Toni Moon

With trendy restaurants and bars popping up all over the city, it’s no wonder Brisbanites and visitors alike can feel a bit overwhelmed when deciding where to eat. That’s where we come in! Our expert local writers have tasted their way through Brisbane’s diverse food scene to bring you this list of must-try restaurants. From a sprawling Greek taverna overlooking the river and a tiny, Nordic-inspired fine diner to a contemporary Chinese eatery with a spicy Sichuan fish broth that will make your eyes water, these are the places Time Out recommends for a culinary adventure in the River City. 🍸 The best bars in Brisbane☕️ Brisbane's coolest cafés🥐 Where to find the best pastries in Brisbane

No matter where you live in Australia, we take our baked goods very seriously. Between our sourdough-centred meals, we all need a little sweet treat (trust us, you deserve one). Luckily for us, Australian bakers are giving Parisian pâtissiers a run for their money, creating their own takes on classic baked goods to create one-of-a-kind products.  You’ve undoubtedly heard of the big players (hello Lune Croissanterie), but there are plenty of neighbourhood gems to spend your hard-earned dough. While we wish we could shower love on every flaky, buttery layer of pastry, we’ve narrowed it down to a few of our favourite bakeries in Australia. 🥧 The best pies in Australia☕️ Australia's greatest coffee shops and roasters🥪 The best cafés in Australia

At many of the best hotels in Brisbane, you'll find evidence that the city's hotel scene is changing. The boutique revolution has well and truly hit town, with new operators looking to activate long-forgotten neighbourhoods, and the big chains inspired to produce tailored offerings for a more sophisticated clientele. The best hotels in Brisbane offer high-end experiences, laidback Aussie vibes and all the sun-kissed goodness of feeling like it’s summer all year round. The ultimate luxury stays are gushing with designer décor, bespoke art and unmatched city, river and mountain views. Can you see yourself emerging from an infinity pool overlooking Brisbane? Or how about rising from a relaxation pod, sipping a cocktail from an elevated piano bar, viewing bespoke author-inspired art or zip around in a Maserati? You can take part in these five-star experiences and more in Brisbane’s best hotels. Check out our picks of the best hotels in Brisbane below. ✨ The best things to do in Brisbane🔥 Brisbane's cosiest Airbnbs⭐️ All the best hotels in Australia Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Brisbanites are spoilt for choice with moreish steaks from the Darling Downs to fresh flavours of Wagyu beef from Stanbroke. And how you experience one of Brisbane's great steaks, be it easy or elevated, is up to you. Choose from a high-end experience in a heritage building, an exclusive restaurant where you will feel like a movie star and everything is a little ‘extra’, or a more relaxed, homely feel of a historic pub. Whatever your culinary flavour preferences or budget Brisneyland is serving up steak bombs left right and centre to blow your taste buds to heaven and back. Here are the best steaks in Brisbane right now. 🍽️ The very best restaurants in Brisbane🍕 The best pizza spots in Brisbane🍛 Brisbane's best Indian food  

Calling all sweet tooths and savoury fans alike. Brisbane is bursting with innovative, tastebud-popping pastry sensations to make your heart go boom. From the sea breezy streets of Cleveland to the buzzy charm of New Farm, the zeitgeist of Zillmere to the greenery of Ashgrove, the pulsing Brisbane City to the sunbeams of Sunnybank, you are absolutely covered. All across this beating city are artisan bakers, pastry chefs and traditional treat makers ready to serve up fresh flavours that will leave you wanting more. Moreish is the word to describe what’s on offer in our metropolis and you, my friend, have been warned – you won’t be able to stop at just one serving. Here are the best bakeries in Brisbane. 🍽 Brisbane's best restaurants 🥐 Australia's best bakeries

Look, it really isn’t a secret that we Aussies love a good pub. Whether you're tearing it up on the local dance floor on a Saturday night or downing pints with a hearty Sunday roast, pub culture has something for everyone, every day of the week. These venues see it all: post-work bevvies, celebration dinners, darts competitions and even Hollywood movie crews. Whether it’s a schooner or a glass of wine you’re after, in the city or the outback, we’ve got a list of the country’s grooviest pubs that are a welcome sight to tourists and locals alike. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  Hungry? These are the best pies in Australia worth travelling for.

No matter what season it is in the sunshine state, you can catch those all-year-round summer vibes at one of Brisbane's next-level beer gardens. Pair your bevvies with some yummy alfresco pub fare and soak up the atmosphere, watch a footy game or take in a live music set as you while away an arvo into the night. From the city-side Southbank Beer Garden, boasting beach and river views through to the Brunswick Hotel in Fortitude Valley, we’ve gathered the intel on Brisbane’s best spots to down a beer, sip a cocktail or pull a Harry Styles and drink a shoey. On the hunt for other top places to grab a drink in Brisbane? Here's our pick of the best bars in the city.

Are you ready for your crowning glory to go from plain Jane superbrain to drop dead gorgeous? Then check out these incredible salons scattered all around Meanjin from Spring Hill to Ipswich, no matter what you’re after, whether it’s an eye-popping colour, a funky shaved flavour or an elegant upstyle. With precision cutting skills, amazing hair colour techniques with the latest made to last colours, from curls, to straight hair and afros, Brisbane knows hair. So  for a new sexy and fabulous or wild and outrageous you, find your new hairdresser from our list below. Why not go full self-care mode and spend the rest of the day at one of Brisbane's best spas? Treat yourself!

You have to admire the purity of vision at Fatcow. Here, it's all about steak and live lobster, and being treated like royalty. It's the kind of restaurant where Don Draper and Roger Sterling would go for lunch and probably stay all afternoon, and the only thing that would give them pause would be the no-smoking thing. The waiter service is old school, hail-fellow-well-met, confident and jokey. The decor is pared back and stylish but not stuffy. The menus are bound in leather and the headline dish within is the $199 rib eye and lobster half, which are perfectly cooked and seasoned and offer absolutely no surprises, and that is presumably what the clientele love about it. 

The Inchholm luxury boutique hotel in Spring Hill will transport you to an era of sophistication. You’ll feel like you are in a cool salon where Kate Bush, Banksy, David Bowie and Lady Gaga rub shoulders. Perched high on Wickham Terrace, the site dates back to the 1880s with a neo-Georgian façade, while the interior offers visitors a contemporary vision. This includes the uber-cool loft suites located on the top floor with floor-to-ceiling city views. Dining on edible dreams or blissing out on a beverage at the Inchholm Bar is bound to make you feel spesh after exploring the luxury accommodation’s world of tiny treasures, curiosities and eclectic art. There’s even a Martini hour, so grab your seat and add this venue to the top spot of your places-to-stay list.    Time Out tip: Ovolo has just launched a world-first Hair Service Menu, which allows guests to order complimentary, personalised TRESemmé haircare straight to their hotel door. You won’t have to settle for the classic one-size-fits-all hotel shampoo and condition, but can pamper your locks with products to suit all hair types – yes, even you, curly girlies.

Is staying in a rockstar suite fitted out with a round cocktail bar on your bucket list? At the Ovolo the Valley, you can do just that and choose between the Major Tom and Purple Rain rooms. Sitting close to some of Brisbane’s best live music venues, rooftop lounges and art galleries in Fortitude Valley, the venue pays homage to the eclectic culture and iconic history of its surroundings. The gorgeous blend of art, music and pop culture creates a memorable experience at every turn. Marry that with fresh interior designs, a hip bar and a fully-vegetarian restaurant and you’ll never want to stay anywhere else. Time Out tip: Ovolo has just launched a world-first Hair Service Menu, which allows guests to order complimentary, personalised TRESemmé haircare straight to their hotel door. You won’t have to settle for the classic one-size-fits-all hotel shampoo and condition, but can pamper your locks with products to suit all hair types – yes, even you, curly girlies.

Sports fans listen up because the Prince Consort Hotel has all the secret herbs and spices for catching the match in style. Park yourself on one of the comfiest spots to watch the massive stadium screen every Saturday and Sunday. The multi-purpose garden area is covered by a retractable roof so you and your mates can catch the game come rain, hail or shine. If relaxing and enjoying a cocktail with bae or your friends is more your style, every Sunday the Prince Consort Garden hosts a recovery with some music, cocktail jugs and pizza deals from the open woodfire kitchen. The Prince Consort beer garden welcomes supervised children before 9.30pm and dogs. It is accessible by ramps for wheelchair users so be sure to request them on arrival.

You will know life is good when you visit what is arguably the most stunning beer garden in Brisbane. Get ready for the river breeze, gorgeous greenery and purple bougainvillea of the outdoor atrium. Relax and gaze at the beach and river views with the sparkling lights of Brizvegas in the distance. Southbank Beer Garden was brought back to life in 2015 and quickly became one of Southbank’s favourite watering holes. Pair some top local beers with some classic pub fare and blaze your way into the weekend. Located across the Brisbane River from the city, behind the Southbank Parkland Beach, this is the perfect place for a chillax after work or a sweet spot to watch the goings on at Southbank. You can book a table for the family but if you want to bring along your canine you’re best to book in advance.

The Wickham Hotel’s beer garden is bringing a high-pressure system of hot phat vibes with a hundred percent chance of slay. The Wickham is known as Brisbane’s oldest and most iconic gay pub but the renos might have you thinking otherwise. The beer garden is eclectic and vibing with all sorts of buzz. Catch a sesh of live music, burlesque performances and drag shows on the stage or enjoy the vibrant art including a massive mural by artist Kaffeine and a bespoke piece by Banjo Bonfire. Don’t visit the valley without experiencing chilled pizzas and beers by day and epic DJs and dance parties by night. Try a Thursday trivia night and see if you and your crew can beat the valley locals. The Wickham’s beer garden is totally family and hound friendly with wheelchair access available from the Alden Street entrance.    

There are not many hotels in Brisbane that have a beer garden as legendary as The Normanby Hotel's. It’s been a long-cherished spot for uni students, sports fans and funsters keen on a cracking night out. Recently the beer garden has been showered with love and a makeover and its cheerful, sunny vibe is now complemented with an Aperol theme. Regulars and newcomers alike will go nuts at the major drawcard, the largest outdoor LED screen in Brisbane, to watch all of your live sporting favourites. So if you fancy catching the game or your mates over an Aperol Spritz, cocktail, wine or one of the sixteen beers on tap, this is the place for you. Bring the family – even your furry friend is welcome at this family-owned, wheelchair-accessible venue.  

Get yourself one of the best steaks in Brizneyland while it’s still The Morrison Hotel’s 95th year. Choose from one of its ten steaks on offer ranging in price from an affordable $36 to $56. Or simply go with the most popular choice: the king of cuts, the 400 gram Rib on the Bone, aka ‘The Grand Champion of Steaks’ from the Darling Downs. It is prepared with a special spiced rub that enhances the flavors of the tender cut and is served with their famous twice baked house potato, mushroom sauce and matched perfectly with a blue cheese, apple, walnut and rocket salad with a balsamic reduction dressing. The well-rounded menu even suggests the perfect wine to match: the Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz. Other menu offerings include plenty of vegan and other non steak options. Not only are they a steakhouse, they also have a fantastic cocktail and whisky bar "Circa 27" which has over 200 whiskies on hand and 30 cocktails.  Dining in this old dame means feeling warm and cozy and part of the family. Sounding like this needs to be on your list of dining must-dos? Then head in to Fiasco’s Steakhouse and continue the celebrations. Want some more insta-worthy content? Our guide on 10 ways to be a little different in Brisbane is sure to contain some photo-ops.

Enjoy an open grill and a diverse steak offering at the family-owned Norman Hotel and Garden in the ‘Gabba. The steak range is to die for including the high quality marbled Thousand Guineas Shorthorn and Black Opal’s genetically proven Wagyu Beef. Affectionately known as Brisbane’s Worst Vegetarian Restaurant, the Norman Hotel and Garden is long regarded as the benchmark when it comes to steak restaurants in Brisbane. They have a strong belief that a great steak starts long before the grill so only work with producers that care of their cattle such as the Five Founders North Australian Cattle Company. When undecided between the sixteen cuts of Australian beef, why not go for their most popular choice, the Eye Fillet from the Maranoa region in Queensland. Punters will love the tenderness of the longest and leanest cut from the tenderloin. It is arguably the most tender cut of beef sitting along the spine doing the least amount of work and having little fat or connective tissue. The dining experience is unique and the whole family’s tastes are covered with an extensive gluten free and vegetarian options as well as a children’s menu available. The 1889 building itself is heritage listed and has had several incarnations since its stable origins including being a working class pub and biker bar. For a little bit of history with your steak, get yourself there quick smart. Are you celebrating a special occasion? Check out the best day spas in Brisbane.

Calling all foodies - the dining experience on offer at SK Steak and Oyster is to die for. The restaurant is a must-visit, combining old-world New York steakhouse charm with Californian grill vibes. There’s a classic piano bar for sipping on cocktails post-work or pre-dinner and snug booths for long lunches or an intimate evening experience. The exquisite menu offers steaks, pasta, seafood, raw food and sushi. The steaks on the menu: Eye Fillet, Prime Rib and Sirloin - New York Cut and Kiwami include a marbled score for the discerning steak connoisseur, along with an on-the-bone Kiwami Tomahawk. Steaks range from $58 for a 180 gram petit fillet, Black Angus through to $200 for a 400 gram Sirloin 9+ Premium Wagyu. For surf and turf lovers there is a melt-in-your-mouth eye fillet topped with lobster and garlic butter. If you haven’t yet been to SK Steak and Oyster book in and treat yourself to a dining experience that is unforgettable. Need a drink? Find the best bars in Brisbane here.

The legendary Breakfast Creek Hotel has long held a reputation as one of Brisbane’s oldest and best spots for a succulent steak. If you are a Brisbane local, interstate or international visitor you simply have to sample one of the 12 steaks featured on both the Beer Garden and Spanish Garden menus. They share the same Queensland sourced steaks starting at $36 for an MB2+ Rump, to a $110 1.2kg Tomahawk from Maranoa. Other popular cuts for diners include the Dry Aged Rib Eye on the Bone 400 grams, from Nolans at Gympie, the Porterhouse 350 grams from the Darling Downs and the popular Filet Mignon 240 grams also from the Darling Downs. If the Beer Garden suits your dining experience you can choose from some incredible menu options such as Mooloolaba prawns or Rum and Coke House Smoked Wagyu Brisket. Or if you prefer to sit in the gorgeous Spanish Garden you can select the signature dish ‘The Creek’ which is a juicy 200 gram eye filet topped with scallops, bugs and creamy garlic prawns. Totally scrumptious. Pulling an all-nighter? Here are our tips for Brisbane nightlife. Rock on, party animal. 

A ‘Best Steaks in Brisbane’ list wouldn’t be complete without at least one Irish Pub on it. Enter Gilhooley's, situated right in the buzz of the city, on the corner of Albert & Charlotte Streets. Established in 1995, Gilhooley’s is the place to warm the cockles and enjoy the craic, all while enjoying their delicious, value for money steaks and meals. Their steak range is priced under $40, starting at an affordable $33. The menu choices include a New York Sirloin, Rib Fillet, Rump Steak and a $10 upgrade to the flavoursome Reef and Beef. You can also get some scrumptious Irish Stew or a Braised Beef in Guinness if you’re partial to trying out some Irish fare. They cater well for vegetarians, vegans and have gluten free options on offer as well. So for a lively night or a daytime meal go where the laughter is the brightest: where the steak is best at Gilhooley’s. Looking for more things to do in Brisbane? Check out our guide to the city's top attractions.