The Six Tastiest Events to Eat and Drink Your Way Through During Brisbane Good Food Month 2021
Long lunches, plant-based feasts and whisky flights await.
The Six Tastiest Events to Eat and Drink Your Way Through During Brisbane Good Food Month 2021
Long lunches, plant-based feasts and whisky flights await.
When June ticked over to July, Brisbane Good Food Month began for 2021. Brissie was also in lockdown at the time. That's not really how anyone wants a month-long celebration of all things culinary to kick off, but the food-focused event is now in full swing — and Brisbanites have a few extra reasons to head by.
After a stint stuck at home, you're probably sick of your own cooking. After a difficult year or so for the hospitality industry, showing Brisbane restaurants and bars some extra love is definitely on the cards. There are plenty of ways to do just that this year — enough to make you feel spoiled for choice, in fact — so here are our picks of this year's appetising lineup.
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Pair a meal with the right company, and you’ll never be bored — but that doesn’t mean that you can’t spice up your dinner in interesting ways. Yes, the food should be the star of the show; however, for one night at Alchemy during Brisbane Good Food Month, the cuisine and your date can become part of a whodunnit as well.
Here, you’ll solve a murder over a three-course meal. If you’ve always wanted to unleash your inner Sherlock, Poirot or Veronica Mars, here’s your chance. You’ll also need to dress up, as you’ll be given a role to play as part of this murder mystery dinner on Thursday, July 8.
The setup: Aiden Abet, the leader of the Tracy Gang, has been scamming unwitting folks — and when one of his victims turned the tables, he stashed away $1 million. Now, a murder has taken place, which you’ll sleuth your way through. No need to break out a game of Cluedo after dinner, obviously.
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Leisurely lunches might not be a daily occurrence – or, for most of us, a regular part of our routines — but The Inchcolm Bar wants to change that. Because getting through another working week is always something to celebrate, the revamped spot is serving up a three martini lunch special every Friday in July, all as part of this year’s Brisbane Good Food Month.
For $59, you’ll sit down to a two-course lunch between 12–3pm. As the event’s name makes plain, you’ll also get three martinis for your trouble. That’s reason enough to zip from the CBD to Spring Hill — or to head in from wherever you’re spending your Friday.
Food-wise, you can choose from escargot, chicken liver pate and three natural oysters for your entree, with steak frites, Moreton Bay bug chilli pasta, fish and mushroom gnocchi on offer for your mail. And, as for those ‘tinis, you can take your pick from the venue’s signature martini menu.
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It’s possible to like whisky, to boast more than a few bottles of it in your liquor cabinet, and to generally opt for it whenever you’re kicking back with a drink in your hand — and to also have a few gaps in your spirit-loving knowledge. Maybe you’ve just always stuck to a couple of favourite brands. Perhaps you’ve been limited by budget. Or, you might’ve just been so overwhelmed by all the different varieties out there that you simply didn’t know where to start.
Whichever category fits, The Gresham‘s Whisky Appreciation Month is here to help. Even if you just want an excuse to drink more top-notch whisky, it’ll do that, too. Running as part of this year’s Brisbane Good Food Month, this event is serving up different whisky and smallgoods menus between 5-7pm each Saturday between July 10–31.
A global lineup starts things off on July 10, which is when you can sip five different drops for $80. After that, the July 17 session will tour Scotland for $90 per person — and every whisky will be at least 14 years old. On July 24, your $140 ticket gets you a range of rare and aged American whiskies, while the $150-a-head July 31 session is all about independently bottled Scotch.
Images: Millie Tang.
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From Wednesday, July 21–Sunday, August 1, there’s one surefire way to work up an appetite — just head to the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, peruse the hawker-style array of stalls slinging all manner of food and listen to your stomach grumble. Yes, the Night Noodle Markets are back for a sixth round of culinary deliciousness, all as part of this year’s Good Food Month. Yes, they’re guaranteed to make you hungry.
In 2021, there will be 17 stalls to choose from, plus heaps of pop-up bars and the kind of bustling vibe that comes with a massive food gathering. As for what you’ll be feasting on, expect tasty treats from the likes of Hoy Pinoy, Bao Brothers, Bangkok Street Food, Donburi Station and Gelato Messina — as well as May’s Malaysian, Shallot Thai, Wokmaster, Everyday Bao, Twistto/ Flying Noodles, Teppanyaki Noodles, Raijin and Steamed Dim Sum. And, locals Schillykickk, Stone & Copper Curry and Snack Bar, Hashtag Burgers & Waffles and Nodo Donuts will be joining the spread for the first time.
While Messina is busting out deep-fried Milo gelato and its famed mango pancakes (which stuff mango sorbet and vanilla chantilly into mango crepes), other highlights across the board include chicken karaage noodles, pork belly skewers, Japanese fried dumplings, twisted potatoes, yakisoba fried noodles and roti wraps.
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Every Sunday since early June, Gerard’s Bar has been throwing shawarma parties. From the name, you obviously know what’s on the menu. For Brisbane Good Food Month, the James Street spot is giving the concept a tiny tweak — because, from 2pm on Sunday, July 25 only, you’ll get something to eat and a cocktail for $30.
On the food side of things, you’ll be tucking into whichever type of shawarma takes the venue’s fancy on the day. It has been rotating through brisket, Hawaii chicken, harissa pork neck and machoui lamb neck, if you’re wondering what might be in store. Also included: sumac spiced chips with tahini mayo, because every shawarma needs a side dish.
As for a beverage, Gerard’s signature Beirut punch will help you wash down your meal.
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Located within Ovolo The Valley, Za Za Ta Bar & Kitchen already serves up a cruelty-free menu, with the restaurant switching to plant-based dishes back in 2020. For one night during this year’s Brisbane Good Food Month, it’s also welcoming in one of Australia’s best-known names in the vegetarian space for an evening of vegetable-focused Middle Eastern cuisine.
Owner of Melbourne’s Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli, and also the creative culinary partner at the Victorian capital’s new Lona Misa restaurant, Shannon Martinez has built up quite a name for herself — and she’s bringing her skills to Brissie for one night on Wednesday, July 28.
Alongside Za Za Ta’s Israeli-born executive chef Roy Ner, Martinez will be overseeing a plant-based dinner — paired with drinks, naturally — with tickets costing $160 per person.
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