Cha Cha Char

Cha Cha Char offers wood-fired steaks in a spacious upscale venue with river views. The menu is incredibly meticulous. You can find out the breed, age, size, and diet of the animal. If you are in a mood for something less meaty, their seafood selection is outstanding, too.

• Web:

  www.chachachar.com.au

• Address:

  Shop 3/1 Eagle Street Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3211 9944

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri noon–11pm, Sat & Sun 5:30pm–11pm

Chu The Phat

Chu The Phat (pun intended) is an upbeat contemporary restaurant and bar on Fish Lane, South Brisbane’s up-and-coming dining hotspot. Their menu is inspired by the Asian street food hawker stalls of Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. Try their a la carte dining options and lunch specials.

• Web:

  www.chuthephat.com.au

• E-mail:

  info@ChuThePhat.com.au

• Address:

  111 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3255 2075

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Tue 5pm–late, Wed–Sat noon–late, Sun 11am–late

Corbett & Claude

Corbett & Claude is hidden away in a laneway basement, underneath the the heritage-listed Corbett Chambers. This modern and elegant in its simplicity space is popular with the young crowd, sipping trademark cocktails, enjoying the cold beer on tap and browsing the wine list. Signature pizzas leap out of the oven at breakneck speed.

• Web:

  www.corbettandclaude.com.au

• Address:

  283 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3221 1166

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm, Fri–Sun 11:30am–late

• More info:

  Two more venues in Everton Park and Garden City

CRU Bar & Cellar

CRU is an impeccably stylish bar and restaurant, and a hotspot for celebrity spotting. The food is made with the finest Australian ingredients and the dining hall is bathed in natural light. Come here for a cocktail or for an elaborate multi-course meal expertly paired with a bottle of wine.

• Web:

  www.crubar.com

• E-mail:

  info@crubar.com

• Address:

  1/22 James Street, Fortitude Valley

• Phone:

  +61 7 3252 2400

• Opening hours:

  Daily 11am–late

• More info:

  You can enjoy your meal al fresco

Gambaro Seafood Restaurant

Gambaro first opened back in 1953 and remains one of Brisbane’s oldest seafood restaurants. This award-winning establishment focuses on getting the best locally sourced produce whenever possible. Through the use of candlelight and sheer curtains between tables, the dining room is intimate and airy at the same time. It is a perfect environment to dine on the freshest Mud Crab, Green Lobster, and Tasmanian oysters.

• Web:

  www.gambarohotel.com.au

• Address:

  33 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3369 9500

• More info:

  Gambaro Hotel Brisbane

Gerard’s Bistro

Dishes from Africa, Europe and the Middle East in a chic dining room with a 3D timber wall. Every city should be so lucky as to have a bistro like Gerard's. Onions are charred, eggplant is blackened over flames and jars of pumpkin are patiently left to ferment inside Gerard's busy open kitchen. All are elements for Ben Williamson's menu, a beguiling mash-up of Middle Eastern and modern Australian cuisines. We recommend Williamson's funky Époisses and fermented mushroom dust mousse covering smoky eggplant purée, petals of baby onion filled with housemade pig's blood morcilla with sweetly smoky onion juice consommé. It's intensely aromatic and a dish of pure joy. A visit to Gerard's brings together inventive and beautifully executed food with a strong list of international wines to complement. Gerard’s menu is designed to be shared along with our carefully curated wine list to enhance the experience.

• Web:

  www.gerardsbistro.com.au

• Address:

  14/15 James Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3852 3822

• Opening hours:

  Dinner: Tue–Sat 6pm–late. Lunch: Fri noon–3pm. Sun & Mon closed

Breakfast Creek Hotel

The Breakfast Creek is famous for its steaks, not only because they are delicious but you can choose the meat before it’s cooked. Come here on a Sunday for their session lunch, live music and an afternoon in the sun. The pub The Brekky Creek is located here and serves beer 'off the wood' or out of wooden casks.

• Web:

  www.breakfastcreekhotel.com

• E-mail:

  breakfast.creek@alhgroup.com.au

• Address:

  2 Kingsford Smith Drive Albion, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3262 5988

• Opening hours:

  Daily 10am–2am

Buffalo Bar

The chic beer garden and their large selection of beers make this a very popular first stop on a night out. Buffalo Bar also offers American pub meals and live screenings of your favourite games.

• Web:

  www.buffalobar.com.au

• E-mail:

  bookings@buffalobar.com.au

• Address:

  169 Mary Street, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3051 7620

• Opening hours:

  Sun–Thu noon–10pm, Fri & Sat 11am–11pm

Embassy Bar & Kitchen

Embassy Bar & Kitchen is a hidden gem serving great food and beer for a reasonable price. The menu offers an excellent selection of domestic craft and imported beers along with hearty pub grub.

• Web:

  www.embassyhotel.net.au

• Address:

  214 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3221 7616

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Wed 11am–8pm, Thu & Fri 11am–late, Sat noon–late, Sun closed

Jade Buddha Bar & Kitchen

Come for the stunning views of the Story Bridge and stay for the cocktails and the equally tasty Asian Fusion menu that includes burgers, fish and chips, and dumplings.

• Web:

  www.jadebuddha.com.au

• Address:

  14/1 Eagle Street, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3221 2888

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Thu 11:30am–11pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–midnight

• More info:

  Smart casual dress code

Laruche

This award-winning venue with quirky decor is located in the heart of Fortitude Valley. It opened its door in 2009, and ever since it has attracted the young and beautiful. Here you can indulge in one of the signature cocktails and dance the night away on the dance floor.

• Web:

  www.laruche.com.au

• E-mail:

  info@laruche.com.au

• Address:

  680 Ann Street, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3666 0880

• Opening hours:

  Fri & Sat 6pm–3am, Sun 7pm–3am

Lychee Lounge

This is a very intimate hipster hideaway with great cocktails. Its interior with red lighting serves as a popular spot for pre-clubbing drinks and meals, but you can also come here for lunch.

• Web:

  www.lycheelounge.com.au

• E-mail:

  vicky@lycheelounge.com.au

• Address:

  2/94 Boundary Street West End, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 411 888 561

• Opening hours:

  Wed–Thu 4:30pm–midnight, Fri–Sat 4:30pm–1am, Sun 4pm–10pm

Blackstar Coffee Roasters

Blackstar is a cozy bar and roaster serving cold pressed coffee and espresso brewed from single-origin beans roasted in-house. It is a great place to get your morning dose of caffeine, get some work done, and have a delicious brunch or brekkie. Burgers and poached eggs come highly recommended.

• Web:

  www.blackstarcoffee.com.au

• E-mail:

  info@blackstarcoffee.com.au

• Address:

  44 Thomas Street, West End Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3217 2323

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 6am–2pm

Botero House

Botero House occupies a stunning three-story historic corner building on Adelaide Street. Fantastic coffee is a given, but the food is just another level. Curried scrambled eggs and pulled pork burger with kimchi fennel will make you come back to this stylish cafe again and again. The best part is that all lunch items will be on your table in no time at all, so you can refuel and keep exploring in under 40 minutes.

• Web:

  www.boterohouse.com.au

• Address:

  258 Adelaide Street, Brisbane City

• Phone:

  +61 7 3085 5387

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 6:15am–3pm

• More info:

  Tapas on Thursdays and Fridays

Grown

While you are exploring the foodie central West End, check out Grown — a completely plant-based vegan restaurant that uses ingredients sourced from no more than 400km from Brisbane. Their skilled use of flavours and textures are sure to satisfy and delight even the most meat-loving guests. The coffee is excellent, too.

• Web:

  grownbne.com

• Address:

  21 Buchanan Street West End

• Phone:

  +61 7 3036 7213

• Opening hours:

  Wed–Fri 10am–2pm / 5:30pm–8pm, Sat 8am–2pm / 5:30pm–8pm, Sun 8am–2pm

Marchetti Cafe

Marchetti Cafe serves authentic Italian coffee and wine as well as a selection of breakfast and lunch options. The historic Tattersall’s Arcade gives the cafe a charming flair. Try Nonna's Veal Meatballs for a taste of Italy in Australia.

• Web:

  www.marchetticafe.com

• E-mail:

  ciao@marchetticafe.com

• Address:

  202 Edward Street, Brisbane

• Phone:

  +61 7 3003 1344

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 7:30am–4pm, Sat & Sun 9am–4pm

Microlot Coffee House

Right next to the Hawthorne park, there's a quaint little cafe serving delicious morning brews with a small selection of snacks, pastries, gruyere cheese and fried eggs on brioche, and rye bread sandwiches. They get their beans fresh from Colombia and roast on site.

• Web:

  www.instagram.com/microlotcoffeehouse

• Address:

  135 Riding Road, Shop 5, Hawthorne

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 5:30am–12:30pm, Sat & Sun 6:30am–12:30pm

Salt Coffee Roasters

Salt Coffee Roasters an elegant espresso bar with an in-house roastery. Spend the morning in their picture-perfect interior that flawlessly combines emerald green furniture with millennial pink walls, polished concrete floors and a long leather wall seat with marble bistro tables. Salt serves a list of classic caffeine hits and more experimental cold drips and pourovers that really showcase the complexity and delicate character of their beans. Of course, they serve all the brunch staples including avocado toast and crumpets.

• Web:

  www.saltcoffee.com.au

• Address:

  60A Doggett Street, Newstead, Brisbane

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 5:30am–3pm, Sat & Sun 6am–2pm