When your favourite Brisbane westside restaurant will reopen
Some of Brisbane’s most popular westside and southwest restaurants will reopen this weekend while others will remain shut. We’ve asked 24 of the top eateries what’s in store. But be warned: some are already booked out — and don’t be late.
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Many of the westside and southwest’s most popular cafes and restaurants are taking sit-down customers from this Saturday.
But some of the big names are already booked out on May 16, and some for the next three Saturdays in a row.
And most will have fixed sittings, so make sure you turn up on time — and expect to be politely asked to finish on time as well.
WHO’S OPEN AND WHO IS NOT
Paddo Tavern (Paddington)
This local landmark is holding off until stage 3, when 100 people are allowed at indoor venues, before reopening. But it will boast a fresh new look, including renovated bathrooms and more floor service when it does come back.
Moda (Petrie Terrace)
Francois Le Saveant is proud to throw open his doors from this Saturday for private dining (groups of up to 10) with some possibility for extra individual tables.
Saturday May 16 is already booked out and the following Saturday is filling fast.
But in good news, it will now be open for private dining Tuesday to Saturday.
“We will have a $95 per person rustic degustation (by chef Javier Codina),’’ Mr Le Saveant said.
“Deliveries have been vital for us and we will continue them. Support from the public has been overwhelming.’’
Milk cafe (Ashgrove)
Still doing takeaway but won’t reopen until stage 2 begins on June 20, when 20 people are allowed. But Milk at Kedron will reopen from this Saturday.
Nota (Paddington)
This Saturday is already booked out but it is now open for business from Thursday to Saturday with two sittings per night, from 6-8pm and from 8.15pm, to allow sanitisation between sittings. Pastries and coffee from Mica at Newstead and King St Bakery at Bowen Hills are available from 7-11am.
Mary Ryan (Milton)
Affable Irishman Bill Concannon, who has been serving his fellow cyclists takeaway coffees during lockdown, will now have sit-down eating outside from Saturday, but with two people per table. Takeaways can be ordered inside.
Caxton Hotel (Petrie Terrace)
Another local icon, the Caxton is back, better than ever, from Wednesday next week.
Co-owner Ross Farquhar said the announcement form the State Government on the 10-person rule came too late for it to reopen this weekend, as it had turned off its fridges for a major kitchen clean and retiling, and still needed to restock the fridges.
“We will probably do our dining on the footpath with a slightly restricted cafe menu,’’ Mr Farquhar said.
Its bottle shop is still trading.
85 Miskin (Toowong)
Owner/chef Brent Farrell said this Saturday was already fully booked.
“I think people have been hanging out to have a restaurant meal again,’’ he said.
“We still doing takeaway and next week we will have one lunch sitting and 6pm and 8pm sittings from Tuesday to Saturday.’’
Tuesday is already booked out, there’s a table for two left on Wednesday but Thursday onwards was free (at time of publication).
Gambaro Seafood and Black Hide steakhouse (Petrie Terrace)
You’ve left it too late if you wanted to eat out this Saturday, but it will reopen next week Tuesday to Friday for lunch (sittings from 12-1.30pm and 2-4.30pm) and dinner (6-7.30pm and 8-11pm).
“We’re being responsible, asking for bookings and if people have a temperature, doing all the cleaning between sittings and so on,’’ John Gambaro said.
“We’re offering a $99 per head limited menu with four entrees, three mains and three desserts (but two entrees, three mains and two desserts at Black Hide).
“Our Gambaro2Go deliveries are still operating.’’
La Bonne Saigon, Jindalee
With a restaurant that regularly caters for 200-300 diners on a good night, Le Bonne Saigon is operating on a tiny scale with the 10 person limit.
Manager Lisa Scott said takeaways would continue and they would offer several booked restaurant sittings for lunch and dinners up to the 10 person limit.
Ms Scott said they had worked hard to find a menu that would work but promised their all-time top three dishes - lamb cutlets, barramundi ginger and shallots, and steak au poivre with pepper sauce – would be making regular appearances.
They are reopening on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Each of the bookings would be for an hour for lunch and an hour and a half for dinners.
Ms Scott they were booking out fast.
Moselles cafe, Springfield Lakes
The appealing lakeside setting with an innovative menu has made Moselles cafe a longstanding hit with local and visitors.
The cafe has been closed for several weeks but has just reopened for takeaways.
They will now take hour-long bookings for breakfast and lunches up to their 10 person limit.
There are also “sip and dip” art classes planned, which will normally be on Friday nights.
Piggy Back cafe, Jindalee
Wildly popular breakfast stop Piggy Back cafe has continued to trade as a takeaway.
Co-owner Aimee Le said the 10 person limit was a challenge but they were happy to get back into serving their signature breakfasts and brunches.
“It’s a bit more difficult than before, a sudden change, and we had to come up with takeaway menu, but it has been OK with the government help,” Ms Le said.
They will be taking bookings for dining in daily from this Saturday, from 6.30 to 3pm, with about an hour for bookings.
Suburban Social (Chapel Hill)
Thank God, they’re back! Kris Dadson and Luke Dillon will reopen from Saturday night and then Thursdays to Saturdays, from 5-6.45pm and 7-8.30pm, in the front room.
In-house deliveries continue, Thursday to Saturday nights.
Mr Dadson said they were offering their full menu.
Fritzenberger (Petrie Terrace, Wilston)
They’re open from this Saturday, seven days a week, with one-hour sittings at lunch and from 5-6pm and 6-7.30pm.
“We’ll offer our regular menu but it will be bookings only and a $30 deposit ($60 on Fridays and Saturdays),’’ owner Andrew Jeffreys said.
They will start taking the first bookings later today. Deliveries still continue.
Hunter & Scout (Graceville)
Takeaways are still continuing but this super popular cafe is only offering five tables on the footpath for now, where people can eat takeaway from takeaway containers.
“We’re waiting for stage two to reopen,’’ they said.
Deer Duck Bistro (Auchenflower)
This Saturday and the next are booked out and even the following Saturday is close to full (as at time of publication), which says a lot about how admired this place is with locals.
“We’re looking at creating a third seating and will be open from Tuesday to Saturday from next week, from 6pm and 7pm Tuesday to Friday and from 5.30pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm on Saturdays,’’ they said.
“We’re continuing with our set menu, either a five or seven course degustation.’’
Sassafras (Paddington)
Before COVID, you were lucky to get a table at this much-loved haunt on a weekend morning without having to wait.
During lockdown they have not only been doing takeaway, owner Chris Zirbel and his loyal staff have so far delivered 472 meals to needy people as part of the Smart Meals program.
“We’ll add a few tables into the mix from this Saturday, out in the back garden,’’ Mr Zirbel said.
“There’s no booking but a strict one-hour dining limit and you must buy a full meal.
“We’ll see how it goes this weekend and will also do next Monday, but probably will go back to takeaway Monday and Tuesday and do seating Thursday to Sunday.
“We just want to have a crack at it this weekend and see how it goes.’’
Spoon Deli (Ashgrove)
They’re still doing takeaway but won’t offer seating for two weeks when stage 2 starts.
Goodfolk Cafe (Bardon)
The new owners of this popular venue, in a beautiful Queenslander-style building, opened for business in November, so closing due to COVID-19 was a big blow.
“We’re pleased to be reopening this Saturday in the side garden, which we’ve given a facelift,’’ part-owner Nicholas Turner said.
“We won’t take bookings but will ask people to limit themselves to one hour.
“We’ll be open seven days serving the takeaway menu and will re-evaluate building up the menu again.’’
Bardon Shed (Bardon)
A stone’s throw away, this large ice cream, cafe and deli operation will wait for stage 2 to offer seating but is still doing takeaway coffees, wraps, sandwiches and the like.
Libertine (Petrie Terrace)
Owner Andrew Baturo will reopen his Popolo restaurant overlooking the Brisbane River at South Bank when stage 2 starts and will potentially restart its takeaway, particularly the much-loved picnic baskets.
But his up-market French-themed Libertine, the Gresham and Walter’s Steakhouse are in limbo until stage 3 (100 people) begins.
Haig Rd Bistro (Auchenflower)
This great venue reopens Wednesdays to Sundays, from 5/5.30pm to 7.30pm, and from 7.45pm until late. But it’s already starting to book up.
“We’re offering a two or three course set menu with several entrees, mains and desserts so people can construct their own dinner. It’s a good range,’’ owner Arvid Noack said.
Home Cafe (Ashgrove)
It will take bookings or walk-ins from this Saturday, with no fixed times, owner Grace Yow said.
“It’s a reduced menu but we cover pretty much everything,’’ she said.
“We’ll be open seven days from 6.30am to 12.30 and takeaways will continue.’’
Tutto Caffe (Ashgrove)
Kept alive by takeaways, this super popular venue reopens this weekend and is already starting to take bookings, so get in quick.
Tocco Italiano (Chelmer)
Owner Arturo Buonocore said he was waiting another two weeks to reopen as the venue was so small, but takeaways would continue in the meantime, seven days a week from 5-9pm.
However, fans can always dine at his Teneriffe restaurant from this weekend, which will reopen with two rooms.
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