Finishing strong: Brisbane’s biggest openings still to come in 2026 and beyond

Pici Restaurant & Bar, New Farm
After a decade leading the kitchen at OTTO Brisbane, acclaimed chef Will Cowper is embarking on a new venture with the opening of Pici this spring. Taking over the former Gerties Bar and Restaurant site on Brunswick Street in New Farm, the intimate neighbourhood Italian restaurant and bar will focus on handmade pasta, woodfire cooking and seasonal Queensland produce, reflecting a more personal and approachable style of dining. Will is partnering with his wife Gianna and local operators Andrew and Andrea Solomon to bring the concept to life, with Alkot Studio and Patricia Redmond Architects engaged to work on the restaurant’s interior and exterior look. Designed with warm timber, marble and burgundy tones, Pici will feature a 30-seat bar space, a 60-seat dining room, pasta-heavy menus centred around signature pici, woodfire-grilled seafood and meats, and a straightforward drinks list of classic cocktails and accessible Italian wines. Be sure to read our full scoop here.

NOMAD Brisbane, Fortitude Valley
NOMAD is heading north, with edition Group set to bring its acclaimed Sydney and Melbourne restaurant to Brisbane’s James Street later this year. The hospitality heavyweight has taken over the former Gerard’s space, marking its first foray into the Queensland market. Known for produce-driven cooking shaped by flame, smoke and the flavours of Spain, Morocco and the Middle East, NOMAD Brisbane will put its own spin on the established concept, with Queensland produce – particularly seafood – set to anchor a menu of lighter dishes and big flavours (NOMAD signatures including its woodfired spatchcock and ice-cream sandwich are set to make the journey north). The Gerard’s interiors will be reshaped by J.AR Office, retaining the distinctive rammed-earth walls while opening up the floor plan. The opening date is yet to be revealed, but locals can register their interest and join the booking waitlist via the restaurant’s website.

Nitō, South Brisbane
After establishing Clarence as one of Brisbane’s best restaurants, chefs Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann are expanding their Fish Lane footprint with Nitō, a 70-seat Japanese-inspired grill set to open on Wednesday November 4. Drawing on Ben’s experience in Japanese kitchens, the restaurant will combine Japanese ingredients and techniques with locally sourced produce, offering raw seafood, snacks, small plates and large-format dishes cooked over charcoal, alongside claypot rice. Set beneath a car ramp in Stockwell’s 51 Fish building, Nitō will embrace the site’s lack of natural light with a dark, moody and grungy interior, creating a louder, punchier counterpoint to Clarence’s restrained aesthetic. The beverage program will feature sake, highballs, cocktails, Australian and Japanese wines and champagne, with the team aiming to create a Japanese restaurant that feels distinctly relevant to Brisbane. Click here for more details.

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Sofia, Red Hill
Sofia, a new restaurant and wine bar from MasterChef alum Alana Lowes and chef Jack Stuart (Blume, Venner), is set to open in Red Hill this spring. The pair will be bringing an elevated yet approachable dining experience to the neighbourhood, transforming the former Olivetto’s site on Enoggera Terrace into a warm, wine-led local designed for everything from a glass and a bowl of pasta before the movies to a more serious meal. Jack and Alana will shape a modern European menu with recently appointed head chef Ryan Carlson (formerly of Agnes), favouring timeless, produce-driven cooking over passing trends, with some Stuart signatures – including his famed pig’s head sanga – potentially making a comeback. The wine list will span Australian and international drops, with a strong focus on female winemakers, while the cocktail offering will lean classic and the kitchen’s surplus produce will find new life in seasonal non-alcoholic drinks. Inside, expect a sophisticated but unbuttoned wine-bar aesthetic of tiled surfaces, banquettes, deep burgundies and terracottas. Read more here.

Chará, Bulimba
Soon, All The Good Things Group (La Bodega, OLLI Italiano) will open Chará in Bulimba, a Greek-inspired restaurant shaped by fond childhood memories spent holidaying across the Cyclades. Housed on Oxford Street (in the same hub as Darvella Patisserie and Melrose), Chará takes its name from the Greek word for “joy”, with the team promising an easygoing space filled with good food, warm hospitality and the kind of long, sun-drenched lunches that make you feel as though you’ve been whisked away to the Greek Islands. Think breads and dips, seafood and wood-fired meats, alongside Greek wines, beers, colourful cocktails and spritzes, all served across a bright, textural interior and a breezy courtyard made for ferry arrivals, lingering meals and catching up with friends. Click here for the full scoop.

Dimmi, Ascot
Racecourse Road is set to be the site of some exciting culinary activity over the next few months. Joining the storied strip this November will be Dimmi – a new Italian-inspired restaurant where conversation and connection will be fuelled by charcoal-grilled cuisine, handmade pasta and a curated cocktail selection. Taking shape at the base of The Windermere, Dimmi is the brainchild of business partners Will Cooke and Kamile Vingeviciute, who will be working with head chef Niccolo Sordi to showcase top-notch Australian produce through a creative lens grounded in Italian culinary traditions. The offering will include belly-warming fried lasagne bites, raviolo with braised beef and celeriac, cotoletta alla bolognese and mains kissed by fire from the charcoal grill. There’ll also be riffs on classic Italian cocktails and plenty of wine. Spearheading Dimmi’s mid-century Italian-inspired aesthetic is Alkot Studio, with construction handled by Beyond Projects in conjunction with Callum McGregor. Read all about Dimmi here.

QUIVR Sound Room, Fortitude Valley
One of The Valley’s best music collectives has announced an exciting expansion. QUIVR is making room for its next chapter with the Sound Room, a 170-capacity, sound-first addition to its Winn Lane home where club culture meets wine-bar sophistication. Set to open in early September, the new space (equipped with a custom sound system and flexible performance space) will combine hi-fi listening, electronic sets and live music with wine, cocktails and small plates. Designed as a place for Brisbane’s music community to listen, linger and explore, Sound Room will also give QUIVR the room to welcome bigger local, interstate and international acts while continuing to champion the emerging talent and queer community at its core. Get the full scoop here.

Ballers Clubhouse, Fortitude Valley
If you’ve been wondering what is happening inside the old King of King’s site on Wickham Terrace, here’s the scoop. In February, the venue will be reborn as Ballers Clubhouse, a two-level entertainment venue from the crew behind Pawn & Co. Combining high-tech games with food and drink, Ballers Clubhouse is promising to be the perfect venue for group outings and events. Games will include the likes of darts, ping pong and shuffleboard (all powered by Good Times Tech technology), while Posh Nosh Kitchen will dispense a menu of food and gameified cocktails. The venue will also house a karaoke space and a private penthouse level for private functions and corporate takeovers. Ballers Clubhouse has been designed by Space Cubed, with the fit-out effort spearheaded by Lowry Group. Click here to read more about Ballers Clubhouse.

PALMA, Woolloongabba
The Talisman Group, the team behind Sasso Italiano and South City Wine, is entering the cafe space with PALMA, a bright all-day eatery set to open in February at South City Square in Woolloongabba. Located at the base of the Hillyard House tower, PALMA will feature a light-filled, laneway-style setting with retractable walls offering sweeping views over the Secret Garden, creating a relaxed, open-air atmosphere. Open daily from 6:30 am to 4:00 pm, the venue will serve acai bowls, croissants and brunch favourites in the morning, followed by burgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta for lunch, alongside St Remio coffee and a curated selection of beer and wine. Get more info here.

Norman Northside, Enoggera
Northsiders, get ready – Brisbane’s iconic Norman Hotel is heading your way. Norman Northside – a striking three-storey Spanish-inspired pub – is now officially under construction at the corner of Wardell Street and Samford Road. Set to open in late 2026, the Enoggera newcomer will offer everything fans love about the Woolloongabba original, from premium flame-kissed steaks and in-house butchers to the legendary 1-kg challenge. While beef remains the undisputed star of the show, the menu will also feature a refined line-up of pub classics and non-steak favourites, complemented by local craft brews, a sharp cocktail list and a wine program that’s heavy on bold Australian reds. The 400-seat venue will house multiple private-dining rooms and a rooftop beer garden built for long, lazy afternoons. Norman Northside will continue the sense of community that has defined the steak-slinging institution since 1889 – offering space for cooking classes, casual catch-ups and milestone celebrations. With doors set to open in late 2026, the countdown is on for Enoggera’s newest neighbourhood pub.

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