Brisbane’s must-eat dishes: Your guide to the city’s best bites

Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
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Have a limited time to explore Brisbane and only want to eat the best? We’ve narrowed down a selection of the city’s best dishes, from breakfast carbonara (yes, it’s true) to the best dumplings in the city.

Brisbane has an array of fantastic restaurants that pack a punch with their offering. It wasn’t easy to choose but here are the 10 must-eat dishes in Brisbane.

1. Saganaki, Greca

Fried cheese with honey? Yum.

This dish is something else. It comes to your table sizzling in the pan and you’ll devour it in seconds. Not to mention you’re eating it with Greca’s stunning waterfront view from Howard Smith Wharves. Chef’s kiss.

Saganaki cheese sizzling in pan at Greca in Brisbane
Is there anything better than seeing your food sizzle on a pan right before your eyes? (Image: Nikki To)

2. Breakfast carbonara, Morning After

Why has no one thought to serve pasta at breakfast before?

Carbonara is a natural extension of bacon and eggs with toast: pappardelle provides a dose of carbs, guanciale (cured pigs cheek) adds that meaty umami hit, and a 63-degree hens egg stands in for the requisite yolk.

If you are having one of those morning-after moments, bring a pair of shades to Morning After.

The all-white, timber and green cafe is bright and breezy, and one of the best in Brisbane, but a bowl of that pasta will have you feeling human in no time.

The Breakfast Carbonara with a long black coffee from Morning After in Brisbane
The breakfast carbonara is a twist on classic bacon and eggs.

3. Gnocchi with pork and fennel sausage, 1889 Enoteca

Arguably one of the best-known dishes in Brisbane, 1889 Enoteca’s ridiculously rich gnocchi has been the restaurant’s bestseller for seven years straight.

When the weather gets cool, head to this moody Roman-style trattoria, housed in an elegant heritage-listed space, for handmade gnocchi, folded with truffle and Parmesan cream, and fennel-flecked pork sausage.

The dish begs for a good glass of vino and, happily, the restaurant happens to have one of the best wine lists in town.

a plate of gnocchi at 1889 Enoteca
Trust us when we say that 1889 Enoteca’s gnocchi is the bomb!

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4. Tonkotsu ramen, Taro’s Ramen

Bow down to Brisbane’s undisputed ramen king. Formerly in the city, this casual-style ramen shop holds an unassuming position on Racecourse Road, with bare tables and a basic fit-out, save for the new addition of tableside touchscreen ordering.

Taro’s noodles are made by hand in-house, and shoyu and shio ramen are both based on ‘golden triple soup’ (a blend of chicken, seaweed and vegetables) but the tonkotsu ramen is really special.

Bangalow sweet pork bones are slow-simmered for two days to create the rich, cloudy soup, which comes topped with two slices of char sui pork, soy-cooked soft egg and nori.

Add in some pickled ginger to cut through the richness, and, if you’re a heat-seeker, go for the fire tonkotsu, with four types of chilli added in.

Tonkotsu ramen from taro's ramen from top in Brisbane
Taro’s tonkotsu ramen is bursting with flavour and spice.

5. Goat ragu pappardelle, Bar Alto

Bar Alto is located in the Brisbane Powerhouse, which is a contemporary multi-arts, dining and conference venue nestled on the beautiful banks of the Brisbane River beside New Farm Park.

While overlooking the river try Bar Alto’s goat ragu pappardelle. You won’t regret it. This dish is comprised of house-made pappardelle mixed with a slow-cooked baby goat shoulder ragu. Packed with flavour, it’s not to be missed.

6. Kouign Amann, Agnes Bakery

Starting as a pop-up during lockdowns Agnes Bakery now has a permanent venue on James Street.

Agnes Bakery does a weekly Kouign Amann special where they experiment with flavours and make you salivate for days. Kouign Amann means “butter cake" in Breton, a Celtic language spoken in Brittany. They are dense, sweet, salty and wonderfully buttery. Yes, please!

Kouign Amann pastries from Agnes Bakery in Brisbane
The Kouign Amann specials are a hit.

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7. Kentucky fried duck, Detour

Once an icon at Public, Detour’s head chef and owner brought the recipe with him when he left their kitchen.

These deep-fried duck nuggets served in a paper bag are a customer favourite that are so unique and delicious, that you won’t find them this good anywhere else.

8. Dumplings in sweet soy chilli sauce, Little Red Dumpling

Little Red Dumpling prides itself on preparing dumplings in-house daily, using only locally sourced ingredients — ‘just like mama used to’.

They dish up the best dumplings in town, and nothing beats their dumplings in sweet soy chilli sauce.

Dumplings in sweet soy chilli sauce at Little Red Dumpling in Brisbane.
Nothing beats these delicious dumplings.

9. Gonuts, Flour and Chocolate

Flour and Chocolate is a series of low-key stores that serve up some of the city’s best patisseries.

On Thursday, the daily special is gonuts (a version of the croissant-doughnut hybrid, the cronut) and crowd-sources flavour ideas via social media.

Think delicate layers of croissant pastries, fried until crisp, and topped with white chocolate and pistachio, or sandwiched with vanilla custard.

Assorted flavour Gonuts from Flour and Chocolate in Brisbane.
You can’t miss the Thursday special at Flour and Chocolate.
Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
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A gourmand’s guide to eating your way around Hamilton Island

(Credit: Nikki To)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

    Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

    Catseye Pool Club

    Catseye Pool Club
    Catseye Pool Club offers stunning beach views. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

    The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

    My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

    Sails Restaurant

    Sails Restaurant hamilton island
    Settle into casual poolside dining. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

    The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

    Bommie

    cuttlefish dish at Bommie restaurant Hamilton Island Yacht Club
    Head to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club for a taste of Bommie. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

    Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

    Pebble Beach

    qualia Resort Pebble Beach
    qualia Resort guests can dine at Pebble Beach. (Credit: Lean Timms)

    Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

    The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

    Beach Club Restaurant

    Beach Club Restaurant hamilton island
    Book in advance for Beach Club Restaurant. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

    I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

    Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

    Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

    hamilton island Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher
    Join this immersive wine experience. (Credit Eleanor Edström)

    There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

    We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

    The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

    coca chu

    table spread at CocaChu
    Get a taste of Southeast Asian flavours. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

    Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

    Marina Cafe

    hamilton island MArina Cafe
    Take in harbour views and comfort food.

    Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

    The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

    Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.