A storybook-themed venue with an Alice In Wonderland-inspired hidden bar on Caxton Street might not be where you’d expect to find some of the most elevated bar food and cocktails in Brisbane, but that’s just what Velveteen Rabbit is dishing up thanks to an uber talented team and reams of creativity. This unassuming Petrie Terrace spot (which has taken over where Brewski used to reside) is going right to the top of our ‘recommend’ list—and here’s why.
First, there’s the venue itself—the warm and cosy interiors are a warren of spaces and bars, which is partly where the inspiration for the Wonderland-inspired secret bar came from. Venture past the outdoor footpath seating, through the art deco-style jazz bar in the front room and into the back and you’ll find an actual rabbit hole, with a set of stairs leading down to an underground speakeasy. If you’re impressed by the realistic-looking tunnel, you should be—it was created by a team of movie set creators.
Onto the food—the head chef here is Kyle McNamara, previously of Beechmont Estate and Homage, and his experience shows. Taking a no waste approach and working with local farms and producers, he has created a menu of bar feeds that will actually blow you away. The sourdough pork and cheddar doughnut will live in our minds rent free forever, but there’s also creations like beef ‘n’ drippings—smoked beef with whipped beef fat on sourdough bread that arrives at the table smoking, and KFC carrots. Yes, you can get your usual bar food of burgers, fried chicken and fish and chips, but even those are done with a creative spin and local flavour—best paired with salt and vinegar potatoes with house made soured cream.
Finally, there’s the drinks. Bar manager and mixologist Isaac Ohsberg has come over from Death & Taxes, bringing with him some seriously novel ideas. On the speakeasy cocktail menu you’ll find sips like the Bread, Butterflies and Blazed, which looks and tastes for all the world like a warm jasmine tea, and The Impossible Morning, a scarily easy-to-drink sip that involves tequila, lillet blanc, absinthe, lime and pineapple and grapefruit-infused Blue Curaco, topped with the pineapple used to infuse it, dehydrated for extra snap.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a spot that you’re going to want to head to before word gets out. We recommend starting upstairs with bites (there’s cocktails up there too) before heading down for a few sneaky sips downstairs. Stay tuned for some fun dining experiences coming up soon too, and for the best vibes, head in from Friday to Sunday when they have a live jazz band playing buzzy tunes.