Banoi
Melbourne duo Michael Nham and Hao Vu certainly aren’t ones to rest on their laurels – despite opening video game-inspired burger joint Super Combo last week, the Michael and Hao are already busy working on their next Brisbane venture. Homestyle Vietnamese eatery Banoi will be opening next to Super Combo on King Street towards the end of April, with a very similar offering to its two Melbourne siblings. Expect traditional Vietnamese eats inspired by Michael’s grandmother’s recipes, such as steamed Vietnamese taco buns filled with slow-cooked pork belly or tempura soft-shell crab, fried salt-and-pepper chicken ribs, Vietnamese crispy pancakes, fresh-baked banh mi and more. We’ll have full details for you in the coming weeks.

Hummingbird Bar & Restaurant
Rosalie locals may have noticed a little coffee cart pop up on Baroona Road in the vacant space next door to Thai Terrace. This is just a little taste of what is to come, with Hummingbird Bar & Restaurant set to open there in early June. Ex-Cha Cha Char executive chef Sam Roberts is heading up the kitchen, creating refined modern Australian menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner and small bites. The ever-changing menu promises to tantalise tastebuds with the marrying of unusual flavours, emphasising seasonal local produce paired with small-batch wines and craft beers. Keep an eye on The Weekend Edition for more details soon.

1UP Arcade
Newsflash – vintage arcade games are the new black – and if that news gets you a little hot under the collar, then listen up! Morningside will soon be home to 1UP Arcade, a retro arcade for pure arcade gaming. Set to launch in April with roughly 80 playable games, 1UP will not be attached to a bar or eatery, instead focusing on creating an environment for arcade enthusiasts to reconnect with classic gaming. To truly allow gamers to immerse themselves in the fun uninterrupted, the arcade is getting rid of coins and tokens, instead offering memberships that allow unlimited access to all games. Expect to find crowd favourites such as Street Fighter and NBA Jam, as well as rarer games like Garou: Mark of the Wolves. 

Death Valley Fun Camp
One of the worst things about being a grown up? No more school camps, right? WRONG. Death Valley Fun Camp is back, bringing wholesome good times to the wilderness for adults! Created by John Patterson and Patience Hodgson of The Grates, Southside Tea Room and Death Valley Bar, the weekend is filled with music, food, drinks and a whole lot of camp activities. The second annual Death Valley Fun Camp will be held at Lake Moogerah School Camp Grounds from Saturday May 27 to Sunday May 28, with tickets including accommodation, campfire food from Lucky Egg’s Jacob Knauth, all activities and a welcome pack (which comes with s’mores). Tickets go on sale Thursday March 16 at 9:00 am – head to our Event Guide for full details.

Chester Street Brisbane City
When that 3:00 pm sugar craving hits, sometimes only a devil’s food cake filled with salted caramel buttercream and topped with Oreos, pretzels and popcorn can hit the spot. Brisbane City workers will soon be able to fulfil all of their wildest sweet-treat dreams, when Chester Street Bakery opens its third location in the coming weeks. Much like its South Bank sibling, the bakery will be more of a grab-and-go situation, with limited seating available, but plenty of sweets to choose from. Many of Chester Street’s decadent single-serve treats will be available, as well as coffee and a wide selection of large specialty cakes – perfect for office birthdays, going-away parties or you know, just a casual Wednesday.

Picnic and Pantry
The next time you’re visiting QueensPlaza looking for something new to eat, head in the opposite direct of the food court and you’ll find a new mini eatery on Level 1. To celebrate autumn, the centre is hosting pop-up shop Botanica Occasions, a botanical-inspired space offering a selection of high-quality artificial flora as well as Picnic and Pantry, serving up delicious eats from around town. Until early May, you can swing by between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm for lunch from Wednesday to Saturday to nosh on salads and treats from the likes of nodo donuts, The Golden Pig, Yes, Joy, Miss Bliss Whole Foods Kitchen and more. The space will also host a number of workshops in the coming weeks – see online for details.

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

Image courtesy of Banoi.