Brisbane Restaurants - A Brisbane Guide
The Lonely Planet guidebook eloquently states that "If you want to splurge out on a posh meal somewhere on your (Australian) trip, do it in Brisbane." We couldn't help but agree - Brisbane restaurants are generally cheaper than their Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast counterparts, the food is just as innovative, and Brisbane chefs have less to prove (or live up to) than the swank establishments on Sydney's Harbour and in Melbourne's cultural heartland.
There's a wide variety of styles of cuisine available and lots of cool places to remain and have a drink or two afterwards. Browse through our list below.
Know a great restaurant? Tell us about it - Tell us where it is, what type of cuisine and why you really like it.
View more Brisbane restaurants in our directory.
Brisbane Restaurant Precincts
Adelaide Street (Eastern end)
In Adelaide Street there are many chefs and restaurants receiving notable awards for their original and innovative culinary concoctions.
Chinatown
Chinatown offers traditional, and not so traditional Chinese cooking from a range of regions plus other styles of Asian cuisine such as Japanese, Thai and Indonesian.
Queen Street Mall
Queen Street Mall offers the most diverse cluster of restaurants that offer modern Asian, Australian and European menus. The Mall's eateries are open very late and are licensed. The large indoor/outdoor dining areas promote a vibrant cosmopolitan vibe having everyday prices and niche bars and pubs.
South Bank
South Bank is home to various restaurants, cafes, and pubs. The riverside pathway is always active with cyclists, inline skaters, runners and people who just want to soak in the entire atmosphere. Read more about South Bank.
The Valley
Fortitude Valley is host to a contrast of both cheap and expensive dining alternatives. Wine and tapas bars are big business. A significant amount of eateries are open late and with some nice locations for breakfast and brunch and specialist eateries such as chocolate shops and bakeries.
Eagle Street Pier
Eagle Street Pier is an iconic waterfront precinct with world-class dining options and unrivalled views of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge.
The Pier is well known for its award winning restaurants, including Matt Moran's ARIA, Il Centro, Cha Cha Char and Saké. More casual dining spots include Jude, The Coffee Club, Shingle Inn Café, gourmet burger restaurant Grill'd, sushi restaurant Nagomi and espresso bar Stellarossa.
A popular entertainment hotspot, Eagle Street Pier is also home to the superb riverside bar Jade Buddha and the Bavarian Bier Café. See what's on at Eagle Street Pier, or reserve a seat at one of the great restaurants below.
ARIA Restaurant
1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3233 2555
Website: www.ariarestaurant.com
Cha Cha Char
Shop 5, (Plaza Level) 1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3211 9944
Website: www.chachachar.com.au
Il Centro
1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3221 6090
Website: www.il-centro.com.au
Jade Buddha
1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3221 2888
Website: www.jadebuddha.com.au
The Coffee Club
1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3221 0990
Website: www.coffeeclub.com.au
Bavarian Bier Cafe
Level 1, 45 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3339 0900
Website: www.bavarianbiercafe.com
Grill'd Healthy Burgers
Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3221 2907
Website: www.grilld.com.au
Jude Cafe
Shop 9, 1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3220 2201
Website: www.judebrisbane.com
Nagomi Restaurant
Shop 7, 45 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3229 6886
Website: nagomibento.com.au
Sake Restaurant & Bar
Level 1, 45 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3339 0999
Website: www.sakerestaurant.com.au
Shingle Inn
1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3221 7032
Website: www.shingleinn.com
Stellarossa
Shop 1, 1 Eagle Street, Eagle Street Pier
Phone: (07) 3229 8949
Website: www.stellarossa.com.au
Brisbane Restaurant Directory
Bruno's Tables
This restaurant creates classic French dishes that have won a variety of awards.
dinner Tue - Sat;
85 Miskin Street, Toowong
Phone: 07 3371 4558
Casablanca Brasserie Bar Cafe & Cellar Club
Casablanca represents a unique spot on the Brisbane dining and entertainment map. A very popular spot for Brisbanites, as well as interstate and international visitors. Casablanca's menu is multi-cultural ranging from pizza and pasta to kangaroo stew, emu, great steaks and seafood plus the popular tandoori chicken and curries.
Phone: 07 3369 6969
Website: www.casablanca.com.au
Tukka Restaurant
This is a new exclusively Australian restaurant providing plenty of great aussie cuisines for you to sink your teeth into.
Tuesday - Sunday for dinner and Friday - Sundy for lunch
145 Boundary Street, West End
Phone: 07 3846 6333
Website: www.tukkarestaurant.com.au
Customs House Brasserie
This place overlooks the Brisbane river and is nestled amongst heritage surroundings. Here you enjoy a great variety of international cuisines.
Tue-Sat, 10-10; Mon & Sun 10-5,
399 Queen Street, Brisbane
Phone: 07 3365 8921
Website: www.customshouse.com.au
E'cco Bistro
E'cco Bistro was a recent winner of the best restaurant in Australia. So I guess that does all the explaining for you. Great food, attentive service and fine surroundings to dine in with make this a great favourite.
Lunch and dinner daily;
100 Boundary Street, Brisbane
Phone: 07 3831 8344
Website: www.eccobistro.com
Gianni
Gianni offers an attentive selection of vintage wines by the glass. The restaurant itself has some thoughtful and elegant architecture and boasts an extensive international menu.
Lunch Mon - Fri, dinner Mon - Sat;
12 Edward Street, Brisbane
Phone: 07 3221 7655
Grape Wine & Food Bar
With a name like this you'd be right in assuming that this place has a tip-top, outstanding wine list — and of course the food is fine too.
Lunch and dinner daily, breakfast Sat - Sun;
85 Merthyr Road, New Farm
Phone: 07 3358 6600
Green Papaya
The Green Papaya prepares authentic North Vietnamese food to enable you to get a real taste for what's on offer.
Lunch and dinner Tue - Sun;
898 Stanley Street, East Brisbane
Phone: 07 3891 5000
Website: www.greenpapaya.com.au
ICONS
ICONS has a refreshing variety of Australian cuisine and great wines to enjoy in the modern atmosphere that this place exudes.
B, L & D daily,
180 Main Street, Kangaroo Point
Phone: 07 3895 8311
Michael's Riverside
Michael's Riverside is on a breathtaking riverside location. Some of the best local produce and seafood in Queensland is served at Michael's.
Lunch Mon - Fri, dinner Mon - Sat,
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane
Phone: 07 3832 5522
Summit Restaurant
The Summit Restaurant is located at Mt. Coot-tha Lookout and has an awe-inspiring panoramic vista that unfolds Brisbane and Moreton Bay.
Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday breakfast;
Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, Mt Coot-tha
Phone: 07 3369 9922
Website: www.brisbanelookout.com
Simple Pleasures Bistro and Bar
Simple Pleasures is a dazzling beacon of serious food in the somewhat starved locale of Brisbane’s outer western suburbs”
The Courier Mail Queensland Food and Wine 2009 Guide
2008 Winner Best Formal Dining in the Western Suburbs
2008 Finalist Brisbane’s Favourite Restaurant
Shop 7 2060 Moggill Rd Kenmore
Phone: 07 3378 9466
The Lark Bar
The Lark is a truly elegant venue, oozing with relaxed sophistication with three cosy areas to enjoy. Founder, Perry Scott is formerly bar manager of The Bowery, ‘Lychee Lounge’ and Match Bar group in London. Perry was also a top ten finalist of Bartender Magazines Bartender of the Year competition in 2006.
Paddington Brisbane
Phone: 07 3369 1299
Website: www.thelark.com.au
Other Brisbane Restaurant links
- The Best Restaurants guide to Brisbane is probably the most comprehensive online guide.