunt is Half Pint Kitchen + Bar you might not need to worry. The newly open 70-seater bar and eatery, located on the corner of Mayne Road and Campbell Street in Bowen Hills, looks to evoke the same laid-back vibe as one’s own home – a place you’re welcome to kick back any day or night of the week. Taking over the site formerly home to Chu Bistro, Half Pint’s ownership has spruced up the interior with an Art-Deco-meets-industrial cosmetic makeover, a spiffy new bar, a bunch of greenery planters and the erection of its own mini library. Half Pint guests can pick up a tome to flip through via a lending system, or gather the gang for some friendly competition over one of the bar’s many boardgames or Foosball table.
Fundamentally, the venue is about eating, drinking and being merry, with a community-minded ethos not only shaping the service model, but also what Half Pint serves to its clientele. Half Pint’s menu offers up simple and satisfying light meals, drool-worthy share plates and hearty helpings ideal for hoarding. Groups can mix and match options, grazing on a combination of battered onion bites, house-made hummus, chicken-liver pate and crispy spiced-buttermilk chicken. If your hunger levels dictate a desire for larger servings, the menu features potato gnocchi carbonara, six-hour beef-cheek ragu, sauteed garlic king prawns, steaks, chicken schnitzel toasties and classic beef burgers. Regulars are encouraged to offer feedback on the menu configuration, with the Half Pint team eager to tailor the list based on community demand. The same goes for the bar offering, which encompasses local craft and mainstream beers and a punchy wine list (including a non-alcoholic variety), with a signature cocktail list currently in the works.
Half Pint Kitchen + Bar is now open to the public – hit the Stumble Guide for operating hours and contact details.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
