If you’ve been bogged down in traffic near the corner of O’Connell Terrace and Bowen Bridge Road lately, you might have gazed out the window and seen the warm and inviting lights of The Stuffed Badger. You might have also seen patrons laughing jovially over delicious-looking morsels and glasses of wine, and we’re sure that you might have felt a certain pang of jealousy. If this is you, then it’s time you introduced yourself to the Bowen Hills’ bar and eatery. The Stuffed Badger is a venue that keeps things intimate (it seats 35 patrons), taking a personal approach to hospitality with a greater focus on staff and patron connection. High ceilings give away the venue’s industrial beginnings, but the space is fleshed out nicely with cosy couch seating and greenery, bringing the outside in and making it inviting.

Once you’ve finished admiring the ambience (and the charming badger painting on the wall) it’s time to tuck in. The Stuffed Badger aims to plump up patrons with a choice selection of toasties and coffee in the morning and share plates to nibble on after sunset. All dishes at The Stuffed Badger are gluten free and the menu itself is built to be malleable and changeable as the season dictates. Right now, you can sit down and graze on the likes of beetroot-cured salmon, mushroom and thyme ragu with sweet potato gnocchi, four cheese and Serrano arancini, mozzarella and basil pesto meatballs, and charcuterie boards. One thing you’ll notice about The Stuffed Badger is that there is a bar, but no cocktail list. Don’t panic – the bartenders here can whip up anything you desire based on your personal tastes or what dish you are munching on. Fleshing out the offering is a concise range of beers and a curated wine list that boasts some interesting varietals including Italian soave, French Beaujolais and Spanish Rioja.

We don’t mean to badger you (we do, and the pun was intended), but The Stuffed Badger is open now. Should you want to check it out, head to the Stumble Guide for contact details and more.