A Foodie's Guide to South Bank

From top-notch seafood on the river to casual and affordable Greek food to the best Italian this side of the Mediterranean - no matter your budget or what cuisine you're craving, you’re sure to find it in South Bank.

For all the other must-try foodie spots in Brisbane beyond South Bank:

For accommodation in South Bank read about my stay at the Emporium Hotel South Bank

Little Big House | GREY STREET

Sitting high on Grey Street, adjacent to the Emporium Hotel, you’ll find Little Big House, the perfect place for after-work drinks or a delicious pub-style lunch that won’t break the bank. Although there is no real view to speak of Little Big House makes up for that with its incredible and affordable food and drink selection, as well as the character it oozes. Housed within an old-style, tin-roofed Queenslander with a massive wraparound verandah, Little Big House is an ideal summer hangout spot to enjoy with a couple of close mates.

View Little Big House’s menu.

18 Southpoint, 271 Grey St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 11.00am - Midnight (Friday & Saturday open till 2.00am)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

ROTISSERIE PORK BELLY with apple, slaw, and chips.

SURF 'N' TURF with prawn and prosciutto.

CHICKEN PARMY with tomato, ham, mozzarella, chips and house slaw.

gNOCCHI GNOCCHI BROTHERS | LITTLE STANLEY STREET

If you too can’t imagine anything better than a large bowl of light and fluffy, pillowy potato gnocchi served with a mouth-watering traditional Italian sauce then I would highly recommend checking out Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers. Recently expanding outside of Paddington, Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers is Australia’s first 100% dedicated Italian Gnoccheria, solely specialising in delicious home-style gnocchi, which it handmakes fresh daily using old school methods following secret family recipes. Its concise menu consists of only six varieties of gnocchi - traditional beef bolognese, wild mushroom and truffle sauce, creamy lobster and barramundi, creamy basil pesto, pork, and fennel sausage, spicy cherry tomato and black olive - each promising to be delicious, filling and affordable, with all of them priced at only $13.

View Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers’ m e nu.

10 Little Stanley Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 11.30am - 9:30pm

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

TRADITIONAL BEEF BOLOGNESE

ITALIAN MOPPING BREAD

southside | FISH LANE

Located in leafy Fish Lane, underneath the train tracks, Southside is one of the newest and most highly-anticipated restaurants to open in Brisbane this year - partly due to its owners: no other than the team behind much-loved Rick Shores at Burleigh Heads (as well as Little Valley in Fortitude Valley, which sadly closed earlier within the year due to the pandemic). The design of this irresistibly attractive multi-storey restaurant, described as a ‘ruined jungle temple meets sleek semi-industrial structure’, features a number of stunning details, from terracotta rendered walls to soft-leather banquettes to the sturdy plinth of the ground-floor bar and concrete floors. In terms of food, you can expect a selection of dim sum, share plates and noodle and rice dishes, the foundations of which are rooted in traditional Chinese cooking, but also boasts a cross-pollination of flavours from East- and Southeast-Asian cuisines, as well as European techniques.

View Southside’s menu.

10 Fish Ln, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 6 Days Tuesday - Sunday 6.00pm - Late (Friday - Sunday open from midday)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

CHICKEN WONTON with black vinegar and chilli oil.

PRAWN & TRUFFLE HAR GOW

SALT & PEPPER CUTTLEFISH SANDWICH with house sriracha.

EGG FRIED RICE with roast pork and Fall’s Farm veg.

SIU YUK PORK BELLY with native plum.

SNAPPER wrapped in lotus leaf with soured onions.

JULIUS PIZZERIA | GREY STREET

A much-loved firm favourite among Brisbane locals, revered by many as offering the best Italian food in the city and often having to wait for a table, Julius Pizzeria is certainly a must-visit when in South Bank. Housed in a chic, warehouse-style space with exposed-brick archways, Julius is located at the northern end of South Bank and at the very beginning of Fish Lane. Like most Italian restaurants the menu is dominated with varieties of pizzas (which are wood-fired) and pasta dishes. Though the stand out dish, hands down is the Pappardelle al Ragù d’Anatra - flat ribbon pasta with a duck and tomato ragu - it is seriously delish!

View Julius Pizzeria’s menu.

77 Grey Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 6 Days Tuesday - Sunday Midday - 9:30pm

Zeus Street Greek | LITTLE STANLEY STREET

A more casual eatery situated along Southbank’s main drag, Grey Street, you’ll find Zeus Street Greek. With locations dotted around the country, this much-loved chain of eateries offers some of the best and most affordable Greek food. The eatery is especially known for its wide selection of irresistible pitas – fluffy pita bread filled with the flavours of Greece - ranging from a chicken to pork to halloumi stuffing. You must also try the restaurant’s chips topped with crumbled feta, and if you still have room and/or are craving something sweet to finish you cannot go wrong with the Loukoumades – traditional Greek doughnuts drizzled with honey, cinnamon sugar, and walnuts - YUM!

View Zeus Street Greek’s menu.

13/14 Little Stanley St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 11.30am - 9.30pm

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

YIA YIA’S CHIPS WITH FETA Yia Yia’s chips topped with crumbled feta.

LOUKOUMADES Traditional Greek doughnuts drizzled with honey, cinnamon sugar and walnuts.

OTTO Ristorante | SIDON STREET

Relocating from their prime position in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD (in February of 2021), the multi award-winning OTTO Ristorante takes the space left behind by Stokehouse Q (closing in late 2020 due to the pandemic) and now offers absolute riverfront fine-dining in South Bank. Taking inspiration from modern Italy, OTTO’s menu is fresh, seasonal and produce-driven; sourcing the finest local ingredients and letting them speak for themselves.

View OTTO’s menu.

Sidon St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 5 Days Wednesday - Sunday 5.30pm - 10.30pm (Friday - Sunday opens Midday - 3.00pm also)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

CARPACCIO DI MANZO 'OTTO Reserve’ by Rangers Valley beef, truffle dressing, aioli, capers, Parmesan, baby rocket.

MEZZE MANICHE Short tube squid ink pasta, local bay squid, cherry tomatoes, green olives, capers.

SPAGHETTINI Long thin pasta, Champagne lobster, garlic, chilli, white wine, lemon butter, bottarga.

POLLETTO Butterflied spatchcock, pancetta, potato, chargrilled lemon, capers.

PETIT FOURS

OTTO Osteria | SIDON STREET

If you’re looking for a more relaxed setting to enjoy a few afterwork drinks and a casual bite to eat, with the same unrivalled city and river views offered from OTTO’s fine-dining restaurant, OTTO Osteria is perfect. South Bank’s newest waterside bar is open for all day dining and welcomes walk-in guests, with no reservations taken. Similar to OTTO Ristorante’s menu, you can expect a selection of nibbles and more hearty dishes dishes inspired by the regions of Northern Italy.

View OTTO’s menu.

Sidon St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 5 Days Wednesday - Sunday Midday - Late

southbeach social | stanley street plaza

Beachfront dining in the heart of the city, Southbeach Social overlooks South Bank’s Streets Beach and boasts incredible river and city views. Inspired by the holiday beach shack and with a focus on casual dining, Southbeach Social possesses a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere that makes it feel like it is summer all year-round! On the menu you can expect a selection of crowd-pleasing favourites conducive to sharing - think stone-fired pizzas, burgers, salads, crispy chicken shares - as well as an impressive variety of summery, tropical-inspired cocktails, all of which can be served in a jug - it’s all about sharing and socialising here!

View Southbeach Social’s menu.

Stanley St Plaza, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 11.00am - Late (Saturday & Sunday opens at 10.00am)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

JAPANESE FRIED CHICKEN BURGER Japanese fried chicken, butter crunch lettuce, kewpie mayo, wasabi mayo with prawn crackers on a milk bun.

KARAAGE Crispy Japanese marinated fried chicken with roasted sesame mayo and lime.

BEER BATTERED CHIPS with roast garlic aioli.

DOUGHNUT TIME | GREY STREET

What time is it? Doughnut time of course - when is it not?! Selling fresh handmade doughnuts using only the finest ingredients and constantly cooking up creations that push the boundaries, it’s pretty hard not to be tempted by Doughnut Time’s doughnuts. Whether they’re overflowing with Nutella or covered with M&Ms, Doughnut Time’s doughnuts definitely stand out. Alongside the classics the store offers a variety of vegan options, and their menu is constantly evolving to include new options that are inspired by the trendy, and the delicious. Fun Fact: The portrait photograph (below) of the doughnut, with the city in the background actually won me a FREE 6 pack of doughnuts, as it was their favourite posted photograph of the week taken by a customer - so make sure to take a snap of your doughnut before eating!

View Doughnut Time’s range.

176 Grey Street, South Brisbane

Open 7 Days 11.00am - 9.00pm (Friday - Sunday opens at 10.00am & Saturday - Sunday closes at 10.00pm)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

CARAMLIK BASKIN Caramel custard filling, caramilk glaze, vanilla drizzle topped with Cadbury caramilk shaving and squares.

Popolo Italian Kitchen & Bar | SIDON STREET

Craving Italian? Then Popolo Italian Kitchen and Bar is the place to head, offering some of the most mouth-watering Italian fare in Brisbane. The menu is one which has been designed to share, so do exactly that and come with a few mates and order up! As the restaurant is located in the River Quay precinct of Southbank, it also means no matter what table you sit at you’ll enjoy an incredible view of the Brisbane River and city too. Otherwise, how does a picnic sound? Popolo offers a variety of options for those wishing to really savour the great outdoors with a range of different packed picnic baskets to be enjoyed on the lawn in front of the venue.

View Popolo’s menu and picnic menu.

3 Sidon St, Brisbane City QLD 4101

Open 7 Days Midday - 2.30pm & 5.00pm - 9.00pm

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

ARANCINI Summer pea and buffalo mozzarella with white truffle aioli.

CAPESANTE Scallops with roasted cauliflower purée, pancetta and morcilla crumbs.

PANCETTA Sugo, fior di latte, rosemary, pancetta.

GNOCCHI DI RICOTTA AI FUNGHI Ricotta gnocchi, crushed hazelnuts, braised mushrooms, goats curd, sage, and truffled pecorino.

CALAMARI FRITTI Baby squid, lightly floured and flash fried with lemon caper mayonnaise.

ARANCINI QUATTRO FORMAGGI Four cheese arancini with caramelised shallot aioli.

RAGU DI AGNELLO Braised lamb shoulder ragu, with pappardelle, Grana Padano.

FRUTTATO TROPICALE Citrus Vodka, peach liquor, lemon, passionfruit, raspberry syrup.

Gelato Messina | Melbourne Street

Situated on Melbourne Street, a few blocks back from the river, you’ll find Messina, offering the best gelato in all of Brisbane, hands down! Open every day of the week, this place is always buzzing - it’s not unusual to find a line weaving its way out the door! At each of Messina’s many stores, which are dotted all around the nation, patrons are able to choose from a staggering and slightly overwhelming forty different flavours of gelato, five of which rotate on a weekly basis. Therefore, every time you visit, there will be some new, incredibly drool-worthy flavour waiting for you to try. Although I haven’t quite made my way through every one of the forty flavours on offer (though I plan to!), I would say my favourite thus far would have to be the coconut and mango salsa gelato – YUM!

View Gelato Messina’s classic flavours.

109 Melbourne St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 1.00pm - 10.00pm

The Terrace | grey street

South Bank’s only rooftop bar The Terrace is located atop the new and ultra-luxurious Emporium Hotel on the hotel’s 21st floor and since opening has quickly become one of the city’s hottest new places to enjoy a drink sky high. The view from The Terrace is quite simply breathtaking and I would say the best view of Brisbane you’ll find from any bar or restaurant. The view alone makes this rooftop bar worth a visit, however, you must stay and enjoy the Korean fried chicken and pair with it your cocktail of choice.

For the best places to drink sky high in Brisbane view Brisbane’s Best Rooftop Bars

For overnight accommodation read about my stay at Emporium Hotel South Bank

View The Terrace’s breakfast menu, food menu and drinks menu.

267 Grey St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 6.30am - Midnight (Friday & Saturday open till 2.00am)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

THE ICED VOVO Beefeater Gin, Joseph Carton Creme de Framboise, coconut, lemon juice and whites.

NEWPORT’S CAFE | merivale street

A chic little blue-and-white café in South Brisbane, Newport’s Café has established itself as the go-to place for delicious speciality coffee, using only the very best coffee beans from Colombia. Though, now with a new, more comprehensive menu, Newport’s is much more than simply a hole-in-the-wall to satisfy your caffeine needs. Beyond world-class coffee, for the non-coffee drinkers there is a range of colourful, refreshing fruity smoothies to take your fancy as well as an assortment of chocolate deluxe hot drinks difficult to resist. To pair with your drink of choice there is a selection of innovative sweet and savoury waffle creations, impressive three-stack toasties and light and summery acai bowls.

29 Merivale St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 5 Days Monday - Friday 7.00am - 3.30pm

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

CHEESY BENEDICT served with scrambled eggs, housemate hollandaise sauce and ham.

THE CLASSIC Smoky English ham, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, sliced tomato and NP’s sauce.

TROPICAL ISLAND Mango, pineapple and passionfruit.

FRENCH VANILLA ICED COFFEE

denim & co. | LITTLE STANLEY street

Serving quality coffee and food since 2001, Denim & Co. is a casual eatery tucked away on South Bank’s Little Stanley Street, which offers something for everyone, no matter the time of the day. Breakfast at Denim and Co. is served till 3pm, meaning you can enjoy their Eggs Benedict in a croissant for lunch, or if you’re looking for something sweet, ‘The Canadian’ - waffles with double-smoked bacon, roasted walnuts and maple syrup - is the ultimate sweet breakfast. Otherwise, for lunch there is a choice of classic jaffles (all served with crisps), burgers, and Turkish toasties. If you’ve got room make sure to also check out the cafe’s pastry cabinet full of sweet treats as well as its dessert menu before you leave - you’ll likely be very tempted.

View Denim & Co.’s menu.

9A Little Stanley St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 6.15am - 4.30pm (Thursday - Saturday open till 10.00pm)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

CROISSANT BENEDICT Poached eggs, ham, aged cheddar, hollandaise.

HAM & CHEESE JAFFLE Aged cheddar and smoked ham served with crisps.

MANGO & PASSION PUNCH Fruity mango and passion punch topped with fresh passionfruit.

COLD PRESSED JUICE Orange and lemon.

piano bar | grey street

Exuding old-world glamour, the Piano Bar on the ground floor of the Emporium Hotel is an ultra-cool, elegant and sophisticated spot to hang, converse, sip a martini or whiskey and listen to soothing piano tunes. Pull up a stool from 4pm on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, order yourself a cocktail from the bar’s comprehensive signature (or classic) cocktail collection and hear a live pianist play on the keys, or rather stop by on a Thursday (as well as on a Friday or Saturday) to treat your ears to some live jazz. Otherwise, treat yourself to a High Tini, a new age twist on the traditional high tea, replacing a glass of champagne with a perfectly paired cocktail or mocktail. Alternatively, for the cocktail connoisseurs at heart, why not hone your cocktail making skills in one of the bar’s exclusive hour-long, immersive cocktail masterclasses?!

For overnight accommodation read about my stay at Emporium Hotel South Bank

View Piano Bar’s food menu and beverage menu.

267 Grey St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 10.00am - Midnight