Best Restaurants With a View in Brisbane
These restaurants with a view in Brisbane are some of the most gorgeous settings for your next long lunch or romantic night out.
Whether it’s views of all of Brisbane from Mount Coot-Tha’s The Summit, or a riverfront location served up by Supernormal, Stilts, Babylon and Ciao Papi, Brisbane’s restaurant scene doesn’t lack for views. You’ll find steak seared to perfection at The Lex, casual pizza and pasta at Joey’s and fresh tropical fare at Sunsets Rooftop. Discover even more scenic vistas with this edit of restaurants with a view in Brisbane.
Best Restaurants With a River View in Brisbane
Supernormal
Supernormal‘s sweeping river views are just the start of its enduring draw on Brisbane locals. Whilst the menu shares a lineage with the Melbourne flagship, offering appetisers, raw bar, dumplings and large share dishes, this Asian-influenced restaurant has adapted its menu to reflect local produce, and the interior design cues hint at the Queensland landscape and climate.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Asian fusion
Best For: Group dining, Long lunch, Weekend plans
The Lex
The Lex channels the energy of a New York City grill, but with all the sophistication and flair you’ve come to expect from the Marriott family. When you’re not tucking into a Tomahawk steak or the most chic tater tot you’ve ever consumed, you can admire the sweeping views of Brisbane City and the river flowing by.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Best For: Long lunch, Business lunch, Waterfront
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 through, including red gum smoked salt, finger lime and wattleseed.
Suburb: Kangaroo Point
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Waterfront, Long lunch, Locals
Ciao Papi
Say hello to a cheerful little Italian restaurant in the heart of Howard Smith Wharves. Popular for their lunch deal and aperitivo hour, Ciao Papi plates up an extensive sharing-style menu of seafood, pasta, chargrilled meats and crispy thin pizzas straight from the oven. And the views? You couldn’t get closer to the river if you tried.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Italian
Best For: Families, Group dining, Waterfront
Joey’s
Calling Kangaroo Point home, Joey’s sits atop the cliffs with spectacular 180-degree views of the Brisbane River and city skyline. With an elevated yet comfortable ambience, the brief is Italian picky bits, starting with antipasti and moving into pizza and pasta.
Suburb: Kangaroo Point
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Waterfront, Brunch, Locals
Babylon
This riverside venue cascades down three levels, encompassing multiple bars, terraces, and vibrant dining spaces. The interiors are inspired by the once-thriving metropolis, as well as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Think abundant greenery and timber, juxtaposed against silky upholstery. Menus across the venue are inspired by the Middle East, with share plates the order of the day.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Group dining, Long lunch
Need To Know: If you’d rather be closer to the water, book in at Babylon Gardens, the venue’s waterfront alfresco bar and a more casual dining spot for those seeking a CBD dining destination or a post-work drink.
Best Restaurants With a Skyline View in Brisbane
The Summit
Love the idea of dining atop a mountain, but too time-poor for a road trip?
Perched atop Mount Coot-Tha, The Summit Restaurant boasts sweeping views of natural bushland and lush greenery, with clear views over the Brisbane City skyline and surrounding suburbs from its vantage point among nature. In terms of fare, think premium proteins like spanner crab and organic lamb, finished with Australian native ingredients.
Suburb: Mount Coot-Tha
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Long lunch, Date night
Sunsets Rooftop
Sunsets Rooftop lives up to its name with an incredible vantage point over Kangaroo Point. This bar’s aesthetic is inspired by the vibrant and sun-kissed climate of Queensland, presented in the style of a desert oasis, where warm breezes meet refreshing cocktails to create a rooftop paradise. With a menu paying homage to the diverse culinary traditions found in tropical regions around the world, Sunsets manages to make this multicultural attitude feel distinctly Brisbane.
Suburb: Kangaroo Point
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Group dining, Outdoor dining
FAQs About the Best Restaurants With a View in Brisbane
Ciao Papi at Howard Smith Wharves gets you about as close to the river as possible, while Supernormal, The Lex, Stilts and Babylon all make the most of their Brisbane River positions from the CBD. Babylon’s more casual offshoot, Babylon Gardens, is a waterfront alfresco bar for those who want to be right by the water. Over at Kangaroo Point, Joey’s sits atop the cliffs with 180-degree river views.
Ciao Papi is the clearest pick for families, thanks to a crowd-pleasing Italian menu of pasta, pizza and seafood at Howard Smith Wharves. Its riverside setting and relaxed, cheerful atmosphere make it easy to bring everyone along. Joey’s at Kangaroo Point is another approachable option, with a comfortable ambience and shareable Italian grazing fare from antipasti through to pizza and pasta. Both offer engaging river outlooks that help keep the setting lively, making them well suited to a casual family lunch or dinner with a view.
Supernormal offers sweeping river views with a share-style Asian-influenced menu, while The Lex channels a New York grill with city and river vistas and its signature Tomahawk steak. Stilts, a top-end option, serves elevated modern Australian dishes on structural stilts overlooking the river. Babylon spreads Middle Eastern share plates across three riverside levels of bars and terraces, and Ciao Papi plates up Italian fare at Howard Smith Wharves.
The Summit Restaurant is well suited to a romantic evening, thanks to dramatic mountain-top views and premium proteins like spanner crab and organic lamb. For a waterfront date, Stilts offers elevated modern Australian dishes woven with native ingredients such as finger lime and wattleseed. Ciao Papi brings a cheerful Italian atmosphere and riverside setting at Howard Smith Wharves, while Sunsets Rooftop pairs cocktails with a sun-kissed rooftop ambience perfect for a relaxed evening out.
Supernormal is a strong pick for groups, with share-style Asian-influenced dishes including dumplings, raw bar and large plates. Babylon suits larger gatherings too, spread across multiple bars, terraces and dining spaces with Middle Eastern share plates. Sunsets Rooftop welcomes groups with its cocktail-focused rooftop and globally inspired menu, and Ciao Papi offers an extensive sharing-style spread of seafood, pasta, chargrilled meats and thin pizzas. Joey’s rounds things out with Italian grazing fare designed for sharing, from antipasti through to pizza and pasta.
After dining at one of these gorgeous Brisbane restaurants with a view, consider broadening your horizons with our edit of the best new restaurants in Brisbane right now.