Italian Street Kitchen
In the past few months, West Village has added Lebanese cuisine, burgers and poke to its growing dining offering. Soon, the precinct will add home-style Italian to the mix when Italian Street Kitchen opens its second Brisbane location in early September. The laid-back concept, which is owned and operated by Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, opened its first location at Gasworks in 2017, luring in diners with a menu of Italian-inspired street food elevated with some modern twists and some authentic ingredients sourced from Italian providores. Locals will no doubt be enamoured with Italian Street Kitchen’s range of eats, which includes the likes of traditional Sardinian gnocchetti with pork-and-fennel sausage, light-and-crispy pizzas (with dough risen over a 48-hour period), panzerotti (fried pizza dough folded and filled with mortadella, buffalo mozzarella and Sardinian pecorino cheese), porchetta, slow-cooked beef meatballs in sugo and Black Diamond striploin bistecca. Vegan and vegetarian options also feature alongside a host of lunch deals. Italian Street Kitchen’s West Village location is currently in the build stage, with Design Partnership Australia and Lowry Group working collaboratively to bring the space to life. We’ll have more on this opening as we approach its September opening date!

Bodega Bar
There’s a bit of excitement bubbling away in Toowoomba’s drink and dining scene these days. Soon The Garden City will be home to Bodega Bar – a forthcoming New York bodega meets Mexican good-time bar celebrating live music, cold beer and community vibes. Bodega Bar is the brainchild of Todd Farr, owner of Junk – the Asian-inspired street-food eatery that recently closed its doors at the Walton Stores on Ruthven Street. Todd’s new concept is slotting in next to Junk’s old premises, with a secret speakeasy entrance hidden behind a modest bodega-inspired shopfront that gives way to a neon-electric music venue and bar. The venue’s look and feel will be informed by global cities like New York or London, but combined with a warm and friendly charm that can only be found in Toowoomba. Marcus Boyle – formerly of Tippling Club – has been recruited to curate the Bodega Bar’s liquor program, which will include nostalgia-inducing signature cocktails and twists on the classics, with a distinct focus on top-shelf tequila. Bodega Bar’s entertainment schedule will include musical bingo on Wednesday nights and live bands Thursday through to Sunday. Keep your eyes peeled for more on Bodega Bar when it opens in late-August.

Little Peaches
West End’s coffee scene is set to expand this month, with caffeine dispensary Little Peaches gearing up to open in the coming weeks. The locale will open as a pint-sized pick-me-up addition to Peaches by Dr Power, a holistic family-owned aesthetics clinic located on Beesley Street. Envisioned as a sipping spot open to clients and the West End community at large, Little Peaches will be putting peps in steps with its double-shot offering – think pours of Fonzie Abbott’s Highside blend and sweet treats and pastries from Brasserie Bread. As the nook evolves, expect the addition of batch brews, rotating single-origin grinds and an expanded array of nosh. Little Peaches will boast a monochromatic colour palette based primary on army green and a small scattering of seat for those eager to perch. Stay tuned for info on Little Peaches official opening!

Naldham House
While the Waterfront Brisbane project will completely revamp the popular riverside portion of Eagle Street, fans of our city’s heritage will be pleased to know that Dexus Property Group is also giving love to one of the area’s architectural landmarks. Naldham House, which sits at the meeting point of Eagle, Mary and Market Streets, will be given a new lease on life courtesy of some revitalisation works. DAP & Co. – the Brisbane-based hospitality group behind Walter’s Steakhouse, The Gresham and Popolo Italian Kitchen & Bar – will oversee the transformation of the space (previously home to Brisbane Polo Club) into a top-notch dining and entertainment destination. Although the DAP & Co. crew is keeping tight-lipped on the details of its revitalisation efforts, works are expected to respect the structure’s historical significance and existing architectural charm.

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