The most anticipated openings on the cards for Brisbane this year
And we’re off! The new year has begun and we’re firing on all cylinders to start 2025. We have a feeling this is going to be a big year for Brisbane’s food scene, with a number of big-name openings already on the cards for the next 12 months. From a new location for Agnes Bakery and a high-end Cantonese-inspired restaurant to hip ramen joints and chic London-style supper clubs, there’s plenty to look forward to. Here are our picks for the most anticipated openings in Brisbane for 2025 …
Idle, New Farm: New Farm’s current renaissance is set to continue into 2025, with the team at Anyday (the hospitality juggernaut behind top-tier restaurants Agnes, Biànca, sAme sAme, LOS and hôntô) making a move into the suburb in the coming months. The team will be relocating and transforming Agnes Bakery – its lauded pandemic-born bakery concept turned James Street staple – into full-service cafe Idle. The venue will see the team expand the offering beyond its signature pastries, breads and cakes, delivering a menu of cooked-to-order seasonal dishes and salads, alongside take-home fridge and pantry fillers like house-churned butter, handcrafted sauces and marinades. Agnes Bakery will continue trading on James Street until Idle’s debut. That’s not all the Anyday crew has in store for 2025, with some big plans underway over in The City …
Golden Avenue, Brisbane City: In the second half of the year, Anyday will lift the cloche on Golden Avenue at 67 Edward Street in the heart of Brisbane City – a Middle Eastern-inspired eatery boasting a lush, garden-inspired terrace. Golden Avenue will draw upon the expertise of Anyday co-owner and chef Ben Williamson and group head chef Adam Wolfers, with both culinary maestros leveraging their mastery of Levantine cuisine to create a modern menu that will feature hot and cold mezze, flatbreads, charcoal-grilled meats, seafood and more. Following Golden Avenue’s debut, Anyday will shift its focus to more expansion plans, including two restaurants and a cocktail bar that will be housed within the heritage-listed Coal Board Building at 169 Mary Street. Details on these concepts are being kept close to the chest, though one can assume that it will be a massive deal for the ongoing growth of Brisbane’s inner-city dining scene.
Gigi’s Osteria, Newstead: A little while back, we hinted that the team behind celebrated eateries Beccofino and Julius was working on something new. The anticipation has almost killed us, but we’re excited to reveal that 2025 is the year we finally get to experience it. Come mid-year, Paolo Biscaro, Cordell Khoury and the team will lift the cloche on Gigi’s Osteria – a smart Italian eatery nestled in the ever-growing Long Island precinct in Newstead, joining the likes of Baker D. Chirico and Evra Marketplace. Gigi’s will be more refined than its older siblings – although a woodfired oven will be at the centre of its kitchen, we’re assured it certainly will not be a pizzeria. Instead, expect generous bowls of glistening handmade pasta, melt-in-your-mouth grilled fish and meat dishes kissed with the smoke of woodfire. The osteria will also boast a considered wine list, featuring an impressive selection of Italian and Australian drops. We’ll have more details on Gigi’s Osteria in the coming months, including its yet-to-be-announced chef. Keep an eye out for updates!
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Stilts and Mulga Bill’s, Brisbane City: This year is set to be a big one for denizens of the inner city. Not only has the brand-new Kangaroo Point Green Bridge vastly improved access to The City’s waterfront, the crossing’s completion also heralds the arrival of two brand-new eateries from Michael Tassis of Opa Bar & Mezze and Yamas Greek + Drink fame. Tassis Group will soon open over-water restaurant Stilts and an all-day cafe Mulga Bill’s on the green bridge, infusing both concepts with tributes to history and place. Stilts – a name that pays homage to the traditional Queenslander home, perched high on stilts – will sit more than ten metres above the Brisbane River in a 300-sqm space boasting an estimated capacity of 130 guests. Equipped with a bar and a private-dining area, the restaurant will offer near-unbeatable views along The City’s waterfront stretch and across the Brisbane River to the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point cliffs. In the kitchen, a woodfire grill will cook an array of morsels, with protein and seafood – think steak, lobster and mud crab – expected to be key components of the menu. A more casual cafe-style concept compared to its sibling venue Stilts, Mulga Bill’s will serve woodfired pizzas, tapas, steak and seafood to dine-in patrons, grab-and-go pastries and coffee to commuters, plus takeaway picnic boxes perfect for grazing amongst the nearby parkland and public spaces. More details on Stilts and Mulga Bill’s will be revealed closer to the Green Bridge’s completion.
+81, West End: In the final weeks of 2024, a striking Ginza-inspired cocktail bar opened on Montague Road in West End. The ten-seat +81 Aizome Bar – an intimate blue-hued marvel – immediately set a new standard for high-end cocktail experiences in Brisbane, with master mixologist Tony Huang applying his cutting-edge ‘neo cocktail’ techniques to the menu. But +81 Aizome Bar was only part one of a greater whole. Taking shape next door was +81 – a kappo-style restaurant offering a full Japanese dining experience. Boasting a sleek and moody fit-out designed by Alexander Lotersztain, this restaurant is shaping up to be one of the most impressive arrivals of 2025. And best of all? You don’t have long to wait – +81 is tentatively set to open in February.
The Fifty Six, Brisbane City: DAP & Co.’s headline-grabbing hospitality hub Naldham House – and its brasserie and a chic late-night cocktail and champagne bar – was one of the biggest stories in Brisbane dining last year. The group are looking to make a similar splash with the concept’s third-floor restaurant The Fifty Six, a high-end Cantonese-inspired restaurant that is drawing inspiration from the city’s earliest history. Named after the first wave of Chinese immigrant to journey to Queensland, The Fifty Six is looking to pay homage to the significant impact Chinese culture and cuisine has had on Australia’s food landscape via a menu shaped by traditional recipes and innovative techniques. Overseeing the offering is head chef Gerald Ong (formerly of Mrs Wang, Lucky Duck, Golden Panda, Chairman & Yip and Tigerlane), who will be drawing upon a bounty of seasonal ingredients to craft his array of innovative Cantonese dishes, such as wok-tossed Mooloolaba prawns with curry leaf and salted egg. Joining Gerald in the kitchen will be sous chef Ka Wai Kwok – a Hong Kong native and dim sum maestro, who will be helping make the likes of crystal skin dumplings with Moreton Bay bug. The Fifty Six team will be going to great lengths across all aspects of the menu, setting up a curated dry-ageing program for its roast meats and also making its oyster sauce in house.
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Cartel Del Taco, New Farm: Popular Hawthorne taqueria and bar, Cartel Del Taco, is expanding to New Farm with a second venue set to open in February. Co-owners Marco Ramirez and Erick Martinez – who have built a loyal following for their authentic Mexican cuisine – are taking the opportunity to evolve the Cartel Del Taco menu by introducing wood-fired meats, seafood, and a new breakfast offering blending Australian and Mexican dishes. The New Farm location will feature an oyster bar, a charcoal grill, and a refreshed cocktail menu with artisanal mezcals and frozen margaritas. The venue will maintain its vibrant, 1980s Mexican taqueria aesthetic, complete with imported furniture and servingware from Mexico. With New Farm’s growing dining scene, Cartel Del Taco aims to bring a unique slice of Mexico to the area, blending traditional flavours with an Australian twist while offering an immersive dining experience.
Penelope, Fortitude Valley: Coats Group, the team that brought you MAYA Rooftop and Il Molo Italian Kitchen & Bar, is set to open a brand-new venue before the end of the year. Penelope – an all-new dining, drinking and dancing den – is currently taking shape on James Street, with the Coats Group crew looking to lure in night owls and foodies fatigued with formal dining. Part classic bistro and part London-style supper club, Penelope will blur the lines between restaurant, lounge and bar in a sleek mid-century-inspired surrounds. The space, which is being built by Kyson Commercial, will be accessed only via a solid brass door. Once you are inside, you’ll be greeted by a rich aesthetic encompassing amber velvet banquettes with brass detailing, dark timber-panelled walls made of acoustically treated American walnut, vintage wall lighting, a striking back-lit bar and cloistered curved eight-seater booths. On the food front, Penelope’s head chef Evan White will be delivering a menu described as retro-leaning bistro classics, with modern techniques used to execute a swathe of nostalgia-inducing delights at a high level. Designed to be enjoyed socially, Penelope’s menu will be big on snacks and small plates, including chicken-liver parfait with cultured butter croissant crisp and vermouth fig glaze, fish-finger sandwiches made with crumbed blue-eyed cod and yoghurt tartare, pig-cheek croquettes, and Cantabrian anchovies that will be served to the table flaming in the tin. Hungry patrons will be able to devour larger plates of steak au poivre, penne alla vodka and market fish with parsley butter, caper vinegar and confit lemon, while a late-night menu (inspired by room service feasts) will include a classic BLT with smoked bacon, lobster and pickled tomato, bang-on cheeseburgers and a super-decadent hot chocolate fudge sundae. Penelope’s bar will dispense a ten-strong list of smashable cocktails alongside signature classic martinis and negronis, while a wine list will feature broad selection of drops, from vintage champagnes and Australian pet nats to Euro bangers. Penelope is set to open very soon and will operate from 5:00 pm on weekdays and from 12:00 pm, Friday to Sunday.
Goros, Fortitude Valley: Last year, Solotel group – the hospitality giant behind venues like ARIA, Chiswick, Opera Bar and Brisbane’s own Riverbar + Kitchen – announced it was expanding its presence in Brisbane, with plans to bring its neon-lit izakaya-style venue Goros to Fortitude Valley. Work is underway to transform the former home of Little Valley in Warner Street into a multi-level venue big enough to fit 500 guests, with lanterns, arcade games and Japanese kitsch set to feature heavily across the interior aesthetic. Much like its Surry Hills sibling, Goros Brisbane will serve a range of Japanese-inspired eats, including robata-grilled skewers, takoyaki, pork-and-chive gyoza and bento boxes, as well as a stacked beverage menu headlined by signature cocktails (including its famous sake bombs) and a trove of Japanese whiskies. Goros is set to open in February – be sure to follow along on social media for updates.
Dark Blue, Fortitude Valley: The brains behind one of Fortitude Valley’s most beloved wine bars is set to open another boozy haunt in the entertainment precinct this year, with Hannah Wagner of Dark Red fame expanding to the other side of Ann Street to open Dark Blue. The 30-seat cocktails and wine bar is estimated to open on Winn Lane in March, with Hannah taking over two neighbouring spaces – which folks might recognise as the former home of Gemini Brow Studio, Winnston Hair and clothing store The Outpost – and transforming them into a single venue boasting a timber-heavy New York-inspired loft aesthetic. Once open, Dark Blue will pour vino from winemakers based in Portugal, Spain and Argentina, as well as an ever-changing range of cocktails (think pre-batched options that can be dispensed quickly). Unlike Dark Red, Dark Blue will offer a small selection of eats – think tasty toasties and imported snacks like tinned sardines and Spanish crisps from Superbon. Fans of Hannah’s pooch Daisy will be pleased to know that the adorable pooch will be making appearances from time to time, including on Dark Blue’s coasters!
Unnamed Shane Delia venue, West End: Melbourne chef and restaurateur Shane Delia has tabbed Brisbane as the home of first restaurant outside of Victoria, with the hospitality heavyweight announcing the Thomas Dixon Centre as the home of his northernmost concept. The chef and restaurateur’s Delia Group is behind a string of highly praised concepts, including modern Middle Eastern fine-diner Maha and its wine-focussed offshoots Maha North and Maha East, as well as opulent cocktail bar Jayda and burger brand Biggie Smalls. While Shane is keeping mum about the Brisbane restaurant’s concept for now, we’ve been told the new venue will feature an evolving menu that will take guests on an unrestricted spice journey. It’s a major move for the culinary heavyweight, who is relishing the chance to bring his “passion for bold flavours, rich spices, and diverse culinary traditions to Brisbane.” Delia Group will be working across all of the Thomas Dixon Centre’s food and beverage outlets, excluding the cafe located next to the Drake Street entrance. Keep your eyes peeled for more info on Shane’s restaurant, which is tentatively slated to open in the first half of 2025.
Evra, Newstead: Newstead continues to gun for the title of Brisbane’s epicurean epicentre, with more and more bars and eateries slotting into vacant spaces around the suburb. Late last year, the team behind Evra at Long Island opened Los Angeles-inspired grocer and casual nosh spot Evra Marketplace. Soon, the crew will lift the cloche on a 120-seat restaurant next door, which we hear will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner showcasing coastal and country produce sourced from local growers and producers. These dishes will be complemented by a beverage program featuring classic cocktails as well as a sturdy wine list.
Hai Hai Ramen, West End: Crowded House Hospitality, the crew behind beloved venues such as Remy’s, Ham on Rye and Superfly Pizza, is set to open a second location for its uber-popular ramen concept, Hai Hai. In January 2025, the team will cut the ribbon on the new outpost, which will be located on Boundary Street in the site most recently home to Chop Chop Chang’s. With more room to work with, the Hai Hai team will be relishing the chance to build on its killer menu, with a core selection of ramen and sides bolstered with the addition of more izakaya-style snacks, substantial mains and a range of rotating specials. The site will also boast a bigger bar, which means Hai Hai’s beverage offering will also be expanded – we’ve been told to expect plenty of shochu highballs, Japanese-inspired cocktails and beers.