When it involves leisure and hospitality, Brisbane has a few of Australia’s greatest choices. With beautiful motels, enjoyable bars, distilleries the place you can also make your personal gin, and eating places galore, right here’s the place to eat, drink and sleep in Queensland’s capital.
When I first visited Brisbane virtually 25 years in the past, the nightlife right here was simply okay. A number of pubs and golf equipment, the restaurant scene wasn’t nice and the South Bank hadn’t actually taken off correctly.
These days although, Brisbane’s nightlife, eating and leisure scenes are in all probability the very best within the nation.
From beautiful fine-dining to mountainous road burgers, from basic pubs to slick bars, breweries and distilleries, Brisbane has a lot to supply. Riverside, inner-city or nestled within the hills of close by suburbs, there are venues actually all over the place on this enjoyable city.
Here are a few of our favourites.
Brisbane’s breweries (and a distillery)
Felons Brewing Co
Right on the water’s edge below the Story Bridge, Felons is a part of the unimaginable Howard Smith Wharves growth that has a number of different nice locations to eat and drink.
This large spacious brewery, and its beer corridor and riverside seating serves up a wonderful choice of beers. Food right here, just like the pizzas popping out of the wood-fired oven, steaks from charcoal grill and indulgent burgers, is all good soak for a skinful.
Black Hops Brewing
Starting life in Burleigh Heads, Black Hops’ East Brisbane taproom opened in late 2020. It’s a cool watering gap with polished concrete flooring and benches up towards the fermenters.
It’s the right spot to seize a tasting paddle (be sure you attempt the Super Hornet double IPA) and watch the world go by. It’s additionally tremendous dog-friendly, so be ready to have a giant dopamine zap when you’re there!
Range Brewing
Right in the midst of Brissie in Newstead, Range Brewery makes a tremendous set of beers you’ll be able to attempt proper the place they make it. They even have a number of different visitor ales on faucet if you wish to unfold your self out.
It’s a giant ethereal bar right here with a number of cubicles and tables, and the meals is all as scrumptious because the beer!
Brewdog
A worthy import from Scotland, Brewdog does some glorious ales. Their first Aussie taproom, on the sting of the Brisbane River and east of the town, is in Murarrie, however there are such a lot of extra venues on the playing cards.
From the unimaginable bar inside Pentridge Prison to a three-storey bar in Fortitude Valley, Brewdog is about to take. And I’m all proper about that.
Brisbane Distillery
Tucked away on a road nook of the West End, Brisbane Distillery and its splendidly moody bar crafts some glorious gins. It additionally makes some unaged rums that want a bit of labor to be sincere, however they’re price attempting all the identical.
But better of all, on the finish of the bar, which is darkish and cosy, is the gin college the place you discover ways to make your personal gin! It’s a lot enjoyable and so attention-grabbing. Highly really useful.
Here’s our overview and video of our first time period.
Brisbane’s pubs and bars
Noir
Ironically vibrant and breezy contemplating its title, Noir has extra of a restaurant vibe than the considerably overdone speakeasy pattern many bars are following.
Cocktails and aperitivi come out equally effectively put along with a degree of friendliness all too typically missed on different large cities today. Well price a visit to Paddington for.
Death & Taxes
Right on the chopping fringe of cool, Death and Taxes is a lot enjoyable. It’s additionally bought a tremendous choice of Australian craft spirits that its bar employees flip into completely balanced cocktails for you.
Not solely is the roaring ‘20s vibe inside so effectively created, however going to and from this bar is simply as enjoyable. Located within the oldest alleyway within the metropolis, Death and Taxes is correct within the coronary heart of Brisbane, nearly backing onto Queen Street Mall. Make certain you try the road artwork and murals within the alley.
Tippler’s Tap
The final craft beer bar, Tippler’s Tap has some superb brews from Australia and all over the world. They’ve at all times bought one thing attention-grabbing on the faucet menu, which adjustments on a regular basis. And within the fridge is a wild choice of tins and bottles.
When we had been there not too long ago, they’d solely darkish beers on faucet, some with hilariously excessive ABV. Glad I wasn’t driving that day! The meals right here can also be superb—greatest reuben sandwich you’ll discover.
Osbourne Hotel
Image courtesy of Kickon Group and the Osbourne Hotel
From the skin, this appears to be like just like the sort of bathroom commonplace large rangy Aussie pub you’d discover in most cities. But as you enter, you realise the Osbourne is something however commonplace. Flooded with greenery, lofty ceilings and timber finishings, this full of life youthful pub within the Valley is a cracker.
Bar Brutus in Fish Lane
In the midst of Fish Lane, an thrilling outside mall of bars, eating places and cafes, Bar Brutus is the sort of cosy, intimate venue you solely need to share together with your closest associates lest the key will get out.
With a concentrate on Italian drinks and little plates of digestivi, Brutus is the right pre- and post-dinner spot for refreshments!
Where to eat in Brisbane
Essa
From its discreet entrance on Robertson Street within the Valley to its darkish, nurturing inside and open kitchen, Essa is greater than a restaurant, it’s a eating expertise. Truly unimaginable meals and wine, superior service and a spectacular consideration to element within the decor.
Pro tip: the very best seats in the home are up on the counter going through the varied prep and cooking stations of the kitchen. This is our favorite restaurant in Brisbane… up to now!
Check out our full overview of Essa right here.
Hello Please in Fish Lane
A enjoyable modern Southeast Asian fusion restaurant, Hello Please within the thrilling Fish Lane foodie precinct in south Brisbane provides all the very best dishes from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea and China with a contemporary twist.
Think eggplant katsu bao, pork stomach satay skewers with peanut hoi sin or prawn toast with yuzu kewpie… however then twists like rooster liver parfait, carpaccio and cacio e pepe however with udon noodles. Fun!
Ben’s Burgers in Winn Lane
Tucked down an alley in Fortitude Valley, Ben’s Burgers is a hole-in-the-wall burger joint that seems in all probability the very best burgers within the metropolis.
March as much as the counter, order your burger (at all times go an additional patty and candied bacon), fries (it’s additionally a good suggestion to go chilli) and seize a beer, and plant your self in one of many plastic chairs within the alley. They additionally supply actually good veggie burger alternate options right here too.
Honto
Unbelievably slick, Honto—Japanese for ‘Really’—is much more superlative than its title suggests. The restaurant’s menu reads like a want record for every part you miss consuming whenever you’re not in Japan.
It’s fairly laborious to get a desk at this restaurant although, despite how large it’s. We—a bunch of six—might solely get in for a 5.30 sitting and even then we needed to be out earlier than 7.00. But it’s completely price it.
Miss Jones Cafe
Bright and breezy, this cafe in New Farm only a block or two from the banks of the Brisbane River seems a number of the greatest espresso within the metropolis and actually prime notch meals too.
This is the breakfast gnocchi–tender tender gnocchi and crispy bacon with blended mushrooms and a fantastically poached egg.
At time of publishing, Miss Jones was briefly closed, however with the hope of reopening quickly.
Brissie motels to take a look at
Calile
Somewhere between slick Miami and retro-gilded Palm Springs vibes, the Calile is the final word lodge in Brisbane. Stunning particulars and their signature archways are at each level, the rooms are fantastically designed and the pool bar with the scalloped balconies surrounding it are simply beautiful.
Right on the coronary heart of the swanky facet of Fortitude Valley, the Calile is the centre pin to most of the boutiques, bars and eating places round James Street. As such, the lodge’s loyalty programme provides a number of advantages within the space.
Check out our overview and walkthrough video of the Calile right here.
Hotel X
Part of the InterContinental group, Hotel X is a captivating mix of luxurious and inventive individuality. Rooms have cool paintings in them and the lighting function, which cuts by way of the ceiling and down the wall, is unimaginable.
Location-wise, Hotel X has the very best of each worlds being on the sting of the shadier facet of Fortitude Valley whereas nonetheless remaining inside the well-to-do limits a very good block again from all of the craziness.
The lodge’s stunning rooftop bar has views down over the town with the Story Bridge entrance and centre.
Check out our overview and walkthrough video of Hotel X right here.
Brisbane Sofitel Central
Iconic and classical, the Brisbane Sofitel Central has all of the markings of a world-class lodge. Comfort and luxurious mix for the right keep within the River City. And positioned proper subsequent to Central Station in the midst of city.