Old Mr Rabbit
The team behind some of Brisbane’s most beloved neighbourhood bars is at it again. Fans of Teneriffe boozer Streetcorner Jimmy and Sandgate locale Bluenose Betty will be stoked to hear that the crew is a few short weeks away from opening a brand-new haunt, this time over in Bulimba. Old Mr Rabbit sees the tipple-savvy team taking over the old Upper Deck site, an elevated position boasting a bird’s eye view of the eastern end of Oxford Street. Like its sibling venues, Old Mr Rabbit will look to offer a place for folks to disappear from the real world for a spell and enjoy some comforting food and drink while they do so. A full reno is reaching completion, with the team instilling the 100-seater venue with a fresh and handcrafted aesthetic imbued with loads of character. Once open, guests will make their way past a mural of the bar’s namesake, Rabs (applied by talented street artist Mouf), and through a set of old Moroccan villa doors into Old Mr Rabbit proper, which will boast rustic washed-out lime-coloured walls, a 70s-inspired burnt-orange and turquoise mosaic tile bar, antique timber cabinets, chesterfield lounges and chandeliers. If you can divert your attention from these sensory-stimulating surrounds, you’ll find a menu filled with a broad array of tempters. Described as social comfort food, Old Mr Rabbit’s culinary offering will be designed to share, with everything from beer-battered smoked-cheese kransky, haloumi bites and frickles to camembert with a molten honey drizzle, woodfired pizzas and steaks available. Old Mr Rabbits’s bar will be similarly amply stocked, with eight taps pouring a selection of craft beers, a sturdy wine list encompassing killer Australian drops and some splashy high-end vino, and a bulging back-bar selection that will funnel into a selection of cocktails. We’ll be taking an up-close look at Old Mr Rabbit when it opens later this month.

Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq
The loss of Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq at Toombul Shopping Centre to last year’s devastating flood event was a blow to the northside’s entertainment offering. Thankfully, the Funlab team – the games-savvy crew behind experiential faves like Hijinx Hotel, Holey Moley Golf Club and B. Lucky & Sons – is relocating the circus-meets-old-world-arcade to a brand-new location on King Street in Bowen Hills, with an opening date set for Wednesday September 6. Archie Brothers will transform the spacious site (formerly home to Mercado) into a kaleidoscopic wonderland of family-friendly entertainment. Expect to see arcade favourites like Hungry Hungry Hippo, Connect 4 Hoops and Mario Kart, as well as six ten-pin bowling lanes, The QUBE virtual reality experiences and karaoke rooms. The 340-person capacity venue will also feature its own bar and dining area, which will keep gamers fed with a range of appetising options and revellers watered with eye-catching cocktails. The Funlab team will be celebrating the launch of Archie Brothers with an 80s-themed street party on Friday September 16 as part of Brisbane Festival. We’ve been told the day will feature DJs, dance competitions and roller skating, which we think is a great way to make a second first impression!

The Fish Boy
The site at 48 Orchard Street in Hawthorne has long been home to a fish and chipper. First, The Fish Monger’s Wife relocated from East Brisbane to the Hawthorne locale in 2017 and then Hawthorne Seafood Markets moved in last year. The legacy will continue into the foreseeable future with the opening of The Fish Boy, a slick seafood spot that has taken over the space ahead of a mid-August opening. The team will be slinging Poseidon’s bounty for dine-in and takeaway, with fresh Queensland seafood – think sensational snapper and bang-on barramundi – expected to star across the menu. Like its predecessors, The Fish Boy will also be serving gluten-free morsels for the coeliacs. The venue will be licensed, too, so those snagging a table will be able to enjoy wine and beer alongside their catch. That’s not all The Fish Boy team has planned for the space – a sweet sibling concept is in the works that is looking to open simultaneously …

Sweet Tooth Gelato & Dessert
Anyone that has scrolled through Uber Eats for a cheeky late-night treat will no doubt have seen the name Sweet Tooth Gelato & Dessert pop up on their screens. This long-running dessert dispensary has been building up a solid customer base off the back of its decadent options, especially its signature Nutella choc-chip cookie pie. The Fish Boy crew will be subdividing the Hawthorne space, transforming one half of the venue into Sweet Tooth’s very own bricks-and-mortar restaurant. Once open, guests will be able to pop in for a sugar hit until late, with popular options such as Caramello New York cheesecakes, creme brulee, chocolate M&M bar cakes, Spanish churros, apple-pie bites and dippable waffle fingers expected to feature. This double-header opening is set to be a big occasion for Hawthorne foodies, so be sure to stay tuned for more information.

Five Plates + Shobbrook x Jauma takeover at ESSA
ESSA’s Five Plates nights are becoming a big hit with diners looking for a memorable mid-week feed, but this week’s iteration – on Wednesday August 2 – is shaping up to be extra special, especially for oenophiles. Acclaimed winemakers Tommy Shobbrook from Shobbrook Wines and James Erskine from Jauma Wines will be in town for the night and will be taking over ESSA’s wine list. The duo will be pouring some of their label’s new releases, as well as a collaborative drop that Tommy and James have made together. Spaces are strictly limited – head to ESSA’s website to book a table.

If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].