The recap: the best new Brisbane restaurants, bars and cafes of February
Summer might be over, but there’s no sight of a temperature drop on the horizon. The same can be said for Brisbane’s food scene, which continues its hot streak to start the year. A lot happened in February, from the arrival of a cutting-edge omakase spot and an ambitious new restaurant with Nordic inspirations, to the launch of a slick fire-powered suburban bistro and a glam Asian-inspired eatery near James Street. Want to catch up on the month that was? Here are five new openings we loved in February.
Venner, West End: For most friendship groups, it can be hard to get a brunch hang out of the group chat. Meanwhile, George Curtis and James Horsfall (of Milquetoast fame) and Blume’s Jack Stuart managed to pool their talents for one of the year’s most exciting restaurants. Named after the Danish word for ‘friends,’ Venner is both an ode to the relationships that underpin hospitality and a reflection of the trio’s shared admiration for the Nordic vanguard – restaurants that pioneered New Nordic cooking. Here, though, that culinary approach has been filtered through an Australian lens. In the kitchen, hyper-seasonal local produce is treated with restraint and respect, anchored by sustainability and whole-ingredient utilisation across a fluid menu that moves from iced cos with oyster dressing and kangaroo pastrami to venison loin, braised shoulder and quietly refined desserts. A tight, seasonally driven wine list favouring organic and biodynamic producers complements a minimalist cocktail program that swaps gin for aquavit, while a light-filled, timber-accented interior keeps the mood warm and welcoming rather than austere. Though precise and elegant, Venner positions itself less as fine dining and more as a convivial, considered gathering place – proof that at its heart, great hospitality is built on friendship.
Bar Cooper’s, Coorparoo: Snug’s runaway success caught even its owners, Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung, off guard, but the Korean-inspired cafe’s rapturous reception has only spurred the duo to think bigger. Bar Cooper’s marks a confident next chapter, with the pair turning their attention to Australia’s new wave of elevated pub dining via a 45-seat bistro designed for easy, repeat visits. Sharing a wall with Snug, Bar Cooper’s pairs a timber-rich interior with a flame-led menu grounded in European technique and restraint. Think wood-roasted fish, chicken schnitzels with brown butter and anchovy, dry-aged wagyu cheeseburgers and Angus sirloin with mushroom gravy — much of it kissed by the venue’s defining woodfire oven. Designed to move seamlessly from casual weeknight drop-ins to intimate dinners, the offering is rounded out by classic-leaning cocktails, a tight beer selection and a 50-bottle wine list spanning local and European producers. It’s a restaurant that feels less like an expansion and more like a natural progression – proof that organic growth, when rooted in community trust, can be both inevitable and exciting.
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Aunty, Fortitude Valley: With Aunty, Tassis Group’s newest restaurant, Michael Tassis has captured the essence of a worldly matriarch – a chic figure who knows her way around a wine list and insists you order another plate. Her spirit is woven through the Wandoo Street restaurant’s mirrored doors, glowing back-lit bar and the lacquered sheen of roast duck. Aunty deepens Tassis Group’s exploration of modern Asian cuisine, with a menu that nods to Cantonese tradition while flirting with rebellion – wok-fired, wood-kissed and cleanly plated fare that’s designed to share. Under head chef Salvatore de Ponte, lobster rolls gleam with XO, wagyu skewers glisten, dumplings steam in bamboo baskets, and mud crab, duck and T-bone arrive with theatre and generosity. A 250-strong wine list and playful cocktails keep pace, bright whites and French bubbles cutting through chilli and smoke. Stylish without strain and generous without excess, Aunty feels less like a restaurant and more like a personality – vibrant, magnetic and certain that everyone in the room should be having a very good time.
+81 Sushi Kappo, West End: Brisbane’s newest omakase restaurant may have been six years in the making, but it only takes a few courses of +81 Sushi Kappo’s 11-course menu to realise that the wait was absolutely worth it. Hisatake Kamori has distilled his career philosophy of patience and precision into this long-awaited 12-seat West End restaurant, which joins BY.ARTISANS distillery and Aizome Bar as part of the entrepreneur’s cutting-edge Montague Road hub. Guided by Japanese principles including omotenashi, wabi-sabi and onko sōshin, +81 Sushi Kappo is a benchmark-setting expression of Japanese cuisine at its best. Helmed Tokyo-trained chef Ikuo Kobayashi – whose resume includes Michelin-starred institutions such as Kyubey, Sushi Kanesaka, Sushi Saito and Sushi Iwa – +81’s seafood-focused omakase unfolds across more a succession of kappo-style courses, reach showcasing local and Japanese ingredients – think with nigiri served on bamboo charcoal or vivid blue spirulina-infused rice. A 120-reference beverage program curated by sommelier Sean Lam complements the experience, while a restrained, theatre-like interior by Alexander Lotersztain ensures attention remains on the food. Though sitting at a more costly price point, dinner at +81 Sushi Kappo is a must-try experience for anyone who appreciates technical precision and a forward-thinking approach to gastronomy.
Allpress Espresso, Fortitude Valley: How do you measure the pulse of Brisbane’s coffee scene? For Allpress Espresso, instinct carries as much weight as data. National sales manager Nick Passi talks of optimism in Brisbane – a sense that where other cities falter, this one leans forward. And so, on Robertson Street in Fortitude Valley, the world-renowned roaster has opened a new coffee bar in the former home of Jamie’s Espresso, doubling down on a city it believes in. Designed with Melbourne’s Foolscap and brought to life by Lowry Group, the space balances materials and textures, with collaborations with Mineral Fox, Five Mile Radius, Remington Matters and Dowel Jones lending craft and conscience to the details. It’s what’s in the cups themselves – original Allpress blends, rotating single origins, cold brew on tap – remain the true headline. The brew is served alongside pastries from Sprout Artisan Bakery and gelato from Rosé Gelateria, while shelves of beans and ceramics extend the ritual beyond the door. Allpress Robertson has already evolved into a daily stop for locals – a quiet declaration that Brisbane’s coffee story is still being written.
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