San Telmo Brisbane Review: Argentinian Fire Cooking Arrives in the CBD

Smoke curls above glowing charcoal as steaks hiss on the parrilla and platters are passed around the table. At newly opened San Telmo Brisbane, dinner isn’t about claiming your own cut of beef. It’s about gathering friends, sharing everything in sight and lingering over the kind of generous Argentinian hospitality that has made the Melbourne institution one of Australia’s most respected steakhouses.

Now, after more than 15 years building a devoted following in Melbourne, San Telmo has opened its first interstate restaurant in Brisbane. Located at 60 Edward Street, the restaurant arrives with plenty of confidence, bringing its signature live-fire cooking while embracing premium Queensland produce and a dining style that encourages conversation as much as exceptional food.

Fire takes centre stage at San Telmo Brisbane

The heart of the restaurant is the parrilla, a custom-built Argentinian charcoal grill where flames, smoke and glowing coals transform premium Australian produce into beautifully charred dishes. If you’re lucky enough to secure one of the counter seats overlooking the kitchen, you’ll have a front-row view as chefs expertly manage the fire and carve each steak before it reaches the table.

Leading the kitchen is Head Chef Mikey Dalton, whose experience at both San Telmo Melbourne and sister restaurant Palermo shines through in a menu that remains unmistakably Argentinian while celebrating Queensland’s outstanding produce.

“The Brisbane menu has the DNA of San Telmo, fire cooking, bold flavours and a strong Argentinian influence, but I’m excited to put my own stamp on it through Queensland produce and introduce Brisbane to asado-style dining,” Dalton says.

San Telmo Brisbane at a glance

• Location: San Telmo Brisbane, 60 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD
• First Queensland venue of Melbourne’s acclaimed San Telmo Group
• Signature parrilla charcoal grill is the centrepiece of the restaurant
• Share-style dining encourages guests to sample multiple cuts of steak and shared plates
• Premium beef sourced from O’Connor Beef, Stockyard, Black Opal and Westholme, with in-house dry ageing coming soon
• Menu highlights include spanner crab bomba, empanadas, tuna carpaccio, grilled octopus, premium steaks and dulce de leche desserts
• Around 150 wines, with 70 to 80 per cent imported from Argentina, showcasing exceptional Malbecs
• Authentic Argentinian drinks, including Quilmes lager, Fernet-Branca and mate
• Stylish interiors featuring century-old Argentinian soda siphon pendant lights, walnut finishes and checkerboard floors
• Eat drink and be Kerry verdict: More than a steakhouse, San Telmo delivers a warm, authentic Argentinian dining experience where live-fire cooking, generous hospitality and shared plates make every meal feel like a celebration. Here’s my lunch experience.

New Brisbane steakhouse San Telmo

Soda siphon chandelier San Telmo, Argentinian restaurant, Brisbane.

Sharing is all part of the experience

One of the most refreshing aspects of dining at San Telmo is its philosophy of sharing.

Rather than ordering individual steaks, guests are encouraged to select several different cuts for the table. It feels relaxed, sociable and, perhaps most importantly, gives everyone the opportunity to compare different breeds, ageing methods and cooking styles throughout the meal.

According to Opening Restaurant Manager Ben Robinson, this communal style of dining has become one of San Telmo’s defining characteristics.

“When we first encouraged people in Melbourne to share steaks 15 years ago, it was a difficult concept. Today people love discovering different cuts together, and we’re excited to bring that experience to Brisbane.”

It’s a dining style that perfectly suits long lunches, celebrations and groups of friends who appreciate good food without unnecessary formality.

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A memorable lunch

Our lunch began with one of Argentina’s most iconic street foods, the humble empanada.

Filled with slow-braised beef, egg and olive, the flaky pastry delivered exactly what great comfort food should: rich, satisfying and packed with character.

The charcoal-grilled O’Connor flank steak followed, cooked simply to allow the quality of the beef to shine. Shared around the table with seasonal sides, it demonstrated exactly why San Telmo champions communal dining. Sampling different dishes rather than focusing on a single plate creates a far more engaging meal.

Dessert introduced another Argentinian favourite: the alfajor.

The delicate shortbread biscuits, generously filled with silky dulce de leche, provided a sweet finish without becoming overly rich. It also served as a reminder that San Telmo’s dessert menu deserves as much attention as the grill, particularly the restaurant’s celebrated flan and indulgent dulce de leche panqueques, both Melbourne favourites now available in Brisbane.

San Telmo, one of the best steak restaurants in Brisbane

Raise a glass to Argentina

This Brisbane steakhouse has a commitment to authenticity that extends well beyond the food.

Around 70 to 80 per cent of the wine list is imported directly from Argentina, with approximately 150 wines available. While many diners instinctively reach for Shiraz or Cabernet when ordering steak, the team encourages guests to explore the country’s outstanding Malbecs, many of which remain unfamiliar to Australian drinkers.

Beer lovers can also sample Quilmes, Argentina’s iconic lager, imported especially for the restaurant.

Bringing Buenos Aires to Brisbane

Designed by interior architect Kate Archibald, the restaurant captures the warmth and heritage of Buenos Aires through rich American walnut, aged brass finishes, checkerboard floors and custom pendant lights crafted from century-old Argentinian soda siphon bottles.

Creative Director Renee McConnell says every siphon tells its own story.

“Each bottle is over 100 years old and carries thousands of stories of shared meals and memories. If only the siphons could talk.”

More authentic touches are still to come, with handcrafted Argentinian entrance doors expected to arrive later this year.

Private dining room San Telmo Brisbane

Why Brisbane?

For Ben Robinson, choosing Brisbane for the group’s first expansion outside Victoria was an easy decision.

“Brisbane has incredible momentum right now, and there’s a real appetite for venues with personality and a clear point of view. For San Telmo, the move north felt like the right city at the right time.”

Judging by the buzz already surrounding the restaurant, Brisbane appears more than ready to embrace San Telmo’s distinctive style of generous hospitality.

Eat drink and be Kerry’s verdict

San Telmo isn’t simply another steakhouse. It’s a celebration of Argentinian culture where charcoal cooking, exceptional produce and generous hospitality combine to create an experience that encourages diners to slow down, pass the plates and enjoy every bite together.

Whether you’re visiting for a long lunch, a special celebration or simply an outstanding steak cooked over glowing coals, San Telmo has brought a refreshing slice of Buenos Aires to Brisbane’s CBD.

San Telmo Brisbane

Address: 60 Edward Street, Brisbane City

Cuisine: Argentinian steakhouse

Highlights: Live-fire parrilla cooking, premium Australian beef, Argentinian wines, share-style dining and authentic South American hospitality.