Fortitude Valley Is Now Home to Rooftop Cocktail Joint Cielo and Ground-Level Bar La Costa

Back in mid-2019, the revamped section of Fortitude Valley around the Alfred Street and Brunswick Street area welcomed a couple of newcomers, with Foresters Restaurant and Bar and Altitude Rooftop Bar opening in the slick FV by Peppers precinct. Plenty can change in 18 months, however, with both venues saying goodbye — and a new Italian-themed duo launching in their place.

The space at 209 Brunswick Street is actually set to feature four new places to have a bite and get a drink; however, two have already opened their doors so far. If you're keen on a tipple with a view, you can head up to Cielo Rooftop. For those eager for a cocktail or other beverage on the ground level, that's where La Costa comes in.

Both venues have their own personalities, but they share a couple of things other than an address. Firstly, they're the latest ventures from the team behind Salt Meats Cheese and Roman-style eatery Eterna. Secondly, they all take inspiration from Italy's coastline and riviera (so you can feel like you're on holidays without leaving the city). And thirdly, they're pouring drinks menus from the folks at Sydney's Maybe Sammy — which was not only named one of the world's best bars late in 2020, but ranked 11th on the World's 50 Best Bars list.

Kitti Gould

Upstairs at Cielo — which is accessed via an internal lift — that means cocktails like the Portofino (with vodka, mango, passionfruit, maraschino, orange curaçao, lemon and a tropical bubble), the Venice Beach (which combines a strawberry daiquiri and piña colada) and the Santorini (with tequila, mezcal, Aperol, mango and lemon). Three types of spritzes are also on offer, plus champagne, wine and spirits. And seafood features heavily among the bites to eat, including oysters, octopus carpaccio with fried capers, kingfish ceviche, and blue swimmer crab and mango salad.

Patrons can tuck into the above beverages and food under a pastel-hued canopy and fairy lights, while perched on stools sat around round tables. Downstairs on the ground floor, behind the building's eye-catching facade — in a building that was first erected in 1889, was originally known as Foresters' Hall, initially housed a community meeting place and then became Fortitude Valley's first cinema in 1910 — more cocktails await, as does antipasti, and live tunes and DJs.

Drinks-wise, La Costa Bar serves up mango coffee margaritas (with tequila, Mr Black coffee liqueur, mango and lime) and Olive and Tonics (made with olive leaf gin, madeira, tonic, rosemary and olives) from a nine-option cocktail list — and has three spritzes on offer, too, plus sparkling, wine and beer. On the food menu, the tapas range spans four cheeses and two types of fish, among other choices, and there's both a small plate and a brunch lineup.

While exact dates haven't been revealed, Cielo Rooftop and La Costa will be joined by the La Costa Restaurant and an all-day wine bar. They're due to open by the end of January 2021.

Find Cielo Rooftop and La Costa at 209 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley. Cielo Rooftop is open from 11am–12am Thursday, 11am–2am Friday–Saturday, and 11am–8pm on Sunday — and La Costa Bar is open from 6am–2pm and 5pm–late Wednesday–Friday, and 7am–2pm and 5pm–late Saturday–Sunday.