Brisbane Venues to Visit When All You Want to Do Is Sip a Spritz in the Sunshine
Spend your summer soaking in golden rays and sipping cocktails with your mates at these must-visit Brisbane bars.
Brisbane Venues to Visit When All You Want to Do Is Sip a Spritz in the Sunshine
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Spend your summer soaking in golden rays and sipping cocktails with your mates at these must-visit Brisbane bars.
Brisbane's balmy summers aren't just a blessing for beachgoers. If you're fond of cooling down on dry land with a spritz in your hand and the sun's rays on your face, this is your time to shine.
Queensland's gorgeous climate, tastebud-tempting cocktails, and that carefree vibe that floats across the Brisbane River as soon as the season hits is certain to bring us back together. If you're wondering where to head, we've teamed up with Aperol to pick seven must-visit spots that'll take care of the holy trifecta: all that glorious sunshine, ample space for you and your pals, and, of course, spritzes.
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Perched on the rooftop of 209 Brunswick Street, Cielo is keeping you cool all summer long with it’s its Italian Riviera-inspired, cocktail-focused drinks menu. That means cocktails like the Portofino (with Ketel One vodka, dry vermouth, watermelon, citrus, agave, and bubbles) and the Paradiso (with Patron Silver, Marionette Blue Curacao, citrus, mandarin and oloroso sherry).
Four types of spritzes are also on offer, plus champagne, wine and spirits. Meanwhile, seafood features heavily among the bites — pair your drink with the likes of oysters, beetroot and gin salmon bruschetta, and a Moreton Bay bug roll.
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When The Calile opened its doors on James Street, it also became home to the first Brisbane outpost of Gold Coast Greek restaurant Hellenika. Now serving up meals and drinks for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Brisbane’s Hellenika lets guests enjoy their meals in a pastel and neutral space that befits the complex’s cruisy, stylish and minimalistic digs.
The Valley spot capitalises upon as many of The Calile’s features as it can — complete with a pool-adjacent terrace, poolside cabana and sun lounge dining. And, as you might expect in a restaurant that has a body of water in sight — even an artificial one — seafood is the main culinary attraction. Hellenika’s daily-changing seafood selection is a showcase of the finest from around the country and might include kingfish, lobster (served whole or in halves), oysters and more.
Images: Sean Fennessy.
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Sitting behind Emirates House and boasting Brissie’s biggest riverfrontage, Riverland is a bar and beer garden with a shimmering view. It aims to make the most of its enviable location, not only as an all-day drinking spot with a stellar vantage but with four street kitchens as well. Fashioned out of two 12-metre containers, the permanent island bar serves a range of beer and ciders spanning domestic, international, craft and micro-brewed, shining a particular spotlight on local breweries.
Architecture firm Burton & Carter is behind the timber and greenery design scheme. It retained the existing trees onsite, keeping the natural feel and the city’s subtropical vibe well and truly alive. Throw in a planned entertainment slate of acoustic performances and DJs, and the scene is set for a welcoming river-adjacent hangout all summer long.
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When Howard Smith Wharves opened up its patch of the riverside to the public, it also welcomed Crystalbrook Vincent, a hotel built into the cliffs beneath the Story Bridge — complete with a bar perched right on top. Head to the rooftop bar to drink cocktails and tuck into share-style Italian snacks with a view of the Brisbane River while sitting next to the hotel’s sky-high infinity pool.
The drinks lineup spans fruity spritzes, classic and signature cocktails, plus Italian brews such as Peroni and Birra Moretti. Local makers are also represented with sips from the neighbouring Felons Brewing Co., as well as a selection of liqueurs from Tamborine Mountain Distillery.
And if you’re wondering about the setup, daybeds sit by the pool, or you can choose between stools under umbrellas by the balcony’s edge or getting a front-row seat to the action with a spot at the bar.
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Located at Howard Smith Wharves, Mr Percival’s is an ideal spot to grab a beverage and a bite to eat while both peering at Brisbane’s snaking namesake waterway and sitting in a structure elevated above it.
Relax at this watering hole that’s been designed with European beach clubs and our city’s own park rotundas in mind: think decking, arched doorways, outdoor seating underneath salmon-pink umbrellas, plus an indoor colour scheme that takes inspiration from the Mediterranean.
The menu aims to match its look and feel. And to think locally, too, with plates that champion produce from Moreton Bay and the east coast. As for the drinks selection, you’ll find plenty of cocktails — including several types of spritz — as well as a 50-strong wine list that heroes rose and aromatic whites from artisanal producers.
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Fancy a trip to the Amalfi Coast but can’t get enough time off work? Head to Tetto Rooftop Bar to get your Italian vacation fix without the jet lag. This neighbourhood bar is a favourite for folks who love to be sun-drenched while they sip. And it’s the cocktails that take centre stage at this breezy rooftop venue — cocktail tree, anyone?
Make a date with your mates to hit up Tetto’s Sunset Sips from 4–6pm Monday–Friday and 2–4pm on Sundays to catch the resident DJs play and nab an Aperol spritz or margaritas. And while you’re there, try the morish bolognese arancini, vodka napoli bruschetta or mushroom and truffle gnocchi.
Celebrate summer with Aperol spritz, find out more on the website.
