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There’s no doubt Brisbane’s hospitality scene has undergone a whirlwind renaissance over the past five years. But the city’s real culinary gems lie beyond the gleaming new hotels, architecturally designed dining precincts, and social-media-friendly menus. The real ones know that Brisbane’s laidback, family-owned, and geographically fringe restaurants shine brightest. From the long-standing community stalwarts to hospitality veterans putting the Sunshine State on the gourmand’s travel map, these are some of the best restaurants in Brisbane. (Bonus: they all deliver!).
Naim Paddington
In a breezy, light-filled space on the corner of Collingwood and Hazelwood Streets in Paddington, Naim’s creatively-minded head chef and co-owner Vince Estacio marries Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours. Whether you’re a meat lover or a vegetarian, you’ll find nothing but hits on the delivery menu. Try the Chicken Shawarma Chowder and za’atar-roasted pumpkin benedict with grilled halloumi and zhug hollandaise (my go-to, every time). And don’t miss the fluffy challah cinnamon rolls to finish.
La Bodega Taqueria
Until recently, Tex-Mex dominated Brisbane’s Mexican scene. But a slew of spots like La Bodega Taqueria in East Brisbane have changed the game. This small but mighty restaurant takes inspiration from the Mexican food trucks of Los Angeles and features thoroughly Aussie ingredients, like Tecate-battered barramundi. Start with blistered padrón peppers and flaky empanadas and then go to town on the vibrant selection of tacos, nachos, burritos, and enchiladas. My usual order: juicy jackfruit tacos flanked by a chargrilled corn and cucumber salad, a side of pineapple salsa, and crispy-shelled, soft-centred churros to finish.
Artie & Mai
The inner-city suburb of Albion is on the rise, with an exciting food scene that’s following suit. The jewel in its crown? Artie & Mai, where classic brunch dishes get a contemporary glow-up. Seven days a week, this well-loved restaurant whips up hearty, flavourful meals available to enjoy at your leisure from home. Of all the enticing eats on the menu, I can’t go past the Feta and Spring Onion Hash Cakes, complete with pickled cabbage, nor the Apple Crumble Waffles with honeycomb. It’s brunch-from-couch bliss.
St James Crab House
As residents of a shore-hugging city on the east coast of Australia, Brisbane dwellers love their seafood. And we’ve gone totally ga-ga over U.S.-born, Louisiana-style Cajun seafood boils. In the kitchen of St James Crab House in Milton — Queensland’s first American-inspired crab house and grill — head chef Anton Agnal prepares dishes packed with sustainably sourced seafood for his adoring diners. Crabs, Moreton Bay bugs (a hat-tip to the restaurant’s locality), lobsters, calamari, and prawns are the heroes here, but you’ll also find hamburgers, fried chicken, beef short ribs, pasta dishes, seafood chowder, and plenty more on the extensive menu. The Seafood Jambalaya with fluffy saffron rice is a hit with delivery regulars.
Mr. Badgers
Soggy sangas, step aside. This deli-style restaurant in Woolloongabba is where Europe meets America. The results? Robust subs, sandwiches, bagels, and great coffee. The all-day menu stars a homemade pork-and-fennel meatball sub with basil, Napoli sauce, and parmesan on a toasted soft roll with a side of potato chips. Then there’s the picnic-perfect reuben with Russian dressing for dipping those crusts, the loaded Philly cheesesteak, and some of the city’s best milkshakes (bold statement, but I stand by it).
Dicki’s
This New Farm stalwart was a pioneer of vegan dining in Brisbane, and continues to set the pace for newcomers. But don’t be fooled by the names of the dishes (as I was, on my first visit). Every item on this menu is definitely meat-free. Case in point: the vibrant Green Eggs plate includes a pesto-tofu scramble with zucchini, rocket, and chilli, plus Turkish bread. A fresh Caesar salad swaps bacon pieces for crispy tempeh. And the kimchi burger, my personal favourite, features a crumbed patty layered with crunchy coleslaw, kimchi, and zippy sriracha mayo.
Curryville Indian Restaurant
If you reside anywhere near the southside of Brisbane, you’ll likely have had someone wax lyrical to you about the legendary curries at Morningside’s Curryville Indian Restaurant. (In fact, it may have been me.) The menu descriptions are worth the order alone. Take the Butter Chicken: “Not my favourite curry - but a very popular curry. Why? I have no idea.” Um, sold! While the smoky, full-bodied vegan eggplant curry is my forever favourite, the Magic of Curryville meal deal is an easy way to sample multiple major players in one sitting. Word to the wise: a few discs of pillowy naan is a non-negotiable side at this top Brisbane restaurant.
Taro’s Ramen
Admittedly, Brisbane’s winter is short-lived and mild — but at the first sign of summer’s end, Taro’s Ramen in Ascot and Greenslopes is on my mind. I’ve taken the liberty of painstakingly sampling many of Brisbane’s self-declared best ramen restaurants (you’re welcome), and Taro’s has come out on top. Rich, cloudy broths made from Bangalow-sourced, sweet pork bone form the base for some of Taro’s most lusted-after bowls. A standout is the Fire Tonkatsu, loaded up with char siu pork, nori, egg, shallots, and chilli in three forms (including the delectable house-made chilli oil). Vegans are well taken care of, and a selection of izakaya snacking favourites round out the meal.
Funny Funny Korean Restaurant
A popular refuge for those seeking a late-night meal in Brisbane’s CBD, Funny Funny Korean Restaurant is home to a wide-ranging selection of reliably comforting staples. And yet, one need not leave the comfort of one’s home to devour a Funny Funny feast. Life-affirming fried chicken and pork, generously portioned rice bowls, soothing soups, slurp-worthy noodles, tender bulgogi, savoury pancakes, steaming hotpots and stews, and virtuous salads are ready at your whim.
Corbett & Claude
Set the table and light those candles (chequered tablecloth optional, but recommended for aesthetic purposes). Then, lift the lid on a pizza box from Corbett & Claude and soak in the aroma of quintessentially Italian flavours, like caramelised garlic, freshly plucked basil, and sharp parmesan. Not your average suburban pizza shop, this chic restaurant in the CBD features favourites like an Italian sausage-topped pizza with fior di latte mozzarella, served up alongside traditional pastas (hello, super-rich bolognese ragu), and classic desserts (like housemade cannoli and classic tiramisu) worth saving room for.
Banana Leaf Thai
If you’ve ever marvelled at the continuous crowds that linger around Banana Leaf Thai in East Brisbane and Camp Hill, one inhalation of the heady scents that emerge from its kitchen should clear up any confusion. Feasting on the creamy red Panang curry, prawn-packed tom yum, and pineapple-laced duck curry with coconut rice is the metaphorical equivalent to strolling through vibrant Bangkok. Only, from your couch. Don’t miss the sweet sticky rice with a soft banana filling, wrapped in the restaurant’s namesake leaf.
Four Sisters on Lang
Still wondering where to eat in Brisbane? Inside this bustling restaurant on Lang Parade in Milton, four passionate, food-loving sisters recreate their mother’s Vietnamese recipes. For the Brisbanites, she’s Mummy Chao to you, okay? Bun noodle bowls flavoured with fresh lemongrass, steaming pho with tangles of rice noodles, bánh mì sandwiches filled with sliced pork belly, freshly wrapped gỏi cuốn rolls, and top-notch Vietnamese coffees with condensed milk fuel the deskbound lunch crowd on weekdays.
Grown
Incorporating native Australian ingredients, locally grown produce, and Brisbane-roasted coffee from St. Ali, the team at Grown in West End excels at the art of day-time dining. Throughout its feel-good food offerings, Sunshine State-sourced ingredients shine on the plate. Think: plump Noosa tomatoes, nitrate-free bacon from Gympie, smoked local honey, and Queensland pumpkins. The siren song that continues to lure me back to Grown is the Atherton Smashed Avocado plate, featuring avo on sourdough, a saltbush potato hash, bush tomato relish, desert lime gel, myrtle dukkah, and a sweet-sour orange poppy glaze.
Mirchh Masala
If you’ve ever noticed the signage featuring a giant red chilli wearing a chef hat and a wide smile that’s emblazoned on a building on the corner of Logan and Lotus Roads in Woolloongabba, you’ll have likely taken in the grand size of Mirchh Masala and its adjoined Indian grocery store. While Indian food is an ever-popular takeaway choice here in Brisbane, the menu at Mirchh Masala is unique among its peers. This all-vegetarian, street-food-style Indian restaurant offers a bevy of traditional dishes — like thali platters, crispy dosa, pav bhaji (with a buttery bread roll), pani puri, and all the curries — married with a selection of delightfully inventive meals. The Mirchh Masala Special Grilled Sandwich changed the way I think about sandwiches; made with melty cheese, a bright-green chutney, and a blend of Indian spices. Hot tip: wash down your order with a Masala Coke, a full strength cola mixed with Indian tea spices.
Frankie’s Smokehouse
Frankie’s parents need to tell it to stop showing off, because this Texan-barbecue-style restaurant is constantly the centre of attention. And, it sure knows how to draw a crowd. It took one whiff of the smoky aroma emerging from the 8.5-metre-long smoker affectionately known as “Frankenstein,” and I had no further questions about why this Woolloongabba restaurant is a go-to for delivery. The two-person platter is an on-the-couch-date-night favourite, presenting smoked brisket, cheesy sausage, coleslaw, pickles, barbecue sauce, bread rolls, and fries. A smokin’ hot meal.
Baalbek Taste of Lebanon
Family-run, affordable, and casual Lebanese restaurants are few and far between in Brisbane, which makes Slack Creek’s Baalbek Taste of Lebanon all the more essential. Never not full of people waiting to collect an order of charcoal chicken, this unfussy joint is one you’ll want to visit regularly — especially for the mixed mezze and vegetarian plate. The styrofoam container arrives packed with creamy hummus, smoky baba ganoush, some of the crispiest falafel I’ve encountered, spinach pies, slow-cooked green beans and tomatoes, deeply seasoned onion-and-lentil mujadara rice, rich moussaka, Lebanese pickles, flatbread, and salad. (Did I mention it’s great value? You’ll be eating this platter for days.)
Mr Chester Wine Bar & Bistro
Bring an artfully presented, dinner-party-worthy menu to your kitchen table from Fortitude Valley’s Mr Chester Wine Bar & Bistro. A celebration of Australian wine and produce, Mr Chester showcases starters that include hand-picked antipasti, cheeses, and fresh bread served with smoked mortadella, stracciatella, and pistachios. Its Italian-influenced mains bring the likes of slow-cooked duck ragu on tender pappardelle pasta and truffle-cream-swathed tartufata pizza to your dining room table. Order a bottle of the bar’s effervescent Mr Chester Semillon Pet Nat, made in Stanthorpe, to sip on at home.
Fat Dumpling
Inside this packed hole in the wall located smack-bang in the heart of Fortitude Valley, generously stuffed dumplings are made fresh, by hand, every day by the Wang family. Having craved authentic dumplings made in Northern Chinese style, David Wang decided to open his own restaurant, sharing his family’s traditional and special-occasion recipes. Better still, there’s more than delicious steamed, poached, and pan-fried dumplings, as well as dim sim, on offer. Pick your way through sweet, soy-braised pork belly, warming noodle soups, prawn fried rice, a full-bodied house curry, and plenty of smaller snacking plates.
Hajime Japanese Restaurant
Over the past few years, Wynnum has undergone a transformation. The seaside town has welcomed the arrival of sophisticated wine stores, refined bars, sourdough slingers, pizza pros, and top-notch coffee shops. Among its new arrivals is Hajime Japanese Restaurant, which has quickly become a favoured dining destination and takeaway choice for baysiders. Expect a throng of impressive hits, like sizzling yaki udon, wagyu beef tataki, sushi, and so much more. The deluxe bento makes light work of decision making with its delicious tempura prawn and accoutrements, and, for something lighter, locals lust after the Aburi Salmon Scallop. Yet another great place to eat in Brisbane!
Trang Restaurant West End
On a corner of Hardgrave Road, one of West End’s longest-standing and best-loved restaurants continues to delight Brisbanites. Trang Restaurant serves Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Chinese dishes, and is best known for its laksas, congee, pho, and old-school Chinese-Australian takeaway favourites (we’re looking at you, sweet-and-sour pork). As a teen, I frequented this establishment for the deep-fried tofu dipped in Trang’s Special Sauce — which, to this day, remains both a sweet-savoury mystery recipe and very special to me — with a side of garlicky greens and a tall glass of sweet, homemade iced tea.
