It’s already been a great year in Brisbane’s food scene with new local cafes and flashy new restaurants.

But while the year is almost over, the excitement is not. These venues are still poised to open before the end of 2024.

Barry Parade

For experienced bartender Dan Gregory, opening his own venue one day was practically a forgone conclusion. After tending bar at some of the country’s best venues – like Eau de Vie in Sydney, Melbourne’s Black Pearl, The Gresham and Canvas Club – Gregory has teamed up with former colleague Brennen Eaton (Alba Bar and Deli, The Gresham) and longtime friend Lachlan Henry to open their own place.

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The trio has prioritised equally wines, beers and cocktails. The food is Creole fusion with dishes like beef tartare with a Louisiana-style pickled quail egg, and a duck and andouille gumbo.

Barry Parade is expected to open in late-September.

Rays by Range

Range cofounders Gerard Martin and Matt McIver made the tough decision to shut their Melbourne-based taproom earlier this year. But they are already opening another Brisbane venue, Rays by Range, a sibling venue to Patio by Range, which opened last year.

“When we opened Patio, we wanted to create a place where the community could come together, relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of good food and drink,” Martin tells Broadsheet. “Rays is a natural extension of Patio.”

Rays will be a warm, sun-lit venue with indoor and outdoor seating. The bar will have 10 taps pouring Range’s beers, and an Italian-inspired food menu.

Rays is expected to open in late-September.

Stan’s

The second floor of chef Louis Tikaram’s Cantonese diner Stanley is being transformed into a bar inspired by old-world Hong Kong. Speaking to Broadsheet, Tikaram said: “My first visit to Hong Kong as a young chef absolutely blew my mind. I was captivated by the street food and barbequed meats – however, it was the high-end restaurants that left the biggest impression. We often think of Cantonese food as quick and simple, but when you pair those flavours with quality produce and exceptional service, it elevates the entire experience. That’s exactly what we aim to bring to Stan’s.”

Alongside Tikaram’s menu of sophisticated Cantonese bites, the bar will serve cocktails made with hard-to-find spirits.

Stan’s is expected to open in early-October.

Central

Inspired by the subterranean restaurants tucked beneath skyscrapers in Hong Kong, Central is an 80-seater underground dumpling restaurant. It brings together a host of seasoned professionals – the team behind Southside and Rick Shores along with Southside’s executive chef Benny Lam, plus a fit-out from J AR who were recently shortlisted for an Eat Drink Design award to the CBD spot. The menu will be inspired by Lam’s childhood in Hong Kong, with drunken chicken, char siu pork and wok-tossed lobster with e-fu noodles, plus plenty of dim sum. To drink, there will be a 200-bottle-strong wine list including drops from China’s Ningxia region.

Central is expected to open in October.

Speed Dial

For Jayden O’Grady, working at Bellissimo Coffee was meant to be a temporary thing. Now he’s been in the industry for more than a decade.

In October, O’Grady, along with partners Hal Cozens and Timothy Cashin – both of whom he met during his years at Bellissimo – will open a new cafe in a 30-square-metre shipping container, located in the driveway of Bunnings Newstead. With just a smattering of seats, the venue’s focus will mainly be on takeaway service. On offer will be a house blend and a rotating selection of filter and batch brews.

The container has just enough space for a small kitchen where the team will serve toasties and pastries from Sprout Artisan Bakery.

Speed Dial is expected to open in October.

August

Brad Cooper and Matilda Riek have years of experience working as head chef and front of house at local favourite Bar Francine. The couple is opening a restaurant in Dornoch Terrace, called August, inside a 136-year-old church, currently a music school.

The menu is broadly European with a specific focus on particularly Spanish, French and Italian cuisines. Expect witlof tarte tatin with black olive jam and gruyere, or stuffed chicken crown with Albufera sauce. Desserts include caramelised brioche with golden syrup and lemon cream, or a rum and raisin parfait.

Cocktails will be similarly European with pastis and Campari spritzes, and the wine list will favour niche producers.

August is expected to open in November.

Additional reporting by Elliot Baker and Lucy Bell Bird.