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Food & Wine

Friday, December 01

Iconic Kirra Beach Hotel returns to add a fresh new chapter on southern beaches

Kirra Beach Hotel has been the go-to spot for post-surf feeds and frosty beers since opening in 1957. After a three-year hiatus, the much-loved pub is back, turning the page on an incredible new chapter that sees the entire site transformed into Kirra Point precinct, which will include two distinctly different – yet equally exciting – hospitality destinations. On the street level is where you will find the new-look Kirra Beach Hotel with the soon-to-open Kirra Beach House perched on level one.

New look, new chef, new menu – Gerard’s has reopened in Fortitude Valley

Even in a year filled with exciting new restaurant arrivals, the biggest opening might actually be a reopening. In early November, lauded Levant-inspired restaurant Gerard’s opened its doors after a substantial renovation, showing off an earthy and textural aesthetic rejig alongside a fresh menu masterminded by new executive chef Jimmy Richardson. We took a peek inside the new-look Gerard’s, which is poised to remain one of Brisbane’s most esteemed eateries for a long time to come. Here’s what we saw …

Fiery ēmmē promises to set James Street alight in 2024

Next February, Fortitude Valley’s high street will welcome a brand-new dining concept focusing on woodfired morsels. ēmmē, the brainchild of a rising culinary talent with a flair for improvisation, will be serving an ever-changing menu of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes from a prime site off James Street. It’s shaping up to be one of 2024’s headline openings – here’s what we know …

Tassis Group is moving its signature steak and seafood restaurant Fatcow to James Street

The team behind Rich & Rare, Fosh, Opa Bar + Mezze and Massimo Restaurant & Bar is set to continue its breakneck run of restaurant openings well into 2024. In autumn the crew will reopen its steak- and seafood-centric restaurant Fatcow on James Street, with plans underway to transform part of the old David Jones space into an elevated eatery. Here’s what we know …

Time for Thai as Isle of Capri newcomer is the very definition of good taste

Aromatic and full of flavour, Thai cuisine is undoubtedly the ultimate crowd pleaser. Whether you’re in the mood for a cheeky takeaway massaman curry and spring rolls from the neighbourhood noshery or something a little more elevated for a dine-in experience, Isle of Capri’s brand-new Valyn Thai Restaurant & Bar has you covered with excellent eats, fanciful sips and impeccable vibes. Here’s everything you need to know about the newcomer …

High and mighty: The Star reveals first glimpses of its iconic Sky Deck, open in April

A high-end woodfire-powered grill serving premium dry-aged beef and world-class seafood. A casual all-day diner exuding charm in spades. A buzzy open-air bar boasting some of the best views in The City.

Take a look inside Establishment 203, the new Italian-inspired steak palace from Ben O'Donoghue

Equipped with a Michelin-level cooking suite, premium Queensland-sourced protein from a nationally renowned beef and cattle company, a wine list flush with rare Italian reds, and a seasoned chef at the helm, Establishment 203 is shaping up to be one of the biggest openings of 2023.

Tricks of the trade: Mermaid Beach welcomes $2-million distillery and tasting room

As we edge ever closer to the weekend, a peculiar thing happens. Phones start to buzz with the possibility of plans in their infancy and we begin to daydream about sipping delightfully chilled beverages.

Bird’s Nest fires up the charcoal grill at Portside Wharf

If you’ve been to Portside Wharf recently, you might have heard the distant calls of ‘irasshaimase’ ringing through the air or, perhaps, picked up the scent of skewered morsels sizzling on a binchotan grill. Follow the sounds and smells to their source and you’ll discover Bird’s Nest’s brand-new yakitori bar. The team behind the popular Japanese-inspired eatery fired up its white-charcoal grill last month, not only joining Portside Wharf’s 2023 glow up, but also heralding a period of growth for Bird’s Nest itself.

Masu Izakaya is Burleigh Heads’ best-kept secret

For a restaurant to get a five-star review, everything has to be spot-on in the eyes of the diner. Every single detail, from the fare to the service, the drinks and even the overall vibe must be impeccable. When a restaurant boasts 212 of them, with nothing less than five stars, well, that’s something very special indeed. Nestled next door to Apres Surf along the Gold Coast Highway in Burleigh Heads, Masu Izakaya is undoubtedly the suburb’s best-kept secret. Here’s everything you need to know …

Treats from the streets at Tapri, an Indian street-food specialist from the Old Monk team

One of Brisbane’s most beloved Indian restaurants is swapping chicken tikka masala for crispy kale and palak chaat, vindaloo for vada pav and dal for dosa at its new eatery, Tapri. Specialising in Indian-style street food, this casual spot is showcasing the sheer diversity of the country’s snack scene, serving everything from killer kulcha to sensational samosas.

High and mighty: Fine diner Vertigo serving elevated eats at Brisbane Powerhouse

There’s a new restaurant that has foodies talking. It’s not the food or beverage list that they’re raving about, it’s the setting. It’s a rooftop restaurant, which we love, but one unlike any other in town. Vertigo is Brisbane Powerhouse’s new vertical restaurant, which hangs four storeys above the ground. Guests are harnessing up to dine, first swallowing the heart in their throat before enjoying a three-course feed from Bar Alto with a side of sensational city views. Here’s what you can expect …

Pneuma, a new culinary concept from two top-notch chefs, is opening in the city next month

What do you get when two of Brisbane’s best chefs take over a storied inner-city restaurant space and reshape it according to their combined vision? We’ll find out on Wednesday November 1, when top-flight talents Dan Arnold and Matt Blackwell open Pneuma on George Street. Here’s what we know …

Mermaid Beach’s fine diner Little Truffle reopens after a floor-to-ceiling renovation

Thirteen years is a long time in any industry, but in one as fickle as hospitality, it’s almost unheard of. Little Truffle Dining Room & Bar has been a stalwart on the corner of Gold Coast Highway and Bondi Avenue since opening its now-iconic timber doors in 2010. Now, thirteen years later, the Ridgeways have debuted Little Truffle Dining Room & Bar’s long-awaited renovation. Take a peek inside …

Tassis Group’s new steakhouse Rich & Rare serving wow-worthy wagyu at West Village

The dust has barely settled at the Tassis Group’s newly minted seafood restaurant Fosh and already the team is cutting the ribbon on its fancy new follow-up. Rich & Rare is a 150-seat New York-inspired protein palace that’s serving a stacked menu of searingly good sirloins with classic steakhouse sides, lamb cutlets with smoked eggplant puree and lobster bathing in lemon-butter dressing. We popped in for lunch last week – here’s what we saw …

Burleigh’s beautiful speakeasy La Bella Cellar back with fine dining focus

When La Bella Cellar first opened in 2020, nabbing a seat was quite the challenge – the tiny 26-seater was booked to capacity almost nightly. For the last little while, however, La Bella Cellar’s beautiful timber door remained closed, providing nothing more than a pretty backdrop for photos as people passed by.