Rise Bakery
When Shannon Kellam’s Mica Brasserie closed earlier this year, it left a gaping hole in Brisbane’s bakery scene. Well, in good news for croissant connoisseurs of Newstead, Mica’s former home at the base of the Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct will soon be reborn as a brand-new outpost for Rise Bakery. The Gold Coast-born baked-goods dispenser (which expanded to Brisbane last year with its chic boulangerie and salon de thé at Portside Wharf, as well as its newly opened bistro sibling Mademoiselle) has taken over the space, instigating a quick refit ahead of a soft opening next Friday December 29. Once open, Rise Bakery will serve its full range of pastries, including its beloved apple turnovers, lunettes, sausage rolls, lemon-meringue tarts, cream-filled Paris brest and flaky mille feuille. The team also intends to bolster the beverage offering with protein shakes that will surely entice members of the precinct’s multi-level gym, Function Well.

Rise Bakery’s opening is only the first stage of the group’s plans for the site. Mica’s dine-in space will soon be home to a new restaurant, which the Rise team hopes to open for lunch and dinner in February next year. While details on the new eatery are being kept hush-hush for now, the crew has also revealed its intention to regularly activate the venue’s promenade as part of the project’s third stage, with talk of an outdoor cocktail bar, food stores and daybeds on the cards. Keep your eyes peeled for more on Rise Bakery’s expansion in the coming weeks.

The Ducks at Hotel Brunswick
If you’re planning a road trip over the border this summer, make sure you plot a visit to Brunswick Heads. Why? Well, the team behind legendary cafe crew Three Blue Ducks will be taking up residence at Hotel Brunswick, with chefs Darren Robertson and Andy Allen teaming up with Hotel Brunswick’s head chef Loki Lynch on a new Cali-inspired menu. The crew will be applying its ethos – which champions sustainability and ethically sourced produce – to the offering, drawing upon a bounty of Northern Rivers ingredients and putting a Three Blue Ducks twist on traditional pub dishes. Think chicken schnitties and parmies, Australian bay-lobster rolls, Travla beer-battered fish and chips, chilli chicken wings, pizzas and flatbreads, ceviche, prawn toast with nam jim, and old-school prawns with Marie Rose sauce.

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Hotel Brunswick’s drinks menu is also getting an upgrade, unveiling a bolstered wine list showcasing Australian winemakers and regions, and a cocktail menu that features three styles of margarita alongside other classics such as a mojito, lychee martini, amaretto sour and Japanese slipper. Hotel Brunswick guests will be able to enjoy the fruits of this killer collab from December.

Shane Delia’s Brisbane expansion
Last week, Delia Group – the Melbourne-based hospitality crew headed by celebrity chef Shane Delia – announced its expansion into Queensland. Next year, the group will open a brand-new restaurant at the Thomas Dixon Centre, the Montague Road headquarters of Queensland Ballet.

While Shane is keeping mum about the 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 hand-in-hand with Queensland Ballet’s hospitality partner VenuesLive to transform the Thomas Dixon Centre into a vibrant dining and event destination. We’ll have more details for you as they emerge.

Gusto Da Gianni
Portside Wharf is continuing to deliver the goods right up until the pointy end of the year. While 2024’s headlines have been dominated by a procession of brand-new concepts opening at the precinct, the riverside hub’s long-standing residents are also getting amongst the glow-up action.

Italian institution Gusto da Gianni has been revitalised as part of Portside’s ongoing reinvigoration, with the team recently unveiling a sophisticated and contemporary new look, complete with fresh amenities such as a second bar, a waterfront pavilion and reimagined function spaces. In addition to the new bells and whistles, the restaurant is also serving an expanded selection of curated beverages and an all-day dining offering encompassing bites, share plates and mains that mix Italian and Spanish flavours – all available from lunch through to dinner. Get more info over in The Directory!

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