If you know your fattoush from your fatayer and your lokma from your lokum, then this list of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Brisbane/Meanjin is for you. Or even if you don't—here at Urban List we heartily support venturing outside your usual routine to try something new.
Now, we know that the Middle East spans quite a few countries and therefore quite a few different cuisines, so to make it a little easier for you, we’ve gathered the best of the best together. Fill up with charcoal-roasted meats, preserved lemon, falafel and fragrances and aromatics all of kinds.
ACH Wine Bar
389 MacArthur Avenue, Hamilton
Ach Wine Bar may just be a cosy 50-seater tucked away in the back streets of Hamilton, but its well worth a visit from further afield. With a menu that revolves around the custom-built, traditional wood-fired hearth at the heart of the kitchen, here you’ll explore diverse Middle Eastern flavours with change seasonally to highlight the best produce. Being part wine bar, the wine list is also carefully curated to include selections from Australia, Turkey, Israel, and Lebanon, showcasing the unique flavours and craftsmanship of Middle Eastern wines.
Babylon
145 Eagle Street, Brisbane CCBD
Before you ask, yes, Babylon is the sister venue to the Sydney restaurant with the same name, and it shares the same focus on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. However, the Sydney location can't compete with Brisbane's stunning views of the Story Bridge and its riverside bar, perfect for basking in that midday sun with a drink in hand. The restaurant itself is a visual delight, featuring terracotta bricks, red marble tabletops, and dusty pink banquettes. The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu is designed for sharing, so bring a crew—and make sure to order the pan-fried halloumi.
Gerard’s Bistro
14/15 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Gerard's Bistro | Website
Gerard’s Bistro is a James Street institution through and through, however if you’ve been living under a rock since 2020, Gerards has had a serious glow-up and has welcomed a new star head chef into the kitchen, Jimmy Richardson. With fresh, minimalist interiors that feel like an ancient Lebanese temple thanks to rammed earth walls, here you’ll dine on simple and traditional Lebanese-leaning dishes given a creative modern twist. The star of menu is definitely the bread and dip section—the barbari bread with whey and oregano is an essential order.
ēmmē
22 James Street, Fortitude Valley
The sunny, slow yet refined attitude of James Street is personified at ēmmē. Its cozy, sun-soaked space decked out in earthy tones set the scene for the show-stopping open fire pit, and the insane menu to follow. The menu’s a banger too—think Mediterranean goodness with a sprinkle of Middle Eastern flair, plus a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Menu highlights include the wood-fired Mooloolaba king prawns with confit garlic and pepper and the rosewater custard with sumac strawberries, candied pistachio and burnt honey.
Olive Thyme
293 Sandgate Road, Albion
Bringing you the true taste of Anatolia, Olive Thyme has become an institution where the food is just part of the experience. This is a place to go with a big group of friends, sip a few wines and then hit up the famous sharing menu—though parents of little ones will be happy to know it's child-friendly too. Start off with dips and bazlama bread, fill up with cheese-stuffed borek, spiced lamb meatballs and octopus with tahinni beans puree and finish off with baklava and a (full) belly dance.
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The Green
27 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: The Green | Website
Cafe by day, The Green dishes up a flavourful menu of Middle Eastern fare on Friday and Saturday nights, and also happens to serve one of the best value banquets in the whole city. Take a seat outside in the leafy, cacti-adorned courtyard and tuck into a set menu of Lebanese bread with hummus, roasted and stuffed eggplant, spice lamb mince with labne, spliced beef cheek, fattoush and fried potato, all for just $55pp.
Ahmet’s
10/168 Grey Street, South Brisbane
If you’re a dip fan, then Ahmet's is the place for you. How many restaurants do you know that have six dips available to get stuck into? Frankly, we don’t think there is a better way to start off a meal. From baba ghanoush (roasted eggplant) and pancar (beetroot) to tzatziki (yoghurt and cucumber), you may never actually make it to a main course. We recommend you do though, so you can try their range of delicious Turkish pide.
Little Beirut
14A Lambert Road, Indooroopilly
If you’re in the mood to get a real Middle Eastern social and cultural experience, Little Beirut is the place. Escape from the hustle and bustle of the inner city and share a big ol’ dish of Lebanese eats with your foodie friends. Safiha meat (minced lamb), sambousek (deep fried pastry pockets filled with cheese and meat) and batata harra (deep-fried spiced potato) come in as Urban List favourites when it comes to the best Middle Eastern restaurant fare in Brisbane, but there’s something on the menu for all tastes.
ZA ZA TA
1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: ZA ZA TA | Supplied
Sliding in under Ovolo The Valley, ZA ZA TA has taken over the Brisbane dining scene with their Middle Eastern-inspired fare—and it's completely vegetarian. As well as the house-made stone oven pita and Yemenite butter bread, must haves on your visit include the cauliflower shawarma, the coal roasted oyster mushroom skewers and the burnt eggplant baba ghanouse with squash, pomegranate and dried olives. Plus, the dessert menu is sure to impress–pistachio baklava ice cream sandwich with sumac jam is just one of six sweet dishes on offer.
Mecca Bah
Shop 5/70 Longland Street, Newstead
In their oh-so-Instagrammable Newstead location, Mecca Bah offers up plenty of eats to tempt with their rich selection of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. A trio of dips with toasted Turkish bread is the way to start, followed up with the succulent-marinated lamb boureks, crispy rustic cauliflower and baked halloumi salad. Wash it all down with their sweet cocktails and enjoy the view of the historic Gasworks.
Downtown Istanbul
276 Hawthorne Road, Hawthorne
At Downtown Istanbul, Turkish food bazaar meets the streets of Hawthorne. Prepare yourself to engage in a sensory delight where you can expect delectable pides and tender chargrilled meats, along with mezze share plates full of dips, falafels and all the carby dough goodness you can think of. We all love to sip on a cheeky beverage with our meal, so thankfully their cocktails are just as delicious as the food. Middle Eastern margarita anyone?
Baba Ganouj
186 Grey Street, South Brisbane
Image credit: Baba Ganouj | Website
While they have an extensive Middle Eastern menu, Baba Ganouj certainly doesn’t skimp on quality. We recommend checking out the mixed grill so that you can get a taste of everything on offer, including chargrilled lamb, kofta, chicken and fish skewers as well as tabouli, hummus, baba ganouj and fresh saj bread. If you can’t fit anything more in, but can’t bear dessert FOMO, take home one of their baklavas or Turkish delight.
Caravanserai
1 Dornoch Terrace, West End
For a relaxed family feel, check out Caravanserai and dive straight into their spiced Turkish meatballs or prawn and mussel pilaf. If you’re feeling extra hungry, the deluxe sultan’s banquet is quite literally fit for a king. Feast your way through four courses of Ottoman meze, a selection of mains to share, Turkish lemonade, baklava, fig mousse and Turkish delight. Sign. Us. Up.
Naïm
14 Collingwood Street, Paddington
Previously known as Shouk, Naïm (pronounced ‘Nigh-eem’) is one of the greatest Middle Eastern restaurants (and cafes, might we add) on the block. Nab a table in the character-filled dining space and feast on their signature plates of hummus boards, mushroom filo pastry pie and za'atar lamb shoulder (drool). Just be sure to end on a sweet note with some Persian love cake.
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Image credit: Ach Wine Bar | Ranyhyn Laine
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