Char House: New high-end dining experience brought to Toowoomba

The owner of a popular Toowoomba restaurant is opening up a second venue, promising diners an experience beyond the usual ‘pub feed’. Here’s what sets it apart.

Char House, a new French-style restaurant specialising in chargrilled steak is opening up in Toowoomba on October 24 2025.

The Chef behind Toowoomba’s Mediterranean restaurant Loulaki is opening the doors to her new fine dining restaurant, this time specialising in char grilled steak and French-inspired plates.

Toowoomba chef and restaurateur Penny Hely is opening Char House on Friday October 24, about a year and a half after opening Loulaki.

Ms Hely who completed her original training at a French chef school in South Africa about 30 years ago, said this restaurant is going back to her culinary roots.

“This is a proper dining experience, it is not like going out for a pub feed,” Ms Hely said.

“We’re now going for a different level. I hope the food shows that and the service shows that.”

Chef and restaurateur Penny Hely is opening her new Toowoomba restaurant Char House, on October 24 2025.

Ms Hely said unlike a lot of restaurants Char House makes everything completely from scratch.

“We don’t even buy a peeled potato,” she said.

“Our breads are made from scratch, our crackers for our cheese boards are made from scratch.

“We make a proper demi-glace with bones, cooked overnight.

“There’s no restaurants that do that in town, so I think that sets us apart.”

Ms Hely said Char House has been brought to life with the help of Head Chef Beau Browne, who has experience working in several recognised kitchens in Melbourne and London.

Char House, a new French-style restaurant specialising in chargrilled steak is opening up in Toowoomba on October 24 2025.

Ms Hely said Char House’s specialty is their steaks, and has partnered with King River Wagyu to offer an extensive selection of different cuts.

“We’re planning to change meat cuts every three months,” she said.

“Nothing pan fried though, we’ve got Argentinian grills.

“Then French for everything else.”

Char House is housed in the same location at the former site of The Plate, which closed its doors earlier this year.

King River Wagyu recently won People’s Choice for Darling Downs Beef Battle for their MB+ Sirloin.

The new restaurant at 224 Ruthven Street North Toowoomba can seat 116 people at a time.

Book a table at https://www.charhouse.com.au/.