Where to dine in with a water view this weekend
From ritzy riverfront venues in the CBD to a historic courthouse by Moreton Bay, here’s where you can dine in with a stunning water view this weekend.
Southeast
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AS RESTAURANTS and cafes across southeast Queensland reopen for the first time in weeks why not make your first outing more special with a stunning water view?
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From fine dining to fish and chips restaurants and cafes across southeast Queensland that look out on the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay have told us when they will open.
BRISBANE RIVER
Byblos, Portside Wharf
The Mediterranean restaurant at Portside wharf will re-open on Saturday with two sittings at lunch, around 12pm and 2pm, and another two at dinner, around 6pm and 8pm with a reduced a la carte menu and banquet option.
Ghanem Group business development manager Grace Likidis said they would take bookings for up to ten people together.
She said it was the success of their takeaway offering that allowed them to open their doors for such limited numbers of diners.
“We have a lot of regulars, especially at Byblos, so they’re keen to come back and we’re keen to have them back,” she said.
BOOKINGS: Phone 3268 2223
Alchemy, CBD
Another riverside eatery at Eagle St, Alchemy will re-open a limited number of tables for lunch and dinner. Dinner seatings times will be either 5.30-7.30pm or 7.45-9.30pm and full payment is required in advance, along with booking.
BOOKINGS: https://www.alchemyrestaurant.com.au/bookings
Aquitaine Brasserie, South Brisbane
Owner Spiro Dimopoulos says he will not be re-opening his French restaurant this weekend but has earmarked June 13, when restrictions are set to ease further, to open his doors.
“We just need to do it as soon as we can, so we’ll be doing it at 20 (diners) and running two sittings per services, early and late,” he said.
Blackbird, CBD
The riverside restaurant and bar at Eagle St in the Brisbane CBD will not be open for dine-in this weekend but it is hoping to within weeks. Some of its signature meals will be available from Dark Kitchen for takeaway, along with meals from the Ghanem Group’s other foodie hot spots: Byblos, Donna Chang’s and Lord of the Wings.
DETAILS: Visit blackbirdbrisbane.com.au
MORETON BAY
Wilson’s Boathouse, Manly
This fine-dining seafood restaurant, which once attracted Angelina Jolie for a bite to eat, is open from this Saturday — and is already booking up fast.
Owner Neil Jedid said he would offer a limited dine-in menu filled with “the classics”, along with takeaway.
“We’ll have our open restaurant for mini-dining! We’ll build on it. You’ve got to start somewhere,” he said.
The lunch sittings are at 11.30am and 2pm, while dinner sittings are at 5.20pm and 7.30pm. Takeaway is available from 11am (Open six days, closed Monday).
BOOKINGS: 3893 3586
Pelican’s Nest Cafe, Wynnum
This popular fish and chips cafe right the Wynnum Foreshore is reopening dine-in on Saturday for breakfast lunch and dinner. You must book to get a sit-in seat, and seatings will limited to one hour and a maximum of five guests. Takeaway will still be available.
BOOKINGS: 0409916556
Oxley’s on the Bay, Wellington Point
The sprawling seafood hotspot at the tip of Wellington Point will not reopen for dine-in this weekend with owner Tony Oxley saying simply “ten people’s just not worth it”.
He said he was still doing takeaway and to open his doors he would need 30 to 40 people and would re-examine his options under Stage 3.
He said it was frustrating that a tiny cafe could pack ten people inside but even with his huge outdoor area he could not have more people but he was understand.
“It’s about spreading, not social distancing, we’ve just got to respect it,” he said.
The Courthouse Restaurant, Cleveland
Diners will be able to return to this heritage listed restaurant from Saturday lunch onwards. It will host dinner settings from Tuesday to Sunday at 5.30pm and 7.15pm, and lunch from Tuesday to Friday at 12pm. Lunch on Saturday and Sunday will be at 11.30am and 1pm. Sittings are for a maximum of 1.5 hours. Takeaway will still be available.
BOOKINGS: 32861386
The Lighthouse, Cleveland Point
Events co-ordinator Melissa Tabe said it would have a limited restaurant menu available for dine in with sittings at 11am, 12.45pm, 2.15pm, 4pm and 6pm — with takeaway also on.
“We’re almost booked out for Saturday already,” she said.
“We’ve got a lot of regulars who like to come in so we’re opening so they can have the opportunity to do that.”
She said the restaurant would be able to fully open under Stage 3 restrictions, which are slated to be introduced in July.
BOOKINGS: 3286 5555
The Grand View Hotel, Cleveland
This 169-year-old pub will not reopen for dine in until at least Stage 3 of restrictions easing, says financial controller Mat Sackman. “I wish we could say we were open for dining with a view of the bay, but not this weekend,” he said.
Showcase Beers, Scarborough
This one is a small cheat! Showcase Beers is absolutely reopening for dine-in this weekend but it can’t let guests sit at its outdoor dining area with a view of the ocean. But you can enjoy some good beer inside, and then take in the beautiful foreshore on a walk.
BOOKINGS: 0404 004 915
Cafe Diversity, Redcliffe
Sittings will be an hour-and-a-half and begin from 8am onwards, with some flexibility on booking times. It will be a limited menu compared to pre-lockdown but it is slowly expanding. There will also be dine-in (or takeaway) dinner, with a newly introduced Sri Lankan menu.
BOOKINGS: 32846956 or on Facebook @cafediversity
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