It’s Still A Secret
The heritage-listed Coronation Hotel building on the corner of Hope Street and Montague Road in South Brisbane has had a storied history, from its time as a backpackers hostel to beloved home of venues like The Joynt and The Milk Factory. In October the site will commence a new chapter of its existence as It’s Still A Secret – the sibling venue from the team behind Woolloongabba lounge bar and music venue Can You Keep A Secret?. CYKAS owner Emily Jane recently took on the heritage-listed bar and is endeavouring to imbue it with the same spirit that has made CYKAS a popular nightspot. A substantial refurbishment effort is currently underway, which will see Emily and her team enhancing the venue’s street-facing band room, overhauling the existing bar area, expanding the outdoor beer garden and transforming the former bomb shelter behind the building into a recording studio. Though it is still early in the renovation process, we’ve been told to expect a sense of homely flamboyance across the interior, while the venue’s live-music component will offer another quality space for local original acts and vinyl DJs to get bodies moving. We’ll have an up-close look at It’s Still A Secret when it opens later in the year.

The Barra Boys
Fans of sensational seafood, take note – East Brisbane fish and chipper The Barra Boys is opening a new location. The family-owned and operated business has been slinging crispy golden chips and flaky fillets of fish from its Stanley Street spot since 2018, and now the crew is working on its second joint, which will be opening in Moorooka in six-to-eight weeks. Seeing Moorooka’s potential as an up-and-coming hub thanks to its booming housing market and lack of non-franchise food outlets, the Mavris family accepted an offer from the team behind the Woolworths Moorooka Centre on Beaudesert Road to expand. The site will be smaller than its East Brisbane headquarters, with its operational model geared more towards takeaway orders. The same menu will be available to grab-and-go (including its Rod-and-Reel combos, burgers, Tacklebox feasts, kids meals and sides), while a range of fresh seafood will be available to purchase and cook at home. The Barra Boys will also be bringing across its dessert-focused dark-kitchen concept The Sweet Tooth Co, which will be available via Uber Eats. The Barra Boys is expected to open in Moorooka in late August or early September – stay tuned for more info.

ZA ZA TA new chef
Fortitude Valley’s Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant ZA ZA TA has new talent at the helm, with the vegetarian-centric eatery welcoming Michael Jackson as its new head chef. The skilled cook has ventured south from his previous position at NuNu Restaurant in Palm Cove to man the pans at ZA ZA TA, arriving just in time to help shape the restaurant’s new ethical and conscious winter offering. Taking advantage of the new trans-seasonal vegetarian and vegan produce, Michael is channeling the flavours of Tel Aviv and Israel at large with the a la carte menu, which features the likes of chilli haloumi savoury doughnuts with pomegranate-and-chilli jam, jackfruit, leek and thyme dumplings with whipped spiced-potato cream, crunchy fermented seasonal vegetables with nana and cultured cream dip, and chocolate and orange-blossom baklava with pistachio ice-cream. Plant-based eaters are catered for as well, with ZA ZA TA’s vegan-friendly options in the restaurant’s Garden Menu equally as divine as the rest. The newness doesn’t stop there – ZA ZA TA’s Premium Chef’s Selection Menu will give diners the choice between eight-course dinners, each showcasing a range of incredible dishes. Click here to view the new winter menu, which is available now!

Sea Legs Brewing’s Fourth of July and Oh Canada Day celebrations
This week is shaping up to be a big one for the team at Sea Legs Brewing. The Kangaroo Point-based craft-beer maker is the brainchild of an American, two Canadians and a pair of Aussies, so when American and Canadian national holidays arrive, you bet the team is going to celebrate. This Thursday July 1 marks Canada Day, while July 4 (Independence Day) lands on Sunday – with this in mind the Sea Legs team is hosting a week-long celebration of all things Canadian and American. The fun starts on Tuesday June 29 with a Canadian-themed trivia night kicking off at 6:00 pm, then from Thursday July 1, Sea Legs will be slinging quintessential Canadian fare – think classic Caesars and poutine lathered in gravy fresh off the plane from Quebec – alongside games of bonspiel (curling) and corn hole. Sunday July 4 will see the offering change to a more USA-centric menu, while a Wayward Brewing x Sea Legs Brewing collab beer will also feature on tap.

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