Here’s a list of the best new Brisbane restaurants and new Brisbane cafes so you can keep up with the best openings as they happen. Updated monthly, this is a carefully curated selection that includes the places every Brisbane food lover wants to know about. Use it as a guide when you are searching for somewhere new to try. You can keep up with the latest in new Brisbane restaurants in Feast on Brisbane published every week. Subscribe for a reminder and newsletter here.
Opening image – Moreton Bay bug, bucatini, garlic, basil, chilli, lemon at Nonna’s
Share platter at The Green, 27 James Street
New Brisbane restaurants and new Brisbane cafes 2021
September
Mai Gai, Everton Park
Opening in Everton Plaza, this is an Asian eatery with a share-style menu featuring Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Laos, and Cambodian flavours. Expect Wok Tossed Cashew Chicken, Brisket Massaman Curry, Crispy Cauliflower Bites, Whole Fried Baby Snapper, Chicken Laab, Moreton Bay Bug Rolls, Signature Fried Rice, and the unexpected surprise of Curry Boa options.
Picnic café, West End
The breakfast and coffee scene at West Village has been a little underwhelming until now the opening of Picnic. Their menu deserves exploring with a pork benny, ‘stacks on stacks’ pancakes and a wagyu scotch egg. You’ll find it on Boundary Street.
Ivy Blu Rooftop Bar, Petrie Terrace
Heading up the top of Caxton Street is Ivy Blu. Expect white picnic tables covered by umbrellas, lazy lounges and shipping containers converted into food outlets. The menu is based around casual dining with pizzas, small and large plates. You’ll find your favourite Moreton Bay bug milk buns along with barbecue chicken and chips. It’s open for lunch and dinner from 11 am Wednesday to Sunday.
Willow Café, Balmoral
The dishes at Willow Cafe, such as Turkish delight breakfast brulee, have been designed with online appeal in mind. Check out their Instagram feed for menu highlights but don’t do it while you are hungry. Owner Adam Dartnall wanted to channel a bit of Noosa in Brisbane and has created a dreamy coastal vibe. The coffee is The Cat’s Pyjamas from Seven Miles Coffee Roasters.
Gemelli and Bar Tano, James Street
The former sites of Bucci and Lululemon in James Street are looking brighter with an Italian family-style offering by experienced Gold Coast restauranteurs, Paul, James and Alec Carney.
The Cheese Board, Albion
This modern fromagerie from Wendy Downs is located opposite Jocelyn’s Provisions next to Neighbourhood Coffee Roaders. It is a finishing cave specialising in Australian artisan cheeses and also offers cheese masterclasses.
Banette, Rosalie
New at Rosalie Village on Baroona Road is Banette, a bakery filled with delicious French pastries. The shelves are filled with everything from croissants and baguettes to those brightly coloured mousse cakes that are almost too hard to resist. The coffee is Clandestino and they also offer takeaway salads.
The Tailors, Woolloongabba
This new speakeasy from Dan Rodriguez is a hidden bar on Logan Road, Woolloongabba that can only be accessed through a secret door. Hint – from the outside it looks like an old, 1920s tailors shop.
Hey Chica, Fortitude Valley
New Latin American-style Social Club Hey Chica! has opened in Fortitude Valley. Expect the old-world charm of a classic Havana bar experience in Brunswick Street. It is the closest you’ll get to Havana without a passport. Hey Chica! has a menu inspired by the street-food scene in Latin America and matching cocktail concoctions. Find it at 315 Brunswick Street in the Mall.
Dr Gimlette, Brisbane CBD
Dr Gimlette is a new wine bar from Sommelier Ian Trinkle and the Death and Taxes team. You’ll find it in Edward Street’s Metro Arts Building. This heritage space is being restored with love to include a long marble bar, high ceilings, and leather booths.
Verde and Sweet, Hamilton
Verde and Sweet is an artisan kitchen and pantry from the team at Petrichor & Co in Racecourse Road, Hamilton. It’s a place to stock up your pantry with easy, ready-made dinners, salads and sweets.
Italian Street Kitchen – ISK, West End
West Village devotees (me included) will enjoy Italian Street Kitchen – ISK for cool peeps. It’s street food/Nonna’s kitchen collision with a style Rome background. Expect cheese and fungi pizza, Sardinian gnocchetti, along with vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
August
ESSA
ESSA in Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley is a collaboration between head chef and co-owner Phil Marchant (ex-Gauge) and Angela Sclavos, the mastermind behind The Green in James Street. Expect a wood-fired grill, a creative, share-style menu with harvest driven dishes and a raw menu with tartare, charcuterie and oysters. The wine list will have more than 100 varieties.
Ooh La La Roof Top Bar, Woolloongabba
Find a slinky new rooftop bar with delicious French food in Woolloongabba’s Paris end. Take the stairs up to a new rooftop view of Brisbane at Ooh La La where you can enjoy French food and champagne and a super cocktail menu too. Check my review here.
Lune, West End
It’s almost enough to make this croissant lover move house! Lune Croissanterie Brisbane in Aria’s new The Standard apartment building at West End promises skip the queue ordering and door delivery for residents. You may prefer to mosey on down to watch the croissants made in front of you. Melbourne’s love affair with Lune means long daily queues, so we can expect a similar experience at this new Brisbane cafe. Take your place for one of the 14,000 baked beauties they hope to turn out each week.
Sankalp, Aspley
Annerley’s southeast Indian restaurant Sankalp has opened another venue at Aspley. They built a reputation on gluten and dairy-free curry bases and naan cooked in a tandoor, so the owners decided to expand to the northside to accommodate their growing customer base. You’ll find it on Gympie Road in the former Fasta Pasta site.
Tenya Japanese, Brisbane Quarter, CBD
Taking over the Indian-inspired Heritij site in Brisbane Quarter is the new Brisbane restaurant Tenya Japanese. It adds to the international flavours already in the house – Phoenix Brisbane, Phat Boy and Persone – with W Brisbane on the ground floor.
Mr Treat, Fortitude Valley
New dessert shop Mr Treat in Fortitude Valley is the new go-to for loaded goodies, like salted caramel white chocolate cookies and soft-serve ice cream.
Banh Mi, Newstead
Banh Mi Factory’s new Newstead hole in the wall is where you can get your Vietnamese street food fix.
July 2021
Apricot Coffee, Wavell Heights
The corner of Kinmond Avenue and Jeffcott Street at Wavell Heights has a new orange-hued shipping container. Apricot Coffee offers takeaway coffee with dine-in soon. It is located next to women’s health care clinic Pear Exercise. Enjoy Parallel Coffee with decaf options, lactation cookies and other treats for new mums.
Enoki Coffee & Co, Stafford Heights
Farrant Street has a new vegetarian and vegan-friendly café, Enoki Coffee & Co. Their Rose Waffle Benedict made with a potato and rosemary waffle, poached eggs, mushrooms and house-made hollandaise looks amazing. The coffee comes from Brisbane roasters Semi-Pro Coffee and Almanac Coffee and the café is dog friendly with pupacinos and leash hooks.
The Lawn Bar & Café, Kangaroo Point
Get yourself to Kangaroo Point and try out The Lawn Bar & Café. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday at Dockside and enjoys great Brisbane River views.
Flour & Chocolate, Redcliffe
Follow the crowds and you’ll find the latest Flour and Chocolate, now in Redcliffe on 77 Redcliffe Parade. It’s just a three-minute walk from The Bee Gees Way.
Granddad Jack’s, Albion
With a Collingwood Street factory as their new home, award-winning Gold Coast distiller Granddad Jack’s plans to release a new Albion Gin followed every month. This is a bring your own food venue, so rock up with your own platter or takeaway. Here’s a look at the first Granddad Jack’s in this top roundup of Gold Coast eats. Check my review here.
King, Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley wine bar King has taken over from The Strand in California Lane. It has a retro 80s theme and a stage for bands and drag shows.
Rosmarino Ristorante and Wine Bar, Fortitude Valley
Rosmarino at 6 McLachlan Street is where Chef Dario Manca will cook up his favourite with breads and modern Italian cuisine. This is a 175sqm restaurant with an outdoor courtyard and a menu designed to attract a hat.
June 2021
The Green, Fortitude Valley
James Street has new dining with a Lebanese breakfast restaurant, homewares store, exotic nursery and a flower bar at The Green, 27 James Street. Owners Angela Sclavos and Christina Habchi used internationally acclaimed designer Borhan Ghofrani to create a Middle Eastern-inspired locale with a nod to their Lebanese origin. Head chef is two times Chef Hat winner Warren Turnbull. Expect bubbly flatbreads, sweet honey-soaked cheese and crispy homemade falafels.
Little Red Dumpling, Charlotte Street, CBD
Little Red Dumpling bar (LRD Brisbane) on Charlotte St has opened underneath the Pancake Manor. It’s a top place for the dumpling addicted.
Keto Local, Lutwyche
If you are into Keto food, Keto Loco Café has opened at 554 Lutwyche Road. Their food is keto-friendly, low carb, nitrate-free, gluten-free, and organic. Eat there or take away their pre-packaged meals and hot pies. They also serve coffee!
The Arsonist, Manly
Located on the esplanade, Manly’s hottest new restaurant, The Arsonist, is an 80-seat casual but fine dining restaurant. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a delicious feasting menu. The Consortium Group’s Executive Chef Mathew Fulford has used his 20 years of experience across some of Australia’s finest restaurants to create a menu full of the smells and flavours of open fire cooking. Enjoy smoked butter, signature dry-aged Stockyard OP beef, suckling pig, and a signature smoky gin. Be prepared to leave with the memorable aroma of smoke clinging to your clothes.
Oh Boy, Bok Choy, Stafford
This is another stunner from seasoned restauranteur Amanda Scott and her team. You will find Farm House at Kedron’s new sib-store Oh Boy, Bok Choy at 264 Stafford Road, Stafford. It’s a Southeast Asian Kitchen & Bar and focuses on fresh local produce. Expect dumplings, bao buns, noodles, curry, and watermelon salad. You can sample all the flavours with a Banquet Menu for $45 per person.
May 2021
The Fish Factory Morningside
Seafood lovers alert! Commercial seafood supplier, The Fish Factory opened The Sushi Factory with all your favourite sushi rolls made from their premium quality fish. It is open Thursday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm at 355 Lytton Road, Morningside.
Balancing Heart, Coorparoo
Bringing regional Queensland cool-climate wines to the heart of suburban Coorparoo, Balance & Blend offers six wines for tasting. Their satellite cellar door and café range includes Verdelho, Chardonnay and Campfire White, luscious reds including Wild Yeast Syrah, Campfire Red, and Rock Shiraz. Find it at 186 Cavendish Road, Coorparoo.
City Winery, CBD
Fortitude Valley’s City Winery opened a new cellar door and eatery at Eagle Street Pier with a share-style menu from Chef Travis Crane.
Boho Kitchen, Kangaroo Point
Boho Kitchen is a Main Street Kangaroo Point cafe and catering business. Pick up one of their food boxes for a picnic under the Story Bridge. Find 17 more things to do in Kangaroo Point here.
Iris Rooftop, Fortitude Valley
Iris Rooftop tops off the new Hotel X in Fortitude Valley with offers stunning city views. I enjoyed a quick dish sample of the fish tacos. The cumin-spiced fish was soft inside a crunchy batter and covered by a soft taco with slaw ($17). Three to share was perfect for keeping hunger at bay. The menu includes bigger dishes right up to Latin spiced wagyu with chimichurri rojo ($44). My stay at Hotel X was equally enjoyable. Their rooftop pool rates as one of Brisbane’s best for me.
Opa Bar & Meze, CBD
Eagle Street is buzzing with great new restaurants to try including the new Opa Bar & Mezze. It’s from the owners of popular Massimo, Fat Cow, George’s Paragon and Rico, who are very fond of the central city location and water views.
Stock Exchange Hotel, CBD
The new-look Stock Exchange Hotel is run by the RAWGroup. This pub looks fresh, but the menu still includes your fave pub classics such as chicken parmy, pork belly and fish ‘n chips.
April 2021
Kurimu, CBD
Do I have you at the thought of Japanese choux pastry? Japanese-inspired but Melbourne-born Kurimu makes choux pastry filled with creamy custard and topped with crunchy almonds, and they have opened in Brisbane’s Myer Centre. There are long Kurimu Choux (flavours include strawberry, coffee and lychees and raspberry) and traditionally shaped Kurimu croissants.
Melrose, Bulimba
Find exciting new Thai and Indonesian flavours from The Venzin Group at Melrose, Oxford Street, Bulimba. The head chef is Arte Assavakavinvong from Longrain, Melbourne.
Nonna’s Pizza & Deli, South Bank
New from the Ole Group, Nonna’s Pizza & Deli promises classic Italian dishes with a modern twist perfect for shared family-style dining and ingredients that champion local growers and producers. Think Napoli style wood-fired pizzas, Gnocco fritto, a deep-fried dough served with cured meat, and a colossal Antipasto Board.
March 2021
Ugly Food Co, Ashgrove
New on Waterworks Road, Ashgrove (near the corner of Ashgrove Avenue), Ugly Food Co serves up Bao Buns, Wontons with crunchy chilli, Hainanese chicken and more. Best to order ahead as it only opens Friday and Saturday from 4 to 8 pm. Follow their Facebook for details.
Mica Express, MacArthur Central, CBD
Love the pastries and pies at King Street Bakery and Mica Brasserie? Your waistline is going to be seriously challenged by Mica Express in Brisbane’s CBD next to the Apple Store.
