Sizzler is reopening its doors with Brisbane pop-up, serving iconic dishes

This cultural Australian icon closed its doors back in 2020 – but a Brisbane radio station has just dropped a massive Sizzler announcement.

An iconic Australian restaurant that permanently closed its doors almost four years ago is reopening for one night only.

Sizzler officially called time on its service back in November 2020 after a long 30-year legacy serving up cheese toasts, grilled steaks and all-you-can-eat salad bars.

But fans of the restaurant – a cultural icon of the 90s – have yearned for its return ever since.

Many have tried, and overwhelmingly failed, to recreate the diner’s menu offerings since it shut up shop, with recipes and dupes of the cult cheese toast regularly going viral.

However nothing has quite hit the spot, prompting Brisbane eatery Fritzenberger to go to great lengths to procure an actual Sizzler cheese toast machine, and now offers the iconic item to its customers.

Aussies were devastated when Sizzler, home of the iconic cheese toast, closed its door in November 2020.

The new menu item was a huge success, and hot on its heels of the cheese toast revival, Brisbane radio hosts Robin Bailey and Kip Wightman have decided to take it one step further, launching a Sizzler pop-up on July 16.

The KIIS 97.3 breakfast show hosts are teaming up with The Coffee Club to host a one-off special event that will see original Sizzler staff members will don their uniforms once more and serve up the fan favourite dishes.

As well as the cheese toast, listeners of the Robin & Kip Show who win tickets to the event will also get to tuck into the nostalgia-inducing pumpkin soup and potato skins.

The brand’s signature salad buffet will also make a comeback, as will the dessert bar, complete with a soft serve ice cream machine and a variety of toppings that are set to “satisfy every sweet tooth”.

Following the pop-up announcement, Sizzler fans have expressed their delight on social media, with many stating: “I’d pay big money to get a seat.”

“OMG yummy. I miss Sizzler,” one wrote on Instagram.

“Table for 2 pleeeaaassseee,” another pleaded.

Robin and Kip have also been busy taste-testing the menu items pop-up diners will get to eat, declaring it “tastes just like Sizzler”.

But Brisbane radio hosts Robin Bailey and Kip Wightman have resurrected the cultural icon. Picture: Supplied

The duo are hosting a pop-up complete with its famed dishes and original servers. Picture: Instagram/robinandkip

The pair have already been taste-testing the menu offerings. Picture: Instagram/robinandkip

It comes following the return of Sizzler’s cheese toast at Fritzenberger last month after the restaurant obtained an original toaster at auction, which had come from Sizzler’s Maroochydore location after it shuttered in 2020, The Courier-Mail reported.

“The team were very excited at the procurement of the machine and to offer the iconic item to our customers,” a spokesperson told the paper.

Fritzenberger, best known for its burgers, parmies, wings and ribs, prepares their cheese toast with the holy trinity of ingredients – thick white bread, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and “crystal salted butter”.

“We’ve stayed true to the iconic recipe,” executive chef Sebastian Calais said.

“But, we’ve used higher quality ingredients to really intensify the flavours. There may never be a better way to do it.”

Nothing is more iconic than the cheese toast. Picture: Supplied

Australians were first exposed to the restaurant’s famed bowling club carpets and American diner booths 39 years ago, when the suburban dining stalwart’s first restaurant opened in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley.

At its peak in 1993, the chain boasted 83 locations nationwide. Diners all around the country enjoyed the endless vats of Alfredo, potato skins and full control over a soft serve machine with not one but two flavours.

But Sizzler’s luck began to turn and restaurants across the country began to close.

The final nine, located in Queensland at Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Toowoomba, Maroochydore and Caboolture; in Western Australia in Innaloo, Kelmscott and Morley; and in New South Wales in Campbelltown, eventually had their fate sealed by the global pandemic.

Its parent company Collins Foods made the “difficult decision” to close the chain for good after sales struggled to recover from the peak of Covid-19 impacts.

Originally published as Sizzler is reopening its doors with Brisbane pop-up, serving iconic dishes