Overview
Taking over the slice of Newstead that Chester Street Bakery once called home, Hello Gorgeous has one thing in common with its now-defunct predecessor: wherever you look, something catches the eye. In the site's previous incarnation, colourful and inventive cakes screamed out for attention. Now, it's the vivid decor.
Given its name, this new watering hole isn't pretending to be modest. It might be compact in size, accommodating up to 100 people, but Hello Gorgeous is designed to make an impact. Emblazoned with the venue's moniker, a pink neon sign lights up one corrugated iron wall. Elsewhere, tropical prints and plants are scattered around the joint. Patrons grab drinks from a bar decked out with pastel pink tiles and gold detailing, then sit and sip at teal banquettes.
In short, Hello Gorgeous is the kind of place that is luxe but casual — somewhere Brisbanites can head after work, settle in for a lazy arvo on a weekend or grab a meal up until 10pm every night of the week. Owner Justinn De Beer describes it as a place "for everyone to just relax, enjoy great food and wine, and have fun", an ethos that shines not only in the vibrant interiors by Bea Berry Designs, but in its multiple spaces. As well as the main bar, there's a deck out the front, a private dining room for 20 and the ability to host functions of up to 80 guests.
With Matthew Wrench (Eleven Rooftop Bar) overseeing the kitchen, variety reigns on the menu as well. Primed for sharing, the food range spans sesame-crusted tuna sliders, a pan-seared cuttlefish salad and lamb cutlets with harissa and pumpkin purée — plus sides that include roasted bone marrow with sourdough crisps. That's just the beginning. Although, it's the seven-page drinks list that visitors will spend most of their time flicking through, whether they're after boozy or non-alcoholic options.
House cocktails on tap and by the glass take pride of place, and Hello Gorgeous' staff can make most classic and contemporary concoctions by request; however, the venue's list of non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages is just as sizeable. Here, you can indulge in a few Hello Gorgeous gimlets or a trio of tipples made from the booze-free spirit Seedlip — or, back on the strong stuff, choose from more than 45 wines, 20-plus beers and ciders, and over 100 different types of spirits.
Find Hello Gorgeous at 32A Chester Street, Newstead, open from 4pm Monday–Thursday and from 12pm Friday–Sunday.