Guess who’s back – Riverbar + Kitchen reopens to the public in time for summer sipping
This year has been quieter than usual along Eagle Street’s riverside strip. The rain bomb that rocked Brisbane earlier this year meant that many of the waterfront venues that dot the banks of the Brisbane River had to undergo substantial repairs for flood damage, leaving revellers to patiently wait for them to reopen. Solotel and Matt Moran’s beloved riverside haunt Riverbar + Kitchen has officially reopened to the public after a massive makeover, one that has not only resulted in a new look but also a new menu, cementing it once more as an inner-city oasis worth frequenting. Here’s what’s on offer …
It’s been a long eight months between drinks at Riverbar + Kitchen, but the cocktails are flowing once more! Once flood waters receded, the team behind the sun-soaked venue embarked on a comprehensive rebuild, refurbishing the space and even undertaking a slight rebrand to boot. It’s a big process, once that involved stripping the venue back to its foundations before assembling it again, but the hard work looks to have paid off. Boasting an aesthetic that uses Miami Beach shacks as inspiration (think white-washed wooden features blended with contemporary restaurant fittings), Riverbar + Kitchen retains the breezy, carefree vibe of its previous incarnation (as well as its iconic yellow-striped umbrellas) while also delivering something fresh and new. “To rebuild from a completely blank canvas has been amazing,” says co-owner Matt Moran in a press statement. “It’s a great refresh, a reinvigoration of what it used to be with a newer design, new branding and an elevated concept.” Riverbar’s senior team, including venue manager Wesley Smith and head chef Bambi Chanpen, have worked with Matt Moran to upgrade the venue’s food and drink offering in tandem with the refurb, looking at Riverbar’s breakfast, lunch, dinner and drink offering under a new lens.
From 7:00 am, riverside walkers can pop into Riverbar + Kitchen for breakfast bites like honey-roasted granola, banana, cinnamon and natural yoghurt, buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and berries, and the Riverbar breakfast bowl, which boasts quinoa, kale, avocado, cherry tomato and a soft-boiled egg. The lunch and dinner offering is accessible and perfectly suited to express lunches, afternoon snacks and group dinners. Snacks such as grilled half-shell scallops with caper and lemon and Moreton Bay bug sliders with pickles and kewpie lead into raw dishes like cooked Queensland tiger prawns with spicy cocktail sauce and kingfish crudo with finger lime, chives and olive oil. Larger portions include a selection of shareable pizzas and flatbreads, and mains like spanner crab spaghetti with chilli, garlic and parsley, char-grilled cauliflower with raisins, pine nuts and soft herbs, and 300-g Darling Downs pasture-fed sirloin on the bone, served with baby gem lettuce and red wine jus. As for the tipples, Riverbar’s new-look bar program features signature cocktails (including seasonal slushies) and shared cocktail jugs, available alongside a selection of wine and beer.
Riverbar + Kitchen is now open to the public. Operating hours can be found in the Stumble Guide.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
