Brisbane

Brisbane: Where the locals dine

Mark Bahnisch
Brisbane Insider
Outdoor dining in Brisbane (Photo: Oliver Strewe/Lonely Planet)
Don't get stuck tucking in to overpriced (and under-good) grub at touristy restaurants. Our Brisbane Insider tells you where the locals dine.

West End

When Brisbane cuisine was just about restricted to posh French silver service hotel restaurants and corner burger stores and milk bars (ah, the memories!), West End had already established itself as the go-to place for something, well, interesting. The once politically activist and ethnically diverse inner-city south-side (the name's a tad misleading) neighbourhood has felt the force of gentrification over the last decade, and it's now studded with upmarket bistros. But the core of the West End dining experience remains.

The two restaurant precincts are the main drag — Boundary Street — and Hardgrave Road, closer to Hill End. There's a literal smorgasbord of flavours to choose from, but I'd sample some of the long-standing institutions first — particularly Huong's on Vulture Street and El Terito on Boundary Street. Huong's may not feature Madonna songs in Chinese any more, but the quality of the Vietnamese menu hasn't changed, and El Torito is that rare beast — a genuine Mexican restaurant.

The Valley and New Farm

The Valley does music and bars better than food (although it's a one-stop shop for greasy pizza — funny that). But Chinatown around Wickham Street is fab, and the best value is at Super Bowl. The Chinatown Mall hosts the intriguingly named but stunning Thai Wi-Rat, and the Spanish Tapas Bar further up Brunswick Street is very good at being what its name suggests.

New Farm might not be the sort of place where Italian is casually spoken in cafes anymore, but it's still a cornucopia of foodie delights. Almost too many to mention, but to stick with the suburb's ethnic history, Arriva and Vespa Pizza contend for the best pizza in town crown.

Have you eaten at any of these places in Brisbane? Know of any others worth mentioning? Tell us about it using the comments form below.

See for yourself! Get great deals on hotels and super-cheap flights to Brisbane now on Expedia.com.au

Next: Shop 'til you drop
 
Share with MessengerShare
User comments
• For steaks head to the Cha Cha Cha • For seafood walk down the wharf (from char) to the Jelly fish • For an awesome menu, cheaper dishes and a extra large serving- head to the Groove Train even further down the pier • Piccassos' is good for a pizza and pasta • At Portside, Byblos good for drinks -you also have gusto and Sono for Japanese. • If you are around the Valley, head to the emporium hotel for a hearty feel to the bar, warm atmosphere (when the bar staff are being polite) live jazz and a great selection of cocktails.. Freestylers is common for desert- However, the little restaurant on the opposite corner tends to be a little less busy- absolutely fantastic staff and the best chocolate soufflé. For breakfast I head to either Jeremys in the city- they have 5 pages(off the top of my head) for the breakfast menu, and I have never been disapointed, the story bridge also has good breakfast pancakes- worth a look. Please check out the Jazz club in Kangaroo Point, it is charming..
Bubbles on Albert street - a few down from Hungry Jacks is also a great place to eat! Run by a few Asian men, Its no particular cuisine - a bit of everything but its cheap and cheerful! Great Cocktails also. Great place for a bite to eat before a movie or show or before a night out! I swear by the place!
I agree about Huongs Super Bowl and Thai Wi-Rat, but El Torito aint no genuine Mexican restaurant, as it states in your link is actually run by El Salvadorians - not that that matters, but aside from that its is overpriced, run of the mill westernised Mexican food with absolutely terrible service - last time we were there we waited 3 hours and they didn't even offer corn chips or something to tide us over. Instead try the new Pabloz which I suppose is a bit Spanish and a bit Mexican, its on Melbourne St, closer to South Brisbane great food and friendly

Write a comment
Email: *
Your email will not be shared with any third parties or published with your comment.
Nickname: *
Location: *

Subject:
*
Comment:
*
Maximum characters 1000

Comment guidelines
Avoid using:
  • Personal attacks
  • Irrelevant comments
  • HTML tags
  • Personal information
  • Offensive language
  • Text in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
See full comment guidelines
Comment guidelines X
Thank you for sharing your opinions with other users of NineMSN. People will find your comments more helpful if you include relevant information and avoid some common pitfalls.
Please note: All reviews and comments submitted are subject to moderation, NineMSN reserves the right to alter and / or remove any content that does not comply with usage guidelines.
What to include in your comment:
  • A title that briefly summarizes the opinion expressed in the comment.
  • Additional comments adding more detail.
  • Comparisons to other similar products, if this is relevant.
  • To create a new paragraph, press the Enter key twice.
What not to include:
  • Information that will quickly go out of date.
  • Comments on other comments or commenters.
  • Language that other users may find offensive.
  • comments of one sentence or less. Provide information to support your opinion.
  • Personal information like your email address or telephone number.
  • HTML coding. Tags like <b> or <i> will not be recognized.
advertisement
WORST THINGS ABOUT FLYING
From screaming babies to loud drunks — these are the most annoying things about flying.