Brisbane’s Best Restaurants And Bars With Fireplaces

As the capital of the Sunshine State, Brisbane’s cooler months bring clear blue skies, sunny days and crisp evenings. With temperatures rarely dipping below 10°C, it’s prime time for long lunches that roll into dinner, preferably with a glass of red in hand and a fireplace crackling nearby.

Luckily, plenty of Brisbane venues are doing it right, from intimate English-style pubs to heritage-listed bars in the heart of the city. For ultimate cosy vibes this season, keep reading for Urban List’s edit of the best restaurants and bars with fireplaces in 2026.  

Sixes And Sevens

67 James Street, Fortitude Valley

Image credit: Sixes and Sevens | Instagram

Set inside a gabled 1878 cottage, Sixes And Sevens blends old-world charm with the polish of its James Street surrounds. Outside, bar stools line the footpath for people-watching on mild winter evenings, while indoors you’ll find long timber tables and lounge nooks, best claimed early if you’re eyeing a spot by the original fireplace.

Come hungry or with a group, as the menu is shareable with pizzas, burgers and pub staples, backed by a solid drinks list spanning cider, tap beers, barrel-poured wine and cocktail pitchers. Fun fact: during renovations, a stash of vintage postcards and photographs was uncovered behind the hearth, and are now displayed in a glass cabinet. Keep an eye out for this little slice of history. 

Ember And Ash

132 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley 

Image credit: Ember and Ash | Instagram

As the name suggests, Ember And Ash is built around a philosophy of fire-led cooking. Across the multi-dimensional venue—from the rooftop bar to the restaurant and boutique cafe—the dishes are all cooked over fire, charcoal or woodfired flame. Think coal-smoked avocado and beef fat hashbrowns with bone marrow crumb at the cafe, or white fish tacos and lobster dagwood dogs (yes, you read that right) at the rooftop bar.   

For an elevated dinner, the main restaurant pairs snug booths and tables-for-two with premium mains, such as their signature selection of dry aged beef. Add artisanal cocktails and a wine list curated to complement the smoky dishes, and you’ve got yourself a romantic, firelit date night. 

Agnes

22 Agnes Street, Fortitude Valley

Image credit: Agnes | Instagram

At Agnes, everything revolves around fire. The open kitchen glows at the centre of the three-level space, where every dish is cooked over coal, flame and smoke. The menu shifts with the seasons and resists being pinned to a single cuisine, drawing influence from the Middle East, Asia and beyond.

Come winter, it’s an easy choice for a push-the-boat-out date night or celebratory dinner. Low lighting, industrial interiors and the constant flicker of fire create a moody, hearth-like atmosphere. Just make sure to book in advance as tables fill up fast. 

Hope And Anchor

267 Given Terrace, Paddington

Order a mulled wine or a Guinness and prepare to get cosy with the locals. Hope And Anchor, a homely Paddington bar, channels the charm of a seaside English pub, with patrons packed elbow-to-elbow at the bar, tucked into upstairs booths or gathered around the outdoor fireplace.

Get your fill with comforting classics like fish and chips, burgers and sandwiches, best enjoyed with something dark and warming in hand. Drop in on Fridays and Sundays for live music in the courtyard, or try your luck at the Joker Draw on Monday and Thursday nights, where one lucky winner picks a card for a shot at the growing cash pot.    

The Gresham

308 Queen Street, Brisbane CBD

Image credit: The Gresham | Instagram

Step through the emerald-green doors of The Gresham and into another era. Housed in a grand 1880s building, this heritage-listed bar pairs dark timber floors with Art Deco fringed lamps and shelves of spirits stretching sky-high, complete with rolling ladders. 

The original fireplace may no longer roar, but it remains a striking centrepiece, topped with a marble mantel imported from the UK. Look closer and you’ll spot Edward Robert Drury (a banker and soldier who commissioned the construction of the building) watching over the room from above. Add an exceptional whisky, rum and cocktail offering, knick-knacks and antiquities (including a taxidermy peacock), and you’ve got an inviting night out in the CBD.  

Hundred Acre

Carawa Street, St Lucia

Image credit: Hundred Acre | Instagram

Nestled amongst the leafy surrounds of a golf course, Hundred Acre is as warm and welcoming as a countryside retreat. Recently renovated, the multi-level space centres around a generous fireplace that anchors the dining room, making it a natural drawcard in the cooler months (the blankets help, too). 

The kitchen and wine bar is open from breakfast through to dinner, serving up Mediterranean fusion fare backed by a multi-page wine list. Start with a smattering of small plates like flat bread, whipped ricotta and jamon croquettes, before diving into seafood pastas, steaks and pizzas. Comfort food at its best.  

Scout Cafe

190 Petrie Terrace, Spring Hill 

Scout Cafe feels like your best friend’s living room. That is, if your best friend is an expert barista and bagel extraordinaire all in one. At this inner-city cafe, exposed brick, leafy plants and timber furniture set the scene, while out the back you’ll find a communal table and fireplace dialling up the cosy factor.

Espresso comes courtesy of Melbourne’s Coffee Supreme, paired with house-made cakes and a tight menu of crowd-pleasing bagels. It’s the perfect place to start your day on a mild winter morning.  

Pilloni 

166 Hardgrave Road, West End 

Image credit: Pilloni | Instagram

On a quiet, residential street in West End, Pilloni is an escape to Sardinia, a rugged island off the coast of Italy. This is less the Italy of pizza, pasta and Aperol spritzes, and more a region defined by its own rustic, Mediterranean cuisine.

Inside, the low-lit spaces unfold across a fresco bar, a curtained balcony and an intimate dining room centred around the glow of the kitchen’s firepit. The best seat in the house is by the open fireplace, where the grill is worked over flame, sending charred aromas of seafood, bread and meat through the space. 

If you’re popping your Pilloni cherry, start with culurgiones (Sardinian pasta dumplings stuffed with potato, tomato and herbs) paired with cocktails built on Sardinian spirits. Saluti!  

Essa Restaurant

181 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley 

Image credit: Essa | Instagram

Duck inside Essa and you’re immediately drawn to the open wood-fired grill at its centre. In the dark, narrow space with polished concrete and green marble, flames become the focal point. Pull up a seat at the bar to watch dishes come to life over fire, with a seasonal menu that shifts regularly and heroes raw, smoked, pickled and flame-kissed flavours. 

Expect oysters with caviar, spanner crab with potato beignet, and grilled seafood, all backed by a thoughtful list of biodynamic and organic wines. Finish with something sweet, such as a flourless chocolate torte and brandy-spiked cream, best enjoyed as the fire burns on.

Main image credit: Hundred Acre | Instagram