In December 2025, reflecting on the 36 new venues that had opened in the previous 12 months, we noted that Brisbane had well and truly cemented itself as a power on the Australian food scene. The city seemed confident, and Queensland attracted new talent and investment.

This year, Queensland’s stock has continued to rise. There’s been a notable shift away from first-time operators; of the 10 venues on our list we have two openings apiece from the Snug and Anyday teams, and others from established locals. Two NSW operators also got in on the action.

Here – in alphabetical order – are the 10 hottest new restaurants, bars and cafes of the year so far from Brisbane and further afield.

Bar Cooper’s, Coorparoo

The revival of the 35-year-old woodfired oven at Bar Cooper’s is one of my favourite storylines of the year. Previously left dormant by former tenants, the oven was rescued by Snug’s Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung, who made it the centrepiece of their neighbourhood bistro. Now it’s turning out puffy, charred flatbreads with green garlic butter, woodfired oysters with chicken velouté and tarragon, and baked brie with roasted walnuts, honey and witlof. Bar Cooper’s is the kind of place you’re either happy to call your local, or jealous that you can’t. I’m lucky enough to be in the former camp. – Elliot Baker, senior contributor

Cibaria Noosa, Noosa Heads

Carbs are my favourite – and Cibaria Noosa is excellent at carbs. Lasagna fritters, pizzetta, risotto, tiramisu. The restaurant is the first Queensland location for Maestro Hospitality’s Alessandro and Anna Pavoni, who have mastered Sydney with seven venues including Cibaria in Manly. In December, Cibaria Noosa opened at the heart of the Elysium Noosa Resort.

The restaurant is warm and rooted in Italian hospitality. Inspired by the concept of an Italian piazza, the menu is divided up into a cruderia, cicchetteria, salumeria, antipasteria, bisteccheria, forneria, spaghetteria, contorneria and pasticceria, where the suffix -ria, means “place”. It’ll make you want to move in. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Fountainhead, Newstead

Wine is a mystery to many people. Why? Because people who love wine often make it hard to understand. And those who simply enjoy drinking it, but don't own a copy of Wine Folly, might feel intimidated by the encyclopaedic lists at wine bars and idiosyncrasies of sommeliers. So in 2025, when Dan Wilson opened LPO in Tarragindi, a suburb of Barossa Valley shiraz lovers, it was the first place that felt like it cared about all types of wine drinkers and the different reasons people drink. A mere six months later, LPO's wiser, more stylish sibling, Fountainhead, was born.

Fountainhead is a "wine house" in both name and attitude. It’s homey and, in my opinion, a place unlike any other Australian city. Besides the obvious wine venue features – diverse, interesting bottles at varying price points, and an Architectural Digest-worthy space – Fountainhead lowers the stakes of wine education.

It’s also a place for many occasions: a casual glass with friends, one-on-one wine consultations, Burgundy masterclasses and pop-up dinners with local chefs. The versatility, along with all the warmth and expertise of Wilson, co-owner Chris Banham and their staff, has astronomically raised the (wine) bar for Brisbane. – Becca Wang, contributor and Supper Partying columnist

Jane’s Deli, Coorparoo

When customers at Snug started requesting more takeaway options, Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung gave them exactly that. Next door, Jane’s Deli is grab-and-go focused, though there are a few inside seats and a lovely courtyard for those who want to stick around. The menu centres on sandwiches, including a popular Hainanese chicken number and a hot honey cheese toastie, alongside batch brews and fruit smoothies. There’s also a concise selection of wine, fresh produce, condiments and snacks to take home. Snug, Bar Cooper’s and Jane’s Deli all in one block – it makes you wonder what the good people of Coorparoo did to deserve this kind of luck. – Elliot Baker, senior contributor

Kosta’s Takeaway, Newstead

Not all sandwiches are created equal. Some are too big, others stingy on toppings. Some are too dry, others soggy to the point of structural disintegration. Kosta’s makes the ideal sandwiches. The “no bullshit” sanga shop first opened in NSW in 2021. After opening four Sydney locations, the team made the move north to Brisbane. Adam Wolfers (ex-Anyday) consulted on the opening menu and helped to create two Brisbane-exclusive dishes: a breakfast yiros and a chicken shawarma flatbread.

The bulk of the menu is Kosta’s classics, like the schnitty bun, fish burger, tuna melt and the Supa Deli with scacciata, salami, ham, mortadella, rocket, peperonata and stracciatella. They’re all sturdy, serious two-handers that will turn a first-time visitor into a regular in no time. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Le Royale, CBD

It’s been a long time between drinks for the Anyday crew. Despite the success of Los, it’s taken the team seven years to open another standalone bar. In the meantime, Anyday has given us four restaurants, a bakery and a cafe, and hired Marco Nunes – one of the godfathers of Brisbane’s cocktail scene – as group bar operations manager. So my expectations for Le Royale were understandably high.

Where Los is compact and brutalist, with just enough space for a DJ booth, Le Royale is expansive, art deco-inflected and built around live jazz. It’s part of the welcome wave of venues breaking the CBD’s 10pm barrier, serving high-quality food and drinks into the wee hours. With the bar’s plush red banquettes, velvet curtains and marble tables, this end of the city has never been more enticing after dark.

What really separates Le Royale from the crowd are the drinks. The room naturally pulls you towards champagne or a Martini, but the bar’s secret weapon is its non-alcoholic cocktails. Made with the same ingredients and attention to detail as their boozy siblings, they’re the rarest treasure in bars: non-alc drinks that don’t leave you feeling like you’ve settled for less. – Kit Kriewaldt, subeditor

Never Enough, Fortitude Valley

Never Enough was opened by Trad Nathan and Tyla Dombroski, who own live music venue Crowbar across the road. For their first restaurant, they’ve filled the space with everything they love: vinyl, wine and plenty of snacks – it speaks my language. In the kitchen, Trent Lymn turns out cracking snacks like smoked mortadella Gildas, ’nduja croquettes, and fried chicken tenders with crème fraîche and caviar, alongside solid protein-based mains. Open late, it’s exactly the sort of place you want to find yourself at when the night kicks on. – Elliot Baker, senior contributor

+81 Sushi Kappo, West End

Everyone I recommend +81 Sushi Kappo to asks the same question: “What’s it doing on Montague Road?” The semi-industrial West End street with the milk bottling plant, the recycling centre and enviable views of the concrete factory isn’t the obvious spot for high-end dining.

But if anything can singlehandedly put the strip on the culinary map, it’s +81. The 12-seat omakase counter delayed its opening by almost a year to ensure head chef Ikuo Kobayashi could run the kitchen. The chef, whose CV includes time at storied Tokyo spots like Sushi Kanesaka and Sushi Saito, was clearly worth waiting for.

Kobayashi’s technical sushi mastery means he’s free to play with the form, eschewing white sushi rice for nutty charcoal rice and blue rice laced with spirulina. Some cuts of fish are grilled over an open flame, while other courses ditch sushi altogether in favour of fresh tempura veggies. The intimate style of service gives the whole team a chance to shine. The chef literally stands behind each dish, ready to answer questions and explain his kitchen philosophy. Also, more meals should end with a drink in a plush record lounge playing Japanese funk. – Kit Kriewaldt, subeditor

The French Exit, Brisbane CBD

Skip dessert at The French Exit at your peril. The latest addition to the Anyday Group portfolio – alongside upstairs bar Le Royale – is home to some of group pastry chef Arthur Carré’s best work. My pick: hazelnut ganache-filled Paris Brest profiteroles served with vanilla ice-cream and warm gianduja sauce. It’s the contrast in temperatures that does it for me. The Anyday Group has become known for creating “transformative experiences” in its venues, and dining here delivers. From escargot and steak frites to the oversized menus, it’s like being transported to a bustling Parisian bistro. Très bien. – Elliot Baker, senior contributor

Venner, West End

It’s been a while since Brisbane had a neo-Nordic restaurant (vale Elska), so Venner’s arrival in the old Gum Bistro space in February was an exciting one. Behind it are Elska alumni George Curtis and James Horsfall, who both own Milquetoast in the CBD, and Jack Stuart of Blume. The Nordic influence is subtle; the focus falls on refined technique and seasonal ingredients, supported by an extensive Aquavit selection and a brilliant wine list. I’m still kicking myself for not making it to its Sunday brunch service yet – something I’ll be fixing very soon. – Elliot Baker, senior contributor