Brisbane’s best restaurants and why the city is thriving

One of Brisbane’s best chefs and says it is an exciting time for diners as the city’s restaurant world thrives.

Want to know where to go for that special anniversary dinner? How about a Christmas catch up?

From bistros to bars, Italian to Asian, 2024 has been a bumper year for eatery openings across Brisbane and The Courier-Mail’s restaurant reviewers have been there to capture each one.

After dining and drinking at freshly launched venues across the Queensland capital, we’ve put together a list of the 20 best new places to eat out.

That means everything from an ultra glam steakhouse with river views, to cool new bars where the food surprisingly outshines the drinks.

One of the latest openings is Azteca at the popular Queen’s Wharf precinct in Brisbane City.

Chef Zac Sykes heads up the kitchen of the Latin American-inspired restaurant and said it was an exciting time for diners.

Chef Zac Sykes with the liquid nitrogen tres leche dessert at Azteca restaurant. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“The food scene in Brisbane’s growing dramatically,” he said.

“I think there’s some really good restaurants around – there are a lot of openings.”

Despite this year being particularly challenging for the hospitality industry with rising prices and cost of living pressures, there has been an outstanding number of restaurant launches in the River City, with more than 100 food licenses approved in the last few months of the year alone.

See the full list of Brisbane’s best new restaurants here