Short Grain

Overview

Short Grain marks a return to Brisbane for chef Martin Boetz, whose Longrain restaurants helped shape modern Thai dining in Australia. Inside Fortitude Valley's heritage Stewart & Hemmant building, he's created a space that's relaxed but serious about flavour – a restaurant built around punch, balance and decades of experience.

The room is warm and light-filled, with exposed brick, arched windows and banquette seating, but the real energy is on the plate. The menu shifts seasonally while staying anchored in Thai technique: bright, herb-laced salads, hot and sour seafood, rich curries and slow-cooked meats designed for sharing.

Flavours are layered and unapologetic. Sweet, sour, salty and spicy work in concert rather than competing. The wine list, largely Australian with thoughtful international additions, is calibrated to handle spice and intensity rather than overpower it.

Short Grain isn't trying to reinvent Thai food. It's refining it with confidence.