Overview
When a massive revamp was announced for Portside Wharf back in 2022, Brisbanites started looking forward to more dining options, new eateries and expanded outdoor seating. The makeover is still ongoing, but this refresh has been delivering 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. There's more still to come — and, among the Hamilton precinct's mainstays, Byblós Brisbane is also undergoing a huge revamp.
By the time that October 2024 is out — bookings are currently open for Thursday, October 24, onwards — Portside's riverside Lebanese restaurant will look a whole lot different. Byblós launched its Hamilton digs 18 years ago. When it reopens, it'll do so with 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'll step through bi-fold glass sliding doors to the plant-filled waterside al fresco space, which is also being expanded and weather-proofed. Space Cubed Design Studio is on design duties, aiming to nod to Lebanese cuisine's past and present.
"The rich history of Lebanese culture and cuisine underpins the interior aesthetic, strongly influenced by elements of the world-heritage site — the ancient city of Byblós," explains Space Cubed Design Studio Associate Interior Designer Jill Chilton, of decor that includes grain-patterned marble slabs on the new bar, stepped arches aplenty, and terracotta Tyrian purple tones.
"Sand-like textural rendered walls mimic the qualities of the desert terrain, sculptural dining booths with their forms inspired by the Phoenician alphabet are centrally situated in the now voluminous dining space, among small and larger table settings, and the facade has been opened up to maximise views and connection to the waterfront."
Patrons will tuck into a menu influenced by a 2023 research trip to Lebanon, plus a new drinks range featuring cocktails such as Lebanese Lemonade, a hefty array of spirits and a wine cellar filled with drops from around the world.
When it opened in 2006, Byblós Brisbane marked the first eatery from brothers Adonis and Nehme Ghanem. The pair have since established Ghanem Group, which is also behind Brisbane's Bisou Bisou, Iris Rooftop, Blackbird Bar, Dining and Events, Boom Boom Room and Donna Chang, plus Byblós Melbourne and the Victorian capital's Le Bon Ton.
Also on the way in the River City for Ghanem Group: Lúc Lắc at Queen's Wharf.
Find Byblós Brisbane at Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton, open 11.30am–late Tuesday–Sunday — with bookings open from Thursday, October 24, 2024. Head to the venue's website for more details.