Harveys is a charming bistro on James St, New Farm, that is all about the little details. The staff are dressed stylishly, inspired by the surrounding chic fashion boutiques. Every dish on the menu is a classic with a contemporary twist. You can choose to sit inside and soak in the modern decor, or out on the leafy outdoor area for some people watching in the blissful Queensland sun. If you are looking for a satisfying brunch, opt for the spiced mince in flour tortilla with poached egg, sour cream and avocado, perfectly washed down with a freshly squeezed orange juice. For a lighter option, the fresh seasonal fruit bowl with toasted coconut, passionfruit and organic honey is the 'little black dress' of the breakfast world: a staple and slimming classic. When accessorised with the optional homemade vanilla bean yoghurt, this dish is a knockout. The relaxed atmosphere and a clean and modern approach to its dishes makes Harveys the kind of place you take someone you want to impress.
Living in a river city like Brisbane means making the most of that winding waterway every chance you can, especially when the climate is sultry and sunny, too. When it opened back in late 2020, Will & Flow offered Brisbanites another way to do just that with the ol' brown snake: by sipping drinks over the water while peering out at South Bank. The city's second overwater bar in the last few years — following Mr Percival's over at Howard Smith Wharves — Will & Flow boasts a killer location, stunning views and an impressive deck where you can enjoy both. Obviously, plenty to eat and drink is also on the menu. But that spectacular spot meant it was susceptible to Brisbane's floods when they wreaked havoc earlier in 2022. Now, after a few months spent recovering, the venue has reopened. Up and running again since late June, Will & Flow is back doing what it has always done best: pairing sips and bites to eat with that dazzling vista. Run by the Treasury Brisbane — marking its first off-site location, in fact — the bar has also undergone an interior revamp, and given its menu a makeover as well, all while bringing back one of its beloved regular events. Part of the Queen's Wharf precinct, and sitting between the QUT Gardens Point CityCat stop and the Goodwill Bridge, Will & Flow has gone natural with its new furnishings. There's also a new deck area, plus an outdoor kitchen. The menu still spans coffees during the day, cocktails after work and meals from morning till evening, but now starts with woodfired open omelettes with mushrooms, onions, tomato and buffalo mozzarella for breakfast — and breakfast pides with bacon, pork sausage, mushroom and egg. The lunch range includes cheesy baked potato gnocchi with creamy mushroom, woodfired pizzas, and pork meatballs with pomodoro sauce and pecorino, while pides feature there as well. Think: garlic and cheese pides, one topped with salt and vinegar potato and buffalo mozzarella, and a barbecue beef brisket flat bread with sour cream, avocado and tomato relish. Also getting a shakeup: the cocktail range, with dessert cocktails now on offer to suit the colder weather. Enjoy chocolate hazelnut martini made with Frangelico, crème de cacao and vodka, a lamingtini made with Baileys, Frangelico, Coconut Monin, cream and chocolate bitters, as well as a 'Winter Warmer' that combines custard, Makers Mark, Mozart chocolate liqueur and Baileys. And if you head by on a Thursday night from 4.30pm, Beats and Eats is back. For $20, you can choose from a menu of woodfired pizzas and pides, and get a glass of sparkling glass of prosecco — with DJs providing the tunes. Find Will & Flow in the Queen's Wharf precinct, between the QUT Gardens Point CityCat stop and the Goodwill Bridge — open Thursdays from 4.30–9.30pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 6.30am–10pm, and Sundays from 6.30am–9pm. Images: Mitch Lowe.
When a seafood restaurant is absolutely brimming with people every night of the week (and even on the same day as the Caxton St Seafood and Wine Festival), then you know they must be dishing up something more than your everyday fish 'n' chips. Reef Seafood + Sushi at Gasworks Plaza offers such variety — with fresh, made-to-order seafood plates of crayfish, shellfish and fish fillets; Tasmanian, New Zealand and South Australian sourced oysters and imported caviar; as well as fresh nori rolls and sashimi expertly sliced by a team of Japanese chefs — that even the most discerning of seafood aficionados will be impressed. Specialty dishes include the lobster mornay (a succulent lobster tail smothered in a rich, creamy mornay sauce, topped with cheese and baked until melted, $29) and Reef's own giant seafood platter with calamari, prawns, miso scallops, beer-battered fish fillets, crab claws, lobster, oysters, sashimi and chips. At 99 bucks a pop, it's the perfect option for a group seafood feast. If you're after something smaller, then you can't go wrong with the crumbed oysters ($15) or a fresh swordfish fillet with house-made lemon butter sauce ($23.90). Served with salad (topped with a delicious Japanese-style sesame dressing) and tangy, crunchy chips, it's a fresh, filling dish that gets in your daily dose of omega-3s. Set in the relaxed atmosphere of Gasworks with a view of the Gas-o-meter lights and a menu a mile long (as well as a fully stocked bar and cocktail list), Reef is sure to reel you in every time. They certainly got us. Hook, line and sinker.
Traditionally, a food outing with kids in tow has involved a jumbo pack of wipes, stale nuggets and worn-out parents who wished more than anything that they had booked an expensive babysitter while they indulged their passion for food. Well, times have changed. Now more than ever, restaurants have parents in mind. So we've teamed up with Holden Equinox, the SUV for parents with nothing to prove, to find Brisbane's top ten kid-friendly cafe and restaurants. These places offer some of the best, most exciting food offerings in the city — with a little extra somethin' somethin' to make family outings a delight. Now you can save the babysitter for when you actually need the alone time, not just a great feed someone else has cooked. RISTORANTE LA FAMIGLIA It doesn't get any more family friendly that this Italian joint, with the word family literally there in the name. Ristorante La Famiglia specialises in regional Pugliese food such as orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta), with a fresh and tasty kids menu to match. Desserts are designed to be shared, spreading the post-feast sugar high evenly among family members. 3/855 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba PLUM TUCKER Come to Plum Tucker to feast on delicious and healthy brunch dishes. Table service and a kiddies' corner complete with books, toys and colouring-in activities makes it perfect for parents who actually want to have a conversation over their eggs Benny. You might even get some food envy from the kids' menu. With options like a mini bacon and egg burger on Turkish, the little rascals have plenty to choose from. 1/5 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill THE PRIORY KITCHEN Let's be honest, there are only so many ways you can get creative with eggs and avocado. Brunch spots that offer fresh and exciting menu options are very hard to come by — which is why The Priory is a rare gem in the inner south. Ample seating options, high chairs and a full kids' menu that will have you pretending to be under 12. There'll be no objection to finishing off Three-Year-Old's fruit salad sundae complete with summer fruits, passionfruit jelly, lemon sorbet and brioche cinnamon toast. Shop 4/855 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba MECCA BAH A now not-so-well-kept secret, this hot spot in the valley not only offers incredible Middle Eastern and Mediterranean grub, it welcomes kids — to the extent that it hosts children's pizza-making classes and parties. For just $35 per child, kids learn the art of dough acrobatics, followed by a pizza buffet, soft drink and fairy floss. A wise investment for weekly at-home pizza nights; there's no need to buy frozen bases when your child's learned the trade straight from a the pizza maestro. Win. 21/1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley THE COFFEE NOOK A popular spot on the south side for busy parents, The Coffee Nook offers quick and friendly service, consistently excellent coffee, plus one of the best beef burgers in town. With ample parking and jumbo babycinos on offer, this hole-in-the-wall is a great spot at which to refuel after a sleepless night (or 20). 2/5 Secam Street, Mansfield SEPTEMBER 18 This is one restaurant where the whole family is sure to eat their vegetables. September 18 (no, not the last time you went to the bathroom without an audience), the all-vegan eatery at North Lakes, is a family-friendly destination for plant-based meals. The cosy spot provides high chairs, and its Malaysian-inspired dishes are bound to please palettes young and old, timid or bold. Think dumplings, noodles and stay mock chicken. 1650 Anzac Avenue, North Lakes PAWPAW Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this buzzing Woolloongabba eatery covers all bases and is especially creative when it comes to catering for little ones with allergies. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are all available in the form of breakfast bowls, French toast and steamed bao. Bonus: they serve all their kid-sized drinks with lids so as to avoid spills and frantic table wipe-downs. 898 Stanley Street East, Woolloongabba SAIKO TEPPANYAKI Nothing says family fun like having an egg thrown at your face. Saiko is a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, which means the food is cooked right in front of you, flamboyantly, on huge grills. This is for parents who are looking for more than just your ordinary dinner. The magic of interactive dining never gets old — much like the teppanyaki masters themselves. Book early to avoid missing out on all the theatrical fun, and bring some extra wipes for the grown-ups in case the sake interferes with your ability to catch rice in your mouth. 17/1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley PIZZALUNGA DA CARLO Woodfired one-metre-long pizzas are the specialty at Pizzalunga. And there is no need to keep the kids occupied with an iPad when they can watch the pizza chefs in action in this open-plan kitchen. All pizzas are hand rolled, and there's a simple but delicious kids' menu on offer as well — for the minority of the population who like their pizzas on a smaller scale. For those with a second dessert stomach, the woodfired Nutella pizza topped with fresh strawberries is a must. 3 Aspinall Street, Nundah MRS BROWN'S BAR & KITCHEN Remember when you used to socialise at bars and drink alcohol out of a lovely glass? It feels like so long ago. Thankfully, Mrs Brown is here to help. Home to an impressive selection of wine and spirits, as well as Asian-inspired bar food, Mrs Brown's aims to bring locals together, including the reason why we took up daytime drinking in the first place — our offspring. It's rare to find a bar that will accommodate the kids; even rarer to find one with such a welcoming vibe and plenty of high chairs on offer. 32 Commercial Road, Newstead Drive your family on adventures in and outside of town in the Holden Equinox, the SUV for parents with nothing to prove. Find out more on the Holden website.
Strolling through stunning lights as far as the eye can see, moseying beneath a canopy of glowing multi-coloured trees, wandering between ribbons of flashing beams, enjoying the most-luminous two-kilometre stroll through nature that you can imagine: you'll be able to do all of this again when Lightscape returns to Brisbane in 2024. If you went to the 2023 version, this second Lightscape stint in the Queensland capital will also take place as part of Brisbane Festival 2024. For two years in a row, one dazzling event hosts another, then, with this year's iteration running from Thursday, August 29 and staying around for a few weeks post-fest until Saturday, October 12. Once more, the after-dark light festival is taking over the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, beaming away from 5.45pm each night. Prepare to see the garden illuminated by immersive and large-scale installations scattered along the lengthy route, including sparkling trees, lit-up walkways and bursts of colour that look like fireworks. A big highlight: large-scale works like giant flowers and glowing tunnels, both of which will make you feel like you're being bathed in radiance. But don't go thinking that you'll just be repeating what you saw last year, because 2024's Lightscape in Brisbane has a few new additions courtesy of works by Queensland First Nations artists Paul Bong (aka Bindur Bullin) and Michelle Yeatman. The whole experience has also been reimagined, in fact. Also, pop-up food and drink stalls will be scattered throughout the walk. Images: Markus Ravik.
It's hard to miss Tibetan Kitchen. The bright yellow and blue building right on Petrie Terrace is the sort of place you've probably driven past a hundred times and never actually been inside. But you should. The restaurant specialises in authentic Tibetan cuisine, including momos — steamed and fried dumplings, filled with meat or veggies, coriander, ginger and garlic, served with house-made chutney. For the vegetarians, Tibetan Kitchen in Brisbane City has veg kofta with mashed potato, chickpeas, capsicum and coriander rolled into balls that are deep-fried, then cooked in a spicy sauce. We also love the veg shapka, which has potatoes, mixed vegetables and tomatoes cooked in a curry sauce loaded with ginger, garlic and coriander. Round out your meal with some starters — we suggest the aloo chop (curried potato patties with homemade chutney) or spinach dhal soup — and the staple rice, bread and khir for dessert, a Nepalese pudding topped with caramel. Image: Hennessy Trill
For more than six decades, fans of Disney have been able to step into the Mouse House's wonders IRL, thanks to a theme park empire that started in the 1950s with Disneyland. For even longer, touring your way through Universal Studios' wares — first during lot visits, then theme parks as well — has also been a reality. While Japan's beloved Studio Ghibli joined in back in 2001 via its Ghibli Museum, now it has launched its very own theme park. Get ready to get spirited away, and to skip around a sprawling place that's both gorgeous and magical. The venue at Aichi Prefecture Expo Park has been in the works since back in 2017, and has also been through a few delays over that five-year period — but as of Tuesday, November 1, it's finally and officially open to animation lovers. If that's you, Ghibli Park is welcoming in fans to wander its 200-hectare expanse in Nagoya's Aichi Prefecture, around a three-hour train trip from Tokyo, with the space's first three stages launching on opening day. Ghibli has been dropping early glimpses at the park over the past few months — even if its recent Hayao Miyazaki-directed cat train trailer was solely animated (but still wonderful) — and there's plenty of store for visitors. Part of the first phase is a space that's been dubbed Ghibli's Great Warehouse, aka the park's main area. Think of it like a fair within the overall attraction, featuring a video exhibition room, three special exhibition rooms, plus shops and cafes all in one space. Many movie lovers' first stop should be Orionza, a cinema that sets 170 patrons and screens ten Ghibli shorts — all of which have only previously been seen at the studio's existing museum in Mitaka, a city on the western outskirts Tokyo. The easy highlight: the 13-minute-long sequel to My Neighbour Totoro, which is an absolute delight, unsurprisingly. Fancy entering one of Ghibli's films? The park also includes recreations of 13 famous scenes from the company's cinematic catalogue that you can step into, including becoming Spirited Away's Chihiro by sitting next to Kaonashi on a mysterious train by the sea. Or, another exhibition focuses on Ghibli's knack for drawing delicious-looking food, and is certain to make you hungry. And, if you're curious how Ghibli's works — such as posters, videos, music and books — appear overseas, there's an exhibition about that as well. Because you'll want souvenirs, the Ghibli's warehouse store sells Ghibli goodies galore, including items specific to the park. Expect two things: to want to purchase everything, so much so that you'll contemplate whether it's worth getting another suitcase to take home with you; and plenty of company while you're browsing and buying. For a bite or a drink, the Great Warehouse's cafe and milk stand both take their cues The Wind Rises. One slings sandwiches and pizzas, while the other focuses on sips to drink — and a sweet made of red bean paste between two pieces of castella, as seen in the movie. Yes, it all truly does resemble the Japanese animation house's glorious frames in real life — as that aforementioned Studio Ghibli museum already does as well. Also open in the first stage: gardens, including the antique shop and verandah from Whisper of the Heart, plus Satsuki and Mei's house from My Neighbour Totoro. The latter was already a part of Aichi Prefecture Expo Park, but that doesn't make it any less stunning. Indeed, there's a reason that Ghibli Park was initially described as having a My Neighbour Totoro focus. Also slated to feature across the whole park: a life-sized version of Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's home from Kiki's Delivery Service, a village area that pays tribute to Princess Mononoke, nods to the cat from Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns, buildings with design elements that take their cues from Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and a super-sized garden that'll make you feel like you're one of the tiny characters in Arrietty. If you're now planning a Ghibli-centric holiday, Japan reopened its borders to individual international tourists, and ditched its visa and package tour requirements, back in October — which, yes, is handy timing. A note re ticketing: like Ghibli's museum, Ghibli Park opens for bookings one day per month, working months ahead. On Monday, November 14, for instance, you'll be able to buy tickets for January visits. Ghibli Park is now open at Aichi Expo Memorial Park, 1533–1 Ibaragamama Otsu, Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: © Studio Ghibli.
Not only home to grapevines as far as the eye can see, but also a restaurant with views over Moreton Bay, a nine-hole modified form of golf and regular concerts — Mount Cotton's Sirromet Winery also has onsite glamping within its expansive 560-acre grounds. It's also the first vineyard glamping experience in Queensland, and visitors can get cosy in one of 18 tents, with each featuring a king bed, indoor day chairs, outdoor tables and seating, bathrooms with a shower and toilet, and reverse cycle air-conditioning to cope with southeast Queensland's usually warm weather. Every safari-style abode also includes a mini-bar filled with Sirromet wine, and all bookings include complimentary breakfast at Tuscan Terrace (midweek) or Restaurant Lurleen's (weekends).
When a new brewery opens in Brisbane that shares part of its moniker with Queensland's nickname, it's clearly happy to get playful. At Little Miss Sunshine, that's the vibe. First announced in mid-July 2024 and now welcoming in patrons in the River City, this addition to Ann Street is a bistro, too, pouring brews and serving up Sunshine State-inspired cuisine from the back of the ground floor of an office building. From Milton to West End, Woolloongabba to Morningside and Fortitude Valley to Newstead, it isn't hard to find a brewery in Brisbane's inner-city suburbs and their surrounding locales. River City drinkers are spoiled for choice, in fact. Maybe it's thanks to the yeast and hops smell that's long lingered over the inner west courtesy of the XXXX factory, but this beer-loving town has never been one to say no to more breweries, especially over the past decade. Brissie loves new spots making beer as much as new bridges — so opening a brewery in this area of town feels like an inevitability. Whether you're keen to drop in for after-work drinks, lunch, dinner or anything in-between, Little Miss Sunshine sports a choice of both indoor and outdoor seating — and, yes, a sunny yellow hue features heavily, with light-coloured timber to match. Wherever you choose to say cheers, 28 taps have your tips taken care of, complete with both house-brewed tipples, including small-batch sips, alongside favourites from elsewhere picked by the team. On the menu, Moreton Bay bug spaghetti, a wagyu cheeseburger with lettuce from the Sunshine Coast, harissa roasted sweet potato salad with Toowoomba-grown spinach and a sirloin served with Lockyer Valley broccolini are just a few examples of Little Miss Sunshine's Queensland-leaning culinary options. Haloumi skewers, beer-battered barramundi, wings, lamb kofta, and beef and chicken shawarma also feature, as the food lineup additionally takes some inspiration from the Mediterranean. Hitting up Little Miss Sunshine means catching live tunes as well, all in a space that you've probably walked past countless times — especially if you work in the CBD — without considering that a brewery could one day live there. The folks behind it: RMS Group, which also has fellow inner-city haunts Isles Lane Bar & Kitchen, Fig & Olive Bar Bistro, Hellcat Maggie Laneway Bar & Kitchen and The Grove Rooftop Event Space to its name. Find Little Miss Sunshine at 80 Ann Street, Brisbane — operating 10am–9pm Monday–Wednesday and 10–12am Thursday–Friday. Head to the venue's website, Facebook and Instagram in the interim. Images: Markus Ravik.
Caxton Street's go-to for whisky, southern-style food and Americana rock, Lefty's Old Time Music Hall left Brisbane's nightlife scene with a considerable gap when it shut up shop last November. Thankfully, the Petrie Terrace venue isn't staying closed for much longer, with new management swooping in, slightly amending its name and reopening the joint by the end of February. While the dive bar-style spot is now called Lefty's Music Hall and will be run by Hallmark Group Australia — the folks behind Jamie's Italian, Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria, Finn McCool's and Retro's Cocktail Lounge — not much else seems to changing. If you've been a fan of its honky-tonk saloon theme, famed whisky apples and live music lineup since it originally launched back in 2013, that's all sticking around in the new iteration. So are Lefty's vintage chandeliers, crimson walls and the sizeable mirrors splashed around the place. Also staying put: its black leather booths lit by candles, giant curved bar, smattering of moose heads, wall-mounted bear and peacock, and heavily used stage and dance floor. Basically, it's a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. That seems understandable given how popular the venue has always been, and the reaction when it was shuttered suddenly. Exactly what'll be on Lefty's specific food and drink menu has yet to be revealed — other than that popular blend of whisky and freshly juiced apples — but the bar will be serving plenty of boutique beers and, obviously, whisky. As for its entertainment lineup, it'll once again focus on rockabilly and country music, showcasing local, Australian and international talent. Find Lefty's Music Hall at 15 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace, from a yet-to-be-announced date in late February — we'll update you when an exact opening date comes to hand. Top image: Google Maps.
The sight of a big, colourful sunflower is enough to put a smile on just about anybody's face. In Brisbane, this uplifting feeling can be a weekly occurrence, as the Sunny Truck pulls up at the Kelvin Grove Village Markets every Saturday from 6am–1pm. Founded by graphic designer Lucy Tann, this sunflower-slinging microbusiness can brighten your day in more ways than one. Parked beneath a towering fig tree, the tray of a slightly battered truck overflows with buckets of freshly cut sunflowers. Yet from its position tucked between buskers and fruiterers, Sunny Truck aims to be more than just a place for people to shop singles and bunches, pleasant as they may be. Just as important is providing a tight-knit community hub. Running her design business online, Tann began to feel like she lacked connection. Even after returning to Brisbane from Magnetic Island, her proximity to inner-city life did little to solve the problem. Instead, Tann set about creating her own community, with locals now making their way to Sunny Truck to get stems, but perhaps more significantly, to stop for a chat. Now, this growing Saturday morning ritual is on the rise, with Tann regularly selling out within just a couple of hours. And on the days she doesn't, the flowers are donated to aged care homes or bought by local cafes. "I think people are craving something unguarded and real," says Lucy. "The truck has given that to me and I think maybe it's giving that to others, too."
Spoiler warning: this interview incudes specifics about Smoke if you aren't up to date with the series before reading. Noticing patterns sits at the heart of most detective narratives. For the characters in Smoke, that's firmly part of the job. Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton, Carry-On) is a former firefighter-turned-arson investigator on the trail of two serial pyromaniacs — one using milk bottles to set their blazes, the other starting multiple infernos at once to attempt to split the fire department's resources — and, as a result, he's hunting for recurring clues in the ashes. So is Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett, The Order), his new partner and a police officer who has been transferred to the fictional Umberland's arson squad not by choice. Add these figures to the list, too, in the nine-part Apple TV+ miniseries: Captain Steven Burke (Rafe Spall, William Tell), who is behind Michelle's reassignment; Commander Harvey Englehart (Greg Kinnear, Off the Grid), Umberland's fire chief; Ezra Esposito (John Leguizamo, Bob Trevino Likes It), the cop who was previously by Gudsen's side; and Special Agent Dawn Hudson (Anna Chlumsky, Bride Hard). Spotting connections falls on Smoke's audience as well, although it's an easy task at the outset. Here, Egerton leads, Kinnear co-stars and author-turned-TV showrunner Dennis Lehane is behind the miniseries, drawing upon a true-crime tale to make a thriller series about questioning appearances — who is reliable as a character, who isn't, and the difference between how someone is perceived and their reality — where unpacking the human psyche is a key factor. This all also proved the case with the streaming platform's Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Black Bird in 2022. Smoke boasts a few more nifty links. Back when Egerton was just starting his on-screen career, one of his first roles was in the 2014 firefighter-focused British series The Smoke, for instance. "It's a weird moment," Egerton advises. "When I first started working on this, I sent a photo of myself in the firefighter gear to Rhashan Stone [Midsomer Murders] and Jamie Bamber [Beyond Paradise], who were two actors I worked with on that TV show The Smoke, saying 'this is weird'," he continues. "I'm glad that I've been employed long enough to end up doing two shows that are called the same thing. That's got to be a success on some level, right?" Then there's the fact that this Smoke, which debuted with two episodes at the end of June 2025 and is unveiling the rest of its instalments weekly, is drawn from the Firebug podcast focusing on IRL serial arsonist John Orr — and that when a 2002 HBO TV movie also told his tale, it starred Black Bird's Ray Liotta alongside now-Smoke supporting cast member Leguizamo. What interested the latter in stepping back into this story a second time? "Because this time it's better-written, it's better-directed — no offence. Ray Liotta was brilliant as John Orr, but I think this is a better version," Leguizamo tells Concrete Playground. "I think Dennis Lehane took some liberties, which I think made it much more interesting. It's based on, not a direct copy of what really happened, so I think that makes it more fun. He had a whole bunch of new characters, and he really gets into the mind and pathology of this character, the arsonist. And I think that's what's fascinating about this series." As Leguizamo notes, Smoke isn't a strict adaptation of John Orr's life. He isn't a character in the series, in fact. Lehane, who enjoyed great success on the page before his screen work — his books Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone Baby Gone and Live By Night were all adapted into movies directed by Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese and Ben Affleck, respectively (Affleck helmed both Gone Baby Gone and Live By Night) — fictionalises many details, including monikers, in finding a new way into this story not only after Firebug but also Point of Origin. "I was trying to write about self-delusion. I was trying to write about chaos," the scribe who got his TV start penning episodes of The Wire, then worked on Boardwalk Empire, Mr Mercedes and The Outsider, explains. "I was trying to write about a world in which people feel so powerless and confused now that there are extremely powerful people who suggest with a straight face what we need to do is just burn it all down. Burn it all down. You don't like the way the government works? Burn it all down. Do we have anything to replace it with? Nope. But burn it all down. That's going on in the world, and at a pretty consistent level. And I thought this would be a fun way to look at it." "So everybody in this show is, I think, both psychologically complex and psychologically chaotic. And then they're emotionally chaotic. And then there's fire moving everywhere, which is chaotic unto itself. And it was just a way to look at a world that right now feels like it's on fire." [caption id="attachment_1014821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Lamparski/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival[/caption] Plenty of Smoke's complexity and chaos springs from Gudsen, who isn't just looking into the fires that are burning across his town, and is also an aspiring novelist writing about what he knows. "Dave is such a fascinating, extreme role," reflects Egerton of his latest recent part with a cat-and-mouse dynamic, because Black Bird and Carry-On also fall into the same category. "There's a few moments in this show that really come to mind very quickly as being extreme or strange moments. And I've got to be honest with you, I really love doing those moments," he says. "I do think of myself as an artist, but deep down inside I'm still the kid who wanted to climb on my school desk and have everybody look at me — so those moments, I do enjoy as an actor." What appealed to Egerton, Lehane and Kinnear about reteaming so soon after Black Bird? And to Spall, Leguizamo and Chlumsky about being a part of a series about the fine line between arsonists and arson investigators with them? What's the draw, too, of portraying morally ambiguous yet playful characters — and of jumping in when there isn't a single person in the series who is clearcut, and keeping audiences guessing about almost everyone is baked into the story? In addition to reckoning with people not being who you think they are, plus exploring what makes folks tick when they're attracted to things that can kill them or bring about their downfall, we also spoke with Egerton, Lehane, Kinnear, Spall, Leguizamo and Chlumsky about all of the above, plus more. On Reteaming on Another Crime-Thriller Series Developed by Lehane, Starring Egerton and Co-Starring Kinnear That's Unpacking the Human Psyche and Questioning Appearances Taron: "I think as an actor, you are only ever as good as the words on the page, and you're only ever as good as the person opposite you in the scene. And I really believe that. And I think in the case of the work I've done with Dennis, they are — both Jimmy and Dave — just very, very rich, well-drawn characters. And they're characters drawn by Dennis. And so I feel very privileged to be in this collaborative partnership with him. As long as he wants to employ me, I'm going to work with him because he writes tremendous roles. It's not always going to be the case. He's going to want to do things without me and that's cool. But if he wants me to do something, I'm down. I really love working with Dennis, and we've struck up a really great friendship and partnership over the past five years." Dennis: "I knew I wanted to do it with Taron because I love working with Taron, and because the two of us have a great shorthand and a rather immense amount of trust between each other — for where we're willing to go and how we're willing to push each other. So in that regard, that was a no-brainer to bring Taron in on this. It's an interesting thing, because Jimmy in Black Bird goes on a journey in which he's kind of a callow, shallow guy at the beginning, and by the end, by moving through this transformation, he's become a better human being, but he's lost a lot of his swagger. Dave starts off as oh, you think he's this sweet, heroic fireman, arson investigator — but very quickly, we start to put a lie to that, and by the third episode we've pretty much lit the whole concept on fire. And now it's really about the rabbit hole of 'how demented is this guy's psyche?' — and that becomes the journey of the show. So it's almost inverse. And it was fun to write, it was fun for Taron to play." Greg: "I just think they're good dudes. What can I say? Taron and Dennis, they're both super-talented. Who doesn't like to work with talented people? And in addition to them, we have a whole cast of talented people. So I knew, I just had great confidence that that this would be a good show. And it would be unexpected — and it would like any good novel, it would be a page-turner and keep the audience hooked and guessing. He certainly didn't disappoint in Black Bird. I know he — I mean, I guess you never know, but I have great confidence just in his ability." On What's Interesting About Digging Into a Cat-and-Mouse Dynamic as an Actor Taron: "I think there's obviously tremendous tension in a cat-and-mouse dynamic — and the feeling that a great deal is at stake. And stakes are important for really good storytelling, I suppose. I have to say, I do, having been the mouse in the cat and mouse dynamic of Carry-On, there is something nice about playing Dave, who is probably a little bit of both. I think he would probably style himself as a persecuted man at a certain point in this show, but as we know, he's anything but a victim. But that's very central to his pathology, I think. I think he's a man who styles himself as what he needs to be at any one time. And I think it probably suits Dave's needs to be thought of as a victim, as a mouse, some of the time." Anna: "A lot of acting is about identifying intentions, and the cat-and-mouse structure of storytelling is delicious for that. You have to commit. You have to ask 'why this mouse?' if you're the cat — 'why this cat?' if you're the mouse, to extend the metaphor. And it's all about figuring out those motivations. And what's so awesome is, in a show like ours, because it refuses to be cut and dry, you're always discovering new motivations. And you're always discovering like 'oh wait, this is what I thought this was', but once you see it, you're like 'oh, maybe that's what it was like'. It keeps living. It doesn't die on the page. It just keeps living and generating its own fire." [caption id="attachment_1014824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Lamparski/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival[/caption] On Whether Moving Into Creating TV Shows Was the Plan for Lehane When He Penned His First Novel or Scored His First Screenwriting Gig Dennis: "It definitely wasn't 30 years ago. It didn't really take effect — it didn't take hold even when I was doing The Wire. I think it was when I was doing Boardwalk that I said 'well, I really like this. I like the social aspect of this. I like the feel of it. Maybe one day I'll run a show'. And then we moved to LA three years later, and then it just really, my life changed drastically, and then it just took hold. And I ultimately became a showrunner." On How Lehane Having His Own Books, Such as Mystic River and Shutter Island, Adapted for the Screen Helped Put Him on the Path to Making Television Himself Dennis: "I think it opened some doors for me in LA, in Hollywood. People knew who I was. But my desire was never to make movies — which is weird because I love movies. I'm a movie fanatic. But my desire, I started to realise — it was when I was doing Mr Mercedes with David Kelley that I realised 'wow, the form seems to feel just like writing a novel'. If you've got ten episodes and they're 50 minutes apiece, that's 500 pages. Most novels and manuscripts are somewhere between 400–500 pages. That felt natural. So it felt as if I understood, at an organic level, how to tell a story for television — where writing for the movies is much more like writing a short story." On the Appeal of Being a Part of a Series That Explores the Fine Line Between Arson Investigators and Arsonists Rafe: "It's an unusual subject matter. I don't think I've ever thought about the idea of arson investigation. I don't think it ever crossed my mind. But of course it's a thing. Now, it's an extraordinary story, based in some ways on a real case. And yeah, I was interested in that, the idea of it, but what really hooked me in was the complexity of the characters — was their moral ambiguity, was their richness, was how each character was so well-defined, and how each character went on a very succinct journey. And I was really excited to play Steven. I was really thrilled to have a conversation with Dennis Lehane about it. I was really flattered to be asked. It's really great when people that you respect ask you to be in stuff. I never get over that. I'm always really made-up and flattered when someone of his calibre would want me to be in one of his shows. So I was flattered into doing it." John: "First of all, Dennis Lehane is one of the great writers, true-crime writers of our time. So the series was so well-written, and you don't get great writing like this too often. So that was a gift in itself. And then this character he wrote for me is unbelievable. This crazy, broken loser, loveable loser, who nobody believes but he knows the truth. It's an incredible role to play. I was so excited to be a part of it." [caption id="attachment_1014837" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Lamparski/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival[/caption] Anna: "The writing. It's always the writing — the writing, the writing. Dennis Lehane is, I think, exactly what the world needs right now. We have to examine the things that he is fearlessly willing to examine. The way he writes, he gives every character that he's creating space and advocacy. And he allows the audience to ask their own questions and to engage with the storytelling. He's never telling you what to think — and this is exactly what I sign up for as an actor." On Going From Black Bird to Taking Inspiration From the Firebug Podcast and John Orr's Story Dennis: "So the sort of missing piece there is a guy named Kary Antholis. So Kary Antholis was a producer with me on Black Bird. Kary was obsessed with the John Orr case and had created Firebug. So he was the producer and narrator and writer of Firebug. And he pitched me when we were in the final stages on Black Bird, and I listened to it, and I said 'well, I don't think I'm the guy to tell the story of John Orr's trial, or the fires in San Bernardino and Glendale in the 1980s. That's not really my jam. It's not what I want to do. But I love the pathology of this guy. I would love to base a character on him, on his pathology. I would like to create a guy who is just as delusional, who is just as in denial, who is an arson investigator chasing an arsonist who happens to be him, and writing a book about an arson investigator chasing an arsonist whose arsons are mirrors for the real arsons that only the real arsonists would know about. That's a story I want to tell. Everything else, I kind of want to throw out'. And he was like 'great'. And so that's what we did as our launching pad. And I went off and told this story, which is very different than the John Orr story." On Stepping Into a Series with Real Life as a Basis, Even If the True Story Is Being Fictionalised Greg: "I was familiar with the podcast. And certainly there are fire chiefs, some people in that storyline, that I guess maybe Harvey is based on, but he's an amalgamation of a maybe a few different people. Most of it was just in the script I felt like Dennis had really written. Like I say, I used the basis of that podcast, a great piece of source information — I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more podcasts as sources for shows, because they're so rich and they offer so much creative backdrop to work with. I felt like this, though, had all been put into a script. And I felt like all of the characters had a real journey. I liked the character he had asked me to play. I worked with the Dennis, of course, on Black Bird, so it was great to come back to the party again." On Egerton's Run of Portraying Morally Ambiguous, Playful Characters — and Being Great At It Taron: "The secret is, the truth is, he is me. That's the thing. When you're an actor, sometimes when actors talk about the lengths with which they go to become someone else, there's something I think is slightly disingenuous about it because — or not disingenuous, that's mean, that's sounds judgmental. My experience of being an actor is not that you become someone else, it's that you express yourself through the prism of a character that has traits that are different to you. It's still you. It's still Taron. It's still me. It's still Taron existing in a set of imaginary circumstances that are different from the ones that have characterised my own life. So Dave is — although I am not an arsonist, I am exercising the muscles of imagination to be a version of me in that situation. I think I have a few of those on the way over the next 18 months — a few morally, either ambiguous or bankrupt, characters. And for some reason I'm entering a phase in my life where those are the roles that I'm playing, and I'm really okay with it. It's interesting. I think as somebody who started their career playing more archetypically heroic roles, there's a real appeal in like fucking shit up a bit, you know?" On Fleshing Out Characters When There Isn't a Single Person in the Series That's Clearcut — and When Keeping Audiences Guessing About Almost Everyone Is Baked Into the Story John: "Oh, I love that. That's what I live for — these roles that are not black and white, that are really complex and you can sink your teeth into, that allow you to be the full spectrum of human life. Life doesn't present itself with villains and heroes. It's just very complex and grey — in the grey zone. I really enjoyed this character, because there was so much to do in terms of he thinks he's sexy, nobody believes him, he thinks he's right, everybody thinks he's wrong. I think it's a very relatable sort of character. So it was a lot of fun for me." Rafe: "I think that the first thing you need to work out is the character's intention, is what they want and how they go about getting it, without passing judgment on it. You can never really have your own personal view on the person that you're playing. You need to believe that they're doing what they think is right. And so Steven, my character, from the outside is obviously dubious at points. But he is able to justify everything he does in his own mind. Now, from an objective point of view, a lot of the things that he does are wrong. But he would be very good at telling you why you were wrong in thinking he was wrong. And he's someone that's used to getting what he wants. So all of this stuff that I'm talking about is the stuff that me, as an actor, hooks into. What does the character want? What does he need? How does he go about getting those things? What gets in the way of him achieving those objectives? All of those things are really playable. And when you've got writing as detailed, as rich as this, it makes that pretty easy. Then you get there on the day and you try and make it sound real. That's it. You try and make it sound real and like real people talking — which, as I say, is easier when the when the writing is as excellent as this." On Playing Someone Who Is Forced to Reckon with the Fact That a Person He Knows Is Completely Different to Who He Thought He Was Greg: "I don't think people want to see what they don't want to see. I think Harvey is, I don't think it's — I guess he could be naive, but I just think it's that human condition of not wanting to be surprised by a friend. It's too painful. It hurts to have someone you trust break that. So he's kind of the last man standing in this when it comes to his assessment of one particular character, but he comes around and gets on board, but it takes a minute." On Chlumsky Taking on Roles with a True-Crime Angle After Veep with Inventing Anna and Now Smoke Anna: "I will engage in true-crime as a genre if the story is good — and when the story is good, that's what matters to me. It's funny, but these roles have been really excellent journeys into the people who are having to engage with these kinds of things every single day. And I appreciate it. I appreciate getting to play them." On Exploring What Makes People Tick When They're Drawn to Things That Can Kill Them or Bring About Their Downfall, Especially When They're Far From Being Honest About Themselves Rafe: "That's a really good question. I think that bad people don't know they're bad people. They think they're good. I think everyone thinks they're good. And so it's interesting to work out, when you're playing a character, what he puts out into the world and how others perceive him, and the dichotomy between those two things. He makes mistakes, but I like him, and I think that that is always good. And I think I always like the characters that I play, even if they're bad people, because I'm inside them. It's difficult to talk about acting, really, because it's such a sort of slippery old thing — and ultimately it is the process of throwing a load of shit against the wall and seeing what sticks. And it's quite a private process. But sometimes it's really fun, and this was one of those cases — and I don't know why. I think it's to do with the people that I was working with. I think that's what it comes down to, is being surrounded by really clever people that make your job easier." On the Crucial Commitment to Using Practical Effects Wherever Possible — and Getting Performances That Are Truly Responding to the Fire as a Result Dennis: "We were adamant about that from the very beginning. The first production meeting, that was the topic: 'how do we make this?'. If they could do it in Backdraft before CGI existed, then the problem has to be how CGI is being employed, not how they used to do fire. So we came up with a fusion of practical fire, CGI fire, put them together. If you had the practical fire in a scene, then the CGI artist could go in there and know what he was matching to. There's a fire — match to that. With the opening scene in which the fireman, Dave Gudsen, is trapped in a fire and runs toward his own reflection — that opening sequence was shot with Taron using nothing but practical fire on what's called a burn stage. So I don't think Taron had to do much acting there. That was pretty much 'aaaaah' — I wasn't going on that stage. But later, in some of the other scenes where the fire was far less practical, the actors were just bringing it, man. They were just bringing it. And we were documenting it and then filling in those fires later." Taron: "It's interesting. I didn't anticipate, when I first read the scripts, that Dennis would elect to shoot the fire practically. And it's a really amazing sequence. I think he chose to do that because that moment, for Dave, the opening sequence of the show, it's more than just the turbulent moment from his past. It's a kind of existential moment where something happened for him that changed who he is, and even I don't fully understand what that was, but it's something to do with his relationship with himself. It's something to do with his own self-image. And I think the significance of that event meant that it needed to be particularly cinematic and almost visually poetic. And the fire looked stunning in that sequence. It really is quite beautiful to behold. And I'd argue that it's better executed than anything that could have been done with computer-generated imagery. So I really loved that sequence. In terms of preparation, you do a little bit of training with the breathing apparatus to make sure that you're safe and set to go in there — because you can't step on a set like that without a regulator, and all the crew are wearing them as well. But beyond the rehearsal we did, which was quite rigorous because it's a dangerous set, I didn't go and do any special firefighter training or anything." On How the Smoke Cast Reflects Upon Their Careers So Far and Their Paths to the Series Taron: "The life of an actor is strange for many reasons, but it's very strange to have a moving video chronology of your own life. And sometimes I'll put on the telly or put on Netflix, like things I've been in sometimes pop up on Netflix and I'm all of a sudden having, like I put on the telly and there's a bit of me at 24 — and I find it really weird. And it's quite creepy. Because in my head, I look the same as I did when I was 24. And then I see a bit of a clip of Kingsman and I'm like 'no, no, definitely not'. And it's weird. I don't get super-reflective about my career so far, and I feel just enormously grateful to still be working and really grateful to be playing leading roles — and to be working with the great people that I get the chance to work with. And I don't take any of it for granted, ever. I am such a fortunate individual. I'm really glad that I'm still being employed." Rafe: "It's one thing getting opportunities, I think, as young actors. And I think that we put a lot of stock in like 'the big break', the idea of that — and there's a lot of reverence of that. That's never really been the case in my career. Like, I've always just done, just kept going, and done one thing and another thing and keep getting asked to do things. It's all I've ever wanted, really, is just to sustain a career. Because that's the most-difficult thing, is sustaining — is to keep going and to keep employed in good work. It's really difficult. It's a really difficult thing. So I'm just very, very grateful that I get to do it, because I really like my job. I really, really like — I love acting. I love actors. My dad's an actor, grew up around them. I think it's both a very important and very silly thing to do, and I'm very grateful for those things." Greg: "It's funny, we [Kinnear and Spall] both played Atticus Finch [in To Kill a Mockingbird], so we've both been through the same path. Plus, Rafe's done a lot of comedy and a lot of drama. I have been able to have kind of done both of that as well, which is really great. I feel very fortunate to be able to do both. This, I feel like Harvey's got — there's a little humour and a little warmth with him, and there's a little drama mixed into it. Whatever's led me here, it's the right mix of stuff, because I find myself more often than not being real happy with whatever it is that I'm doing at the time. That's certainly the case of Smoke." Anna: "I just want to tell the truth and explore the human condition. And if I get to in beautiful text, then I feel like I'm engaging in the culture and I'm engaging in the world, that's really anything anybody can ask for. So I'm just very proud that I'm still getting to answer questions about a show that I still feel that way about. I'm that kind of actor who's always wanting to stretch in different in ways. It's what keeps me alive in the craft. So it always feels like a gift when I get to stretch something." John: "I love to be a part of things that really make you think deeper than most shows. I like to be in work that makes a statement, that tries to change the way the world is and makes it a better place. That's what I strive for. And hopefully I hit that mark more than not. I've had to fight for appropriate representation and appropriate roles that I felt should have came my way, or been offered to me, because I'm a Latin actor in America. And I've had to deal with quite a bit of racism in this country, even though we're such a huge — we've been here since the beginning, the first European language spoken in this country was Spanish, not English, but we're still the most aggressively excluded ethnic group in America, even though we're 20 percent of the population. So I've had to deal with a lot of a lot of that, and luckily I haven't given up, and have persevered. And I think my fanbase is what's helped me to stay strong and to continue. And luckily Dennis Lehane saw something in me for the role of Ezra, and I'm really thankful for that." Smoke streams via Apple TV+.
Getting a glass of wine at a bar doesn't usually involve pouring your own drink. That's one of the reasons that Woolloongabba's soon-to-open Stickybeak stands out. The new 60-seater vino haven is taking over the corner site at 2 Logan Road, which was previously home to Thai Rose Cafe and Bar, with an innovative concept: top wines made available via self-serve dispensing technology. Fancy a taste or a proper sip? Stickybeak's method for letting patrons nab their own beverages dispenses 25-, 75- and 150-millilitre pours. Eighty wines will be on the venue's list at the two-storey space, with 64 on the menu upstairs and 16 on offer downstairs, giving customers ample choice. Set to open in early December 2024, Stickybeak is the latest venture from the crew behind BTG Wine, marking the team's first venue. The idea behind the bar isn't just to allow patrons get their own drinks, but to make top global drops available at affordable prices. Champagne and blanc de blancs will also feature among the curated range, but championing Australian winemakers will earn special attention. For something to line the stomach while you're sat either indoors or out — including on the upstairs balcony — there'll be a small array of bites. And if you feel like knocking back something other than wine, canned craft beer will also be on the drinks menu. If both picking and pouring your own vino sounds like being spoiled for choice — and the possible reason to get indecisive — the bar's staff will be on hand to help chat you through the wine selection. "Australia has some of the most-diverse and exciting wines in the world, and Stickybeak is all about celebrating that. This venue is not just about pouring wine — it's about sharing the stories of the winemakers, the vineyards and the passion that goes into every bottle," advises co-owner Anthony McConnel. "We want our guests to feel connected to the incredible heritage and innovation that defines Australian wine." Find Stickybeak Wine Bar at 2 Logan Road, Woolloongabba, sometime from December 2024, operating Wednesday–Sunday from 3pm–late — we'll update you with more details when they're announced. Keep an eye on the venue's Instagram page in the interim. Top image: Google Maps.
2016 might now seem like a lifetime ago, but it's when the very first Holey Moley started pairing pop culture-themed putt-putt courses and cocktails in Australia — right here in Brisbane, in fact. Since then, the OTT chain has spread across the Sunshine State and interstate, including opening a second Brissie spot in the Wintergarden in 2019. There's always room for more places to tap, tap, tap and sip, sip, sip, though. To the delight of northsiders, Brisbane will score a third Holey Moley come November, setting up its greens at Chermside shopping centre. If you're known to pick up your Christmas presents at the huge Gympie Road spot, consider this an extra-festive piece of news — because this year's browsing and buying can now include a mini golf break. Holey Moley Chermside won't be small, catering to 350 people when it launches on Friday, November 18. Patrons will play their way around 18 holes, channelling their inner Happy Gilmore before hitting the Caddyshack bar. If you've been to the chain before, you know the general setup, vibe and menu — it'll just be in a different location. Those courses will include four new designs that've been exclusively tailored for the Chermside venue: Surfs Up, Dart Board, Moonshot and the Mini Sonic Loophole. They'll be joined by a heap of the brand's well-known decor from other venues, however, such as The Simpsons' Evergreen Terrace and The Flintstones' Bedrock n Roll. And, some holes will take their cues from Brisbane and its weather; 'tis the place for it, after all. At the bar, expect an 80s and 90s theme, as well as creative concoctions and stomach-lining bites to eat. Again, well-known faves like the Sugar Caddy and Rub a Dub Tub cocktails will be on offer — the latter served in a tiny bath tub that even has rubber ducks floating in it — while the snacks lineup will feature ingredients sourced from local Australian producers. When it opens, the Chermside Holey Moley will mark the sixth site in Brisbane for Funlab, the company behind it (and Strike Bowling, Archie Brothers and B Lucky & Sons), as well as the ninth in Queensland. Find Holey Moley Chermside at Chermside shopping centre, on the corner Gympie and Hamilton roads, Chermside, from Friday, November 18. Images: Eugene Hyland.
Fancy enjoying a taste of Paris without paying for the plane fare? Brisbanites, the CBD's newest cafe has you covered. Freshly arrived on Edward Street, Lait Noir is here to help break up the nine-to-five grind with French-inspired surroundings, a menu packed with pastries and toasties, and plenty of coffee. First announced at the beginning of March and now trading Monday–Friday, Lait Noir aims to give the River City the Parisian vibes it's missing — it's "Brisbane's first Parisian-style dining with guests able to watch the hustle and bustle go by from their seat," explains Charlotte Bourguignon, the cafe's Operations Manager. "I have lived in Brisbane for ten years, and there has never been a go-to destination for takeaway or dine-in on the finer side in the CBD," Bourguignon continues. "We are so proud to be opening our doors for workers, visitors and locals to experience a little bit of Paris, right here in the CBD. We pride ourselves on quality and service, with all of our pastries and desserts made with true French ingredients from some of the best French suppliers in Brisbane." On the menu: a hefty range of baked goods pumped out of Queensland's first Unox Speed-X oven. Lemon muffins, raspberry almond coconut tarts, apple tarts and mini French doughnuts sit among the sweet bites, while croissants, quiches, frittatas and beef bourguignon pie are highlights from the savoury range. And, from a dessert-focused lineup, lemon meringue tarts, passionfruit tarts, choc-fudge caramel brownies and carrot cake are sure to tempt tastebuds. Lait Noir also does salads, including a roasted vegetable option, plus sandwiches, toasties and wraps. And yes, the cheesy egg and bacon croque toastie instantly sounds like a must-try. Lait Noir now sits in the space that was previously home to Roll'd Vietnamese, and takes its cues from French cafes design-wise — complete with luxe $450,000 fitout overseen by Outkast. That means getting a caffeinated brew beneath seven-metre-high ceilings and over A-grade marble bench tops. If you happen to work in the building, it's also planning to do a concierge service for tenants. And, anyone who heads along to the cafe's official opening party between Wednesday, March 29–Friday, March 31 will find live tunes setting the mood, samples to help you try out the menu, and the chance to win free coffee for a year. Find Lait Noir at 144 Edward Street, Brisbane — open from 6.30am–5.30pm Monday–Friday.
If ever a place in Brisbane warranted its own beer garden, it is South Bank. The former site of Expo '88 turned riverside parkland aims to offer locals an inner-city oasis — and every peaceful spot needs an outdoor deck to hang out on and consume a few beverages, doesn't it? Calling it Brisbane's only beachside location of its type might be a bit of a stretch given the man-made pools of sand and water it sits beside; however everything else about the airy new bar and restaurant fits the bill. First, there's the constant stream of breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Next, there's the combination of craft brews and seven-to-twelve-hour cooked steaks served straight off the chargrill. Indeed, if you're after a meal with a chilled-out mood, this is the South Bank venue to head to. Slabs of meat upon bread provide a highlight, particularly the brisket and gravy roll or the open scotch steak sandwich. When it comes to something smaller, beer cheese fondue — with sliced charcuterie, vegetable crudité, and bread sticks — sounds too good to pass up. Of course, just grabbing a cocktail and gazing out over the city is a perfectly acceptable way to spend a few hours there, or a whole day, if you're simply too relaxed.
For wannabe wizards and witches, the most magical place in Australia right now is located in Victoria. After boasting the country's only run of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, then playing host to a natural history exhibition based on the Fantastic Beasts films, the state is now temporarily home to a new Harry Potter-themed experience. This time, you can walk around an illuminated woodland filled with nods to the Wizarding World, with Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience finally arriving Down Under. Accio joy, clearly. Think: Lightscape, which is returning to Melbourne in 2024, but all about the world that's sprung up around the Boy Who Lived on the page, screen and stage. So, with Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience taking over The Briars Community Forest in Mount Martha until June, attendees can enjoy a nighttime stroll an hour out of Melbourne. Entering the Forbidden Forest is clearly the big attraction, as lit up with dazzling lights, all while also spying creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies. A hippogriff features, as do nifflers and unicorns. You also have the chance to pose for a photo mid-wand duel, and to summon up a patronus spell as well. Accordingly, visitors here aren't surrounded by all things Wizarding World after dark in a forest; they can be join in like every aspiring Hogwarts student has always wanted to. Sounds and special effects also help bring the experience to life, as aided by award-winning behind-the-scenes folks. Expect to spend around 90 minutes being immersed in the all-ages event — plus however long you need at the onsite shop afterwards buying merchandise. That's part of the village at the end of the trail, where you'll also be able to grab a bite and something to drink. Wands crossed for butterbeer, obviously. Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience has hit Australia after seasons in the UK, Europe, the US and Singapore, with Warner Bros behind it just like the films and upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Also helping conjure up the fun is events platform Fever, adding to a recent Australian slate spanning Banksy and NBA exhibitions, plus the Unko Museum: The Kawaii Poop Experience. Find Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience at The Briars Community Forest, Mount Martha, until Sunday, June 9, 2024. Head to the event's website for tickets and further details.
Tasmania's sinister winter music and arts festival Dark Mofo has announced its return to Hobart this June. The festival was one of the first events to cancel its 2020 festivities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing a potential $5 million dollar loss that could jeopardise the future of the festival had it run and then been called off. Luckily, the organisers' foresight has paid off, with the festival preparing for a grand return in 2021. Dark Mofo is set to run a condensed five-night festival from Wednesday, June 16–Tuesday, June 22. The reduced scope of the festival comes as a result of the Hobart City Council withdrawing its financial support, the cutting of sponsors and trepidation surrounding the potential for another cancellation. It's also the last year of the festival's five-year funding agreement with the State Government. The festival decided to drop sponsors this year as organisers believed they were having a negative impact. "While we've appreciated the support from many high profile brands, we want to be able to pursue our own cultural agenda free from restraint and with a renewed commitment to the art," Creative Director Leigh Carmichael said in a statement. While in previous years the festival has run over several weeks, Carmichael promises the "smaller and more intense" 2021 run to be "a typically grim and gloomy affair". The full program is due to be announced in early April. [caption id="attachment_800593" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford[/caption] Previous years' lineups have seen a fantastical combination of musical performances, performance art and large-scale installations come together. In 2019, the program featured the likes of artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, American musician Sharon Van Etten and one of the world's largest glockenspiels. 2021's program can be expected too stay true to the Dark Mofo ethos with a likely increased concentration of local Australian artists due to current border closures. Dark Mofo will run from Wednesday, June 16–Tuesday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. The 2021 program is expected to be announced in early April. Top Image: Lusy Productions
A few months ago, back when our feeds were cluttered with banana bread and sourdough starter, it seemed like everyone we knew was unveiling their previously hidden baking skills. But nobody seemed to be making doughnuts. You know why? Because they are surprisingly tricky to perfect. Which is why we respect the team at Brooklyn Donut & Coffee Co so much. They work hard daily to churn out the most perfect, New York-style doughnuts you'll find on this side of the equator. The White Biscoff is our clear pick of the bunch, filled with cookie butter, and topped with white chocolate. We also love the fact that doughnuts travel really well, so, if you order them for delivery, they will arrive looking picture perfect (until you inhale them, that is). Images: Adam Pinzone
Do your usual trips to Minjerribah, also known as North Stradbroke, involve hitting the beach? Of course they do. That's one of the island's biggest drawcards — but soaking up the destination's arts scene deserves to be on your list as well. And if you don't quite know where to start, there's a ten-day arts trail dedicated to that very topic. Thanks to the Island Artists and Makers Straddie Arts Trail, there are plenty of places to start — 34 stops across three townships, actually. Running from Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 21, the event will showcase more than 50 artists and six community groups across Straddie's scenic expanse, covering folks in Dunwich, Amity and Point Lookout. Put together by Island Artists and Makers (iam), the trail has a theme, too: creative island. Even if that concept wasn't overtly pushed to the fore, it's obviously what visitors will find as they head to community and museum galleries, wander into open studios and scope out pop-up galleries. Also, plenty of Straddie's retailers, restaurants and cafes are getting into the spirit of the trail, too, featuring pieces by the island's artists and makers, and hosting events as well. If you're keen to learn a few skills while you're there, you can book into workshops on everything from making jewellery and blacksmith methods to upcycling using embroidery, weaving and beekeeping. Some sessions are free, but others vary in price. Fireside storytelling is also on the agenda on selected evenings, and an island bazaar will feature from 8am–12pm across Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 14 and again from Friday, August 19–Sunday, August 21 at the Point Lookout Markets.
The building might be 97 years and heritage listed, but the coffee and belly-busting treats on offer at Kenilworth Country Bakery are anything but stale. This mecca of baked goods is located in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, and has a prodigious selection of filled, iced and glazed doughnut worthy of a Saturday morning road trip from Brisbane. There are the classic cinnamon-dusted, jam-filled and glazed morsels, but you can step into modern territory with doughy boys taking on the flavours of Golden Gaytimes, Tim Tams, and peanut butter and jelly. In addition to this, Kenilworth also does old-school bakery faves like meat pies, vanilla slices and ice cream heavy milkshakes. You could pair one of these decadent baked goods with a latte, but you may as well get your coffee in a doughnut. The bakery hollows out a doughnut, fills it with Nutella and then pours in a shot of espresso and milk. It's messy but worth it for the novelty. And then there's the OTT one-kilogram doughnut challenge that sent Kenilworth viral a few years ago. The cream-filled monster costs $20, but is free if you can finish it in under an hour. We suggest sticking to the regular doughnuts so you don't ruin any future visits.
It was in the early 2000s that Melbourne-born jazz/funk band The Cat Empire exploded onto the world stage with its international sound layered with Australian charm. They wasted no time shooting to the tops of the charts with tracks like 'Hello', 'Days Like These' and 'How to Explain'. In 2024, they're still going strong on a global tour. Swap your headphones for the real thing when The Cat Empire hits the stage as a part of Brisbane Festival, backed by the wind, string and brass excellence of Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Time is short to catch it since the show runs for one night and one night only at Fortitude Music Hall on Thursday, September 19. The Cat Empire have spent the better part of two decades combining Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Flamenco genres with an infectious enthusiasm that is sure to get you out of your seat and dancing. Don't say we didn't warn you. The Cat Empire and Queensland Symphony Orchestra take to the stage on Thursday, September 19 at 7.30pm. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website.
Maybe you've always wanted to give rock climbing a go, or maybe you're looking to face your fear of heights. Whatever the motivation, you'll love the feeling of accomplishment you get when you make it to the top of the wall at Rocksports in Fortitude Valley. At this indoor climbing centre you'll discover a world of colour-coded climbs, knots, ropes and harnesses. You'll definitely look a little goofy, but the thrill you get taking on these activities more than makes up for it. Image: Anwyn Howarth.
It seems for many that gelato has assumed ice-cream's mantle as the height of iced indulgence. Lower fat content, less air incorporated during the churning process and a lower serving temperature all contribute to gelato's smooth, elastic allure. Many argue that these differences in preparation and serving give gelati a more intense flavour than ice-cream. Whether or not this is true, it certainly seems that way when polishing off a couple of scoops of Milani's banana gelato. So strong is the banana flavour, you wonder whether it actually contains anything other than its namesake ingredient. So impressive is this particular iced confection that it won a Gold Medal at the 2011 Queensland Royal Food & Wine Show. Milani has picked up a host of awards, having also been honoured at the Australian Dairy Awards and the Australia Dairy Product Competition. The panna cotta seems to be their most decorated creation so feel free to give in to the hype and give it a try. Though, you're just as likely to enjoy any of the other flavours. The beauty of Milani, is that unlike many ice-cream/gelati shops, where you pick your favourite early in the piece and stick to it religiously, here you'll be tempted to pick something new upon each return visit: dark chocolate, pistachio or French vanilla for example. Better yet, select all of the above to customise your own sundae. If you need some guidance, consider the Coppa Exclusiva with your selected combination of gelati, topped with whipped cream, drizzled in chocolate sauce and festooned with roasted hazelnuts, wafers and crunchy chocolate bits. Co-owned by Olympian Tatiana Grigorieva, Milani is incredibly popular and like many of its neighbours on Racecourse Rd, it attracts a crowd most nights of the week. Go there after dinner and you will be lucky to find a table – find yourself in this situation however, and you can always get a takehome tub.
You know those bad Christmas gifts, the ones that make you slap on your very best fake smile in order to say thanks without groaning. A brick-like pud, some subpar sports socks, a sickly sweet candle — generic and uninspired clutter that you instantly want to return, regift or chuck in the trash. We don't want to sound ungrateful — sure, it's the thought that counts — but a poorly chosen present can be kind of disappointing, not to mention wasteful. Nobody wants to get — or give — a gift like that. Indeed, there's a fine art to Christmas shopping. Not all of us can be gift-giving masters, after all. So, to help you pick the perfect pressie and avoid any bigtime blunders, we've partnered with Australia Post to pull together ten stellar gift ideas, which won't warrant a return. They all cost less than a pineapple, can be ordered online and conveniently delivered to your nearby Parcel Locker so you can pick 'em up whenever it suits you. Let your fingers do the walking, forgo the crazy Christmas crowds and rest easy knowing your parcel is stored securely till you're ready to collect. Happy shopping, Santas. FRANK GREEN STAINLESS STEEL REUSABLE CUP Forget splashing cash on a mug with some trite "Keep Calm and Carry On" message inscribed on the front and get a cup that is both eco-friendly and uber trendy instead. The Frank Green stainless steel reusable cup is pretty much the Superman of drinking receptacles; crafted from commercial grade stainless steel, it's built to last forever (in a good way) which is great if you have clumsy caffeine-lovers in your midst. Drop this baby and there's no need to cry over spilt milk — it won't shatter or break. The cup is also stain and odour resistant, has a nifty spill-proof lid and a clever one-handed toggle button to drink and reseal — like we said, Superman. How much? $39.95 RELOVE PRINT BOOK SUBSCRIPTION We all know a bookworm and a surefire way to score a special place in their heart is to shout them a book subscription. Revolve Print will ship one quality preowned book to their doorstep each month, so they'll never have a shortage of great literature. What's more, they get to curate their reads and pick what kind of pageturners they receive. This gift is not only super thoughtful, but it's also eco-friendly. To take things up a notch, arrange to meet each month to discuss the books. How much? From $9 per month SMARTPHONE PROJECTOR An excellent accessory for the silly season, the portable Luckies Smartphone Projector 2.0 projects music videos, films and photographs anywhere you please. It's a great gift for the gadget-obsessed as it's both stylish and practical. With up to 8x magnification, the projector is light, compact and works with iOS and Android smartphones. Come Christmas Day, the family can stop crowding around one iPhone to look at Uncle John's travel photos and instead see them on the big screen. How much? $49.95 GROW YOUR OWN TEA Tea is a real crowd pleaser; young or old, most people enjoy a good cuppa. While you could gift a nice loose-leaf blend, why not go one step above and give that special someone a Grow Your Own Tea Kit. Each kit contains a growing pot, some soil, the tea seeds — choose between chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm or echinacea — as well as a mug and tea strainer to taste-test the brew. Not only is this pressie full of antioxidants, but it also gives the grower a sense of satisfaction and achievement, which is priceless. How much? $34.95 BACON MAKING KIT This gift is for that one friend or family member who always hangs by the Christmas ham — the bona fide pork fiend, the bigtime bacon fan. Introducing the Baconsmith Bacon Making Kit, which produces top-notch bacon in just seven days. The kit makes two-kilograms of tasty bacon — sweet or savoury, the choice is theirs. All it requires is a good slab of pork belly. The great thing about this present is that it's also like a gift to you. Give it to a housemate or your partner, and you'll reap the benefits, too, with some tasty homemade bacon to snack on next fry-up. We guarantee they (and you ) will be squealing with delight. How much? $34.95 MEMOBOTTLE A staggering one million single-use plastic bottles are purchased around the world every minute and most end up in landfill. Depressing, right? Do your bit and buy your mate a Memobottle. Remember the book Flat Stanley? This is the water bottle version of that; it's nice and slim and can slide right into compact spaces. Memobottles are great for students as they pack neatly into backpacks, between all those textbooks. The bottle has a 450-millilitre capacity and is BPA free — so the water will stay nice and pure. How much? $44.95 DIY BEESWAX WRAPS If you're friends with a passionate eco-warrior or want to inspire a less socially conscious friend, sling them this beeswax block and get them making their own environmentally friendly version of Cling Wrap. The Wanderlightly DIY Beeswax Wraps are non-toxic, biodegradable and reusable — save on cash and save the planet. Win, win. The step-by-step instructions are super simple, just add cotton fabric and you're ready to go. Since they'll be spending less money on plastic packaging for, well, the rest of their lives, it really is the gift that keeps on giving. How much? From $17.50 AESOP JET SET KIT Ah, the intoxicating aromas of Aesop. We still haven't worked out how they make it smell so darn good, but we're not complaining. Give the globetrotters in your life the gift of sweet smells and smooth skin with this Aesop Jet Set Kit. The assortment features the go-to products — like classic shampoo and conditioner, Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser and Rind Concentrate Body Balm — and can be stored in their carry-on for easy access. Aesop products are renowned for their hydrating qualities, exactly what one needs during a long-haul. How much? $41 COFFEE MUG BY INDIGENOUS ARTIST LUKE PENRITH Yes, this is the second cup we've mentioned but its eye-catching design warranted a spot on the list. Created by Aboriginal artist Luke Penrith, the mug depicts the Yilawura Camp Site in soothing green and blue tones. It's a statement piece, which would suit any kitchen or office desk. Since it's only $16, you can order two or three and gift a set. Let's face it, one can never have too many mugs. And if you're a fan of the artwork, you can pick up a range of other wares featuring the same design. How much? From $15.99 SOLAR-POWERED PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER We all have that one friend or family member who is forever searching for a phone charger. Treat them to this solar-powered portable phone charger and never hear "Hey, can I borrow a charger?" again. While the top of the line chargers can set you back around $100, hit up eBay to find a charger on the cheap. With USB connectivity, this compact little nugget will charge everything from an iPhone to a tablet to a digital camera. Just add sun and you're all set. How much? From $22.99 Christmas shopping has never been so simple — order online, ship to a Parcel Locker and avoid the hectic shops with Australia Post.
To say that artist, Danie Mellor's, background is interesting would be an understatement. He was born in Mackay, grew up between Scotland, Australia and South Africa before studying his passion for art at North Adelaide School of Art, the Australian National University and Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. Mellor's skills are vast as he produces prints, drawings, paintings and sculptures all with exceptional artistic skill. Mellor also has strong ties to his Indigenous heritage which is expressed in his artwork. His latest exhibition, Exotic Lies Sacred Ties, explores Australia's complex history and Mellor's great contribution to the national body of art. The showcase includes major pieces from public collections such as the Australian Museum, National Gallery of Art and many more. Have a look at the public program for more details. High school students are in luck as Mellor will be holding a masterclass just for you guys.
Remember when buying music meant venturing to a specialty store and chatting at length with the well-informed folks behind the counter? Thanks to the vinyl revival, those days are well and truly back. Take Brisbane's newest record store, for example. At Sonic Sherpa on Logan Road at Stones Corner, you'll find music knowledge in abundance — and a strong local focus too. The store is latest venture from two industry veterans, after all. Simon Homer used to own Skinny's Music, the beloved Elizabeth Street shop that closed down in 2007 after 30 years of trading, and Steve Bell has a sizeable street press background as the former editor of The Music and Time Off. You might not find them ringing up your latest purchase, but you will find their labour of love buzzing with their passion and experience. That includes shelves overflowing with a wide variety of old and new records, a hefty collection of music books, DVDs and CDS, plus a crate dedicated to Brisbane artists. Sonic Sherpa will also be shilling their wares outside of their poster-clad walls, courtesy of pop-up shops at markets and music festivals. And, the grand old tradition of in-store appearances, signings and performances is also on the agenda. Anyone who can remember the bustling bill of bands Skinny's saw through its doors — The Dandy Warhols, System of a Down, You Am I and Regurgitator among them — now has even more reason to stop by. Find Sonic Sherpa at 12/360 Logan Road, Stones Corner, or visit their website and Facebook page for more information.
It's the news lovers of Japanese cuisine have been waiting for, particularly those who don't live in the vicinity of Runcorn. One of the southside's favourite ramen places is now slinging their wares in the inner west. Welcome to Genkotsu Ramen Toowong. Noodles, broth and slurping them all up as quickly as possible are all on the menu here. Well, actually, you'll find four original, four special and two premium combos of those first two elements officially on offer — including your choice of salt, soy, fish and miso flavours, plus karaage, black garlic, soft shell crab and prawn. We're just know there'll be plenty of the latter, too. Ramen might be the main attraction within Genkotsu's 1960s Tokyo-styled confines, designed to evoke a traditional rather than modern feel; however you'll want to order something from the list of sides as well. A mix of pork and spicy gyoza always goes down well, though we're quite fond of the cheese takoyaki. Who doesn't like their Japanese snacks small, round and oozing with creamy goodness?
The Gold Coast has Cucina Vivo. Sydney is home to Cucina Porto. Now, Brisbane boasts Cucina Regina. The chain of authentic-style Italian restaurants sits inside The Star's various locations, serving up classic dishes and drinks in old school-leaning surroundings. In the River City, the new riverside Queen's Wharf precinct is now your destination when the hankering hits for hand-stretched pizzas, homemade pasta, panna cotta from the dessert trolley, and negronis and limoncello sours. Brisbanites have been looking forward to Cucina Regina since October 2023, when it was initially revealed that it'd join the $3.6-billion CBD spot that took almost a decade to come to fruition. Several of The Star's eateries in other cities have made the jump to the Queensland capital, including cocktail bar Cherry and Japanese fine-diner Sokyo — adding to a precinct that also features Luke Nguyen's reimagined Fat Noodle, the new LiveWire and Black Hide's latest guise, all three of which have moved over from the old Treasury. At the 160-seat Cucina Regina — which is part of The Terrace, the riverfront space at the end of the Neville Bonner Bridge before visitors get to The Star Brisbane — the menu isn't just about Italian food; it's about comforting Italian fare. Trattorias are a big influence on the restaurant's look, feel and menu, with Australian design studio Tom Mark Henry in charge of the neutral-heavy fitout (which covers an 18-person private-dining space as well) and Italian-born Chef Davide Incardona overseeing the kitchen as Executive Chef. Whether you're tucking into puffed pizza bread as a starter, stone-baked prosciutto- or garlic prawn-laden slices, a 40-day dry-aged scotch rib fillet or the Brisbane menu must-have that is Moreton Bay bugs, you'll likely be enjoying something from the woodfired grill. Other options include calamari, burrata, bruschetta and arancini among the smaller bites; rigatoni carbonara, spiced Italian sausage ragu, and salted ricotta and roasted pumpkin agnolotti from the pasta picks; veal scallopini, the house speciality; and a 1.1-kilogram t-bone steak in the bistecca alla fiorentina. And for dessert? Tiramisu, Nutella pizza, a choice of lemon or chocolate cannoli, lemon sorbet and affogatos are among the choices. A banquet menu for four people, costing $89 and featuring ten dishes, is on offer if you're known to have trouble deciding on what to eat. For just a bite with a drink, there's also the snack range. Among the beverages, Italian wine gets its time to shine, naturally, while spritzes both boozy and alcohol-free equally tempt tastebuds — and classic cocktails are available upon request. "It is an honour to call Cucina Regina my culinary home and create wonderful occasions that are reminiscent of my childhood," said Incardona. "To be able to offer a place of warmth and wonder where locals and visitors can make memories surrounded by Italian flavour, loved ones and friends is truly unique." Among Queen's Wharf's dining and drinking destinations, Cucina Regina also joins the Vietnamese- and Thai-leaning Lúc Lắc, the Latin American-inspired Azteca, plus Cicada Blu, Babblers and Aloria up on the 100-metre-high Sky Deck. Find Cucina Regina at Queen's Wharf, level four, 33 William Street, Brisbane City, from Friday, November 15, 2024 — open for lunch from 11am–3pm Wednesday–Sunday and dinner from 5pm–late daily. Head to the venue's website for more details.
The top end of town in Brisbane's CBD has ever-so-gradually been undergoing a transformation. It started with Queens Plaza, continued with the reinvigoration of King George Square, and has been spreading ever-outwards, imbuing the city streets with flashes and splashes of glamour and colour. The recent opening of upmarket pizza and burger joint Santa Monica has only added to the fever, and we're glad they did. Loud and proud in prime position on Ann and Edward Streets (and conveniently opposite Central Station), you really can't miss it. Nor should you. The hardest decisions to make will ultimately be whether to get a cocktail now, or after your perfectly crispy pizza. Do you sit at a booth, or stand at one of the tables in the middle of the venue? Do you hang out at the courtyard bar and grab a beer, or queue for drinks inside to watch the action in the kitchen? Santa Monica is perfect for after work drinks just as much as it is for a fun work lunch. Images: Grace Smith.
Woolloongabba's South City Square precinct keeps getting bigger. Meet Los Felix Taco Stand, its latest addition, which heroes Southern Californian-style Mexican dishes as paired with mezcal, tequila and margaritas. Now open and trading from lunch through to dinner five days a week — from Wednesday–Sunday — Los Felix is The Talisman Group's latest venture, too. The hospitality company is mighty fond of this patch of Logan Road, with the aforementioned The Wright House set to become part of its stable, alongside already-existing Italian bar and eatery Sasso, Chinese Peruvian joint Casa Chow, Palm Springs-inspired gin-pouring garden bar Purple Palm, and European-influenced wine bar and wine shop South City Wine — and now this. Taco fans can stop by for an openair bite, choosing from a menu overseen by Talisman's Head Chef Gabriele Di Landri, who has teamed up with San Miguel de Allende-born chef Aldo Lara. The latter is currently Head Chef at Sydney's hatted The Dolphin Hotel, and is known for consulting for Australian Mexican restaurants (see also: Carbón, Sonora and Santa Catarina). Here, he's also taking inspiration from Tijuana. Those tacos come served in soft corn tortillas with six varieties of fillings, starting with carne asada with guacamole and red onion, Baja-style beer battered snapper with chipotle mayonnaise, and orange confit pork carnitas with jalapeños. There's also lamb shoulder barbacoa, chipotle-style chicken tinga with shaved cabbage and pickled onion, and portobello mushroom with smoked mayo and then more mushrooms — wild and pickled — as well. Tuna aguachile tostadas, guacamole and chips, and Tijuana loaded fries — which includes chipotle mayo, pickled jalapeños and bacon — are similarly on offer. And for dessert, there's churros dusted with cinnamon sugar, then paired with ancho-infused chocolate sauce. To wash all of the above down, diners can pick from those aforementioned spirits and margs — which come in classic, Tommy's and frozen varieties — plus beers from Mexico and soft drinks.
Once you've given Woolloongabba a stylish neighbourhood-style Italian trattoria, what comes next? If you're Vincent Lombino and Jared Thibault, you branch out with a new Chinese Peruvian restaurant and bar in the same precinct. Come Wednesday, July 27, Casa Chow will follow 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. The full food range hasn't yet been revealed, but Executive Chef Gabriele Di Landri will focus on Chifa dishes that are designed to share. Patrons will 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. To wash Casa Chow's bites down with, Thibault and Bar Manager Shawn Brown are going big on pisco, the brandy made in Peru and Chile's winemaking regions. You'll also be able to sip Scorpion bowl cocktails, pick from a hefty rum list and enjoy the best vinos that South America has to offer. In collaboration with Aether Brewing, there'll also be a bespoke rice lager, which'll feature hints of Peruvian purple corn. "Casa Chow brings a sense of escapism, and we can't wait to open our doors to bring Peru's most inspirational cuisine, Chifa, to Australia. We've poured our hearts into this place and space, to bring an energetic new dining experience to town," said Lombino. Lombino and Thibault aren't done adding to South City Square yet, either, with more venues in the works — joining a precinct that's also set to score a cinema, beer hall, martini bar, and market filled with its own butcher, baker, deli and florist. Find Casa Chow at South City Square, 148 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba, from Wednesday, July 27 — open from 5–10.30pm Wednesday–Sunday.
Botellón's leafy Graceville corner is ripe for a lazy weekend afternoon, especially when it has the feast to match. With that in mind, the team is bringing back its beloved Paella Sunday for a special session from 12–3pm on Sunday, June 8. For $35 per person, Head Chef Matt Woodhouse will cook a massive serve of chicken and chorizo paella before your eyes. Plus, you'll also tuck into fresh seasonal salad from Ramarro Farm, along with charred sourdough and house-made churros. As for the drinks, expect another Spanish classic as sangria jugs — red, white or rosé — are available for $60. Combine this feed with the restaurant's sunny al fresco area and the good times should flow effortlessly. Supported by live music throughout the afternoon, this lively celebration of Spanish cuisine is a great way to make the end of the week an easygoing one. Bookings are available through the website, but walk-ins are welcome.
Travel is a salve to all of life's problems. There's something truly healing about that first dip into a faraway sea, a bite of a food you've never heard of before, or the background hum of a language you can't understand. But sometimes, all it takes is a hotel to have you packing your bags and buckling into your plane seat. There's no better place to find that holiday feeling than in Asia. From the patchwork blue seas of the Komodo Islands to the tranquil jungles of Ubud and into the hawker centres of Singapore, Asia is dotted with spectacular hotels that are worth making the trip for. As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can access exclusive rates immediately on stays at participating properties (700 of them in Asia alone). Membership is free, so once you've signed up, book with the app and earn points for future stays worldwide. [caption id="attachment_1045361" align="alignnone" width="1920"] TA'AKTANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa[/caption] TA'AKTANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo, Indonesia Depending on who you ask, there are anywhere from 16,000 to 18,000 islands in Indonesia. Flores, Bali's quiet neighbour, may just be the most underrated of them all. The town of Labuan Bajo on Flores is the gateway to the Komodo Islands—a patchwork of sparkling blue water, technicolour coral reefs and sacred Komodo dragons. It's quickly becoming Indonesia's best-kept treasure and is only a one-hour flight from Bali. When in town, TA'AKATANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa is the place to stay. The resort's over-water villas draw inspiration from Flores' distinctive spider-web style rice paddies, offering epic views that look out over the Komodo Islands. Here, your villa also includes a luxurious butler service. Inspired by the mystical caves of Rangko and Batu Cermin, Di'a Spa is where hot tubs and cold plunge pools overlook the turquoise Flores Sea, offering not just relaxation but also renewal. It's your chance for a soulful pause in one of Indonesia's most captivating settings. [caption id="attachment_1045362" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Athenee Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel[/caption] The Athenee Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok is a direct flight away from most Australian capitals, but the second your feet hit the buzzing streets, you feel a world away. You arrive to tropical warmth, towering, gilded temples, and fragrant, heaped bowls of street food passing by on vendors' carts. Not to mention, Bangkok is quickly earning a reputation as one of South East Asia's creative hotspots with galleries, bars, endless vintage shopping and local fashion labels popping up across the city. When in town, our editors check into The Athenee Hotel. Here, you're staying on the grounds of Kandhavas, the palace of Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the daughter of King Rama V. The five-star, luxury hotel is also located right in the heart of Bangkok—perfect for a trip spent hitting the city's exceptional shopping malls like Siam Paragon. After a day exploring Bangkok, head back to your hotel to de-stress with a holistic treatment at the Athenee Spa. W Singapore - Sentosa Cove, Singapore Sentosa Island is Singapore's island getaway—yet, you're still connected to the mainland. Singapore's hawker centres, futuristic skyline and unrivalled shopping make it one of the best city breaks going. W Singapore - Sentosa Cove is one of the coolest places to stay when you're in town. The hotel's sleek design and freshly-renovated rooms were born from blending city and sanctuary. The result is a space that channels the tropical microcosm that is Singapore: abundant energy, buzzing atmosphere, and an element of surrealism. While on Sentosa Island, check out Universal Studios, laze your day away at Siloso Beach or Palawan Beach (the southernmost point of continental Asia) or simply unwind in W Singapore's free-form outdoor pools. Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Ubud, Indonesia Found deep inside the Balinese jungle, on the shores of the Ayung River, sits Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property. Ubud, a green, spiritual enclave in Bali, is often overlooked in favour of beach clubs. But, check into Mandapa — within an Indigenous village — and you'll soon realise that this is the best way to experience Bali. You'll find 35 suites, 25 pool villas and four unique dining concepts dotted across the resort's lush grounds. The best part, though, is their restorative spa and Disconnect to Reconnect Wellness Journey Program. You'll receive a personalised wellbeing and health program tailored just for you. The experience is guided by three pillars: wellness, gastronomy, and sustainability. For those seeking a stay that truly renews, this is your sanctuary. [caption id="attachment_1043648" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Juliana Barquero[/caption] Aloft Osaka Dojima, Japan If you're anything like us, your social feeds are currently filled with friends living it up in Japan. And, with ski season approaching, your jealousy is about to get worse. If you've always wanted to go, let this be your sign to book that trip now. The vibrant, technicoloured streetscapes of Osaka's litter social feeds everywhere — especially with the city's vintage designer shopping. But they're really just the backdrop of Aloft Osaka Dojima. The sleek, design-focused hotel is for the traveller who likes being in the heart of the city. Stay here, and you're never more than a short walk from Osaka's viral food spots and expansive train network. Take a day trip to Kyoto or Nara, stop into Universal Studios or try the world-famous Kobe beef before heading back to base. [caption id="attachment_1051746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa, Malaysia[/caption] Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa, Malaysia Think of Malaysia, and chances are your mind rushes to steaming bowls of fragrant laksa, a buzzing Kuala Lumpur and its Petronas Towers at night (or that scene from Entrapment). But, did you know its coastline is dotted with tropical islands and pristine beaches? One of our editors' favourites is the Perhentian Islands on the east coast of Terengganu. It's here, on Perhentian Kecil, that you'll find Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa. Their private villas are perched on the cliffside with panoramic views out onto the azure shores of the Perhentians, and even come complete with a private pool and luxurious baths. Outside the resort grounds, island hop the day away, swim with turtles and snorkel through pristine coral reefs, then watch the sun slip below the horizon on a sunset cruise. Become a Marriott Bonvoy member (for free) for access to the best rates on the website. Then, download the app to discover a world of unparalleled rewards and earn and redeem points for your next trip with Marriott International's award-winning travel program and marketplace. And, to celebrate the end of 2025, you can even earn 2,025 bonus points when you book if you register at Marriott's website.
Over the past few years, Jamie's Italian has taken a rollercoaster ride through Australia's hospitality scene. An offshoot of Jamie Oliver's UK eateries, the local chain of restaurants has changed ownership several times — with Oliver buying them back in 2016, relaunching them in 2017 and then bringing in a new operating partner in 2018. For the last year and a half, Brisbane-based hospitality outfit Hallmark Group has been running the show — and now they're expanding the brand. In the next few weeks, Australia's first Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria will open, setting up shop at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast. While an exact launch date hasn't yet been revealed, Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria will be serving up its doughy slices in a 148-square-metre space at Broadbeach's sprawling Pacific Fair Shopping Centre. The menu hasn't been unveiled either; however, pizzas that feature at the chain's international locations — in India, the Netherlands and Dubai — include pepperoni, four cheese, chicken pesto, Chilli Freak (with jalapeños, chilli sauce and fresh chilli), spicy meatball and a carbonara number. Expect salads, entrees and a pasta or two to make an appearance, too. Diners can also expect to watch their pizzas, salads and desserts get made in the open kitchen. Of course, Oliver himself won't be tossing the dough or removing fresh pizzas from the speciality ovens — although the new Aussie joint is inspired by his experiences in Italy. Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria currently operates in India, Dubai and Hungary. Find Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria at Pacific Fair, Hooker Boulevard, Broadbeach in the coming weeks — we'll update you with an opening date when we have one.
Beyond the Pale, opened in the new Coorparoo Square development in 2017, aims to cover all bases. An extensive menu offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the takeaway coffee kicking off at 6.30am every day. Health aware but tasty is the breakfast vibe, with pumpkin and haloumi on rye, wild rice breakfast bowls and smashed avo with goats cheese. Tuck into some popcorn chicken or mac 'n' cheese nuggets for an after work snack, or go all out with a Wagyu cheese burger for dinner. Drinks wise, there are 12 beer taps of Queensland staples, including brews from Burleigh Brewing, Newstead Brewing and Green Beacon. An expansive cocktail and wine list covers the rest of the alcohol field. And, there's a Dendy Cinema right next door, making it a perfect pick for date night.
Already known for Japanese fine-dining thanks to longterm tenant Sono, Portside Wharf has now added high-end Korean BBQ to its suite of riverside restaurants. At an eatery that's all about levelling up the usual grill experience, patrons still sear their meat themselves, but on a smokeless setup installed in the table. Premium wagyu cuts, wine flights, oysters to start, slow-cooked short ribs if you'd prefer a main to a set menu, a cocktail bar pouring tipples: that's the Marble Korean Steakhouse offering. Add Marble Korean Steakhouse to Portside's recent newcomers as part of its multimillion-dollar revamp, following the likes of Rise Bakery, Mademoiselle, Fosh, Rosé Gelateria, Birds Nest Yakitori, Portside Social, Dumbo and The Ballpark Portside — and more — over the last few years. Husband-and-wife duo Simon Kang and Vanessa Devine — a Korean-trained chef and a hospitality professional, respectively — have launched a venue that pays tribute to its chosen cooking style, but also aims to give it a more-contemporary spin. As Devine puts it: "we've reimagined the Korean BBQ experience for a modern audience". The look of the place: sleek and moody, all in an industrial-inspired space. The vibe: a lively night out. For those fresh to the Korean BBQ experience, or just keen on some expert guidance, Marble Korean Steakhouse's staff are on hand to assist as you get grilling. And to ensure that your vino pairs perfectly with your meat, that's where the wine flights come in. "Rather than the usual thin cuts and DIY cooking, we guide diners through premium selections of high-grade meats, paired with vibrant side dishes and house-made sauces. It's about indulgence, discovery, and confidence at the grill," explains Mr Kang. "You don't need to be a wine expert — we've done the hard work for you. Everything is curated to enhance the flavours and elevate the experience," adds Devine. Two key options await diners: the $89 butcher's fire menu and the $129 marble signature. With the first, you'll work through a range of Tajima wagyu and Australian wagyu cuts, while the second adds full-blood wagyu as well. Both packages also include a choice of two braised stews, savoury egg soufflé, pickled seasonal vegetables, ssam and the chef's pick of desserts. If the grill isn't calling your name, you can go for the $79 hansang set for non-BBQ tables, where Korean fried chicken is a prime part of the nine-dish range. Find Marble Korean Steakhouse at 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton — and head to the venue's website for more details.
Sweet news: this spring and summer, your lips can taste like Gelato Messina no matter what you're eating. We can't all devour ice cream all day and night, sadly, but we can all slather our smackers with Messina's Lanolips collaboration — especially now that it comes in a dulce de leche version. Back in 2021, Messina and Lanolips first teamed up on their debut gelato-flavoured balm — a salted coconut and mango sorbet number that, yes, was always going to give you a constant craving for a few scoops. The pair have brought that popular version back in 2022, too, as well as the new dulce de leche balm. We said it a year ago and we'll say it again now: if you start eating more gelato as a result, you'll know why. How do you make a dulce de leche balm? It takes its cues from Messina's signature in-house Argentinean caramelised milk gelato flavour, and was inspired by a gelato-tasting session, naturally. As for the salted coconut and mango sorbet flavour, it still nods to Messina's most popular coconut milk sorbet — a flavour that features Murray River salt and Australian Kensington Pride mango salsa. In balm form, the two Aussie-made products are infused with lanolin from local sheep's wool, as well as coconut oil, vitamin E and natural flavour. You'll find the lip-smacking products in all Messina stores, Messina's online store, at Lanolips' website and at Mecca. And, while they're perfect for that obvious purpose, Messina and and Lanolips also advise that the multi-balms have one hundred other uses. Head to Messina to pick some up today, on Tuesday, September 27 — or buy one from Messina's website — and you'll also nab a free scoop while stocks last. For more information about Gelato Messina's new Lanolips balm — and to buy some — head to the chain's website.
Getta Burger said goodbye to Brisbane in 2023, and so did plant-based joint Grassfed. Ze Pickle shut its Brissie locations in 2024. But the River City's burger scene isn't just seeing closures of late. Come May, it'll welcome in the Burleigh-born Two Yolks for brekkie burgs, bacon and egg burgs, scrambled eggs on burgs, spicy chicken burgs, truffle burgs, old-school burgs, mortadella burgs and more. Eggs are clearly a prime feature of this eatery's burgers — and expect them to ooze when you take a bite. Two Yolks boasts Charles Olalia (ex-The French Laundry, Guy Savoy) as Executive Chef Partner, but it hasn't gone upmarket with its burg offering. The vibe here is retro, as Brisbanites will see on Grey Street in South Bank when it opens its doors. Two Yolks will serve burgers all day, hence the array of breakfast options, which also span halloumi; sausage and cheese; bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato; and mushroom and avocado. The morning menu is where the mortadella burg comes in, too, which is inspired by Anthony Bourdain. And, there's a croissant version of eggs benedict, plus a breakfast burrito. Sides include cheesy truffle fries, chilli cheese tots, hash browns, hand-battered onion rings and bacon on a stick — plus chips paired with eggs, of course. As for drinks, shakes come in the holy trinity of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, as well as a boozy espresso martini version. Mimosas, bloody marys and orange spritzes feature among the cocktail range, and beers are also on offer. What's better than one new South Bank eatery, though? Two, and right next door to each other. Grey Street is also becoming home to Finn Poke, which slings bowls and tacos. This is another case of a hit from out of town making the move to Brisbane, with the brand born in Byron Bay. The focus: an Aussie spin on poke, all while letting you build your own bowls. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Two Yolks™️ (@twoyolks__) Find Two Yolks and Finn Poke on Grey Street, South Bank, sometime in May — keep an eye on Two Yolks and Finn Poke's social media in the interim.
Strolls in Breakfast Creek now involve indulging in a Brisbane staple: crossing a bridge. The Queensland capital is a city of bridges, and governments just keep building them. Indeed, the new Breakfast Creek / Yowoggera green bridge is one of two pedestrian- and cyclist-only river crossings that are set to open in 2024. Announced years back, then confirming its 2024 launch in late 2023, the Brekkie Creek structure isn't open to cars because that's the green bridge setup. Rather, the 80-metre stretch is all about moseying or pedalling and soaking in the view. It features dedicated pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, at a minimum width of six metres, all while extending the existing Lores Bonney Riverwalk and reaching over to Newstead Park. Officially open since Saturday, February 10, the bridge boasts arches as a prominent part of its appearance. For its colour scheme, it's decked out in hues that match the Moreton Bay Fig trees in the area. At its landing point at Newstead Park, it has been designed to integrate easily with the park's heritage look as well. And, the bridge will also help connect the CBD with Olympics Athletes Village that's planned for Northshore Hamilton during the 2032 Olympics. If you're keen to make the most of the scenery over your short walk, the bridge includes pause points on both approaches, overlooking Newstead House and the Brisbane River. The Newstead Park landing also includes rest areas and drinking fountains, while the whole thing is lit up with feature lighting. As well as lengthening the Lores Bonney Riverwalk by 175 metres, the Breakfast Creek / Yowoggera green bridge — which takes the Yowoggera part of its name from the traditional term for "corroboree place" — is part of approximately 700 metres of new and improved paths in the area. "This bridge is really important for residents because it will make it much safer for walkers, bikers and scooter riders to cross over Breakfast Creek into Newstead Park and then on to the CBD," said Hamilton Ward Councillor Julia Dixon, opening the bridge. "Brisbane is the fastest-growing capital city in the country and this bridge is part of our commitment to make it easier for residents and visitors to get around." The other green bridge that's planned for this year: Kangaroo Point's next addition, which will include its own dining spots, complete with a restaurant and bar, plus a cafe. The Breakfast Creek / Yowoggera green bridge opened on Saturday, February 10, 2024. For further details, head to the Brisbane City Council website. Images: Brisbane City Council.
If all this social isolation has left you keen to kick start some positive lifestyle changes, helping to save the planet seems like a pretty good place to start. After all, there's nothing like being cooped up indoors to inspire a newfound appreciation for blue skies, clean beaches and big, green open spaces. As a whole, Aussies have been gathering some momentum in the war against plastic waste in recent years, embracing bans on single-use plastic bags, swapping out plastic straws for sustainable alternatives and championing the humble reusable coffee cup. But, if you're feeling a little overwhelmed and unsure where to begin your own journey to a waste-free life, we've found a new local read that'll help put you right on track. Penned by ocean-lover and avid enviro-warrior Kate Nelson — aka Plastic Free Mermaid — I Quit Plastics And You Can Too is a practical guide to ditching disposable plastics and living more sustainably. And, given that Nelson broke up with single-use plastics over a decade ago, it's safe to say she's something of a guru on the topic. Whether you're keen to follow her lead completely, or simply want to learn how to live a little lighter, consider this book your new encyclopedia. It's chock full of handy, helpful information, served alongside manageable tips and how-tos aimed at reducing your plastic use, easily. Small, everyday changes can do big things for the environment. You'll discover how to cut down on waste, while shopping, cooking, cleaning and living with a more planet-friendly, plastic-free mindset. And Nelson shares lots of easy-to-implement strategies along the way, with more than 60 recipes to help de-plastic all areas of your life — from bodycare to breakfast. This is one online purchase the oceans will definitely thank you for. You can grab a copy of 'I Quit Plastics And You Can Too' for $26.25 from Booktopia. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Quick show of hands: growing up, how many of us would have loved to commit our lives (and tastebuds) to chocolate? While our Willy Wonka-inspired dreams might have only been just that, for Koko Black chocolatier Remco Brigou, it has been a dream come true. The Belgian native holds the envy-inducing title of head chocolatier and product innovator at the artisan chocolate brand. Brigou's latest creation is an incredibly luxe range of ice creams in collaboration with Connoisseur. It's a surprising first for Koko Black, which has never ventured into ice-cold desserts despite delighting chocolate lovers around the nation for nearly 20 years. While two flavours — a classic vanilla and an indulgent honeycomb — are available at supermarkets around the country, Brigou's three exclusive creations for Koko Black lounges in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are dressed up with ingredients including melted chocolate, pistachio and chocolate pearls. To celebrate the new Koko Black x Connoisseur ice cream range, we sat down with Brigou to talk about the new collaboration and what he loves about chocolate. [caption id="attachment_833239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] Hi Remco! Tell us a little about your journey. How did you become Koko Black's head chocolatier and product innovator? I started in hospitality at the age of 15, working and studying in Belgium, and by the age of 18 I had decided to specialise in chocolate and pastry. My love for chocolate and baking started when I was very little and has been my passion for as long as I can remember. From here, I worked with Marcolini in Brussels as their chocolatier and at 25 I moved to Australia for adventure, travel and a new challenge. I started working with Koko Black as the head chocolatier leading the development of our full retail and lounge menus with new owner Simon Crowe — together we formed a vision to bring an Australian edge to artisanal chocolate and build the Koko Black brand as we know it today. [caption id="attachment_833240" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] What is your favourite thing about what you do? What keeps you inspired? I love chocolate and the possibilities are endless — from flavours within various [types of] chocolate to the flavours you can add and create. The discovery of new things, flavours and tastes is what inspires me. A lot of people might think that making chocolate is a dream job. Are there less glamorous things in the job that people might be surprised to find out? Not really, it truly is a dream job for me. I still love it as much as I did as a young boy. What is your favourite type of chocolate and why? Dark chocolate is definitely my favourite for its variation in flavour, depending on the origin of chocolate. It's versatile and can pair beautifully with so many different flavours. I'm often asked which is my favourite Koko Black chocolate, [but that's] like choosing a favourite child as they all have things to love. However, I think the dark hazelnut cluster might be the frontrunner. [caption id="attachment_833027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] Tell us about the Connoisseur collaboration. How did this come to life and what excited you about it? We are always teaming up with fellow Australian artisans to make, create and have fun together. So when we were thinking of ice cream, Connoisseur [was] the top pick. Like us, they are premium, artisan and Australian-made, and they also love to create new flavours and combinations. It's been really fun to work with them. For the new flavours, we took the best of both brands — their vanilla ice cream and our dark 54-percent dark chocolate — for an elevated classic. The other flavour was created to reflect one of our best-selling items, Tasmanian leatherwood honeycomb. This required a delicate balancing of flavours to capture the true taste of the leatherwood honey, with our dark chocolate and honeycomb coating. [caption id="attachment_833238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] Were there any challenges you had to overcome to create Koko Black's first ice cream? How did you get past these? The balancing of flavours always takes some work, but it's the part I enjoy most. For more information on the luxe new collaboration, head to the Connoisseur and Koko Black websites. Images: Julia Sansone
Damian Griffiths, local Brisbane go-getter and owner of newfangled eateries Alfredo's Pizzeria and Chester Street Bakery and Bar (among a whole list of others) has finally opened the doors on his new hole-in-the-wall, artisan doughnut bar in the Valley — with the apt name Doughnut Time. Taking over a sectioned-off corner of Alfredo's on Alfred Street, and with design by Alex Lotersztain (who's provided interiors and accoutrements for most of Griffiths' other joints), Doughnut Time has started serving up its "hand-dipped artisan doughnuts" today. If Chester Street's doughnut offerings are anything to go by (think blueberry crumble, key lime, and passionfruit meringue varieties), we're only too excited to see (taste) the sure-to-be-mod delicacies that Griffiths' dedicated doughnut shop has come up with. We're crossing our fingers for more desserts converted into doughy, iced-and-garnished circular confections of your dreams, and perhaps a good old-fashioned jam doughnut, oozing with tongue-burning strawberry conserve straight out of the oven. The Doughnut Time Van is also set to hit the road soon, inevitably guaranteed to increase Brisbane's doughnut obsession with every kilometre. The bottom line is: expect to leave Doughnut Time's Valley store sticky-fingered and happily ready to sell your soul to Ned Flanders in a devil's outfit. Find Doughnut Time at 39 Alfred Street, Fortitude Valley. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8am until sold out. Via The Courier Mail.
Marina Mirage has scored its own floating beach club, La Luna, which is also Australia's first venue of its kind. But if you'd like to check out the site's same-named eatery for a stint of cider mussels and pineapple margaritas, the waterside spot has good news: that's where La Luna Dining comes in In a space filled with soft, crisp shades — on the walls, and in the linen and curtains — and plenty of natural light from its big windows, diners can tuck into a meal and a few drinks while looking over the marina. Unsurprisingly, plenty of the ocean's finest earns a spot on the menu, including seafood platters, oysters three ways, scallop sashimi, lobster rolls, beer-battered prawns and seafood linguine from across the full lineup. The mezze range also spans goose liver and black truffle pate, wagyu bresaola and dips; the cold bar selection features crispy wonton crackers and spicy beef tartare; and saganaki cheese, four cuts of steak, three types of pizza, and mains such as miso pork belly and confit duck leg will also tempt your tastebuds. From the drinks list, expect sparkling, white and red wines to suit all budgets, plus local and international brews on tap and by the bottle — and several options spirits-wise, no matter whether you're a gin, vodka, tequila, bourbon, rum or whisky drinker. If the whole seaside setup screams cocktail to you, the signature offerings include barrel-aged negronis and mai tais, as well as non-boozy spritzes, sours and watermelon highballs.
Located just three kilometres North of Brisbane CBD you will find Wilston Village, a quickly developing trendy lifestyle hub with leafy streets and 18th century architecture fused with contemporary spaces. Wilston is home to the ultimate hair destination, Fruition, a modern salon that promises great results. The large-scale space is fitted with slick interiors that hold fifteen styling stations to accomodate their loyal clientele. Fruition has a team of 18 hair stylists who each strive to craft a precise and personalised experience. The salon offers a bustling yet relaxing environment with award-winning stylists that are committed to working with clients' individual taste and lifestyle choices.
When 2020 hits, one of Brisbane's big music and party venues will cease to operate in its current form. That'd be The Brightside, which is joining forces with Crowbar to create a mega venue at ol' Brighty's current address. It'll be called Crowbar Brisbane, with the adjoining space currently known as The Valley Drive In taking on the Brightside name. Obviously, this big change is something worth celebrating, which we're sure the revamped site will do when it relaunches. For now, The Brightside is throwing a big party to say goodbye to the status quo — and it's calling on DZ Deathrays, Bugs, Jeremy Neale and Sycco to hit the decks to help. All of the above will take on DJing duties and, as always, there'll be plenty of drinks on offer. Head along to Bye Bye Brightside from 7pm on Saturday, December 28 to mark the end of an era — with tickets costing $10.
Does your must-see movie list just keep growing, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball — especially after splashing cash around over Christmas, your summer holidays or both? Call Dendy Cinemas' latest special a case of great timing, then, with the chain offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem. You will need to head down to its Southport venue, however. Every day from Thursday, January 26–Wednesday, February 1, you'll only pay $5 for your movie of choice at the 11-screen complex, which only opened less than a year back. Buy online or buy at the box office — either way, you'll nab a bargain. With everything from newly minted Oscar-nominees Triangle of Sadness, The Fabelmans, Tár, Babylon and The Banshees of Inisherin through to M3GAN, Avatar: The Way of Water, Emily and A Man Called Otto currently screening, there's plenty to watch if you're keen to spend as much time in a darkened room as possible. A caveat: the offer isn't available for special events, previews, special screenings or Dendy Arts sessions, but remains valid for everything else. Also, there's a booking fee if you do purchase via the internet.
Already home to Vietnamese food hall Fat Noodle and upmarket steakhouse Black Hide by Gambaro, the Treasury Brisbane is expanding its food range — with potstickers, dim sum, barbecued meats and other Cantonese-style food. As first announced last month, the Brisbane CBD spot has welcomed Mei Wei Dumplings, with the new hawker-style eatery setting up shop on the basement level. Head underground every day of the week to eat your way through plenty of Mei Wei's titular dish — at the chain's second location, with its first restaurant already a favourite at The Star Gold Coast. Plus, in good news for Brisbanites hankering for some dumplings long after dinner time, the eatery is open until 11pm weekends and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Whether you like your dumplings fried or steamed — and whether you're dropping by for lunch, an after-work meal of a late-night bite, you'll find a variety of flavours on offer. Prawn dumplings, vegetable dumplings and three varieties of potstickers (beef, chicken and pork) are all on the menu, as are other dim sum staples such as spring rolls, barbecue pork buns and xiao long bao. Also on the lineup: char siu pork, crispy pork belly and Cantonese crispy duck, as part of an extended Brisbane-only selection filled with new signature dishes. If you can't choose between barbecued options, there's also a combination platter. And just like Mei Wei's Gold Coast site, there's a range of wok-cooked options, including sichuan beef, kung pao chicken and Singapore-style curry rice noodle. The restaurant also boasts a separate congee menu, with the rice porridge coming topped with the likes of pork and preserved egg, seafood, or chicken and mushroom. Design-wise, Mei Wei's Brisbane eatery includes elements of Chinese design while also taking into consideration the Treasury's 134-year history. And, in terms of places to sit, you can choose between booths, benches and tables. If you're already thinking about gathering the gang for dumplings next time you're in the vicinity of the casino, Mei Wei also features a 14-person private dining room. And, patrons can enter via a separate George Street entrance, rather than through the Treasury. Find Mei Wei Dumplings at Treasury Brisbane, corner of Queen and George streets, Brisbane — open Sunday–Thursday 11am–11pm and Friday–Saturday 11am–1am.
If you're a fan of 90s horror getting a new lease on life, we know what you're doing this winter Down Under: watching the latest instalment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. Although a TV series ran for one season in 2021, it's been almost 20 years since the last film in the series hit screens — and, as both the initial trailer and the just-dropped fresh look at the newest movie shows, familiar faces are back, and spouting familiar lines of dialogue as well. A slasher premise. A script by Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. A cast member of Party of Five being terrorised. That setup worked well twice three decades back, first with Scream and then with I Know What You Did Last Summer. Indeed, when they each initially released, sequels followed in both instances. Here's the latest part of the trend: both franchises have made or are making 2020s-era returns after jumps to the small screen, in flicks sharing the same name as the original movies in each saga and featuring OG cast members. First came 2022's Scream. Next arrives 2025's I Know What You Did Last Summer. Once again, Jennifer Love Hewitt (9-1-1) follows in Neve Campbell's (The Lincoln Lawyer) footsteps — and as Scream did, I Know What You Did Last Summer picks up with a mix of recognisable and new talents. As the sneak peeks for cinema's return to Southport illustrate, Freddie Prinze Jr (The Girl in the Pool) is also present again. Being stalked for their past misdeeds this time: Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio), Jonah Hauer-King (The Tattooist of Auschwitz), Tyriq Withers (Me) and Sarah Pidgeon (The Friend). On the big screen on Thursday, July 17, 2025 Down Under, the results will play out — aka a group of friends getting involved in a car accident where someone dies, they cover it up and vow not to tell anyone, but that secret and a vengeance-seeking killer haunts them a year later. The new film layers in the fact that this has all happened in the past, with the quintet in focus needing help from two survivors of the Southport Massacre of 1997. Enter Hewitt and Prinze Jr, as part of a cast that also includes Billy Campbell (Mr & Mrs Smith), Gabbriette Bechtel (Idiotka) and Austin Nichols (The Six Triple Eight). Starting as a 1973 novel, which Williamson adapted into the first 1997 film, I Know What You Did Last Summer initially spawned two sequels: 1998's I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and 2006's I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer. Then came that shortlived television effort. On the franchise's return to the big screen, Do Revenge filmmaker Jennifer Kaytin Robinson directs — and continues her connection with the OG I Know What You Did Last Summer cast, given that Sarah Michelle Gellar (Dexter: Original Sin) featured in that 2022 movie. Check out the trailer for I Know What You Did Last Summer below: I Know What You Did Last Summer releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
