Marlowe
This elegant Modern Australian bistro by the crew behind Central and Southside is set across nine rooms of a heritage-listed apartment building on Fish Lane.
Overview
Friends of Friends (formerly Fanda Group) has made a name for its eye-catching venues, from the award-winning subterranean CBD dumpling den Central to the breezy brutalism of Gold Coast rooftop bar Sueño. For those venues, the hospo outfit partnered with J.AR OFFICE, and it tapped the Fortitude Valley studio again for Marlowe.
Marlowe is perhaps the group's most serious offer, and it stands to reason that this is in no small part down to its setting. Spread across two floors and nine rooms of a heritage-listed 1938 apartment building on Fish Lane once known as Merivale Flats, Marlowe presents a considered and elegant take on a Modern Australian bistro. It's backed by seasonal, hyperlocal produce and inspired by vintage Australian cookbooks.
Jessie Prince
Head Chef and Co-Owner Ollie Hansford's menu might take its cues from Margaret Fulton and her contemporaries, but there's a thoroughly modern edge to the offer. The ever-evolving selection might include scallop tartare with a potato scallop and caviar, a curried spanner crab brioche, and a spiced gingerbread waffle with chicken pâté. Then there's the signature duck pie with radicchio jam and jus, basil risotto topped with a grilled yabby tail, and a standout coral trout wellington finished with chive butter sauce and caviar. A custom-built woodfire hearth anchors the grill offering, while a raw bar serves oysters, ceviche and tuna carpaccio. Desserts like sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel also straddle the line between playful and polished. If you'd rather leave it to the kitchen, set menus start at $125 a head.
Drinks also celebrate local makers and ingredients. The 200-strong Australian wine list balances legacy labels with new-wave producers, alongside verticals from icons like Henschke. Around 45 wines are poured by the glass, with French champagne as the sole non-local feature. Cocktails showcase native ingredients and nostalgic twists, like the Deco Martini starring Tasmanian sheep's whey gin and macadamia-soaked oloroso.
Jessie Prince
There's a reason to drop in most days of the week, too. Tuesday is BYO night, Wednesday is all about steak, and Sunday Service brings comfort food and a Bloody Mary cart. Lunch specials start at $29, and a $90 pre-theatre menu covers nights at QPAC.
As for that design, Marlowe retains much of the building's art deco character, including the original layout of the four apartments it occupies. Nooks and crannies abound across the nine distinct dining and bar areas, including a verdant terrace and four enclosed sunrooms. The deliberately pared-back space sets rich walnut timber and polished chrome accents against a palette of sky blue, buttercream and deep crimson, bringing a thoughtful contemporary edge to the venue's heritage bones.
Top images: Jessie Prince.
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