The best new openings and soon-to-open venues this Spring in Brisbane
No doubt it has been another tough year for the hospitality scene, but Brisbane has been busy with a slew of new openings this Spring. From a luxe bar, to a restaurant specialising in Paella, as well as a “Dream Factory”, find out where Brisbane’s newest dining and drinking venues are.
[Cover Photo: Supplied]
The newest Brisbane city bar and the sister venue to @deathandtaxesbrisbane with the same experienced team at the helm, of Martin Lange, Wiebke Lange, Blake Ward and Belle Ward. Located in a heritage listed building at 109 Edward St, the team wanted to create a space that is true to its original structure but also with a luxurious feel. Think, the Savoy in London, the Dead Rabbit in New York, to the Black Pearl in Melbourne as the inspiration. The fit-out consists of a beautiful 9-meter-long marble bar allowing bartenders to have plenty of room to serve the great variety of cocktails from its 30 drink menu. Across the bar there are four custom made Italian leather booths. The venue is named after Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette (1857–1943), who is said to have first added lime cordial to the daily gin tot of the men of the Royal Navy (to help combat the ravages of scurvy on long voyages). Patrons can expect a rotating Gimlet on tap, or one of their bespoke made martini’s from 2 Martini Carts available to serve every type of martini with a variety of garnishes, gins and methods to pick from. These are made at your table the way you like it: shaken, stirred, thrown or Nitro Frozen. The venue will also aim to be more experimental in the cocktails than its sister venue.
Where:
109 Edward St, Brisbane City.
Hours:
Open daily, 3pm - 1am.
A stones throw from James Street’s dining precinct, ESSA is a split level architecturally designed space, from owners Phil Marchant and Angela Sclavos. Combining the best of both passions in food and design, expect a refined industrial materiality creating a relaxed atmosphere across the split levels. From the street, the custom created brass mesh window imparts a golden hue across the lower-level seating area. Stepping up into the mid-level dining space, the bar encased in striking green Verde Alpi stone takes centre stage. Zinc lined walls, exposed brickwork and steel alcoves are softened by warm-lighting and leather lined banquettes. Continue past the open kitchen, to the intimate upper dining level set against the backdrop of a verdant garden. The ethos in the kitchen embraces collaboration with local farmers, hunters and providores, promoting an environmentally conscious approach to the menu. Bold, confident and flavourful plates hit the table from the wood-fired grill, expect spatchcock quail with brown butter, caper leaves and salt bush and organic pork chop served on the bone. To finish, unexpected ingredients are paired with intentional dissonance - the Jerusalem artichoke cream bun is a must try.
Where:
181 Robertson Street Fortitude Valley.
Hours:
Dinner Tuesday - Sunday 5pm until late,
Lunch Friday 12pm - 3pm.
One of the most anticipated openings this year, with a waiting list already growing by the day is the restaurant Paella Y Pa’Mi, pronounced, (Pa-ay-ah-e-Pa-Me). A restaurant dedicated to the made-to-share delicious Paella and all her varieties, this restaurant is finally set to open in Coorparoo, on Thursday 7th October (subject to any COVID-19 lockdowns). Paella Y Pa’Mi is brought to you by the husband and wife team of Kevin Fredes (formerly of El Toro Loco - Sydney) and Manuela Volpe (formerly of Gemelli - Gold Coast). Their idea born in the midst of the pandemic, whilst on a family trip to the beach, began with a simple conversation, of whether a tiny, yet cozy Spanish bistro with traditional tapas and snacks served with refined plating, championing all things Paella, and serving boutique Spanish varietals from newer up and coming regions could work in Brisbane? Based on the response from the Brisbane community so far, the answer to Kevin and Manuela’s question is a resounding YES! Their emphasis is on the Spanish way of dining, food as conviviality, being together, being able to communicate with each other in the proper sense of sharing. With Chef Kevin’s background, having trained with and worked for (almost 9 years) with celebrity chef Miguel Maestre, Paella Y Pa’Mi is set to take patron’s palates on an authentic Spanish journey.
Where:
131 Leicester Street (shop B ) Coorparoo
Hours:
Closed Tuesday - Wednesday.
Monday 5:30pm to 9:30pm,
Thursday 5:30pm to 9:30pm,
Friday 5:30pm till late,
Saturday 12pm to 2pm and 5:30pm till late,
Sunday 11:30am till 3:30pm
James Street’s newest Middle Eastern inspired oasis, The Green offers patrons everything “plentiful”; in “food, plants, knowledge and conversations.” says owner Angela Sclavos. The Green boasts a bustling Middle Eastern inspired kitchen, with Executive Chef Warren Turnbull at the helm. Guests can expect an ever-rotating menu, a salad bar and deli driven by the seasons. The outdoor dining pavilion and garden room provide the perfect setting to slow down while surrounded by an arbour of cascading plants. Offering breakfast and lunch options, from Green Shakshuka, Smoked Labneh, Tahini Granola through to the Rainbow Chard and Montasio Cheese Brick Rolls, Grilled Zhug, Marinated Lamb cutlets with Smoked Onion Puree and Crispy Shallots. These are all available in venue for Breakfast and Lunch or can be a delicious take away option for gourmet meals at home. The Green also offers catering for groups, offices, and events.
Where:
1/27 James St Fortitude Valley
Hours:
Open daily, 7am - 5pm
Adding to his line-up of internationl cuisine, Tenya has opened it’s doors at Brisbane Quarter. Tenya aims to satisfy sashimi and sushi lovers as well as being a home for traditional and modern Japanese enthusiasts says Tony Cheng, founder of the hugely popular Hana Zushi Japanese Restaurant in Sunnybank. Located on podium two of the Brisbane Quarter precinct (taking over the old Heritij site) and boasting stunning views across the river to South Bank and beyond, Tenya offers casual elegance in its indoor and outdoor dining areas with shielded booths for groups. For those seeking a VIP experience you can book into the unique Kaiseki and Omakase room where the chef will create a bespoke meal using the best seasonal produce at your table. The dinner menu offerings centre around options for everyone including kagoshima wagyu, salmon tartare and char grilled cuttlefish while an after work and pre dinner glamourous curved bar boasts an extensive drinks menu with more than 85 varieties of Sake and Japanese Whisky, Japanese-inspired cocktails, a global wine list, spirits, beers, soft drinks and tea.
Where:
300 George St Brisbane City
Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday, 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 9:30pm.
Fortitude Valley institution Cloudland is set to open an independent brewhouse and bar on its Ann Street rooftop. Celebrating the characters of its distinctive Fortitude Valley backdrop, Valley Hops Brewing will pour top-quality beers in a setting that’s bathed in quintessential Queensland sunshine. Valley-trained brewer and beer-obsessive Josh Warren (formerly Green Beacon) will be at the helm of the brand new brewhouse as Head Brewer and is eager to celebrate the Valley’s people with his core range of six, signature, house-brewed beers that will represent the locality’s eccentric characters – including a crisp, light-bodied lager, a tropical ale, a fruity sour, a pale ale, an IPA and a Hazy IPA. In a first-of-its-kind for Brisbane’s brewing scene, the rooftop will be transformed into a glam brewpub, where the beer will be made in a two vessel 15BBL brewhouse. Guests will step out of an elevator, into the bar area featuring a beautiful metalwork arbour with creeping vines, large fire pit with built-in benches and a mix of wooden picnic style, booth and high bar seating — made for enjoying those Valley views. Alongside its signature brews, Valley Hops Brewing will serve up a tasty menu, made for sharing, featuring authentic flavours from the charcoal grill and wood fired pizza oven.
One of the Gold Coast’s most popular Italian dining experiences, Gemelli Group, has officially opened their doors in Brisbane’s premier dining precinct bringing their wholesome Italian cuisine from surf to city. Situated in the heart of modish James Street in Fortitude Valley, the corner of McLachlan and James Streets will be restored to a rustic and genuine Italian nook with the introduction of not only a restaurant but also an Italian street bar. Whilst Gemelli Italian is set to revive and invite families back to James Street, the Gemelli Group found a gap in the market for consumers to experience the real Italian aperitivo that transitions people between work and play – the Italian way – and is excited to launch Bar Tano, a 55 seat Italian street bar adjacent to the restaurant. Gemelli Italian will feature timber arches to separate the three-level dining space and large open windows to emulate the feeling of an alfresco area, complete with a bespoke pizza oven from Naples, a salumi display fridge and bustling back bar with over a hundred wines to choose from. The menu at Gemelli Italian will be similar to the original Broadbeach restaurant with a considered selection of Italian classics stemming from recipes passed down from their grandparents, like the revered gnocchi zucca, polpo alla griglia with grilled WA octopus and Roma pizza topped with burrata.
Where:
15 James Street, Fortitude Valley.
Hours:
Wednesday - Sunday, 12pm - 3pm,
Tuesday - Sunday, 5pm - Late.
South Brisbane has a new Lebanese venue with a focus on sharing the joy and excitement of Lebanese cuisine, complete with a traditional saj grill for producing perfectly charred flatbreads! Serving a combination of hot and cold mezza dishes as well as shawarma plates, Tarbouche Mezza Bar is the second venue by the team behind Indooroopilly's cult favourite Little Beirut. Tarbouche Mezza Bar joins Lune Croissanterie as a recent addition to the ever-growing Fish Lane precinct by Aria Property Group's commitment to enriching the South Brisbane area. Some new additions to the menu are two signature towers for sharing: the shawarma beef tower and shawarma chicken tower, destined to become popular with local residents and workers. To top off the authentic experience, a leading Brisbane belly dancer will perform at 8:30 every Friday and Saturday night, and a separate outdoor shisha area will provide a luxurious sample of the favourite Middle Eastern pastime.
Where:
56 Boundary Street, South Brisbane.
Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday, 12pm until Late.
Southeast Queensland’s Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar is well-known for its menu, choc-full of sweet treats and delightful cocktails, but its latest announcement is every confectionary connoisseur’s fantasy come true – a multimillion-dollar production facility called, Dream Factory. Capitalising on customers’ demands for the sweeter things in life, Cowch has constructed the $2.5 million Dream Factory to produce a homestyle menu of delicacies, made on premises in Morningside, east Brisbane. “I’m so excited to be launching the Dream Factory because I know we can now control the sweetness levels, the fluffiness, the buttery-ness. Everything is now handmade and I know we have nailed these new products,” , founder Mr Memis said. The new products will be available from 18 October in all four Cowch locations at Chermside, Southbank, Broadbeach, and the newly opened Garden City. The Dream Factory is closed to the public as it is a production facility and headquarters for to the Cowch Group, however, one lucky person has the opportunity to win a double-pass (for you and a friend) for the exclusive opening night on 15 October through @cowchofficial.