Living in the ‘river city’ definitely has its advantages. We may not have a world-renowned harbour, nor do we have beaches close enough to catch a bus to (Streets Beach on Southbank does not count in this scenario). But, there is one thing that we here at Urban List think Brisbanites do better than anywhere else—apart from the weather—we do dining on the waterfront like a boss.
Some of the best eateries in Brisbane/Meanjin hold some pretty sweet riverside real estate, and on a balmy Brisbane summer’s day there is nothing better than bringing together your most favourite people, and having a looong afternoon/evening of great food and drink by the river. To help you make it happen, here are the best Brisbane river restaurants to book yourself a table at.
Opa Bar And Mezze
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Santorini-esque vibes welcome you at fellow Eagle Street resident, Opa Bar And Mezze. Opa is everything you know and love about Greek food, but with a distinctly upscale twist. Think a specifically carved-out oyster and seafood menu with dishes like the Moreton Bay bugs with spaghetti, cherry tomato and white wine or the oysters Opa with tomato, ouzo, tabasco and pepper. The Story Bridge adorns the panoramic waterfront view that frankly, is hard to ignore.
Supernormal
443 Queen Street, Brisbane CBD
Where can you find floor to ceiling windows, warm, dappled sunlight, indoor palm trees and near panoramic views of the Story Bridge? Supernormal, of course. There’s no such thing as a bad seat here. Set up for the ultimate long lunch by the river and eat your way through their iconic menu. Think their infamous lobster rolls, crispy duck, Moreton Bay Bugs poached in Szechuan and chilli. The biggest challenge? Making a decision from their 400 strong wine list.
Greca
3/5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Image credit: Greca | Instagram
Long lunch, lingering date night, and a long list of reasons why we’re starting strong with Greca. They somehow manage to whisk you away to upscale Greek ultra-indulgence, while keeping Yiayia’s tried and true recipes and traditional flavours front and centre. Its waterfront spot just begs you to whip out your best linen ensemble and give the credit card a touch-up. If you don't get the roe dip or the slow-cooked lamb, you’ve done it wrong.
Bar Alto
119 Lamington Street, New Farm
Bar Alto is kind of New Farm’s best-kept secret. Normally home to upper-echelon New Farm residents or theatregoers fuelling up before a show, many overlook Bar Alto’s superior menu and extensive wine list—and their waterfront verandah. The interiors feel distinctly Melbournian, seeing exposed brick paired with industrial black metals and warm feature lights peppered around the gloriously raised ceiling.
The name of Bar Alto’s game is fine dining and an Italian menu that is a cut above the rest. A spot on the concrete high tops outside overlooking the water, a hearty bowl of strozzapreti and a generous glass of expertly paired wine makes for the perfect arvo-stretching-into-dinner.
Massimo
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
If Howard Smith Wharves' plethora of restaurants were the big fish in the pond, the culinary lineup at Eagle Street would be the sharks. This prime stretch of waterfront restaurants has long been not only the convenient and upscale watering hole of city workers for years but also a solid pillar in the Brisbane food scene—this is especially true for Massimo.
Amalfi Coast vibes become personified here; somehow the riverfront plays to this, as does the fresh Italian menu. House-made pasta and focaccia are as always an excellent foundation to start on, add in dishes like the whole marron live from the tank with spaghetti, garlic, chilli, rosemary, herbs, and Italian breadcrumbs and you’ve just found your new favourite Italian spot.
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Yoko
2/5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Image credit: Yoko | Instagram
Greca’s next-door neighbour, Yoko, is Howard Smith Wharves’ answer to premium izakaya, but with a hint of welcome non-intimidating playfulness. Two levels of Tokyo pop-infused counter-culture await you, as does a perfectly stocked sake wall and masterfully placed neon lights. Relax in the superb river-front breeze with a frozen yuzu punch in hand and a serving or three of pork gyozas or soft shell crab temaki.
Stanley
5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Dark and moody interiors and waterfront real estate pair surprisingly well at Stanley. A Chinese restaurant that knows what they're doing in every regard, Stanley is a playground for some of Australia’s most talented chefs, with the head honchos of the kitchen hailing from Sydney restaurants like Fred’s, Quay and Mr Wong.
With emerald green tiles glinting as a backdrop, plates like Peking duck pancakes and more than generous dim sum platters waft over to your table. The cocktails are easy home runs—Pak Tai’s Garden is a must.
Alchemy
175 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
With the Story Bridge and a pastel sunset peeking through the floor-to-ceiling windows at Alchemy, it kind of becomes a no-brainer to just tap and pay your way through the entire menu, and wine list too. By day Alchemy is a one-stop corporate lunch spot, but by night becomes almost strictly special occasion territory.
The Italian menu features illustrious plates of pasta and antipasti almost looking at you expectantly for its accompanying glass of vino. If you’ve come with your stomach singing the song of its people, go for the pesce del giorno and thank us later.
Babylon
145 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Babylon | Instagram
Can Babylon even be referred to as a restaurant? It seems the term ‘mega dining mecca’ might be better suited, seeing as this multi-story eatery can seat over 1,000 people in full swing. The brick arch welcomes you into a little bit of a maze of several breezy waterfront outdoor bars and terraces, as well as a main seated restaurant. The menu is a delicious melding of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare split into flora, fauna and ocean.
Most of the dishes here are cooked over wood and charcoal, like the Shish tawook, wood fired chicken skewers, with kisir, tomato and yoghurt, and the lamb and pistachio kebab with smoked eggplant, labneh and sumac onions. A must-order side dish is a house-made bread with za’atar spiced butter, and leave room for their house-made baklava cheesecake at the end.
Blackbird
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
It's hard to nail down a cuisine type or label for the menu, and perhaps even the whole establishment of Blackbird, an Eagle Street senior. After you find your way through the many function rooms, private dining rooms and even the outdoor bar area, the 180-degree views of the Story Bridge and the Kangaroo Point cliffs are a welcome sight.
Award-winning dishes are on offer here but our go-to is the bean sprout, almond and fregola risotto with zucchini flowers, red quinoa and toasted almonds. Boasting a lengthy wine list and in-house sommelier, the pairings are perfection.
Madame Wu
71 Eagle St, Brisbane CBD
The thing about restaurants that have been around and busy for quite some time, is that they run like a well-oiled machine and you can tell. Madame Wu is bustling just about every night of the week, but you won't be given the sorry-we-are-so-busy-I’m-definitely-crying-in-the-walk-in-tonight look or treatment.
Instead, experienced staff sashay you to your table and just as soon as you sit down, you’re whisked away to…well, pan-Asia as the menu suggests. The river breeze is almost a familiar salutation as you work your way through starters like the chicken, quail and mushroom dumplings and smoked ocean trout. Cocktails are a must—notably the Madame Wu.
Tillerman
71 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Image Credit: Tillerman | Instagram
A list of Brisbane river restaurants without a seafood spot? We think not. To visit Tillerman is to be transported. A premium seafood restaurant swimming with exceptional produce, teeming with quality ingredients and exuding coastal charm, somehow from right at home on the brown snake. Whole fish, succulent prawns, and other designed-to-be-shared plates drift straight to your table which itself feels like it's floating right atop the river.
Otto
River Quay, South Bank
Perched almost literally on the river in South Bank—though expertly tucked away from the tourist and child-heavy squabble—sits OTTO, an undeniably luxe offering of Italian food, off-the-water breeze, and panoramic views. Originally hailing from Finger Wharf in Sydney's Woolloomooloo, this younger sibling restaurant holds its own and the renowned reputation of the OTTO name.
The menu is carefully curated and boasts lush portions of pasta like the spaghettini with champagne lobster, garlic, chilli, white wine, lemon butter, and bottarga. A favourite of ours is the Agnello: Longreach lamb, polenta, tomato sugo, eggplant and basil. Paired with a mouthwatering red and the crisp aura of the whole restaurant, it's truly the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Fosh
39 Hercules Street, Hamilton
Featuring an incredible $3 million fit-out, this Hamptons-inspired restaurant is perched right on the river, meaning it boasts uninterrupted water views, with an al fresco dining area perfect for relaxed meals with your crew. The Fosh menu is all about fresh seafood that’s caught and served on your plate within 24 hours—think local line caught fish, oysters, prawns, scallops and even caviar bumps.
Start with nostalgic fish finger sandwiches and cured ocean trout with labneh and pickled cucumber before moving on to hot or cold seafood platters, Singapore chilli mud crabs straight from the tank or 1kg pots of mussels in white wine and garlic sauce.
Ciao Papi
5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Image Credit: Ciao Papi | Instagram
Something about a riverside verandah is just so luxurious to us. A beyond prime example of this is the huge one at Ciao Papi, overlooking the river and the up-close-and-personal Story Bridge. Like magic, while you’re taking in the sun glinting on the Brisbane River, out come dishes like the penne with Italian pork sausage ragu and chilli and crispy and thin wood-fired pizzas like the Moreton Bay, adorned with bugs, chilli, fior di latte and finished off with a drizzle of lemon oil.
Il Molo
1B Oxford Street, Bulimba
If you haven't meandered your way down Oxford St in Bulimba yet, what on god's green earth have you been doing? The whole street is a waterfront affair, but the freshest breath of air comes in the form of Il Molo Italian. Light, chic interiors house some of the best Italian in Brisbane—with the best seats in the house to match. The linguine with Mooloolaba prawns, lemon, garlic, cherry tomato and chilli is unmissable, as are the woodfire pizzas.
Byblos
39 Hercules Street, Hamilton
Named after the port of Byblos in Lebanon, this longtime Portside favourite also channels the port in spirit with its spectacular river views. Make sure you request a table outside or at least by the folding glass doors for the full effect, before you order endless plates of mezat and a few rounds of exotic cocktails. Resist ordering the trio of dips with flatbread that you know you’ll fill up on, and instead leave room for spiced felafel, feta and mozzarella stuffed filo pastries and Lebanese spiced sausages, amongst others.
Looking for more vibing dining spots? Head here:
Image credit: Opa | Facebook
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