Where to Sip Brisbane’s Best Cocktails in 2020
New Year, new you right? Fortunately, we are still early into 2020 and have plenty of time to live our best lives, cut out toxicity and try new things! Why not add an extra splash of fun into your life while you tackle all three new year resolutions by exploring Brisbane’s vibrant cocktail scene.
This past year, we’ve seen plenty of incredible new bars and new restaurants popping up across Brisbane and are ready to dive right into the exceptional cocktail offerings being served by some of the city’s best. We’ve created the ultimate hit list for 2020, identifying not bars with a great atmosphere but also with a noteworthy cocktail list. So prepare yourself for the best cocktails in Brisbane!
Brisbane’s Most Exotic Cocktails:
ZA ZA TA Bar and Kitchen is a place where worlds collide and cultures fuse together into a beautiful, soulful blend of flavour. They launched their summer cocktail menu with a bang, featuring some pretty exotic concoctions like the Za Meets Adom. This adventurous cocktail, made with feta-washed mezcal, beetroot juice, citric acid, honey walnut syrup, black walnut bitter and edible flowers, is absolutely a flavour combination you’ve never experienced before! Rumour on the street is that they’re whipping up some exotic, spice-filled aphrodisiacs for Valentine’s Day! This is by far one of the best cocktail bars in Fortitude Valley.
ZA ZA TA’s latest exotic concoction, the Za Meets Adom, is made with feta-washed mezcal!
Brisbane’s Best Rooftop Cocktails:
Eleven Rooftop Bar has made quite a name for itself in Brisbane for serving up shared plates and playful cocktails with a gorgeous, open-air view of Fortitude Valley and Brisbane’s sprawling cityscape. Nothing says summer like sipping a few refreshingly fruity drinks on a rooftop, which is why Eleven has expanded their already-impressive cocktail list to include DIY Negroni, Martini and Old Fashioned menus where you can craft every last detail of your stiff drink. We’re still swooning over Eve’s Disgrace, a Beefeater 24 Gin cocktail made with blood orange Cointreau, lemon, grapefruit and cranberry. You’ll definitely want to savour the last sips of summer at one of the best bars in Brisbane.
Heighten your cocktail experience at Eleven Rooftop Bar!
The Best Pub in Brisbane:
The Gresham offers a truly charming historical experience, serving up an award-winning drinking experience and a plethora of whiskies in Queensland’s only heritage-listed pub. But have no fear that the Gresham is technically a pub, we promise their cocktail menu will wet your whistle! They’re known for their enormous array of American whiskies, so don’t shy away from any of their whisky-based cocktails! If you’re feeling bold, check out their Spinning Wheel, a Gresham favourite, which is made with Rittenhouse rye whisky, Martel VSOP cognac, toffee syrup, bitters and smoke. The Gresham is truly known for having some of the best cocktails in Brisbane because of their immense spirit collection.
The Gresham takes pub cocktails to a whole new level!
Brisbane’s Best Secret Bar:
Bean is one of Brisbane’s best kept cocktail secrets. Nestled down an graffiti-filled alleyway right in the middle of the city centre, Bean awaits those looking for a bustling, art-filled bar with craft brews, small batch wine and a great cocktail list! The Bean team is immensely passionate about their craft, carefully training their baristas and bartenders to celebrate artisanal ingredients! Not sure where to start? Enjoy the best of both worlds with their brilliant Espresso Martini. They’re switching up their cocktails and the art exhibitions frequently, so be sure to pop by a few times! They are small yet mighty, offering up some of the best cheap cocktails in Brisbane!
Bean is always stirring up unique cocktails for fun holidays and occasions. This “Persephone’s Poison” was created just for Halloween, featuring Fireball, Pama Pomegranate and white chocolate liquor.
The Best Group Drinks in Brisbane
Mr and Mrs G Riverside is another Brisbane tapas and cocktail bar that cannot be missed. Created by the well-established Marcia and Andy Georges, who have founded many iconic restaurants across the city, this Eagle Street Pier bar is filled with colourful, Mediterranean décor, gorgeous waterfront views and a drinks list that will transport you and your tastebuds to a dreamy Spanish beach! We love this spot for their shared cocktails, offering up the perfect Sangrias to help you celebrate summer with your friends. Next time you visit, try the Red Sangria, which is stirred with red wine, Pimms, apricot brandy, Cointreau, oranges, lemons and limes! There’s a clear reason why Mr and Mrs G Riverside regularly makes the list for best bars in Brisbane.
Sip on refreshing summer cocktails with your friends with a great view of the river!
Whether it be exploring a hidden, underground café bar or taste-testing an exotic Arabian-inspired cocktail that you’ve never experienced before, Brisbane is filled with some of the best bars in Australia. Why not make it a quest to explore them all- we promise there are enough incredible cocktails in Brisbane to keep you busy for years!