The grounds of the University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus is a hub of educational endeavour, with hospitality playing an ancillary role in the pursuit of academic achievement. When it comes to dining, students and faculty typically tend to gravitate towards the outlets that offer expeditious eats that can be munched on the move (coffee, the lifeblood of study, remains unassailed UQ’s main dietary staple). But that’s not to say that the university’s cohort doesn’t appreciate finer fare – several off-campus eateries cater to a student-centric clientele seeking sustenance other than refectory sandwiches, salads and sausage rolls. Patina at Alumni Court, the sibling venue of Patina at Customs House, is looking to add a dash of refinement to UQ’s on-site culinary cadre, improving the availability of sensational seasonal fare with a farm-to-fork focus. Though Patina at Alumni Court doesn’t boast the same river views as its sibling, it is imbued with much of the same contemporary elegance. Alumni Court is situated a stone’s throw from the university’s limestone-laden Great Court, with the 90-seater restaurant spread across Alumni Gardens and into the heritage-listed former Radon Laboratory, with luxe leather-coated furnishing and brass and copper-coloured finishes helping bring it in line with Patina’s original stately aesthetic.

While the surroundings may differ, the paddock-to-plate ethos and dedication to making the most out of ingredients sourced from garden, pasture, sea and bay remains as potent as ever, as is the kitchen’s commitment to spotlighting the provenance of its produce. Patina at Alumni Court’s head chef Nick Murtas (formerly of Palazzo Versace and Emporium Hotels) has teamed up with the group’s executive chef John Offenhauser to craft a tidy set of menus that cater to the celebrations, informal lunches, post-exam cocktails and the all-important early morning start. Patina’s a la carte menu includes the likes of pomegranate-glazed lamb belly with smoked yoghurt, Wimmera duck breast with bitter greens, South Burnett pork belly with smoked parsnip, Coral Coast barramundi with green papaya and Cape Grim pasture-fed short rib. Casual drop ins can nibble on bar snacks like crispy barramundi tacos, porcini and fontina arancini, steamed duck buns and tempura pumpkin flowers while perusing the drinks list, which includes more than 15 wines by the glass (plus a lengthy list of bottles), craft and mainstream beers, and eight cocktails. From 7:00 am Patina serves caffeine from Neighbourhood Coffee Roasters and a punchy breakfast offering designed for takeaway, including Tasmanian smoked-salmon brioche, free-range pork sausage rolls with caramelised onion and comte, Meredith Dairy goats cheese and vegetable frittata, and coconut granola.

Patina at Alumni Court is now open to the public. Head to the Stumble Guide for more details.

Images by Judit Losh