Where to Wine & Dine in Brisbane: Top Picks for 2024
Brisbane’s dining scene is ever-evolving, with something for every taste and occasion. Whether a romantic night out, a casual catch-up with friends or when a celebration is in order, this refreshed guide to 2024’s top Brisbane restaurants will ensure an unforgettable dining experience.
Brisbane Fine Dining Experiences
Agnes
A Fortitude Valley institution—Agnes is a true celebration of wood-fired cooking. Here, everything goes into the fire. No electricity or gas. Spread over three levels, Agnes comprises a main dining room, wine bar, and terrace with an open kitchen displaying charcoal pits and a wood-fired oven.
Under the helm of Executive Chef Ben Williamson, Agnes is inspired by creative wood-fire techniques, utilising various wood types. The seasonal menu blends casual and fine dining with a focus on seasonal vegetables, top-quality meat, seafood and poultry. Agnes also boasts an impressive wine list and meticulously crafted cocktails that complement the rich flavours of their wood fire dishes.
Location: 22 Agnes Street, Fortitude Valley
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/agnes.restaurant/
Restaurant Dan Arnold
Dine at Restaurant Dan Arnold for one of Brisbane’s most lauded dining experiences. With a Michelin-star pedigree and kitchen-led menu that changes on the regular, you’ll be in for a real treat worthy of a splurge. This Brisbane restaurant offers a unique dining experience with 3, 5 and 8-course tasting menus crafted from local farm and small producer ingredients.
Blending modern Australian cuisine with French techniques, Restaurant Dan Arnold is a stand-out spot with a list of accolades confirming its prominent role in Brisbane’s dining scene.
Location: 10/959 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantdanarnold/
Exhibition
Located deep within Brisbane’s Metro Arts Theatre, Exhibition is an intimate 24-seat restaurant offering a unique multi-sensory dining experience. Continuing the legacy of live theatrical displays, Exhibition’s menu—inspired by Japanese style Omakase—sees amazing ingredients used in unexpected ways.
Guests can expect a one-of-a-kind experience with custom-made cutlery, ceramics from local and Japanese artists, and innovative culinary techniques. Head chef Tim Scott and his team serve evolving dishes using top local and Australian produce, featuring premium seafood and meat with an aromatic hint of charcoal smoke.
Location: 109 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/exhibitionrestaurant/
Rogue Bistro
At Rogue Bistro, dining is a constantly evolving experience. Their five-course Dego Menu changes monthly, featuring simple, seasonal ingredients crafted into beautifully precise dishes. You might find yourself enjoying creations like pan-seared Hokkaido scallops or Brisbane Valley quail, each highlighting the best local produce with a modern twist.
Located in a semi-industrial area, Rogue Bistro is a hidden gem among Brisbane’s culinary scene. The restaurant offers a warm and intimate setting, where every meal is a new discovery, and the menu constantly adapts based on the availability of fresh, local ingredients.
Location: 14 Austin St, Newstead
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/roguebistro/
Unique Brisbane Dining Experiences
Southside Restaurant
Located beneath the train bridges of South Brisbane, Southside is an urban oasis. This three-tier restaurant on bustling Fish Lane is known for its delicious East Asian cuisine, marrying traditional Chinese food with a selection of fine wines from around the world, including the top Australian producers. Take your pick of tasty dim sum, aromatic noodle dishes, sizzling wagyu and old Beijing-style sweet and sour pork belly.
Dine in a lush, jungle-style setting, with leafy greenery spilling from every corner, soft lighting, and a chic, modern aesthetic. Whether you’re gathering with friends or enjoying a cosy date night, this Brisbane restaurant offers the perfect blend of Eastern flavours and a relaxing, tropical vibe that feels like a true escape.
Location: 63 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/southside_restaurant/
Greca Restaurant & Bar
Tucked under Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge, on the heritage-listed Howard Smith Wharves, is a contemporary Greek dining experience by Jonathan Barthelmess. At Greca, you’ll find real Mediterranean flavours and honest-to-goodness hospitality.
The menu celebrates the simplicity of fresh local produce from both land and sea, capturing the Mediterranean passion for sharing food and lively conversation around the dinner table. Think saganaki drizzled with honey, wild weed and feta pie, eggplant moussaka and oven-baked lamb shoulder, among other Southern European favourites. Be it casual or special, cocktails or dinner, Greca provides a relaxed yet refined atmosphere in a prime waterfront setting in Brisbane.
Location: 5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/grecarestaurant/
ZA TA TA
Savour the vibrant fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours at ZA ZA TA , where every dish is made to be shared. Recognised as one of Queensland’s best vegetarian restaurants, this Fortitude Valley spot is all about bold, plant-based creations from halloumi doughnuts and BBQ cauliflower shawarma to coal-roasted mushroom shish and silverbeet and feta borek.
Set in a warm, eclectic space designed by renowned interior designers Luchetti Krelle, ZA ZA TA blends contemporary colonial style with Tel Aviv-inspired vibes. Pair your meal with artisanal cocktails, and enjoy a Brisbane dining experience that’s all about fresh, local produce, ethical choices, and, most importantly, good times with friends. It’s a feast for the senses from day to night.
Location: 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
BAJA – MODERN MEXICO
Step into Baja in Fortitude Valley and relax in a space that feels like escaping on a foreign getaway. Get ready for SoCal-inspired Mexican flavours with plenty of rare spices, locally sourced ingredients, perfectly grilled prime cuts, and fresh seafood, best enjoyed with a spicy mezcal margarita in hand.
Discover a Mexican dining experience with a local twist with mushroom fritter tostaditas, honey and chilli-topped stracciatella and fried battered market reef fish tacos with a chipotle crema slaw. Add a squeeze of lime, and enter into a world of flavour and colour.
Location: 211 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/bajabrisbane/
Hidden Gems
Kazba
Escape the ordinary and dive into the exotic at Kazba, a secret spot in Fortitude Valley that serves casual Middle Eastern food with a selection of artisan cocktails. Dine with friends and family, sharing delicious mezze plates infused with Arabic spices and flavours, from old-school hummus, salt and Aleppo pepper crispy tofu, sesame falafel and fresh, stone-baked pitas filled tahini, tabouli, and a choice of charcoal-grilled lamb, chicken, beef or cauliflower.
Have the ultimate celebration in Kazba’s Harem and Library, two event spaces filled with Mediterranean and Persian touches. For social gatherings, gather up to 20 friends for a Mezze Plate at $35 per person, with an additional two hours of flowing drinks added for $37 per person. For larger events, contact Ovolo the Valley to create the perfect celebration in Brisbane.
Location: 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Hervé’s Restaurant & Bar
Hervé’s Restaurant & Bar is a culinary collaboration between local visionaries David Lyons and David Fraser, along with French-born sommelier Hervé Dudognon. Drawing inspiration from France, Hervé’s focuses on showcasing the best local produce while delivering an elevated dining experience.
Located in a former timber mill in the Craft’d Grounds precinct, Hervé’s exudes warmth and intimacy with its rich timber accents, terrazzo finishes, and cosy, inviting atmosphere. The menu brings together classic French sophistication and Queensland’s fresh ingredients, featuring dishes like sweet potato beignets, crab soufflé, hand-cut steak tartare, and confit duck leg. Whether a local or just passing through, Hervé’s is your go-to Brisbane restaurant for artisanal French cuisine.
Location: Level 1, Craft’d Grounds – 31-37 Collingwood Street, Albion
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/herves.brisbane/
Donna Chang
Head to George Street, where a former heritage-listed bank has transformed into Donna Chang, a sophisticated restaurant featuring ornate ceilings, marble tables, and dazzling chandeliers. Here, you’ll experience authentic Cantonese cuisine, Sichuan flavours, and the freshest local ingredients, with dishes like handcrafted dumplings, crispy roasted pork belly, Tasmanian rock lobster, and classic Chinese duck with plum sauce.
Nestled in the heart of the CBD, this Brisbane restaurant offers a refined atmosphere, making it the perfect spot for a special evening or a unique dining experience.
Location: 3/171 George Street, Brisbane CBD
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/_donnachang/
From fine dining restaurants to casual eateries and hidden gems, Brisbane’s culinary scene in 2024 is set to impress with an abundance of options. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, these top picks promise unforgettable dining experiences with mouth-watering dishes. Reserve your spot at the best restaurants in Brisbane and dive into all the vibrant flavours of the city.