The recap: Brisbane’s best new food and drink openings of August
Despite being winter, August came in hot, delivering a fresh crop of Brisbane bars, bakeries, restaurants and sandwich slingers worth knowing about. From Range Brewing’s new neighbourhood haunt to a cult-worthy bakery on the Wynnum waterfront, these openings have already made their mark. Here are five of the city’s best new places to eat, drink and linger this month.
Neighbour by Range, Newstead
If we could pick anyone to be our neighbour, the Range Brewing crew would be a great pick. Those living in Newstead have the benefit of having Range’s heralded beers in close proximity, and now the brew crew is double dipping in its home suburb with the arrival of laid-back community-centric bar and eatery, Neighbour. Taking over the spot previously home to Botany and Gasworks Plaza, Neighbour is the local watering hole most suburbs would froth over – a sleek, semi-industrial design, taps pouring ice-cold beers, a killer cocktail and wine list, plus a menu including evergreen eats like pizzas, parmies, burgers and more.
Ilo Bakehouse, Wynnum
From the moment it opened, Ilo Bakehouse became the kind of place that inspires a queue. The newest venture from cafe maestro Daniel Bowles and his business partner Tram Phan, the chic Wynnum bakery has tapped into Brisbane’s seemingly bottomless appetite for excellent baked goods, pairing a tightly edited pastry offering with a warm, Scandinavian-inspired fit-out and a grab-and-go waterfront location. The philosophy is simple – just 12 pastries at any one time, with six core staples and a rotating cast of seasonal creations – but the execution is anything but. Think orange and cardamom buns, miso butterscotch almond croissants, chocolate hazelnut twirls and fennel and lemon curd kouign-amanns, all of which have made the wait for a box of Ilo’s wares feel very much worth it.
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Bar Lou Lou, Fortitude Valley
Some dream jobs remain firmly in the realm of fantasy. For Louise Marks, one became Bar Lou Lou. Her first foray into hospitality ownership, this warm and deliberately unprecious wine bar has transformed the former Barry Parade Public House into a distinctly personal neighbourhood haunt, where new-wave Australian wines, classic cocktails and hearty Asian-inspired pub fare are served alongside a curated rack of pre-loved clothing. With its burgundy hues, second-hand furnishings and homely, lived-in feel, Bar Lou Lou is less a polished wine bar than an extension of Louise’s own tastes and personality – a place made for casual catch-ups, date nights, pre-dinner drinks and the sort of spontaneous sessions that stretch well beyond one glass.
FUFU Sando, Sunnybank
Do you flip out over a sando? There’s a good chance you’ve already tasted the offering at Brisbane’s newest Japanese-style sandwich slinger, FUFU. If you’ve not found time to make the trip to Market Square, here’s some gentle encouragement to visit the blue-hued dispensary. FUFU Sando is drawing crowds thanks to its elevated take on the humble item, filling slices of fluffy shokupan with panko-coated prawn, wagyu yakiniku, and egg salad with mayo, tobiko and pepper. Throw in some eye-catching spirulina-infused beverages and specialty coffee from Seven Miles, and you’ve got a sandwich spot worth travelling for.
Batica, Brisbane City
Housed within a hotel but determined not to feel like a hotel restaurant, Batica is a confident new chapter for The Westin. Breathing fresh life into the hotel’s level-one dining space, Batica offers an expansive expression of contemporary Australian cooking. Led by executive chef Massimo Speroni and head chef Manuele Erriu, the restaurant is guided by the restorative spirit of a sabbatical, with a focus on rest, refreshment and nourishment translating into a menu that celebrates locality, simplicity and balance. Batica draws on the breadth of Australia’s produce through partnerships with leading growers, producers and artisans, while native ingredients such as muntries, wattleseed, finger lime and saltbush add a distinctly local flourish. The result is a menu that moves comfortably between familiar favourites and more adventurous creations, from perfectly grilled steaks to emu tartare, alongside an Australian-focused wine list, ingredient-led cocktails and thoughtful non-alcoholic offerings.
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