Hog’s Breath Cafe closes Brisbane restaurant

A STEAKHOUSE which has stood in inner-city Brisbane for more than two decades has served its last meal, adding to a string of closures in the area.

Hog’s Breath Cafe is known for its affordable steak and for its curly fries.

AN iconic Brisbane steakhouse which has stood on Petrie Terrace for more than two decades has taken its last breath.

Operational costs have forced the closure of the Hog’s Breath restaurant which served its last meal on Sunday.

Hog’s Breath Cafe at Petrie Terrace. Picture: Jeff Camden

Hog’s CEO Ross Worth said the inner-city outlet became financially unsustainable but it was no reflection on the strength of the brand which has 26 restaurants in Queensland alone.

He said the business closures within The Barracks retail precinct, where the restaurant was located, were all too familiar.

“We’ve seen many businesses come and go within the precinct over the last few years and have worked very closely with the franchisee and his team to support them, but ultimately had to make the tough call to close before it became unsustainable,” Mr Worth said.

Inside the Brisbane restaurant. Picture: Adam Smith

“It’s been a memorable 26 years for us at Petrie Terrace. It was the seventh Hog’s to open in Queensland and the eighth in Australia.

“There’s no denying it’s a tough time for the restaurant industry with a string of high-profile closures across Queensland in recent months but Hog’s will continue to grow and evolve as we have for the past 29 years and make financially viable decisions that are in the best interests of the group, as well as our people.”

In recent months, the company has extended its operations to now include Hog’s Express which is a fast-food outlet serving burgers, seafood and ribs.

The first express outlet opened in Brisbane’s Myer Centre late last year.

“We’ve just opened our second Hog’s Express, which is a world-class quick service model that gives us the opportunity to open anywhere from shopping and service centres to airports and cinemas, as well as affording franchisees an opportunity be part of the group with greatly reduced operating costs.”

Mr Worth said the company would attempt to find positions for the Petrie Terrace employees within their Brisbane restaurants at either Aspley, Garden City, Indooroopilly or Carindale, or their fast-food outlet at the Myer Centre.

The closure of Hog’s Breath follows the closures of nearby Burnt Ends and Nativo Kitchen and Bar, which never opened their doors after the Christmas break. The NKG Group, which was behind both eateries, blamed the closures on financial issues.

Restaurateur and NKG Group spokesman TJ Peabody said the costs of running both restaurants at The Barracks was too much of an impost.

“While we firmly believe we achieved that, the challenge we had was matching our goal with the costs involved. It simply became financially unfeasible,” he said in a statement in January.