Housed inside a former church in West End, August is a nod to the reverence of Sunday lunch, with considerately prepared plates of Noosa snapper and Jerusalem artichoke risotto.
Sleek and light-flooded, the 15-month-old Middle Eastern spot Golden Avenue has great eggplant and grilled meats.
Do an outdoor table and load it up with all the dumplings and noodles you can order at superb riverside restaurant Stanley that feels like high-end Hong Kong parlor dining.
The Brisbane outpost of the hot Melbourne restaurant Supernormal has a glamorous dining room with large water-facing windows and a fun, Asian-inflected menu that leads with local produce and protein.
Located near the funky Fish Lane, Southside is the spot for dumplings and siu mai after strolling the museums of South Bank.
The French Exit, the newest venture from Ty and Biànca at Anyday, has Parisian-style interiors by star designer Tamsin Johnson and cool bars and dining rooms spread over multiple floors in a heritage building.
What to do
Brisbane’s cultural hub is South Bank, with Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and other institutions featuring Indigenous, Australian, and Pacific Island artists. The riverfront Brisbane Powerhouse has ambitious and edgy festivals, exhibitions, and events throughout the year.
For the best Australian labels, head to the James Street precinct for objects from Dinosaur Designs; stylish dresses from St. Agni; and sustainable, one-off fashions from Heidi Middleton’s atelier, Artclub. Over in Red Hill, drop into ShiloLydia as well as the other ateliers that share space in the same Queenslander. Shilo Engelbrecht also hosts collage and meditation workshops in her studio out back by appointment.
The best way to see (and travel) Brisbane is the CityCat ferry, which bounces between 22 stops along the river. But the city has made walking easier too. Stroll the overwater footpaths on the waterfront up to the gorgeous City Botanic Gardens. If you‘re keen for a longer walk after checking out the exhibitions at GOMA, find your way to West End for funky vintage shopping and phenomenal food.
Quick escape
There is no shortage of worthy weekend getaways from Brisbane, including the Gold Coast and Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. But drive an hour inland to the artsy, beautiful Tamborine Mountain for a lovely look at a lesser-explored side of Queensland. Stay at the chic, two-year-old Tamborine Boutique Hotel, where a pantry and bar stock local snacks. Have lunch at the petite Picnic Real Food Bar, and don’t worry if it’s already run out of the plump and delicious pies (everything is worth trying). Then head around the corner for local amaro tastings at Loborn. Restore yourself after mountain hikes at the floating Sol Elements spa, whose soaking baths and salt room all seem to hover over a lake.
This article appeared in the December 2026 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.