Brisbane bayside’s best new cafes, bars and restaurants
While the hospitality industry was hit hard by a global pandemic, the food and entertainment scene on Brisbane’s bayside has kept growing. SEE THE LIST OF NEW VENUES
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There’s no doubt the hospitality industry was dealt a major blow last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With most venues only being able serve takeaway for months and some even shutting their doors for the last time – people and businesses in the industry faced a dark and uncertain future.
But somehow, the entertainment scene on Brisbane’s bayside has managed to continue to rise with several new venues swinging their doors open in recent months.
HOTTEST NEW VENUES ON BRISBANE’S SOUTHSIDE
We take a look at some of the new hottest restaurants, cafes and bars who have taken the brave step to launch during a global pandemic.
THE FAT DUCK, SHOP 5/89 BAY TCE, WYNNUM
Owned by Hambros/Berrima Pty Ltd, the people responsible for the Wynnum Cinema development, along with Fun Fit Play owners Olga and Richard Faataape - The Fat Duck is a wine and tapas bar which launched before Christmas.
The new eatery and bar, which also has street dining along one of Wynnum’s most popular streets, replaced the former Bay Tce Seafood and Sushi after it closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having proved to be a massive hit with baysiders since launching, The Fat Duck also features a slick indoor space as it sits on the bottom floor of a section of the Wynnum Shopping Centre, with Japanese fusion restaurant, Mr Hibachi on the top.
The menu has a little French flavour to it with the bar also specialising in wine and some special cocktails with live entertainment on some nights.
“The Fat Duck has a flashy bar type of feel and we will have dining and drinking along the street on Bay Tce which will make it a special experience for customers,” co-owner, Olga Faataape, said when the business opened.
Mr HIBACHI, SHOP 3/89 BAY TCE, WYNNUM
The new Japanese fusion eatery and espresso cafe sits on the top floor at their location on the Wynnum Shopping Centre, with The Fat Duck on the lower level.
Launched just before Christmas at the upstairs venue which also used to be Bay Tce Seafood and Sushi before its closure.
Mr Hibachi is also owned by Hambros/Berrima Develop Pty Ltd, as their $13 million investment into the former IGA centre continues, as well as Olga and Richard Faataape.
Their menu features everything from tempura softshell crab and tempura chicken tacos as starters to soba noodles, pork belly and eye fillet dishes as mains.
The cafe backs onto Fun Fit Play – so it is an ideal place for parents to enjoy a coffee or a meal while their children enjoy the play centre.
“Mr Hibachi is a nice, sit-down restaurant, where parents, who drop their kids off at Fun Fit Play next, as well as others can come in and enjoy a nice meal,” co-owner, Olga Faataape, said before the venue opened.
Mr Hibachi also plays host to several live entertainment acts, which can be seen on their Facebook page.
HUDSON BREWING, 28 GIBBS ST, WYNNUM
One man’s lifetime dream has turned Wynnum into a beer lover’s paradise after launching the bayside’s first brewery in December.
Passionate brewer Richard Hudson, along with wife Sarah and much-loved blue heeler Magoo, transformed 28 Gibbs St – in Wynnum’s industrial estate into Hudson Brewing – into a flashy new venue as one of the latest additions to the suburb’s growing entertainment scene.
With four beers on tap, including crowd favourites pale ale, lager, a session ale and Mr Hudson’s IPA, which has been given rave reviews, along with rotating food trucks from Thursday through to Sunday – the venue has proved a major hit not only with baysiders but residents visiting from other areas.
Hudson Brewing is also a full-scale production brewery, with a volume capacity of 200,000 litres per year.
Mr Hudson said his mission was to give Wynnum a local connection with the popular brewing scene across Australia.
WILD FOX CAFE, SHOP 6/150 BAY TCE, WYNNUM
A flashy, new bubble tea and banh mi (Vietnamese Bread Roll) shop, The Wild Fox Cafe, is one of the latest businesses to open their doors in the Wynnum CBD area as the suburb continues its biggest revamp in history.
The cafe, which also doubles as an art gallery, was launched in early November on the popular Bay Tce by Qu Starling, a former Sydney-based artist, who thought Wynnum was the perfect place for his unique idea.
“The space I m in used to be a hairdresser, I saw the size of the space and saw it as a possibility as a arts gallery,” Mr Starling said.
“But because it’s down an alley way, there’s not a lot of foot traffic I decided to make it a cafe to bring people in.”
Mr Starling spent three months renovating the space to allow his artwork to be displayed on the walls.
“I m a former barista in North Sydney so my skills are transferable,” he said.
“I decided to bring all the things I like in my life, that is why we are having the only bubble tea shop in Wynnum as well as Banh Mi.
“I try to create new favours in bubble tea such as a pina colada and chai tea, so it’s different from other bubble tea shop.
“Along the alley way I painted all the mural leading to the shop.”
THE SMOKIN GOAT, 1795 WYNNUM RD, TINGALPA
Having launched just before the New Year, The Smokin’ Goat has quickly become a favourite among local residents.
A laid-back atmosphere, the venue along the busy Wynnum Rd in Tingalpa offers an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu alongside premium specialty espresso with an emphasis on friendly service and delicious food.
They are also have gluten free and vegetarian options and are pet friendly so you can take your furry friend with you.
The “quirky” venue that is The Smokin’ Goat is the latest addition to an already booming cafe scene across suburbs in Brisbane’s bayside and was also nominated by readers for the Courier Mail Best Cafe in Wynnum competition.
“From the outside, we don’t seem different from other cafes, however, when you enter The Smokin Goat, all your retro, indie fantasies come true with the immaculate designs and attention to detail,” owner, Hannah, said.
“So don’t be shy to pop in and say hello to the Smokin Goat team, we welcome all new faces and can’t wait to make them a regular occurrence.”
MANLY BOATHOUSE, FAIRLEAD CRESC, MANLY (opening February 5)
A dramatic transformation has hit an iconic waterfront site at the Manly Boat Harbour with a new seafood restaurant coming next week.
The former home of Wilson’s Boathouse for 18 years, before closing the doors in October last year, has been taken over by new tenants and couple Nikki and Greg Kay, who have completely revamped the location.
Mr and Mrs Kay, who run the popular Reef Seafood and Sushi in Newstead, have moved in to establish Manly Boathouse with the new restaurant to feature a fish and chippery, picnic tables on the waterfront, a French patisserie and a gelataria.
Experienced chef Braden White will be in charge of the kitchen at the new venue which will also be open for breakfast as well as dinner seven days a week.
“It’s very exciting, we’ve always wanted to own a seafood restaurant on the water,” Mrs Kay told the Courier Mail when they won the tender for the site.
The couple, who have been in the seafood industry for 15 years, also plan to have a drive-through service in place for boaties.
MATILDA ART OF GELATO, 60 FLORENCE ST, WYNNUM (relocation)
It may not be new to baysiders but an iconic Wynnum store – Matilda The Art of Gelato – has completely revamped after COVID.
The authentic artisan Italian gelato shop shut its doors on its old location on Edith St to relaunch on Florence St in December to be a major part of Wynnum’s rejuvenated CBD.
The owners make their gelato on premises and use authentic ingredients from Italy and locally sourced fruits and the venue gives the Wynnum CBD a bit of variety with so many new cafes and restaurants moving in.
“The new venue is a real example of an authentic Italian ‘gelateria and caffetteria’ (ice cream and coffee shop),” the owner said.
“This is exactly what we have dreamt for so long and we made it happen.
“Thank you also to the great bayside community that we belong to and their continuous support.”
ANCORA RISTORANTE, RQYS, 578 ESPLANADE, MANLY
Launched at the picturesque waterfront location at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron mid-2020, Ancora is the brainchild of chef Giuliano and Sarah Melluso.
Mr Melluso, who comes from a family of restauranteurs and was introduced to the industry when he was just 15, was a chef at Michelin Star Restaurants in London before returning home to Brisbane.
It was then he established himself as the head chef of several inner city restaurants such as Darling & Co. and Riverbar before opening Ancora last year.
“Ancora Ristorante was born with the goal of sharing the same dining experience my Italian family has blessed me with,” Mr Melluso said.
“Where the food is authentic, simplistic and yet deeply satisfying. It uses high quality, affordable ingredients which are sustainable and locally sourced.
“Located on the waters edge at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Manly. We
take inspiration from the local sea with dishes such as Moreton Bay Bug Linguini. Come enjoy our sweeping views as you sip the day away.”
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