All the New Brisbane Openings We Got Excited About This Spring (So Far)

We said it in February and we’ll say it again: Brisbane’s in the middle of a serious glow-up. These are the venues we covered recently that have contributed to Brisbane’s rise.

Here – in alphabetical order – are five openings we got excited about in spring (so far).

Alby’s, Wavell Heights

Daniel Bowles has a history of opening much-loved Brisbane cafes – think Sister in Hawthorne and Butter in Gaythorne. His newest venture, Alby’s, is no exception. He and business partner Chih-Wei “Tiger” Hsu set up shop in Wavell Heights, inspired by Bowles’s own move. He left the city and moved to the outer suburbs with his family, only to realise there was a lack of quality cafes there. He and Hsu stepped in to fill that gap with Single O coffee and a short menu of crowd-pleasers. Think golden toasties, avo on toast, and crumpets with cinnamon butter and honey. More inventive standouts include a beef rendang toastie, loaded with slow-cooked beef, rendang sauce, sweet mustard, kraut and cheese; and an iced tiramisu drink made with a chocolate espresso base and cold vanilla foam.

Bar Monte, Newstead

The team behind Bar Monte Miami and Pixie has brought its brand of Gold Coast and Byron cool to Brisbane with Bar Monte in Newstead. It’s a restaurant that sits comfortably in contradictions. Bar Monte is chic and mature. It’s all maroon, terrazzo and tiling. Then there’s the grattachecca machine for shaving ice. Sitting proudly smack bang in the middle of the bar, it’s painted bright blue and dotted with metal penguins and fish. It’s that marriage of playfulness and old-school hospitality that has made the team so successful.

The team picked the most “bulletproof” items from Pixie and Bar Monte Miami to transplant to the Newstead menu, so expect Italian classics and snacky plates. Smaller options include a mortadella bun with pickled green chilli and limoncello aioli; anchovy toast with smoked tomato butter; and gnocco fritto served with prosciutto and taleggio. A selection of cold-cuts is sliced to order. Pasta dishes are deliberately simple and risotto will change with the seasons. Mains include an eggplant cotoletta with peperonata sugo; market fish with Jerusalem artichoke and gremolata; and a steak rubbed with porcini and served with onion and marrow butter.

Birria Boy, Woolloongabba

When you consider how popular birria tacos have become Down Under, it’s surprising that the traditional goat rendition has been missing from Brisbane menus – until now. Enter Birria Boy, a new pop-up from the C’est Bon team. Chef Andy Ashby serves goat birria done in a traditional way. He uses whole goats from Meredith Dairy, which are slow-cooked for 15 hours. A consommé is made from the cooking liquid and the meat is crisped and served inside house-made yellow masa cornflour tortillas with green pico de gallo, goat’s cheese and tomatillo. Ashby has put in the work, extensively researching Mexican cuisine, consulting chefs like Rebeca Flores of the now-closed La Patrona, eating his way through taquerias, and working with Mexican food supplier Poblano to source authentic ingredients. The menu includes three birria variants: slow-cooked Wagyu beef cheek; braised mushroom with Oaxacan cheese; and the goat birria. Other tacos include confit duck with frijoles, burnt orange and radish, and tempura prawn with tomatillo.

Marlowe, South Brisbane

Walking into Marlowe feels like stepping back in time – and into someone’s home. It’s warm, inviting and a little eclectic. Housed in a 1938 block of flats, the venue’s fit-out comes courtesy of design studio JAR Office and embraces the heritage quirks of the space. The restaurant is the latest venue by the Fanda Group (Southside, Central, Rick Shores and Norté) and the kitchen is led by Ollie Hansford. His menu leans into the character of the building, drawing inspiration from ’50s and ’60s dining.

To start, there are snacks like cheddar scones with chicken pâté, curried crab brioche and prawn cocktail tartlets. Starters include smoked cheese soufflé, and a clam and saffron risotto. Mains make use of a woodfired hearth turning out dishes such as a spiced pork chop with caramelised apple; stuffed chicken breast with mushrooms and sherry sauce; and a coral trout Wellington. Signature dishes include a duck pie with jus and radicchio jam; a cheesy garlic bread made with Lune croissant dough; and The Marlowe Mixed Grill, which includes Wagyu sirloin, lamb cutlets, beef tongue skewer and Cumberland pork sausage. On the drinks front, group beverage director Peter Marchant has put together a wine list that’s entirely Australian, save for champagne, which is French, naturally. 

Winnifred’s, Fortitude Valley

Winnifred’s is setting a new standard. The champagne-dedicated venue is not only a first for Brisbane, but perhaps a first for Australia. With 14,000 bottles from 63 different growers and grandes marques, it’s an ambitious project. A few years ago, you might have wondered if Brisbane was ready for something like it. Since Winnifred’s opened in August, the city has answered with a resounding “yes”. Owner Megan Nunn named the venue after her grandmother Winnifred Barrett, who welcomed everyone into her home. When Nunn visited Champagne, she felt that same warmth from local producers who opened their doors to her – a feeling she aims to re-create at Winnifred’s. The venue is divided into several spaces: out front, a small garden, which Nunn expects will become a popular hangout over summer; further inside, there’s an 18-seat bar and a 60-seat bistro; and upstairs, two private rooms host functions and masterclasses.

@albys_cafe

@barmonteitalian

@birriaboy.au

@marlowebne

@winnifredsonarthur

Reporting by Elliot Baker & Becca Wang.