Tenya Japanese Restaurant
Sushi and sashimi lovers, take note. Next month The City’s Brisbane Quarter will welcome a brand-new restaurant bringing together some of Japanese cuisine’s best elements under one roof. Tenya is a sizeable eatery (early reports hint that it’s shaping up to be Brisbane’s largest Japanese restaurant) that will be slotting in next to Persone, Phoenix Brisbane and Phat Boy in the stunning space formerly occupied by Heritij underneath W Brisbane. The restaurant will boast one of the best vantage points in town, with a river-facing position offering views of South Bank’s Cultural Centre and beyond. Tenya’s interior is incredibly spacious, with an earthy palette of materials (think stone, timber and warm lighting) creating a modern-yet-relaxed atmosphere across exterior and interior dining spaces – including shielded booths for groups and an impressive curved bar! Although menu details are still being kept close to the chest, the kitchen will no doubt dispense an incredible cross-section of Japanese-inspired eats, while those seeking a VIP experience can book in for a luxurious multi-course kaiseki-style dinner service. We’ll have more info on Tenya ahead of its official mid-August opening.

Lamington Markets
In case you missed the news, Lutwyche scored a huge boon last week when the development application for ambitious mixed-use lifestyle precinct Lamington Markets was approved by Brisbane City Council. Marketplace Developments – the crew behind soon-to-open Craft’d Grounds in Albion – has teamed up with developers Murray and Frank Stafford, and architecture firm Conrad Gargett to bring the one-of-a-kind residential, dining, commercial and transport hub to life, which will boast a host of amenities condensed into one self-contained nexus. Noteworthy elements of Lamington Markets include a 4500-sqm indoor-market hall (with room for more than 100 stall holders, a specialty supermarket and boutique retail), a 400-sqm craft brewery anchoring the lower-level precinct, a publicly accessible 500-sqm rooftop urban farm that will spill over to a premium restaurant, a boutique cinema and speciality function space sleeved into a nine-metre-deep light-filled excavation reminiscent of Tasmania’s Mona building, a host of cafes, health centres and commercial spaces, and 134 residential apartments spread across two towers. Construction is approved to begin this year – stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development as it progresses.

Coop’s Chicken
If you’re hankering for a fried-chicken feast, then this is the kind of cluckin’ good news you’d appreciate. Coop’s Chicken & Fries – a new dark kitchen concept specialising in fried-chicken burgers that is launching tomorrow, Wednesday July 27 – will be offering a menu of crispy eats via pick up and delivery, meaning you don’t need to fly the coop for a feed. Upon launch, Coop’s will serve seven kinds of chicken burgers (including classic buttermilk fried, hot and spicy, grilled chicken and a vegan-friendly ‘chicken’ schnitzel option), spice-dusted southern-style wings, chicken Caesar salad, crinkle-cut fries, crispy chicken bites and warm apple pie. Coop’s Chicken will be available via Uber Eats, DoorDash and Deliveroo, but pick-up orders can also be snagged from 88 Cambridge Street in Coorparoo between 5:00–9:00 pm from Wednesday through Sunday.

Brisbane Night Noodle Markets
COVID-19 is the unwanted houseguest that has long overstayed its welcome. This recent batch of interstate lockdowns have wreaked havoc on our social calendar. Although there’s been a spate of cancellations in the wake of border closures, one of the most anticipated foodie events – the recently postponed Brisbane Night Noodle Markets – has secured new dates for later in year. The beloved nighttime culinary wonderland will now take place at the Botanic Gardens from Wednesday September 22 to Sunday October 3, with the same multicultural lineup of stallholders expected to take part. As before, the event will be free with prior registration, but those that already pre-registered can hold on to their original tickets, which are still valid.

Brisbane Burger Fest
We hate to follow good news with bad news, but unfortunately the crew behind Brisbane Burger Fest has made the hard decision to postpone its anticipated event until October. The event, which was initially slated to take place at The Triffid and parts of Stratton Street in Newstead, boasted a musical line-up featuring several interstate acts. The new dates will hopefully allow time for the lifting of travel restrictions and venue capacity, though the Brisbane Burger Fest team will hopefully be able to snag a larger piece of Stratton Street for an upsized event. Those with tickets are encouraged to check their inboxes for refund information. We’ll have info on rescheduled dates as soon as they’re announced!

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