Salt Meats Cheese South Bank - CLOSED

Overview

It has been a busy couple of years for Salt Meats Cheese, and for pizza- and pasta-loving Brisbanites as well. Since early 2017, the Sydney chain has launched a Brisbane food truck, opened its first Brissie store and then added a second bricks-and-mortar location in West End. Now, it's slinging its signature Italian food at its third local eatery.

SMC's South Bank digs joins Newstead and West End among its growing Brissie empire. If the chain opening up another restaurant sounds familiar, that's because new Woolloongabba spot is also in the works. But, the new store at Mantra Hotel on Grey Street has started welcoming customers first.

Taking over the ground floor space formerly inhabited by Stone, the 130-seat restaurant serves up SMC's usual menu. That means slices aplenty, SMC's decadent pasta dishes and a selection of other mains — think crab tagliolini, stuffed lamb neck, and sirloin with roasted asparagus and truffle pecorino, to name a few.

The booze selection includes local and imported wines and liquors that you can't get anywhere else, as well as bespoke cocktails such as barrel-aged negronis and a tiramisu espresso martini. Plus, you can order antipasti platters if you're simply stopping by for a drink and a snack, including arancini, prosciutto and caprese salad.

Open to the general public, as well as Mantra guests, the eatery also boasts industrial lighting and leather banquettes inside, plus a greenery-filled al fresco dining area — which fits in nicely with South Bank's general outdoor vibe. And if you were looking for an extra incentive for your next staycation, SMC also does 24-hour service for those bunking down in the hotel. Everyone else can drop by for a grazing-style breakfast, a lunchtime sandwich lineup and dinner.

Salt Meats Cheese South Bank is now open at 161 Grey Street, South Brisbane.