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The Best Restaurants in Brisbane Right Now
From fresh seafood bars to authentic Greek taverns, these are the best restaurants Brisbane has to offer!
Brisbane’s best restaurants right now offer a full spectrum of gastronomic delight, from the CBD’s theatrical Exhibition restaurant, to Sunnybank weeknight staple Yat Tiu Rice Noodle Rolls. This edit covers fire-cooked feasts at Fortitude Valley’s Agnes, mountain-top meals at Mount Coot-Tha’s The Summit and special occasion favourites including the CBD;s Stilts and The French Exit.
Updated for spring 2026, these are our editors top picks for the best restaurants in Brisbane right now.
In This Guide
- Best New Restaurant Openings in Brisbane
- The Best Restaurants For a Special Occasion in Brisbane
- The Best Restaurants With a View in Brisbane
- The Best Affordable Restaurants in Brisbane
- Best Restaurants by Area or Neighbourhood in Brisbane
- Best Restaurants by Cuisine in Brisbane
- Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Restaurants in Brisbane
Best New Restaurant Openings in Brisbane
San Telmo
This Asado-style grill is the place to be when an Argentinian feast is on the cards. Make the most of the on-site Parrilla grill and dry-age chamber with a signature steak and wrap up your meal with San Telmo’s famed flan.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Best For: Special occasion, Group dining, Long lunch
Bistro Tino
Inspired by the grandeur of Europe, Bistro Tino offers a pared-back brunch with a seasonal edge. Think fried brioche with honey ricotta and balsamic strawberries for breaky and simmered pastina minestrone and panzanella with yesterday’s bread, cucumber, tomato vinaigrette for lunch.
Suburb: Fortitude Valley
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Date night, Brunch, Locals
Explore all of the best new restaurant openings in Brisbane.
The Best Restaurants For a Special Occasion in Brisbane
Agnes
Minimalist and pared-back, Agnes’ spartan industrial interiors set the scene for food that focuses on provenance and technique. An open fire is the primary cooking source, with different types of premium woods providing nuance to each dish. Smoke and fire snake through the entire menu, from the scorched wagyu snacks to the smoked tonka bean crème brûlée.
Suburb: Fortitude Valley
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Group dining, Special occasion, Date night
Exhibition
An intimate dining room that seats just 24 is the backdrop for Exhibition’s multi-sensory dining experience. Set in the basement of the former Metro Arts Theatre, the visual and theatrical feast feels appropriate given the setting. But it’s not style over substance here. The bio-dynamic, local and seasonally sourced fare tastes even better than it looks.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Weekend plans
Need To Know: Weekend reservations are an additional $80, all of which can be redeemed on drinks and additional courses.
Restaurant Dan Arnold
Australian flavours meet French technique at Restaurant Dan Arnold. Settle in for a tasting menu that spans some of the region’s best small producers and local produce. There and three and five course experiences to book.
Suburb: Fortitude Valley
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Weekend plans
Explore our full edit of the best fine dining restaurants in Brisbane.
The Best Restaurants With a View in Brisbane
Stilts
Peeking out over the Brisbane River, the structure of Stilts itself is an homage to location and the ‘Queenslander’ homes the state is known for. The theme follows through into the menu, which is collated from locally sourced steak, seafood and fresh produce. Elevated modern Australian dishes are the order of the day, with a smattering of Australian ingredients woven throughout the menu, including red gum-smoked salt, finger lime and wattleseed.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Waterfront, Long lunch, Weekend plans
Need To Know: If you’re dining at lunch, consider the exceptionally well-priced Banksia Banquet which will score you a swathe of Stilts favourites for $64 per person.
The Summit
Brisbane offers more than river views, and you’ll find some of the best from The Summit of Mount Coot-Tha. This aptly named restaurant is one of the best places to take in the scope of the city, alongside its most beloved landmarks. The menu is fine dining-led and littered with plenty of premium proteins, from spanner crab to duck and organic lamb. Native mint and wattleseed are just a few of the native flourishes added to ground the menu in place.
Suburb: Mount Coot-Tha
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Long lunch
Supernormal
Known for its elegant interiors and no-fuss plating, Supernormal go big on flavour. The menu is Asian-inspired and makes the most of the exceedingly fresh produce available in Queensland and surrounds. You can expect inventive Asian fusion, designed to be shared. Think Ballina pipis & nduja XO sauce and Bungalow pork ribs with black vinegar & crispy garlic. The same approach is taken with the cocktail menu, so don’t miss it.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Asian fusion
Best For: Group dining, Long lunch, Weekend plans
Explore our full edit of the best restaurants with a view in Brisbane.
The Best Affordable Restaurants in Brisbane
El Torito
This colourful, family-owned restaurant has been serving up Mexican fare for over 30 years. In that time, they haven’t shifted from the intention of serving up affordable bites, with $5 tacos, $5 tamales and $8 glasses of sangria as regular specials.
Suburb: West End
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Mexican
Best For: Quick bite, Families, Budget-friendly
Gung Ho! Dumpling Ramen Bar
Score cut-price dumplings and large mains of laksa, ramen and Katsu curry for under $20 at this cheap and cheerful Japanese favourite.
Suburb: Fortitude Valley
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Japanese
Best For: Solo dining, Quick bite, Budget-friendly
Explore more of the best cheap eats in Brisbane.
Best Restaurants by Area or Neighbourhood in Brisbane
The Best Restaurants in Sunnybank
This community-forward suburb is popular for quiet bites and casual dining. A bit of a melting pot, taste your way through the mix of Chinese, Japanese and Korean haunts, from hand-pulled noodles at Yat Tiu Rice Noodle Rolls and Korean fried chicken at Seoul Bistro. Explore our full edit of the best restaurants in Sunnybank.
The Best Restaurants in North Brisbane
Known for neighbourhood gems, fine dining and wine bars, an evening out in North Brisbane is perfect for a progressive feast. You’ll find a little bit of everything, from degustation favourite Rogue Bistro to Asian fusion at Oh Boy Bok Choy.
Explore our full edit of the best restaurants in North Brisbane.
The Best Restaurants in Fortitude Valley
Formerly known as a nightlife hub, Fortitude Valley is now just as prized for its new openings and award-winning restaurants as its bars. Sample your way through, from minimalist ēmmē to steak specialists Agnes to South East Asian stalwart sAme sAme.Explore our edit of the best restaurants in Fortitude Valley.
The Best Restaurants in the West End
A melting pot of cuisines, Brisbane’s West End will take you from elevated Sardinian cuisine at Pilloni to cheap, cheerful and completely vegan Chinese fare at Vegan Restaurant. Explore our edit of the best restaurants in the West End.
The Best Restaurants in South Bank
A favourite for locals and visitors, thanks to glorious river views and post-dinner walk ops, South Bank is one of Brisbane’s most popular dining destinations. You can expect a little bit of everything from riverside Italian at OTTO to punchy South East Asian fare at Naga Thai.
Explore our full edit of the best restaurants in South Bank.
The Best Restaurants at Howard Smith Wharves
This wharf-top dining precinct ticks all the boxes for views, vibes and sensational food. Brunch at Greca, lean into local seafood at Felons Brewing Co, and snack to your heart’s content on Japanese small plates at Yoko Dining.
Explore our full edit of the best restaurants at Howard Smith Wharves.
The Best Restaurants in Everton Park
Don’t discredit this Northern family-friendly suburb. From the famous cocktail handbag at Comuna Cantina to plant-based ramen at Neon Ramen, explore our full edit of the best restaurants in Everton Park.
The Best Restaurants in Newstead
An inner-city suburb with plenty of charm, Newstead continues to add to its already admirable food offering. From beloved neighbourhood wine bar Monal Dining to colourful Thai at Ping Pong, explore our full edit of the best restaurants in Newstead.
The Best Restaurants in North Lakes
Suburban and casual, North Lakes is great for a midweek feed or relaxed weekend meal. There’s a particular emphasis on quality Asian fare here, from the likes of Korean BBQ at Bulgogi to street food favourite Kinn Thai.
Explore our full edit of the best restaurants in North Lakes.
The Best Restaurants in South Brisbane
Arguably Brisbane’s premier dining hub, South Brisbane’s riverfront stretch provides plenty of atmosphere on top of a host of upmarket eateries. Explore our full edit of the best restaurants in South Brisbane.
The Best Restaurants in Graceville
This small but mighty suburb offers a tight curation of venues, but you won’t go hungry here. Expect plenty of local institutions, from casual corner pizza joint Tocco Italiano to Spanish tapas at Botellon.
Explore the full edit of the best restaurants in Graceville.
Best Restaurants by Cuisine in Brisbane
The Best Indian Restaurants in Brisbane
Like every Australian capital, Brisbane hosts its fair share of Indian restaurants. From North Indian cuisine at the Indian Room in Milton, to Gujrati Kathiyawadi-style Indian at Daawat Indian Restaurant, explore our edit of the best Indian restaurants in Brisbane to satisfy your cravings.
The Best French Restaurants in Brisbane
As Brisbane’s restaurant scene continues to mature, so too does the offering of French restaurants. From the hatted Montrachet, to the meticulous and minimalist bistro and wine bar Petite, explore our full edit of the best French restaurants in Brisbane.
The Best Italian Restaurants in Brisbane
Home to an Italian restaurant for every mood, the city proffers everything from elegant, refined and ultra-modern fare at Bianca to alfresco favourite Olive & Angelo, fire-led Sardinian-inspired Pilloni and Woolloongabba’s Roman 1889 Enoteca. Explore our full edit of the best Italian restaurants in Brisbane.
The Best Greek Restaurants in Brisbane
Brisbane’s Greek scene runs the gamut from established local tavernas to five-star pool-deck fare at Brisbane’s most coveted hotel, The Calile. Explore our full edit of the best Greek restaurants in Brisbane.
The Best Thai Restaurants in Brisbane
Brisbane’s Thai scene is packed with fresh takes, from Big Boy Bangkok’s spin on street food, to sAme sAme’s pared-back yet traditional fare. Explore our full edit of the best Thai restaurants in Brisbane.
The Best Japanese Restaurants in Brisbane
You won’t find a suburb in Brisbane without its own local favourite Japanese joint. Head into the city for multi-course omakase or explore the suburb’s offering of donburi, ramen and specialist sushi bars. Explore our full edit of the best Japanese restaurants in Brisbane.
The Best Mexican Restaurants in Brisbane
There’s something about Brisbane’s subtropical climate that leaves one craving Mexican. From rooftop bars, like Maya Mexican, serving snacks and margs, to decades-old favourite Pepe’s Mexican, cravings are guaranteed to be catered to. Explore the full edit of the best Mexican restaurants in Brisbane.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Restaurants in Brisbane
Two of Brisbane’s most exciting new openings are San Telmo and Bistro Tino. San Telmo, in the CBD, is an Asado-style grill built around an on-site Parrilla and dry-age chamber, best known for its signature steak and famed flan. Over in Fortitude Valley, Bistro Tino draws on European grandeur for a pared-back, seasonal menu spanning fried brioche with honey ricotta at brunch and pastina minestrone at lunch. It’s a relaxed pick for date night, brunch or a local catch-up.
For a special occasion, Agnes, Exhibition and Restaurant Dan Arnold lead the charge. Agnes, in Fortitude Valley, cooks almost everything over open fire, lending smoke and nuance to dishes from scorched wagyu snacks to smoked tonka bean crème brûlée. Exhibition seats just 24 beneath the CBD’s Metro Arts Theatre for a theatrical, bio-dynamic tasting experience. Restaurant Dan Arnold pairs Australian flavours with French technique across a produce-led tasting menu. Each delivers refined, memorable dining, making them well suited to milestone celebrations, anniversaries or an unforgettable date night.
Brisbane’s best restaurants with a view include Stilts, The Summit and Supernormal. Stilts, perched over the Brisbane River at Kangaroo Point, channels classic Queenslander architecture and plates elevated modern Australian fare with native touches like wattleseed and finger lime. The Summit crowns Mount Coot-Tha, pairing sweeping city panoramas with fine dining such as spanner crab and organic lamb. Supernormal frames Story Bridge views with shared, Asian-inspired plates. For the best value, Stilts’ lunchtime Banksia Banquet scores you a spread of favourites for $64 per person.
For an affordable feed, El Torito and Gung Ho! Dumpling Ramen Bar are hard to beat. El Torito, a family-owned West End institution of more than 30 years, keeps things budget-friendly with $5 tacos, $5 tamales and $8 sangria — great for families or a quick, casual bite. Gung Ho! Dumpling Ramen Bar in Fortitude Valley serves cut-price dumplings plus generous mains of laksa, ramen and katsu curry for under $20, ideal for solo diners or a speedy meal.
Fortitude Valley has evolved from nightlife hub to restaurant destination, home to Agnes, ēmmē and sAme sAme. South Bank and South Brisbane deliver riverfront atmosphere, while Howard Smith Wharves combines views and vibes at venues like Greca and Felons Brewing Co. Sunnybank is the go-to for Chinese, Japanese and Korean eats, and West End serves a genuine melting pot of cuisines. For suburban dining, North Lakes and Everton Park offer quality Asian fare and family-friendly favourites, so there’s a pocket to suit every mood.
