Ten Must-Visit New Brisbane Restaurants That Opened Their Doors in 2022

Kevin Docherty and Sebastiaan de Kort revamped Paddington’s Nota in 2022, adding a wine bar — but why just have one such joint to your name when you can have two? That mightn’t have been the motivation behind Allonda in Newstead; however, it’s the result all the same. Sat in a laneway space off Longland Street, Allonda seats 90, favours modern European designed-to-share dishes, sports a sleek and casual look, and even boasts its own raw seafood and burrata bar.

For those keen on the ocean’s finest, the raw options are sourced locally, while cheese fiends will find different flavour pairings tempting tastebuds. If you only try one dish, make it the signature risotto all’onda, aka the eatery’s namesake option. It’s a Venetian risotto that chases the perfect combination — not too dry or too brothy — with Docherty and de Kort taking inspiration from that pursuit of balance, which all risottos need in their blend of butter, parmesan, stock and temperature, for the restaurant’s overall philosophy.

In a river city like Brisbane, eating, sipping and kicking back by the water is the hospitality holy grail. That’s true along Eagle Street, where waterside restaurants and bars pair their menus with impressive vistas. And it’s a big drawcard at Tillerman, the CBD roadway’s latest addition, which sits inside Riparian Plaza. That said, restaurateurs Andrew and Jaimee Baturo, plus Naga Thai chef Suwisa Phoonsang, want their food and drink offering — and the venue’s decor and mood, too — to be as much of an attraction at the views.

Focusing on the ocean’s finest, that river backdrop and a relaxed holiday-style vibe — and textured decor with a touch of nautical theming — Tillerman also includes a glam private dining room with a wine wall lining one side. Wherever you sit, though, Phoonsang has designed a menu that’s guided by fresh, premium seafood, while taking inspiration from the best dishes found around the world. Highlights include Fremantle octopus carpaccio, salmon jerky, kingfish with crepes and fish of the day served with nuoc cham, plus a signature ‘the Mariner’ martini made with Never Never Oyster Shell Gin.

After holding leadership positions at Howard Smith Wharves, restaurateur and entrepreneur Hervé Dudognon has hopped over to Albion’s transformed 100-year-old timber mill for his new venture: French restaurant and bar Hervé’s. The aim is to give the city a homely, relaxed yet still world-class eatery that nods to France but also embraces Australian culture — across both its food and wine — with husband and wife executive chef duo Alex and Chris Norman overseeing the kitchen.

The venue’s food range favours top produce sourced both locally and abroad — including a chilled seafood platter featuring Moreton Bay bugs and Fraser Island crab, Clyde River oysters done two ways and Australian shellfish bouillabaisse. From the other menu highlights, wagyu and escargot brochette, rock lobster ravioli and black angus steak tartare sit among the smaller options, alongside roast duck and a butcher’s cut of beef to share. Plus, there’s pork with pancetta and asparagus and broad bean fricassee amid the mains.

Image: Markus Ravik.

Seating 48 both inside and out, nestled into Leicester Street, and sporting casual vibes aplenty, Ramona Trattoria is the latest venture from chef and owner Ashley-Maree Kent. She’s set up shop in Coorparoo fresh from Coolangatta’s Cross-Eyed Mary, and boasts everywhere from Quay, Three Blue Ducks and Biota through to Tartine Bakery and Paper Daisy on her resume. Now, she’s operating her dream venue.

The focus here: dough. Also a highlight: a monthly changing menu, so you’ll always be in for something new. Pasta fans, rejoice, because the hand-shaped lineup at the time of writing includes tagliatelle with prosciutto, spaghetti with Queensland prawns and pappardelle with wild boar ragu. Completing the classic Italian combo, hand-stretched pizzetta is also on offer, in varieties spanning mortadella, margherita, mushroom and more. And for something to sip, Kent has teamed up with Tom Angel, who has curated a lineup of international wines and bespoke cocktails.

Image: Jess Kearney.

There’s no prizes for guessing what’s on Sushi Room‘s menu. Now open at The Calile Hotel, its focus right there in its name. But, hailing from the same crew as Hellenika and SK Steak & Oyster, this James Street spot promises to level up your sushi experience. Its focus is on simple ingredients, sophisticated dishes and traditional preparation, and turning the act of making its meals into an experience — giving the whole process its own spin along the way.

You’ll certainly soak in the luxe vibe, retro-inspired decor and theatrical presentation, with the central 9.3-metre solid Japanese hinoki timber counter — which sits upon black limestone — drawing the eye. Architects Richards & Spence have taken cues from 60s neo-futurist designs, and hero texture in a big way. That impressive look and atmosphere is matched by a menu that spans seafood aplenty under Japanese-trained Head Chef Shimpei Raikuni. Yes, sushi and sashimi are the stars of the show, but grilled yakimono dishes are also on offer, plus omakase and enkai options if you’d prefer the chef to choose. Also, patrons can sip sake pairings that span from light to rich flavours, plus cocktails made with shiso, yuzu and wasabi — and whisky and international wines.

Newstead newcomer Maggie May sure does love the 70s. That it’s badging itself as a supper club gives that away — plus the prawn rolls, s’mores and chocolate fondue on offer — however, this fresh addition to Longland Street is welcoming in punters all day. This Gasworks spot spans share plates, including both small and large bites; wine and cocktails, with a particularly hefty vino list; and a casual vibe that’s playful and retro.

Serving up coffee and breakfast, long lunches, both quick and leisurely dinners, and cocktail-hour beverages, standout food options include baked bruschetta topped with whipped feta, duck shanks with chilli caramel, gin-cured salmon, roasted cauliflower gnocchi, South Australian black mussels and stacked charcuterie boards. Or, from the breakfast menu, there’s also a baked stone fruit bruschetta and peanut butter pancakes. Among the cocktail selection, drinks come with names like ‘Saturday Night Fever’, ‘Disco Daddies Ice Tea’ and ‘Soul Sister Spritz’ — well and truly bringing the 70s to your sips.

First, Vincent Lombino and Jared Thibault gave Woolloongabba a stylish neighbourhood-style Italian trattoria. Now, they’ve added a new Chinese Peruvian restaurant and bar to the same precinct. Open since July 2022, Casa Chow has followed in Sasso Italiano‘s footsteps, joining the inner-east suburb’s South City Square. The former Ovolo and QT Food and Beverage Directors are heroing Chino Latino cuisine, aka Chifa, in their latest 100-seat venture — a culinary style that matches Cantonese flavours with Peruvian staples.

On the menu: dishes such as lomo saltado, a stir fry made with marinated wagyu, onions and aji amarillo chilli, and served over fries, as well as anticucho marinated skewers, plus a blend of dim sum and ceviche. Executive Chef Gabriele Di Landri focuses on Chifa dishes that are designed to share. And, patrons tuck in while listening to Latin tunes spun at the venue’s DJ booth, and sitting within a pastel-hued space with blue and pink walls, flowing curtains, booth seating and an open-style bar — as well as drinking pisco, the brandy made in Peru and Chile’s winemaking regions.

When Patina set up shop on the river-facing side of Customs House in 2018, the waterside CBD spot gave diners stellar views to accompany their meals and drinks. Launching its sibling site in the city’s inner west, it’s doing the same there — but going green with its vistas. Patina at Alumni Court is the newest addition to the University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus, which accounts for the tree-lined surroundings and grassy stretch sprawling out in front of the eatery’s outdoor area. The vibe: bringing the outside in, while also nodding to the chain’s OG venue.

Hefty windows peer out over the lawn, and brass and copper-coloured finishes take their cues from Customs House’s iconic copper dome, all in a space that also incorporates Alumni Court’s heritage-listed former Radon Laboratory. The 90-seater — indoors and out — boasts chef Nick Murtas (ex-Palazzo Versace and Emporium Hotels) in the kitchen, as overseen by Patina’s Executive Chef John Offenhauser (ex-Chef de Cuisine and Marco Polo at the Treasury Hotel). On their menu, which doesn’t just mimic its sister eatery’s offerings: a seafood-focused range that also goes big seasonal produce.

Finding somewhere to eat and/or drink along James Street is easy, but only one spot brings a fashion brand’s aesthetic out of its clothing range and into a bar and restaurant. That venue: The Lodge Bar & Dining, the Brisbane bricks-and-mortar outpost of New Zealand’s Rodd & Gunn, which has added to its lineup across two countries by throwing open its doors in a heritage Queenslander in Fortitude Valley.

Brisbane’s addition to the list sports the brand’s rustic-meets-sophisticated vibe in venue form, plus an impressive food and drink menu. Book in for a meal here, and you’ll be tucking into a menu conjured up by The Lodge Bar Group’s Executive Chef Matt Lambert, which goes heavy on seasonal produce and local ingredients. Seafood features prominently, including in entrees such as sea trout tartare; via oysters from Batemans Bay, Tasmania and Moreton Bay; and from a spread that also spans eucalyptus grilled tiger prawns, open fire grilled rock lobster and mud crab royale. Blue crab spaghetti, buttered bug rolls and grilled rock lobster are big highlights, too. And, if you feel like forking out $250 for a 100-gram serving of caviar, you’ll get whatever’s the best at the time.

When BŌS asks you to join its club, here’s what it means: picking a dry-aged cut of meat from its cabinet, purchasing and reserving it, then tucking into it via the restaurant’s ‘Cleaver Club’ whenever you’re onsite. If that sounds like a swanky experience, it is, and that’s what this Queen Street dining option has in store all round. You’d expect exactly that from a venue by Good Chef Bad Chef and Richo’s Bar Snacks chef Adrian Richardson, plus ex-Cha Cha Char restaurateur Chris Higgins.

Now open opposite Customs House, the 120-seater BŌS gives the River City a luxe go-to with river views. It also goes heavy on steak, taking its name from the Latin word for beef. Here, you’ll also find steak tartare, eight cuts from the grill included a bacon-wrapped fillet mignon, and two giant 1.2–1.5-kilogram options to share all on offer. That said, diners can also choose from oysters three ways, chargrilled Fremantle octopus, house-smoked salmon, sand crab lasagne, crackling-wrapped pork loin and duck breast with black garlic as part of BŌS’ embrace of different types of proteins. The culinary theme, other than meat: modern Mediterranean, as also seen in the handmade small goods like salamis, bresaola and pastrami; the southern rock lobster with pasta; and the hand-stretched buffalo mozzarella.