Foodies' Guide to Brisbane

From Eagle Street Pier to South Bank and James Street to Paddington, Brisbane bustles with restaurants, gastro pubs, bars, cafes, ethnic eateries, and markets.

In recognition and celebration of the city's dining scene, we've pulled together a weekend guide to food in Brisbane.

Friday

Dinner: Upon arriving in Brisbane hot tail it to Fortitude Valley’s infamous party hub, Brunswick Street; where – two blocks north of the mall, on the corner of Berwick Street – dumpling and beer house, Harajuku Gyoza greets guests with a loud “Moshi moshi”. Generally distinguished by its corner-curving line, the Japanese izakaya is renowned for serving some of the best gyoza in Brisbane, amid a theatrical atmosphere. 

• Eat: Pork or Duck Gyoza, Chicken Karaage and banana/Nutella Gyoza with vanilla ice cream
• Drink: Kirin beer or sake (be prepared to be yelled at upon ordering)
• Tip: Get there early to avoid a long queue. Visit on someone’s birthday for a song and dance. Don’t leave without checking out the toilets.

Saturday

Breakfast: Brisbane brims with things to see and do and culture to soak in, so start off the day with fuelling breakfast and coffee at Hendra’s Dandelion and Driftwood (D&D). Despite offering a small menu, breakfast is served to 2pm, and the brew is touted by many to be amongst the best in the River City. Styled with quaint furnishings and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s easy to get swallowed up by the tearoom’s charm.

• Eat: Brekkie tart or a Reuben toasted sandwich (corned silverside, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing).
• Drink: Coffee! D&D’s brews constantly win awards, and their baristas are at the top of their game.
• Tip: Grab a piece of banana and blueberry bread to take away.

Snack: Moving towards the city centre, swing by the colourful and bustling Jan Power Farmers’ Markets at New Farm’s iconic Powerhouse. Home to all things organic and interesting, such as fresh farm produce, breads, artisan products and meats, sold with feel-good, grass-roots conscious, the Markets are a must visit for food lovers. Floating between four locations, Jan Power Farmers’ Markets frequent the Powerhouse on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.

Lunch: Alfred and Constance (pictured) – or as locals call it A&C – was hyped as summer’s most anticipated venue. On the fringes of Fortitude Valley, removed for the hustle and bustle of the mall, the gastro-pub has lived up to the hype, perfectly catering for Brisbane’s trendy and in-the-know  with open air spaces, delicious share meat platters and cocktails by the jug. A multi-faceted venue, featuring a beer garden, tiki bar, bunker and lodge, Alfred and Constance heaves with patrons from lunch through to late night drinks, from Tuesday to Sunday.  

• Eat: Dine with friends and share platters of wood and charcoal fired pork and rib fillet.
• Drink: Pimm’s and lemonade cocktail jug, or one the Tiki bar’s signature cocktails
• Tip: Dine with 15 or more and order the Meat Feast – orders must be placed with 24 hours notice

Dinner: Enjoy wide-sweeping views of Brisbane River, the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point, while dining amid the warm and elegant surrounds of ARIA Restaurant. Located on Eagle Street Pier, ARIA is a 2-hat restaurant owned and operated by celebrity chef Matt Moran. Serving innovative and contemporary dishes (made from fresh local produce) and an extensive wine list, ARIA’s service staff are among the best in Queensland, if not Australia.   

• Eat: Seven course seasonal tasting menu, paired with matching wines
• Drink: Choose from one of ARIA's 550 plus wines
• Tip: Book in advance

Sunday

Brunch: Positioned on Teneriffe’s Florence St, up a set of stairs veiled with potted herbs, grocery-store-come-deli, Sourced Grocer offers the perfect location for Sunday brunch. Jars of pickles, pastes and oils line the shelves. Cheeses and meats fill the cold room. Fresh fruit and vegetables spill from boxes. While patrons take a seat wherever they can find one – on milk crates, windowsills and stairs – to savour seasonal local and organic produce, sourced directly from the grower.  

• Eat: Smashed avocado and labneh on sourdough or the Breakfast Trifle (muesli, poached fruit and Barambah yoghurt) 
• Drink: A shot of espresso
• Tip: The owners are from Northern NSW and rave about the Bangalow ham – buy some to take home. 

Lunch: Renowned as one of Australia’s most iconic pubs, the Breakfast Creek Hotel serves up arguably the best steak in town. The recently refurbishment Brisbane institution, famously cooks aged rib fillet, rib on the bone and wagyu steak to locals’ satisfaction, seven days a week, from lunch till close. Cloaked in historical splendour with a relaxed, subtropical ambience the hotel’s outdoor dining room is an ideal place to while away a casual Sunday. 

• Eat: Rib eye on the bone or wagyu striploin
• Drink: Brekky Creek is famous for being one of the few pubs in Australia to serve beer off the wood
• Tip: Visit during a major sporting event to witness true Queensland spirit

Dinner: A firm favourite among locals, Beccofino’s draws foodies away from the city centre, to the largely residential suburb of Teneriffe. Simple yet stylish, with a dark candlelit interior, the pizzeria/wine bar serves up authentic Neapolitan thin-crust pizzas and mouth-watering Northern Italian-influenced antipasti, pastas, risottos and meats. The service is swift and unobtrusive and the ambience is perfect from a relaxed Sunday night out. 

• Eat: Pappardelle al Ragu d’Anatra (duck ragu), or Salsiccie Pizze Rosse (pork sausage pizza)
• Drink: An Italian wine
• Tip: They have a no booking policy, leave your name and have a wine at the bar before being seated

Taste the Flavours of Brisbane

• Virgin Australia operates flights to Brisbane, direct from all Australian and New Zealand capital cities, and most regional centres, as well as South Pacific capital cities, Los Angeles, Bali and Papua New Guinea.
• Our holiday partner, Virgin Australia Holidays offers a range of great Brisbane holiday packages.