Inside Fish Lane’s major expansion: Four new venues coming to South Brisbane
From fine dining to rooftop bars, the next chapter of Brisbane’s coolest new dining heartland will include four game-changing venues.
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One of Brisbane’s most iconic dining meccas is about to launch into its most influential era yet — one that could see it rival James Street as the city’s best.
At least four major culinary temptations will throw open doors to Fish Lane over the next year, redefining the area’s foodie footprint.
Aria Property commercial manager Michael Zaicek, who has overseen the entire development of the Fish Lane precinct, says the new additions mark the beginning of a raft of the most exciting changes yet.
“We are really only just at the start of it, we’ve had construction around us for about eight years now which is finally starting to finish up,” Mr Zaicek said.
“You’ve got QPAC’s Glasshouse Theatre coming, and the reopening of The Fox, which hasn’t traded for the last four years.
“All of this is being driven by huge population growth and the footfall generated by the many cultural institutions anchoring the Precinct.”
Over the next 12 months, the precinct will welcome a new venue from Fanda Group (Rick Shores, Central) called Marlowe, the reopening of expectation-pushing Detour by restaurateur Damon Amos, an exciting new Mexican concept from the brains behind Fortitude Valley’s Baja, Daniel Quinn, and the reopening of the iconic Fox Hotel which was acquired by the Ghanem Group earlier this year.
Also opening in August is the new iteration of Woolloongabba diner Clarence, which while not an Aria Property project will still form part of the Fish Lane precinct.
Mr Zaicek said the property group was also close to beginning their Town Square Phase 2, located opposite restaurant Southside, which will feature an art gallery, further retail offerings, parkland and an event space, as well as a redevelopment of existing Vietnamese favourite Hello Please.
Town Square Phase 2 (opposite Southside) with more retail, parkland and event space – including a reorientation of Hello Please.
The Fish Lane arts and cultural precinct in South Bank, currently set across four blocks from the Cultural Centre to Boundary Street, was conceptualised in 2006 after Brisbane City Council commissioned its master plan.
However, it wasn’t until the establishment of the ‘Austin’ apartments and a nearby block refurbishment by Aria Property in 2014 that the vision began to come to life.
Over the following 11 years, the precinct has experienced massive expansion, now consisting of 32 distinct food and beverage outlets, numerous creative studios and training facilities and over 30 commissioned artworks, with the state’s leading art and cultural training and performance facilities, including QPAC and Griffith University’s Queensland Conservatorium and College of Art in proximity.
In the coming years, the group’s master planned development of Melbourne Street will see another five laneways, two heritage buildings and at least six additional food and beverage venues.
“The future is indeed bright,” Mr Zaicek said.
Find out more on what’s set to be on offer at Fish Lane:
MARLOWE
Coming September 2025
Marlowe, an elegant Australian bistro, will be the first brand new, not-seen-before venue to hit the new stage of the precinct, with the current opening date set for September 2025.
Set inside the heritage-listed former Merivale Flats apartment block (built in 1938), Marlowe will be the latest venue from the Fanda Group, known for acclaimed venues such as Burleigh Heads iconic diner Rick Shores and Brisbane CBD’s underground Central.
According to Fanda Group Director David Flynn, the heritage of the building itself sets the tone of Marlowe’s philosophy, which aims to blend the warmth and charm of its historical setting with modern dining experiences.
“There’s a level of homeliness to the space that informs all aspects of the venue’s philosophy,” he said.
“We want Marlowe to embody the same comfort as dropping into a friend’s house, and the same generosity and lavishness as a Sunday lunch at your grandparents’.”
Head Chef and Co-Owner Ollie Hansford (Stokehouse, Gauge) will lead the culinary team, focusing on a menu inspired by vintage Australian cookbooks and contemporary dining staples, and will include an ever-popular woodfire hearth central to the dining experience.
Flynn said the decision to open Marlowe in Fish Lane came because of its rapidly growing reputation as a premier dining destination.
“There’s real momentum building in Fish Lane, and we’re proud that Marlowe can be part of its evolution,” he said.
“With so many great operators already in the precinct, and some of Queensland’s key cultural institutions just a stone’s throw away, Fish Lane is well on its way to becoming Brisbane’s premier dining destination.”
DETOUR
Coming early 2026
It’s been a little over six months since restaurateur Damon Amos made the decision not to renew this lease on the long-time Woolloongabba site of his restaurant Detour, and it’s set to be another six before his new Fish Lane iteration opens.
The Gabba closure, prompted partly by seemingly endless construction and development in the area interfering with operations, left fans of Amos’ unique dining experience devastated.
A successful three-month pop-up shop in Fortitude Valley was enough to satisfy some, and allow the experimental chef to explore new menu offerings.
The new site, which will be located in the second block of Fish Lane with Saccharomyces Beer Cafe, has experienced some building delays and an opening date has not yet been confirmed.
For now, Amos is itching to get back in the kitchen, to relaunch his signature omnivore and herbivore degustation experience, ripe with offerings akin to the ones he built his reputation on: from Watermelon tataki, emu tartare and his famous Kentucky Fried Duck.
He said he hoped to change the offering just enough to bring something new to the table, while holding onto his guests’ firm favourites.
“I had this one guest who told me they would bash me if I took the carrots off the menu and another who dreams about the broccoli,” Amos said.
BAJA
Coming mid-2026
Daniel Quinn, owner of Fortitude Valley’s Baja Mexican, has always loved the Fish Lane precinct.
The love affair stems back to his first days living in Brisbane, where he took on work at Julius Pizzeria and at other venues in the area.
So, for close to a decade, he has waited for the opportunity to snap up a site describing his late 2024 signing of his new lease as a “dream come true”.
Quinn has taken on the office building site opposite Saccharomyces Beer Cafe, which will be completely refurbished, and has signed on for a 10-year project.
While Quinn’s venue isn’t expected to be complete until at least July, 2026 he is firm in his belief that his offering will be something new to the area’s market.
“I’ve wanted to score a spot there forever … and I have toyed with a few ideas, possibly a more refined Mexican dining experience, or more of a bodega,” Quinn said.
“The plan had always been to have Baja and then open a taqueria, but I want to do something that no-one else is offering.
“The market is changing all the time, so I am still working on the concept … but the goal is to offer something a bit different … so I am going to keep drilling down into that.”
Mr Quinn said he thought the precinct would become one of the city’s best, drawing on the expected increase of revellers with the opening of the Glasshouse, as well as the coming together of passionate venue owners.
“I love the side of the city where people are going to the theatre and its such a good vibe … Aria (Property) have a great plan for events and festivals and their marketing and that gives us some great confidence,” he said.
CLARENCE
Coming August 2025
Clarence, the former beloved Woolloongabba neighbourhood bistro, announced in June that they would be closing their Stanley Street digs and relocating to Fish Lane.
Best described as a ‘modern Brisbane brasserie’, Clarence will open their Fish Lane venue in just two short weeks, on August 16.
Chefs Ben McShane and Matthew Kuhneman will continue to bring their signature commitment to hyper-seasonal menus and partnerships with local producers, but the new and improved Clarence is set to offer a more elevated and elegant dining experience while still retaining the approachability that it became known for.
Adding to their ever-present focus on sustainability and provenance, the venue’s front-of-house Zoe Mahoney will present an exclusively Australia wine list, featuring primarily small-batch, organic, and biodynamic Australian wines.
FOX HOTEL
Coming late 2025
Brisbane-based Ghanem Group, the group behind longstanding venues like Byblos and Donna Chang, announced earlier this year that they had taken over the iconic Fox Hotel, which closed in 2022 after suffering significant damage in the floods.
The hotel, once immediately recognisable for its rooftop bar adorned with rainbow lit stalactites, is set to reopen as an impressively redeveloped multi-level landmark.
With an interior by the group’s favourite Space Cubed Design Studio, the Fox will take advantage of the building’s heritage while offering some art deco and modern twists.
Pioneering Brisbane-based, family-owned Ghanem Group has taken over the iconic Fox Hotel at Fish Lane in South Brisbane. The venue will reopen as a world-class, multi-level dining, events and entertainment precinct in late 2025, as the Group continues to grow its portfolio of venues across Queensland and Melbourne and adds to its diversity of cuisines from around the world.
Across four floors, the new Fox will consist of a ground level public bar and bistro, as well as gaming lounge and bottle shop, as well as several dedicated function spaces, a late-night cocktail lounge and of course the iconic rooftop terrace.
What’s there now
Restaurants/Cafes
Julius Pizzeria
Southside
Hello Please
Lisboa Cafe
El Planta
Newport’s
Fishbowl
Chu the Phat
Hoo Ha Coffee Bar
Big Roddy’s Rippin Rib Shack
Hashtag Burgers
Punjabi Palace
Five Sister’s Cafe and Bar
Lune Croissanterie
Chris and Kathy’s Continental
West End Garden
Bird’s Nest
Tarboosh Mezza Bar
Cups on Melbourne
Starbucks
Bars/Liquor
Bar Rosa
Maker
Maeve Wine Bar
Bar Brutus
Kiki Kiosk
La Lune Wine Co and Wine Shop
Next Episode
Mid-town Bar
Originally published as Inside Fish Lane’s major expansion: Four new venues coming to South Brisbane
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