Bosco

Any carb-lover will know that the bread course at a restaurant is infinitely better than any loaf you’ll get at home—you know you shouldn’t fill up on it, but nevertheless, you always do. Well, at Newstead’s slick new eatery, Bosco, you might want to order an extra serve, because it’s baked right there by iconic Brisbane bakery, Brewbakers, who are now sharing their cavernous warehouse space with the Euro-inspired bar and grill. 

The latest opening from hospitality legend Simon Hill, who is also behind New Farm staple Bar Alto, Bosco isn’t just about bread, though there’s plenty of saucy dishes to mop up with a slab of the stuff on the menu. Taking over the front half of a black industrial shed on Austin Street, this sleek but relaxed venue features a cosy lounge area scattered with deep green velvet armchairs by the roller door entrance, and long tables interspersed with floor-to-ceiling linen curtains stretching to the back wall. A mammoth wood-fired brick oven and steel grill can be seen in the open kitchen, where a team headed up by head chef Mimmo Miceli fire up an ever-changing menu European eats.

Though you may never see the same menu twice, with dishes on offer dictated by the seasons, daily catch and local produce availability, you can expect a line up of eats inspired by the coastal and olive oil regions of France, Italy and Spain. Think mussels in cider cream served with toasted Vienna, king prawns doused in prawn head butter, bay bug clay pot rice and a heritage pork tomahawk with carrot and quince. You can supplement your spread with either a plate of brew bread with Bosco butter, or a signature oven flatbread topped with anchovies, olives and pickled pepper. 

Dessert here is a must—there’s even bread involved, thanks to a Spanish-style French toast, torrijas, topped with a spiced anglaise coffee cream. If you’re all carbed up, the triple cream gelato with strawberry jam is a winner in our books. Whatever you order, you can pair it all with a few tipples from the lengthy list of wines, or an aperitif or cocktail from the bar. 

Image credit: Ranyhyn Laine