13 Best Restaurants in Brisbane, Queensland

An exciting addition to Brisbane's dining scene, this modern Chinese restaurant offers delicious, fresh food and a wonderful wine list amid the grandeur of a renovated 1920s bank. Beneath soaring ceilings and chandeliers, choose from a menu that includes traditional favorites (with a focus on spice) and more adventurous combinations like Moreton Bay bugs with salted duck egg and fermented chili.

Beloved Brisbane institution e'cco serves innovative fare to a loyal following in a relaxed setting. The menu consists of seasonally changing Mediterranean- and Asian-inspired Mod Oz dishes, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. For a bit of everything, order the excellent tasting menu; it showcases five dishes (A$89) and can be paired with top Australian wines by the restaurant’s sommelier (A$169).

Specializing in "vera cucina Romana" (real Roman food), this award-winning Italian restaurant in Woollangabba's antique quarter is well worth crossing the Brisbane River for. The menu favors simplicity over complexity: elegant starters like lightly fried zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and anchovies, freshly made pasta or fish of the day for main, tiramisu or panna cotta for dessert. The setting is romantic and old-worldy, and the wine list is, as you would expect, extensive with an emphasis on Italian varieties.

Hidden away in Burnett Lane just off Queen Street, Felix for Goodness has dished up delectable made-from-scratch breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and cakes (with an emphasis on organic) since 2014. In terms of decor, think exposed brick and concrete, natural light, and clean lines. The grazing boxes are ideal to take away on a day out, and the coffee is decent, too.

Ideally positioned for a quick pre- or posttheater dinner, this always-busy pizzeria combines breezy yet attentive service with low-fuss dining—and delicious Italian food. Pizzas feature crisp wood-fired bases, with a variety of Rosse (tomato sauce–based) and Bianche (without sauce) toppings that follow the less-is-more approach. Or if you'd prefer, there is a selection of freshly made pasta dishes and a risotto of the day. The wine list features both Italian and Australian options.

Tucked away in a semi-industrial area in inner-city Woolloongabba, Banneton is home to some of Brisbane’s tastiest bread and pastries. For those with savory taste buds, there are pies and quiches, as well as a range of filled baguettes and croissants, all made in-house. The pastries are soft and flaky, with everything from croissants to apple galettes stuffed with pastry cream and half an apple.

With its prime riverfront location at Eagle Street Pier, overlooking the Story Bridge, floor-to-ceiling windows, and designer interiors inspired by The Great Gatsby, Blackbird is a great place for a special night out. With a focus on sustainable local produce, menu highlights include sumptuous shellfish platters, as well as a choice of seven varieties of steak, suckling pig, and local fish cooked to perfection on an open wood-fired grill. All matched with an award-winning wine list.

Perched on the wharf at Breakfast Creek, this iconic, Heritage-listed hotel is renowned for its breezy tropical beer garden and superb trademark steaks. Non-steak eaters also have plenty of options, including vegetarian dishes, salads, and fresh seafood.

Decked out in traditional woven kilims and Mediterranean lanterns, this Turkish restaurant is a treat for the senses, with its rich, generously portioned servings of contemporary Middle Eastern fare served among cozy nooks of candlelit tables and breezy views over West End.

Named after its previous life as an actual gun shop, this trendy West End café is the place to go for breakfast and brunch on weekends. Unfinished brick walls where guns once hung set the stage for an eclectic menu, coffee, and spicy chai tea with honey from the café's own rooftop bees. Dine around wooden tables near the open kitchen or request a seat out on the sidewalk to people-watch. Breakfast and lunch menus fuse Mediterranean and Asian flavors. Sister café in Toowong now open.

With its minimal decor and open-air fairy-lit deck, this bustling little wine bar and eatery in Fortitude Valley is not your average Chinese restaurant. Locals and foodies alike flock to experience its delicious, regional Chinese fare. Most mains fall under the A$25 mark, and draught beers are under A$10. Wines from a curated list of boutique Australian makers start at A$58 a bottle. Munch on dishes like the mouthwatering salt and pepper quail eggs and the perfectly crisp crispy-skinned chicken for lunch or dinner.

Housed inside the historic, Heritage-listed St. Luke's Cathedral, this elegant 24-hour pancake parlor is a Brisbane institution. Guests can take a seat in one of the Manor's converted church pew booths and chow down on a tempting menu of snacks, breakfasts, salads, steaks, and sweets beneath the building's grand redbrick arches. The bar downstairs has an all-day drinks menu of local and imported beers and wines; with its swift, attentive service, this is the place to venture when jet lag kicks in.