Queen’s Wharf has undeniably made its mark on Brisbane’s skyline. The Star has already changed the way the city counts down to the new year, thanks to the light show on its riverside facade. And inside, a swathe of new venues promises to transform Brisbane’s dining scene, too. But with so many eateries in the pipeline, where do you begin?
A rooftop sunset by the Brisbane River is as good a place as any. The top floor, known as the Sky Deck, is home to The Star Brisbane’s Euro-Australian fine diner, Aloria. It’s helmed by executive chef Shayne Mansfield, who was part of the opening team at London’s Michelin-starred City Social. Here, the Brisbane-born chef brings home a decade of overseas and interstate experience via a menu that skews towards seafood and steak, with a strong emphasis on Australian produce.

Downstairs in The Star Grand Lobby, meanwhile, Brisbane has gained a “sashimi florist” at Sokyo, a new outpost for one of The Star Sydney’s finest eateries. Korean-born chef Alex Yu has worked in top Japanese kitchens around Australia, cooking alongside Chase Kojima at Sokyo Sydney (where his artful sashimi arrangements earnt him his nickname). In May 2024, he arrived in Brisbane to launch the second Sokyo, giving local diners a taste of his boundary-pushing takes on sashimi, nigiri and robatayaki. You can order à la carte, or let the chef take you on a culinary journey with the nine-plate tasting menu for $160. There’s an optional saké pairing too, with sparkling and still varieties, plus dessert liqueurs – including a yuzu number, and one with ume, cane spirit and dark rum – to really transport you to the tiny cocktail bars of Japan.
Both venues are set to become Brisbane mainstays – but for the uninitiated, here’s our cheat sheet for what not to miss on the menus.

Aloria

Bistecca, whole-baked fish and smoked carrot tartare

Aloria’s standouts include a Stockyard dry-aged bistecca cooked over a woodfired parrilla grill, whole-baked fish doused in café de Paris butter (don’t be afraid to put that butter on the steak, too), and an unexpectedly arresting smoked carrot tartare. The carrot is smoked to create a “tartare” consistency, then covered in a sauce made from the skin. It’s a no-waste dish, served with a cracker concocted from the leafy green tops and charcoal-grilled capsicums.

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Spanner crab crumpets

The hero here, though, is the K’gari spanner crab with golden-brown sourdough crumpets. The crab is topped with brown butter and finger lime, and comes in a petite gold dish that makes it look like a rich aunt’s skincare lotion (but is better applied to the crumpet than the face).
It’s best to make a booking that coincides with sunset, ensuring your meal is backdropped by dusk falling over Southbank. Pro tip? A booking at Aloria also comes with access to the VIP lift, so you can cut any queues to the popular Sky Deck.

Sokyo

Kiwami Wagyu striploin and an opulent sashimi menu

Sokyo has long been one of Sydney’s best loved Japanese restaurants, and Yu’s Brisbane menu doesn’t stray far from the winning formula – but there are a few local exclusives. In particular, the 9+ marble-score Kiwami Wagyu striploin is marinated in shio koji (a savoury, fermented condiment) and served with sweet, chewy cabbage that’s been charred in Wagyu fat. Or there’s delicate scallop sashimi with a punchy Wagyu bresaola, tempura Moreton Bay bug with grapefruit salad, and an opulent $600 sashimi platter.
A section of the menu dedicated entirely to raw seafood (including 14 choices of sashimi and nigiri) has some exciting local additions too, including truffle-infused lobster grilled over a Japanese charcoal grill, or robata, and Queensland yellowfin tuna.

Toothfish and a Queensland roll

The dengakuman toothfish with a sweet miso glaze was also masterminded at the Sydney venue, where it’s become a firm favourite. The Queensland roll, meanwhile, is a Sunshine State spin on the California roll with local spanner crab instead of the usual imitation meat. And while a California roll has an internal seaweed wrap, the Queensland version is covered in delicate soy paper and topped with a stripe of spicy wasabi-green aioli.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with The Star Brisbane.

The Star Brisbane practices the responsible service of alcohol.