Now Open: Byblós Has Relaunched at Portside with a Revamped Look and Refreshed Lebanese Menu
For 18 years, this restaurant has been part of Hamilton's riverside precinct — and it's just undergone a huge renovation.
Much has changed at Portside Wharf over its almost two-decade existence to date, but Byblós Brisbane has remained a constant. One of the River City's go-tos for Lebanese cuisine has been a mainstay of the waterside Hamilton precinct, whether you're keen on a meal or drinks. When it opened in 2006, it was also the first-ever eatery from brothers Adonis and Nehme Ghanem, the pair behind hospitality outfit — and the Bisou Bisou-, Iris Rooftop-, Blackbird Bar, Dining and Events-, Boom Boom Room-, Donna Chang- and Lúc Lắc-running — Ghanem Group.
As new venues make their home at Portside, Byblós is remaining in place, but it's now sporting a revamped aesthetic and refreshed menu. As announced earlier in spring, the restaurant has undergone a renovation, and is now back up and running in its new redesigned guise just in time for summer party season.
When a massive makeover was announced for Portside Wharf back in 2022, Brisbanites started getting excited about more dining options, new eateries and expanded outdoor seating — and since 2023, seafood restaurant Fosh, pastry haven Rise Bakery, ice cream spot Rosé Gelateria, grilled-skewer chain Birds Nest Yakitori, gastropub Portside Social, sports bar The Ballpark Portside and the burger-slinging Dumbo have all opened their doors already. The new-look Byblós joins them, 18 years after it first launched its Hamilton digs. Patrons will now find a new focus on contemporary Lebanese cuisine, plus a reimagined design.
Indoors, expect an open dining and bar area, complete with dining booths and private nooks. If you're keen to eat and drink outside, you can now step through bi-fold glass sliding doors to the plant-filled waterside al fresco space, which has also been expanded and weather-proofed. Space Cubed Design Studio was on design duties, aiming to nod to Lebanese cuisine's past and present, including by incorporating tiles handcrafted in the venue's namesake city.
Food-wise, patrons can tuck into a sharing-friendly menu influenced by a 2023 research trip to Lebanon, plus a new drinks range featuring cocktails such as Lebanese Lemonade (vodka, a whole lemon, mint, arak and maraschino) and Phoenician Sunset (Licor 43, strawberry liqueur, apple and strawberry), a hefty array of spirits and a wine cellar filled with drops from around the world.
"What blew us away on our trip were the intense flavours — layers of aromatic spice, fresh herbs and smoky notes from the grill — and the food heritage that the locals are so proud of. Every meal took us on a journey," advises Ghanem Group Executive Chef Jake Nicolson.
"We've added our own refined interpretation to classic dishes and will take guests on a culinary adventure of our own, not just through the food, but also through the interior design that includes culturally significant elements that hark back to the history of the ancient city of Byblós."
New highlights span salmon kibbeh nayeh (which is made with raw salmon, burghal, cucumber, fresh mint, red onion and fresh saj) and eggplant fatteh (fried eggplant, cow's milk yogurt, fresh mint and toasted flatbread) among the small plates. Yes, the fan-favourite rakakat, aka fried filo pastries stuffed with mozzarella, feta, parsley and onion, remains on offer.
For something more substantial, the wagyu skewers feature pomegranate, pickled red onion, wild thyme and chimichurri; the Brisbane Valley quail comes with orange blossom honey, sumac and parsley, as well as pine nuts and currants; and the slow-cooked lamb shoulder is paired with mixed nuts, currants and jus.
Baklava cheesecake and Turkish delight pavlova are dessert standouts — and if you can't pick what to eat, that's where the banquet menu comes in.
Find Byblós Brisbane at Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton, open 11.30am–late Tuesday–Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details.
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