Overview
Shane Delia hasn't farewelled Melbourne, where his flagship restaurant Maha has been one of the Victorian capital's go-tos for Middle Eastern flavours for almost two decades, and where his fellow eateries Maha North, Maha East and Jayda also reside. That said, the acclaimed chef and restaurateur has still made a leap familiar to Queenslanders: heading from the southern city to the Sunshine State. Brisbane is now home to a first on his resume, with Layla Delia's debut restaurant in this part of the country.
2025 has been waiting for this, after news arrived in 2024 that Delia was set to launch his first Brissie venue — and first in Queensland as well — in the Thomas Dixon Centre, Queensland Ballet's base, in West End. Open since Friday, March 28 in the heritage-listed section of the building, Layla continues its guiding force's Middle Eastern focus, but pairing the rich, bold, spice-fuelled dishes on the eatery's evolving menu with local Queensland produce.
"I'm honoured to open Layla as my first venture in Brisbane, a city that is continually showing ambition as a vibrant new culinary destination in Australia," said Delia about the launch.
"There's so much incredible produce in Queensland that you can't get anywhere else in the world. It's been a lot of fun experimenting with ingredients that I'm not typically known for — kaffir lime, ginger, lemongrass. I'm excited to test something new at Layla," he continued.
"We'll be exploring spice in an inventive way, but we're not here to educate people. At the end of the day, Layla is about bringing people together around the table, sharing really tasty food and memorable experiences," Delia also noted.
"It has been amazing working alongside Shane, learning from him and his unique approach to spice, and coming up with what we believe is a new offering to Brisbane's dining scene," added Simon Palmer (ex-Black Hide by Gambaro, -Urbane, -Gerard's Bistro, -E'cco Bistro), Layla's Head Chef, who worked with Delia on the restaurant's menu.
Whether you're visiting before a show, for a date or to celebrate an occasion — and whether you opt to sit in the main dining room or make the most of the outdoor courtyard — diners can look forward to both a la carte and banquet options, the latter with drink pairings on top if that also tempts your tastebuds. King crab with coriander, lime, charred pineapple and smoked pepper is one of the starter highlights, as is Hervey Bay half-shell scallop with carrot hummus. Or, there's pistachio-crusted Brisbane Valley quail and arak-cured kingfish among the small plates. Getting the whipped smoked hummus or fragrant sweet eggplants if you're going with Layla's signature flatbread brushed in toum and fennel seed za'atar is recommended.
There's few strangers left to butter chicken, but habibbi butter chicken gives the dish Layla's own twist courtesy of Moroccan spices, and is part of the mains menu. Prefer an eight-hour slow-roasted lamb shoulder with smoked eggplant, roast lemon and za'atar sauce instead? That's another choice among the large dishes designed to share, as is the coal-grilled swordfish T-bone with burnt orange and saffron. And for dessert, if you're not tucking into the whipped kanfeh with lemon verbena syrup and pine nut ice cream, you can give the watermelon and rosewater granita a try — it also comes with chocolate mousse, Turkish delight jam and peppermint crisp ice cream.
Sommelier Darcy Curnow (Rockpool Bar & Grill, Delia Group) has put together a 150-bottle wine list, opting for tipples that suit the Brisbane climate. Think: "crisp whites, vibrant rosés, and elegant, lighter-bodied reds", he advises. The cocktail range heroes native Queensland ingredients, with both boozy and non-alcoholic sips on offer — and if your chosen concoction isn't on the menu, the bar staff will make it happen. A small selection of beer and cider helps round out the beverages, as do a few arak and raki choices if you're keen on anise-flavoured spirits.
In a structure with more than a century of history, dating back to 1908, a moody vibe permeates inside, complete with dim lighting, exposed brick walls, walnut timber, touches of brass, blue velvet upholstery and blue terrazzo floors. Outdoors, Melbourne-based architecture outfit Studio Y — which also worked its magic on Delia's Jayda, plus Stomping Ground Brewery, Nick & Nora's, Brick Lane Market and Starward Distillery & Bar — has gone with softer hues, greenery aplenty, beige umbrellas and stone-topped tables in the sunlight.
Delia joins the list of well-known hospitality folks setting up shop in Queensland in the past year or so, after Adrian Richardson launched BŌS, and Andrew McConnell opened both Supernormal and Bar Miette.
Layla is a partnership with Queensland Ballet, with Delia Group teaming up with the former's hospitality partner VenuesLive. The restaurant anchors the Thomas Dixon Centre's dining options, not only adding to the performing arts precinct but helping it become a new arts and hospitality hub. Equally new to this patch of West End: cafe Tom's Kitchen, which started welcoming in patrons in mid-March.
Find Layla at the Thomas Dixon Centre, corner of Montague Road and Raven Street, West End — open from 5.30–10.30pm Tuesday–Wednesday and from 12–10.30pm Thursday–Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details and reservations.
Images: Jason Loucas.