West End, Brisbane

Brisbane's West End is on Boundary Road, on the southern side of the river and nearby South Bank. The early English settlers named the area West End as it reminded them of the West End of London. West End has definitely lived up to its theatrical namesake as it has a long history of being home to the local Brisbane artists. The suburb has a sense of bohemia which is evident in the eclectic shops, clothing boutiques, ethnic restaurants and multicultural food shops.

The area has always been a culturally diverse suburb with a proud migrant population. This is evident on West End’s Boundary Street where you’ll find a Vietnamese bakery, next to African arts & crafts next to Greek fish’n’chips. There’s also been an insurgence of ‘Hipsters’ to the area with organic cafes and cool bars popping up along the streets.

West End Markets

Every Saturday Davies Park hosts the West End Markets from 6am till 2pm. The markets run beside the Brisbane River and it’s a great place to wander through the stalls in the shade of the fig trees with fresh river breezes. There’s a range of food stalls, art & crafts, handmade jewellery, fresh flowers and an entertaining array of street buskers. The markets are also well known for their cheap and fresh produce. You’ll find a great selection of fruit, vegetables, seafood, meats and deli treats. Find out about more Brisbane markets here.