Brisbane's New Howard Smith Wharves Development Has Revealed Its First Four Restaurants

The space beneath the Story Bridge will house a Greek restaurant, a Hong Kong-inspired ,joint a Japanese-style haunt and an octagonal overwater bar.
Sarah Ward
December 06, 2017

Move over South Bank — Brisbane is about to get a brand new riverside drinking, dining and leisure go-to. First announced a couple of years back, the Howard Smith Wharves Development looks set to become the city's new water-adjacent hangout. And while it doesn't open until late 2018, the 3.4-hectare precinct has revealed the first restaurants and bars that'll be enticing locals when it launches.

Four spots have been announced for the revamped area beneath the Story Bridge, spanning everything from Greek eats and Hong Kong-inspired Chinese cuisine to a Japanese-style haunt and an octagonal bar. As well as securing the hottest new address in town, they all stem from a list of well-known names in the Australian culinary and hospitality game, including The Apollo and Cho Cho San's Jonathan Barthelmess, The Gresham's Andrew Baturo and Bare Bones Society's Kym Machin, and Toko's Matt Yazbek.

Sydney chef and restaurateur Barthelmess will oversee the Greek offering, of course, promising "something really special, and with a local twist as always". As for locals Baturo and Machin, they're joining forces on a two-level, 180-seat venture serving up its own kind of Asian fusion, with interior design by Anna Spiro.

She'll also be lending a hand at the eight-sided, 200-metre-square joint that is the Overwater Bar. As the name suggests, it'll have quite the view — plus Champagne all day round and a decked garden lounge. Boasting waterside outdoor dining as well, Yazbek's Toko will make the leap from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane as a combined restaurant, bar and event space.

They'll all join the previously revealed new 164 room, five-star Art Series Hotel, the city's second, plus four other restaurants, a craft brewery, a 1500-square metre exhibition area and entertainment stages. The heritage-listed site — which was originally constructed in the 30s and has lain largely abandoned since the 60s — will also devote more than 80 percent of its area to public space, while hosting food and culture festivals from 2019.

For more information about the Howard Smith Wharves Development, visit the website.

Published on December 06, 2017 by Sarah Ward
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