Ranked: SEQ’s best new restaurants of 2023
From fire-powered suburban standouts to big city dining sensations, here are our top picks for the best new restaurants you simply need to book now.
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1. Pneuma
Don’t let the low-key decor of this hidden gem in George St in the CBD fool you, this newcomer that burst on to the city dining scene in November as originally a pop-up, but now a permanent fixture, is serving up seriously good food. The name, an Ancient Greek word for breath, is also the title of a song by American rock band Tool, a shared interest of the joint owners and experienced operators, Dan Arnold, who also has a restaurant under his own name in the Valley and co-owns La Cache a Vin in Spring Hill, and Matt Blackwell, former head chef at GoMA Restaurant. From a malt pastry tart shell filled with Bay of Fires cheddar custard and topped by sails of dried Jerusalem artichoke to the roasted monkfish tail in mussel beurre blanc crowned with a halo of crisp potato strands and a dessert of roasted white chocolate, leatherwood honey and mascarpone ice cream scattered with sour raspberries, this establishment has started with a bang.
2. Bosco Wine Grill
8 Austin Street, Newstead
With its entrance beneath a warehouse roller door draped with a curtain, diners aren’t quite sure what to expect when entering Bosco.
But what awaits in the architecturally designed, dimly lit, long rectangular shed is a moody, ambient fire-powered pleasure dome.
The work of Simon Hill (Bar Alto, New Farm), Bosco takes over the front section of the production house of popular Brisbane bakery Brewbakers. This means yeasty creations feature aplenty across the European-inspired menu in, say, a dish of mussels in a beurre blanc-style cider cream ready to be mopped up with a slab of sourdough made with a 27-year-old starter. Or perhaps as flat bread – there to be wrapped around beyond-juicy Wollemi duck and a pickled cabbage salad like an East-meets-West yiros. There are, of course, plenty of coeliac-friendly dishes, too, coming off the parilla grill or custom-built open fire oven in the centre of the fiercely airconditioned space. Think, spaghetti-like twirls of tender calamari entwined with crumbled morcilla sausage and baby peas, or wood-roasted whole coral trout.
It’s all accompanied by an impressive wine list, which runs close to 500 bottles, running the gamut of price points right up to a $6200 “Clos des Grand Vignes” burgundy. With confident, caring service, this charming, hidden warehouse is worth hunting out.
3. Establishment 203
This much-anticipated newbie from beef producer Stanbroke helmed by celebrity chef Ben O’Donoghue (who opened Billykart in Brisbane and worked at River Cafe in London), finally opened its doors in late November. Showcasing the cattle producer’s wares, the menu has an obvious strong steak focus – 11 Angus and wagyu options with marble scores ranging from three to 10 – as well as a stash of house-made pastas and a variety of other mains including southern rock lobster, herb and salt crust-baked Glacier 51 toothfish and Brisbane Valley quail. Dessert might be a brioche gelato sandwich or a portion of excellent tiramisu that’s hewn from a large slab and plated at the table. The decor is plush with a pink theme and the drinks list is broad and global with a well-priced by-the-glass selection.
4. Gerard’s
14/15 James St, Fortitude Valley
While it may not be new by name, Gerard’s is certainly new by nature. This long-time favourite of the Brisbane dining scene has undergone a striking makeover by local architect Jared Webb, introducing tactile rammed earth walls, tomb-like vaulted ceilings and dramatic lighting channel the historic ruins of Lebanon. The captivating, fresh fit-out is not the only big change, with previous head chef Adam Wolfers departing for health reasons, allowing for kitchen wizz Jimmy Richardson to take over the pans, turning out a menu rooted in the traditional flavours of the Levantine region, but evolved for the here and now. You might need the charming, knowledgeable waitstaff to help decipher some of the dishes, or you could simply start with the sublimely salty raw calamari and pea tart to awaken the tastebuds or perhaps the cardamom-heavy Kingfish crudo from the playful snack component of the menu. Then satiate yourself with meltingly tender Margra lamb collar paired with the herbaceous farmers salad. Just make sure to finish with the almost gelatinous traditional Lebanese ice cream booza that is ready to be scooped up with poppy seed-covered crisps.
5. Short Grain by Martin Boetz
Dry red curry of pork belly? Duck egg caramel custard tarts? Short Grain owner Martin Boetz, with his vast experience of Thai cooking, including many years helming Longrain in Sydney and Melbourne, is turning out much-loved dishes at his attractive new restaurant in the heritage-listed Stewart and Hemmant building on the fringe of Fortitude Valley. Bookings can be hard to come by but tucking into options such as the hearty, aromatic green curry of reef cod, Thai eggplant, snake beans and Thai basil or the turmeric wafer, a giant, thin-yet-crisp pancake with a filling of caramelised coconut, prawns, peanuts and bean shoots show why. Under no circumstances should you miss ordering the duck egg caramel custard tart
as a finale, although the black sticky rice, mango and coconut cream confection gives it a run for its money.
6. RB Dining
Level 1, The Wharf Mooloolaba, 123 Parkyn Pde, Mooloolaba
It was time for popular, no-booking Mooloolaba pan-Asian restaurant Rice Boi to get a grown-up sibling, according to owner Tony Kelly, whose Sunshine Coast hospitality group also operates venues including Bocca Italian, Market Bistro and Giddy Geisha. And so RB Dining was born upstairs at The Wharf to placate those who can’t stand the idea of waiting in line and are prepared to pay more for a booking and a more up-market experience with good service and a comprehensive drinks list. The menu is not a copy of Rice Boi, rather takes it up a notch with snacks such as black truffle and squid ink salami with nahm jim or lobster bao with crab fat mayo and mains include lamb shoulder rendang, local line caught fish in jungle curry, barbecued Mooloolaba prawns and Rice Boi favourite, beef short ribs, slow cooked into tenderness over 10 hours and richly accented with coconut milk, peanuts, chilli and makrut lime.
7. Ippin
West Village, Level 2/97 Boundary St, West End
Upstairs at the pumping West Village complex in West End, tucked away from the hustle and bustle below, sits elegant Japanese diner Ippin. From the flashy fit-out with expansive windows, heavy timber chairs and premium stone to the attentive, highly knowledgeable and dedicated service, this is a place that means business.
The menu offers approachable yet elevated Japanese, running from easy starters like edamame and agedashi tofu, to share plates including tempura and green tea soba salad to dishes cooked over charcoal or on the grill, perhaps duck breast or miso eggplant, and then into raw plates and sushi.
Snow crab croquettes are an ideal place to start, teamed with a yuzu whisky sour from the Japanese-leaning signature cocktail list, or for something lighter try the blue fin tuna bobbing in a fiery puddle of chilli-laced citrus juice. The real star, however, is the nigiri, with top-notch fish reclining across expertly seasoned rice.
While Ippin may be a little obscured from public view, it is a place worth seeking out.
8. Pilloni
Housed in a freshly renovated space with a beautiful interior design, Pilloni is devoted to the food of the Italian island of Sardinia and is the second restaurant for Valentina Vigni and Andrea Contin, who grew up there. Entrees might be charred octopus with chilli and orange or wild venison tartare before moving on to traditional leaf-shaped culurgiones, plump parcels filled with potato, pecorino and mint and enhanced with tomato sauce, while the
local pasta, malloreddus, with its thin, ribbed shells, is deliciously mixed through with goat shoulder ragu and pecorino sardo. Spit-roasted suckling pig is the restaurant’s signature with its delicate crispy crust over the ultra-moist meat. Wash it down with the restaurant’s 200-bottle selection including the Sardinian varietals of vermentino and carignano. Desserts run to olive oil cake topped with milk ice cream, or maybe a caramel flan with passionfruit.
9. Tama
740 Ann St, Fortitude Valley
Tama, in Fortitude Valley’s freshly refurbished historic former post office, opened mid-year with Alan Hunter (ex-Otto GM and sommelier) as director of restaurant operations and Richard Ousby (ex-Stokehouse executive chef) in charge of the kitchen. Surroundings are upscale with diners seated beneath a suspended sculpture of glass fish in a room quietened with carpets, white cloths and upholstered chairs. A lengthy menu with a steakhouse heart kicks off with oysters, caviar, a stack of snacks (maybe a tiny tart filled with stracciatella or a brioche bun stuffed with prawns and potato aioli) small plates such octopus or a cold seafood platter, before moving on to a large list of proteins cooked in the charcoal oven including the tenderest Longreach lamb, Moreton Bay bugs, Tasmanian lobsters, whole fish, steaks, large plates, and handmade pastas. An extensive global wine list completes the picture.
10. Bar Rosa
2/77 Grey St, South Brisbane
The latest sibling to hugely popular Brisbane pizzerias Julius and Beccofino, Bar Rosa serves all the best bits of its kin, minus the pizza.
That means Italian snacks, nibbles, small plates and pasta all designed to be shared in the cosy, dimly lit bar-cum-restaurant with staff so friendly they welcome diners in like family.
The menu changes seasonally but be sure to start with the croquettes, the perfect foil to the restaurant’s flavour-focused, Italian-leaning wine list, before moving on to the achingly tender octopus, or perhaps soft-as-butter veal and pork meatballs in a tomato sugo that sings of summers in Italy.
11. Bar Francine
West End’s Bar Francine exudes the warm vibe of popping into a friend’s place for dinner and is the work of Rick Gibson and Adrienne Jory, who also own and run the Mexican plant-based restaurant El Planta in nearby South Brisbane. The inventive menu carries a slight European accent and dips into a retro vibe but is thoroughly modern; and decor is an appealing mash-up of clever recycling and DIY. The bar, which seems to err more towards operating as a restaurant, is in a rustically restored 100-year-old Queenslander with 50 seats inside and out. The menu by chef Brad Cooper includes seafood and plant-based treats such as onion fritti with sour cream and sweet chilli, rigatoni with fennel sofrito, or pan-fried monkfish with prawns and peas. Drinks include a Bar Francine
Refresher – XXXX Gold and lemonade, aka a shandy, from the cocktail list – beers are all “tinnies”, and the all-Australian wine list from small producers offers more than a dozen by the glass or bottle.
12. Settimo
The Westin, 111 Mary St, Brisbane
If getting to southern Italy’s Amalfi Coast is out of the question, this 150-seater in the CBD’s Westin Hotel could be just the ticket. The restaurant by Guy Grossi, a Melbourne restaurateur whose venues include Grossi Florentino, with Alessandro Pizzolato the head chef, opened earlier this year and offers breakfast (a cut above the usual hotel fare), lunch and dinner. Settimo’s broad Italian menu ranges from perhaps oysters or pizza fritte through to antipasto, followed by a selection of less commonly seen pasta (pasta al limone is a simple, fresh, impactful dish but cappelletti, a stuffed pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region in the north, also stands out); seafood such as prawns, mussels or calamari; meat dishes including the fine option of Papa’s slow-cooked lamb, coated in breadcrumbs, parmigiano and sage, Amalfi lemon chicken or bistecca; and salads. The wine list has a strong Italian presence (with a focus on the Taurasi wines of Campania, the region incorporating the Amalfi Coast) peppered with Australian varietals. Finish with classics such as gelato, tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake with ricotta ice cream or lemon sponge.
13. Kirra Beach House
4 Marina Pde, Kirra
House beats gently throb as palm trees sway in the breeze, while the aquamarine waves of the ocean crash just a chip toss away. Welcome to what’s tipped to be the hottest new spot on the Gold Coast this summer.
Bar and eatery Kirra Beach House takes pride of place on the second level of the under construction $380m Kirra Point Precinct, sitting above the newly renovated iconic Kirra Beach Hotel. While the pub below is all about schnitties, beers and burgers, this sprawling 1200sq m site is for the adults to play, with a mix of wine and cocktail bars, an event space and three beach-facing cabanas for hire to those who really know how to party.
Although the signature cocktail list, which moves from light and spritzy to strong and serious, will no doubt be the biggest attraction, there’s plenty to like on the food front too, with a beach-inspired menu running from citrus-dressed kingfish ceviche, or tempura bug rolls to salad-style bowls, grilled dishes and the mandatory seafood platter. While there are arguably more “proper” restaurants around, the arresting ocean view and relaxed ambience ensures this will be a venue diners return to time and time again.
14. Blowfish Ocean Bar and Grill
2 Oracle Blvd, Broadbeach
They’ve conquered steak as the team behind Moo Moo The Wine Bar and Grill in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, now Autumn and Steven Adams have turned their attention to seafood. Blowfish is the striking new marine dream of the hospitality husband and wife, with the commodious, indoor-outdoor downstairs dining room a sea of muted greens and sand shades representing the top of the ocean, while upstairs is a dramatically dark cavern channelling the deep blue’s greatest depths.
Fittingly, the menu is built on showcasing the freshest catches, with everything from their popular scallop and Moreton Bay bug spring rolls to hot and cold seafood towers; while also offering a little splurge for the gourmet, such as caviar flights featuring three types of caviar matched with either a bottle of Ruinart or Dom Perignon champagne. There’s also plenty of non-pescetarian dishes available, including steaks, aged duck gnocchi and whole spring chicken to ensure this is a restaurant that appeals to all.
15. Kost Bar and Grill
135S/3 Oracle Blvd, Broadbeach
Straight out of the Mediterranean with its arched ceilings, curved booths and sand-hued palette, Kost offers an elevated alternative to much of the more casual diners in the neighbouring Oracle precinct. Start, perhaps, by taking a seat at the bar and letting one of the talented mixologists create you a signature cocktail topped with a bubble of smoke or layer of “wonderfoam”; before moving to a spot on the banquette for some serious grill cookery, with a 2m charcoal Mibrasa taking centre stage in the kitchen. Chef Sebbie Keynon isn’t scared to take bold risks with the coastal-themed menu, and while not everything pays off, there is plenty of excitement for the dishes that do, such as the aged duck, which could be described as the wagyu of game with its delightfully fatty flesh, served with a side of his specialty mash, and wilted cabbage, charred from the grill and made more-ish with a pistachio puree.
Service is the real star here though, with staff going above and beyond to ensure guests feel as comfortable and relaxed as the setting.
16. The Doonan
6 Beddington Rd, Doonan
If you’re keen on a weekend visit, book now as this family focused, Noosa hinterland pub-cum-restaurant is in hot demand. Just off the Noosaville-Eumundi Rd, The Doonan is a sprawling $6m hospitality enterprise with a long bar and cafe at one end and the kitchen, a gelato bar and pizzeria at the other and a very pleasant, plant-filled almost garden centre-like vibe. Lawn flows away on one side and adjoins a children’s playground and there’s a large bottleshop next door. Lounges and a television offer a haven for coffee drinkers at one end of the bar, with cookies, slices and cakes on hand. Diners order at the pizzeria, which pumps out a lengthy line-up of pizzas and breads, with dishes then delivered to your table. The broader menu begins with the likes of oysters, Mooloolaba prawns, octopus, calamari, salads, then moves into a ton of options including three steaks and barbecued whole snapper. A fresh roll stuffed with Mooloolaba prawns, avocado mousse, cos lettuce and sriracha marie-rose sauce is a casual winner. Sweet tooths may choose from options such as creme brulee, tiramisu or gelato.
17. Fosh
Portside Wharf, 3.01/39 Hercules St, Hamilton
This full-service seafood newcomer opened on the riverfront in mid-August along with its adjoining takeaway/casual eat-in sidekick, Fosh Tails, boasting a well-priced menu including fish and chips, a raw bowl with tuna or ocean trout, a seafood platter or a bucket of fresh prawns in a pleasant outdoor space with dining beneath striped umbrellas. Fosh, across indoor and al fresco sections, is upscale with river views and a light and bright Hampton-ish fit-out. It offers a lengthy menu of snacks, caviar, raw seafood and oysters, hot and cold platters, starters including prawn cocktails and Hokkaido scallops, live lobster and mud crab, mussels and five types of fish plus a changing line-up of dry-aged options. Carnivores get a look-in with a burger, half or whole chicken and steaks. The duo of crowd pleasers are from Michael Tassis, whose empire includes Opa Bar + Mezze and Massimo Restaurant & Bar in Eagle St in the CBD and Yamas Greek + Drink in West End and this 140-seater is testament to his experience and access to quality seafood.
18. Flaming & Co
63 Racecourse Rd, Hamilton
As its name might suggest, Flaming & Co is a restaurant dedicated to fire-powered cooking. Jumping on the trend that has swept the culinary world in recent years, the casual yet elegantly appointed venue harnesses a wood-fired grill to deliver mostly proteins that are licked or kissed by flame and smoke. Take for instance, Freemantle octopus, of which its charry tentacles are glazed in a light soy sauce, resting on a viscous goat’s yoghurt alongside pools of smoked red pepper oil for spice and blackened pumpkin seeds for crunch. Or perhaps beautifully seared scallops on a ginger-spiked carrot puree. The signature, however, is the soy-glazed whole smoked duck that hums with ashy notes, and is best served with a glass of pinot noir from the tight but well-balanced wine list. A lychee martini from their mostly classic cocktail offering might also make an interesting pairing for those a little less conventional.
19. Mi Raak
690 Ann St, Fortitude Valley
Korean pop music reverberates throughout the heritage building. The distressed brick walls from the one-time apothecary are decorated with quirky portraits, while neon noodles hang from the ceiling and disco lights throw multi-coloured dots around the concrete-floored room. This is a place designed to live up to its name.
Mi Raak translates to “taste fun” and what tasty fun this Asian-fusion eatery from husband and wife Yongun Jeon and Isabel Yao is.
Channelling the late-night chicken and beer venues of Korea, it’s designed for snacking, drinking and even a little dancing once the drinks kick in.
Diners can start with, say, kimchi dumplings or jalapeno poppers, before moving onto chef Jeon’s signature citrus chicken, or perhaps go all out with a wagyu feast featuring premium marbled beef ready for Korean-style barbecue. The wine list is tight, but it’s the cocktails which share the same sense of fun as the venue.
20. Mini
East St, Fortitude Valley
This French-themed pop-up is the work of hospitality brothers Cameron and Jordan Votan and sits alongside their hit Asian restaurants Happy Boy and Snack Man under the twinkling lights of Fortitude Valley’s East St.
Designed like a casual Parisian bistro, the venue’s menu offers plenty to snack on while sipping the excellent array of Gallic wines hand-chosen by the siblings. For light bites there’s the likes of zesty kingfish carpaccio balanced by the creaminess of avocado or shatteringly crisp onion tarte tatin with the allium cooked into sweet submission; while for those after a serious meal, there are plates served with fries, like chicken cordon bleu, steak or duck a l’Orange that are guaranteed to leave you fuller than the Tanner house in the ‘90s sitcom.
With passionate service and a moody dining room, Mini is the type of venue that is equally suitable for romantic dinners or rambunctious catch-ups with friends.
21. The Lex Brisbane
Level 3, W Brisbane, 81 North Quay, Brisbane
This New York steakhouse-inspired opening in the space with a view formerly occupied by Three Blue Ducks in the W Brisbane kicks off with snacks including tater tots (small cylinders of grated potatoes) blinged up with Avruga caviar and creme fraiche, a Bay lobster roll or oysters, while entrees include the house specialty of a tableside caesar salad. Main courses run to barbecued Mooloolaba prawns, duck breast and snapper as well as three steaks including an eye fillet and a tomahawk. Perhaps finish with a peanut butter chocolate bombe or an individual pavlova of coconut meringue encasing a cream, lychee and raspberry centre. The interior has been made over, with a pleasing moody ambience, while terrace tables, even closer to the views, are also an option.
22. Daega Korean BBQ Cuisine
Shop 7&8, 2922-2926 Logan Rd, Underwood
The sizzle of meat hitting tabletop barbecues and glasses of soju being clinked in celebratory cheers echo throughout the sprawling timber-clad room as helpful waitstaff literally run between burners, adjusting flames and exhaust fans to prevent unseasoned diners accidentally incinerating their meal. This is sprawling Korean barbecue restaurant Daega, with a focus on top-notch wagyu sourced from southwest Queensland. While beef is a speciality on the grill, with highly affordable individual cuts and sets available, the menu also extends to pork, chicken and seafood ready for diners to cook to their liking. Or for those who would prefer the chefs to do the hard work for them, there is everything from Korean-style fried chicken to soups and noodle dishes, as well as some seriously good bibimbap and sizzling plates. Just be sure to order the dumplings and mixed seafood pancake from the entree list, and indulge in the banchan, which is some of the best around.
23. Bottarga
1 Mundoo Blvd, Maroochydore
Now here’s something you don’t see on menus every day – deep-fried spaghetti carbonara. Handfuls of cured pork, cheese and egg-enhanced pasta are rolled into balls, dipped in breadcrumbs and plunged into a deep fryer. Bite the crunchy, golden exterior and the creamy pasta centre bursts forth. If it’s classic Italian eats and a little bit of fun you’re after, Bottarga is here to deliver. From the team behind popular Sunshine Coast restaurant Periwinkle, this younger sibling seats 110 on comfy banquettes and in upholstered chairs pulled up to bare tables, with a bar up the back and doors flung open to a patio. The 100-bottle wine list runs to plenty of Italian choices, as you might expect, but with some French making the grade, all carefully chosen to match the menu. Alongside that “carbonara arancini” there is a feast of antipasto, such as tempura zucchini flowers and beef carpaccio; plus pastas and risottos including spanner crab spaghettini and veal ragu; alongside mains that might be pork saltimbocca or grilled lamb.
24. Victory Lane
150 Racecourse Rd, Ascot
If it’s affordable restaurant eats you’re after, but in a setting that doesn’t feel budget-conscious, then Victory Lane is the answer.
This newbie to Ascot’s famous Racecourse Rd precinct, taking over the old Baguette site, serves up polished modern Australian fare that won’t break the bank by keeping portions tight. Take for instance an entree of tuna tartare for just $18 met with capsicum, goat’s curd, peach and lavosh, or a $34 main of dry-aged duck with beetroot, foie gras espuma, walnuts and jus. Desserts even flash back to prices from over a decade ago, with most $12, including a classic sticky date pudding. For a lively experience among the hubbub of drinkers sipping a multitude of margaritas, retro cocktails and mostly Australian wines, diners can sit in the front, sun-drenched bar under a glass roof; while for a more intimate experience, the banquette at the rear of the long, spacious dining room calls.
25. Komeyui
191/203 Wharf St, Spring Hill
Part art gallery, part restaurant, Komeyui is certainly not your typical Japanese restaurant. Guests are ushered through a rather formal vestibule and into the capacious, elegant dining room, dramatic with ornate black ceilings contrasting a brightly lit 12m sushi bar, which draws the eye as the centrepiece. It is here where diners can feast on a special “chef’s table” omakase dinner, with the multi-course feast one of many degustation-style offerings available. For those who prefer a la carte, however, the menu meanders through all the favourites, from chicken karaage and gyoza to sushi, sashimi and salmon teriyaki. Not to be missed, however, is the toothfish marinated in Kyoto miso for three days, or the impossibly tender braised black pork belly. A solid selection of global wines and largely premium sake has been chosen to complement the food, while there are also signature cocktails and twists on Japan’s favourite highball. Komeyui’s only downfall is its pricing, with deep pockets required if you want to enjoy this little taste of Japan.
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