Bar Monte, Fortitude Valley

Arcade Agency, the coastal hospitality group behind Light Years, Pixie Italian and The Smoking Camel, officially landed in Brisbane back in August with the launch of Bar Monte – an ambitious inner-city spin on its retro-leaning Italian concept first opened on the Gold Coast. Taking over the former Allonda space on Longland Street in Newstead, the 100-seat restaurant marks the group’s Brisbane debut, making a very strong first impression with a nostalgic post-war Italian aesthetic (courtesy of Studio Plenty) and a menu that walks the line between traditional comfort and playful invention. The team is plating up hit dishes from both Bar Monte Miami and Pixie Italian, including burrata with ‘nduja and cashew pesto, mezze maniche with sausage and kale, and veal cotoletta with brown-butter sauce. Drinks are equally dialled-in, with inventive cocktails (like a caprese martini) and a 100-bottle wine list curated by world-ranked sommelier Andrea Martinisi. But more than just food and fit-out, co-owner Lorenzo Toscani says it’s the vibe that sets Bar Monte apart – an energetic blend of Italian warmth and Melbourne polish, designed to turn heads and keep the energy high.

Clarence, South Brisbane

Clarence’s move to Fish Lane is one of the smartest – and most exciting – restaurant openings (or, rather, reopenings) of the year. Co-owners Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann have taken everything that made their Woolloongabba spot a quiet favourite (such as top-tier produce, inventive culinary techniques and killer flavours) and plugged it into a sleeker, more visible 60-seat space on Fish Lane that’s ready for prime time. The new Clarence still delivers big on creative, produce-driven plates – like pig-head schnitzel and coral trout meuniere – but with a more approachable bistro energy, complete with cheeseburgers, Sunday roasts and a thoughtful, low-fuss wine list. It’s a glow-up without the ego and Fish Lane (and Brisbane at large) is better for it.

Donnie’s, Teneriffe

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Brisbane isn’t short on pizza spots, from the tried and true Napoli-style slice slingers to the more obscure rectangular Detroit variety. Donnie’s, the Teneriffe eatery and cocktail bar from Canberra transplants Jackson McLoughlin and Nickolas Kruckel, earned early praise for shining a light on the crispy and pliable pizzas of New York City. The duo flew out Alim Nayil of Patio Pizza in the UK to assist with the formulation of Donnie’s all-important dough recipe, which is a lower-hydration dough that is cold-fermented for 48 hours. Jackson, Nick and the Donnie’s team then top the dough with an assortment of premium ingredients, including American cup ‘n’ char pepperoni, vodka sauce and burrata, ‘nduja and hot honey, and meatball ragu with whipped ricotta. Rounding out the Donnie’s offering is a selection of snacks (think smoked-mozzarella sticks and Philly cheesesteak spring rolls) as well as a tight wine list, a tidy selection of signature cocktails and tap beers.

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The Fifty Six, Brisbane City 

The opening of multi-level dining hub Naldham House was one of the biggest stories of 2024. DAP & Co.’s vertical hospitality precinct wowed guests with its Euro-style brasserie and elegant cocktail bar, Club Felix, but it was the venue’s mysterious top-floor restaurant that had the rumour mill churning. All was revealed when The Fifty Six officially opened its doors to the public in February. Inspired by Brisbane’s early history – particularly that of the first 56 Chinese immigrants to call the city home – The Fifty Six specialises in Cantonese-inspired cuisine, with Singapore-born head chef Gerald Ong putting together a cracking menu that blends modern Cantonese sensibilities with traditional culinary philosophies. Dishes like scallop and prawn siu mai, baked Queensland blue swimmer crab with calamansi, and cumin Margra lamb riblets with eggplant are served in elegant Anna Spiro-designed surroundings.

Golden Avenue, Brisbane City

It’s been a milestone year for the Anyday crew, which officially unveiled its seventh venue Golden Avenue in August. Joining the ranks of acclaimed siblings Agnes, sAme sAme, hôntô, Biànca, LOS Bar and Idle, Golden Avenue had plenty to live up to – and it didn’t just meet expectations, it blew them out of the water. Marking the first inner-city venture for Anyday, the Edward Street newcomer is a grand, vibrant oasis bringing the bold flavours of the Middle East to Brisbane’s heart. Skylights and a retractable roof allows natural light to spill into the space designed by J.AR OFFICE, imbuing the textured tiles, palm trees and pink juparana granite with a lively warmth. Golden Avenue’s humble yet expertly crafted menu invites guests to share dishes like buttermilk-brined fried quail, mechoui lamb shoulder and swordfish shish with hawaij sauce, all while the sounds of the Habibi Funk playlist bounce around the room. Alongside The French Exit (a brand-new showstopper that opened a smidge too late to make this list), Golden Avenue is forming the beating heart of a food precinct that’s aiming to reshape the inner-city dining scene. 

Layla, West End

One ongoing storyline of Brisbane’s hospitality industry in 2025 is the influx of interstate talent looking to plant a flag in the local food scene. Shane Delia, the chef and restaurateur behind Melbourne’s beloved Middle Eastern restaurant Maha, introduced himself to local foodies in March with Layla, his first Brisbane restaurant. Nestled in the heritage-listed bowels of the Thomas Dixon Centre, Layla sees Shane and his team presenting Middle Eastern cuisine in a new light, incorporating influences from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. These influences are found in dishes like Layla’s Hervey Bay half-shell scallops with carrot hummus, Persian lime and toasted-coconut sambal, Moorish brisket borek buns with sticky turmeric and chilli jam, and salmon kibbeh neya with burghul, mint and sweet onion and aleppo sambal. Juxtaposed against the restaurant’s character-filled bones (softened by blue velvet upholstery, walnut timber and terrazzo floors), Layla bridges luxury and informality with panache – a manoeuvre that only a maestro like Shane Delia could pull off.

Marlowe, South Brisbane

With its two-level bistro Marlowe, Fanda Group shifted gears, pivoting from its usual passport-stamping dining concepts to something distinctly closer to home. Set inside the heritage-listed Merivale Flats on Fish Lane, Marlowe exchanges global flair for nostalgia, delivering a deeply Australian experience wrapped in vintage charm. Designed by J.AR Office and built by Lowry Group, Marlowe has transformed a 1930s-era apartment block into a multi-roomed dining space that feels equal parts Art-Deco treasure and family living room. Executive chef Ollie Hansford has put his fine-dining pedigree to good use, reimagining retro classics using premium local produce – think coral trout Wellington, curried-crab brioche and a heavyweight mixed grill. The drinks program is just as ambitious, with a cocktail list spiked with native botanicals and a 200-strong wine cellar stacked with back-vintage Aussie gems. More than just another opening, Marlowe is a love letter to Australian dining – one that celebrates memory, place and the timeless pleasure of a well-cooked meal.

Penelope, Fortitude Valley

If we were ranking Brisbane’s best looking restaurants, Penelope would sit right near the pointy end. With its Art Deco-inspired checkerboard tiles, rendered walls, fluted glass, gold-hued velvet upholstery, heavy curtains and quartzite stone tabletops, Coats Group’s European-inspired bistro, bar and supper club scores top marks in terms of aesthetics. But does the food and drink stack up? Yes, we can confirm it does. Taking a page out of the classic bistro cookbook, Penelope offers a menu that, while slightly retro, is fun and full of flavour. Some early standouts of the offering include fish-finger sandos with tartar sauce, steak frites, pasta alla vodka with smoked mozzarella, and chicken thigh cotoletta with wild garlic. But it’s the Room Service menu that many will be drawn to – Moreton Bay bug jaffles, crispy chicken tenders with buttermilk ranch and hot honey, and waffles with caviar available until late? We’re in heaven. Throw in a killer drinks program featuring classic cocktails and a globe-spanning wine list, and it’s no wonder why Penelope has made so many friends this year.

SUUM, Brisbane City

How well do you know Korean cuisine? Sure, you might be familiar with bulgogi, bibimbap and tteokbokki, but there’s much more to Korea’s culinary offering. Andy Choi is looking to present Korean food in a new light with SUUM, his cutting-edge omakase restaurant nestled in the heart of The City. Inside his moody 16-seat hideaway, Andy takes inspiration from the world of molecular gastronomy and applying it to SUUM’s seasonally shifting menu. Guests are treated to a procession of courses, sampling everything from marinated prawn tartare and wild sesame tuna to dombe-style beef noodle soup, striploin hansang with seasonal banchan, and abalone sotbap with tteokgalbi. Coupled with a drinks list that encompasses fine wines and Korean beverages (including Andy’s own house-made makgeolli – a traditional Korean rice wine), SUUM is truly a one-of-a-kind addition to Brisbane’s dining scene.

Winnifred’s, Fortitude Valley

While Winnifred’s could have easily earned itself a place in our list of 2025’s best new bars, there’s so much more to this multidimensional venue that you think. This ambitious, multi-level Champagne haven in Fortitude Valley is the result of owner Megan Nunn’s decade-long obsession with grower Champagne. Boasting a 14,000-bottle cellar (one of the largest in the southern hemisphere) and five distinct spaces named after Champagne sub-regions, every detail is intentional and elevated. The venue pairs rare, sustainably made cuvees with a French-leaning menu from acclaimed chef Antoine Potier, all wrapped in sleek design and warm hospitality. It’s not just a Champagne bar – it’s a serious game-changer for Brisbane’s dining scene and and hands down one of the strongest openings of the year.

Honourable mentions: It’s a testament to the strength of this year’s class of new restaurants that narrowing down a top ten was incredibly difficult. Restaurants worthy of a mention include Stilts, Little Provence and Fellini’s Trattoria in Brisbane City, Sauce Bistro in Ashgrove, Wellington Road Bistro in East Brisbane, Evra and TABOO in Fortitude Valley, OLLI Italino in East Brisbane, and Birria Boy in Woolloongabba.