We get it, you're peckish, but not for a three-course la-di-da dinner. You want something to nibble on, but you're not willing to settle for the urine-soaked bar nuts. Well, here's the middle ground. Bringing you the best tapas in Brisbane. Nibble your little hearts out.
In a prime possie, right on the Brisbane River, Popolo's got a stellar tapas menu, too. We've got our eyes on the pan-fried sardines with green chilli and herb salsa, and crisp whitebait with artichoke and caper cream and fresh lemon. Oh, and we've already devoured a couple of plates of the eye fillet carpaccio with lilliput capers and mustard cress—it's delish.
South Banks's Sardine Tin is an old faithful when it comes to Spanish tapas. We're all too familiar with the kingfish ceviche, beef cheek parcel, and squid ink risotto cake, here in the TUL office. They do a mean charcuterie and cheese boards too—a daily selection of quesos, cured meats, housemade pickles, cornichons, quince paste, crunchy bread, and rye crisps.
This tiny Spanish and Mexican tapas bar seems to slip under the radar, but we've no idea why.. Boasting a tapas-only menu, it is authentic, and delicious. After a margarita or two, you'll be all too happy to fill your belly with slow- roast pork shoulder in chipotle, shredded duck tortillas, and chargrilled chorizo.
Spanish culinary appreciation reaches new heights at Ortiga. If you're into cured meats, Ortiga's bar menu is manna from heaven. It may sound simple, but it's hard to go past their fabulous selection of jamon, pork loin, and chorizo. With meats dangling above the bar like piñatas, it will take every bit of might to walk past this Brunswick Street restaurant without salivating.
Whether Gerard's dishes fall under 'tapas' is debatable. But, with their plethora of middle-eastern inspired share-plates, we're throwing them in anyway. I'd order the bekka wings with kisk yoghurt and rose a hundred times over—they're legendary. Other menu highlights include; slow-cooked lamb on flatbread with garlic yoghurt, blackened onion, mint, and pickled chilli, and suckling pig with caramelized plum, morcilla puree, and smoked almond. Basically, whatever you order is going to blow you away. It's all good.
Image credit: Pinterest