Brisbane’s Must-Eat Dishes: Your Guide To The City’s Best Bites

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!

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.

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.

Adventure and refined Luxury combine at the stunning Rangelands Outback Camp.

Iconic Australian red dirt, ancient rocky landscapes and bursts of greenery and wildflowers all make the small town of Winton, and its surrounds, a sight to behold. Escape the ordinary and unwind in the Queensland outback, where ancient landscapes and off-grid luxury await at Rangelands Outback Camp.

cosy seats in Rangelands Outback Camp — Unwind in the ancient outback.

About Rangelands Outback Camp

Unforgettable 360-degree views of this 95-million-year-old land await at Rangelands; bathed in style and positioned on top of a jump-up (or mesa), your tented camp seamlessly blends into its outback setting.

Set on the 53,935-square-kilometre Rangelands Station – a working cattle property – the abundant wildlife are your only neighbours; kangaroos, echidnas, eagles and other birdlife all call Rangelands home.

Bathed in style, your tented camp seamlessly blends into its outback setting. Indulge with carefully curated menus, personalised service and supersized luxury tents that guarantee a private experience. This exclusive camp only has a maximum of 12 guests at a time.

Here, the aim is pampering. From tasty menus to supersized tents with all the creature comforts, to a range of guided tours around the property and beyond.

Guests are transferred from Winton or Longreach by a dedicated Rangelands driver.

aerial shot of Rangelands Outback Camp tent — Soak in 360-degree views.

Rangelands Outback Camp tours

Join small-group tours and enjoy exclusive access to the ancient Rangelands Rifts with your Rangelands hosts. These incredible rock formations were formed by millions of years of erosion, leaving dramatic channels through the rock. Or explore the surrounds with Rangeland’s touring partner, Red Dirt Tours .

Get sunset birds-eye views over dramatic mesa country in a helicopter, from Queensland’s own Three Sisters to Corey’s Range, stopping at the best lookouts along the way.

Get up close and personal with this rugged land on four wheels, with expert drivers and guides leading guests through famous Bladensburg National Park, visiting Gondwana Stars Observatory and more.

The Winton area is famous for its boulder opals (the second-rarest opal in the world, after black opals), and a stop at the mining community of Opalton sheds a fascinating light on the unique fossicking method used to find them.

A trip to dinosaur country is a must, as this is the place that ramped up Australia’s dino contribution after a fossilised footprint was found in 1962; after more exploration, the discovery of 3300 footprints made it clear this was the world’s only evidence of a dinosaur stampede. Those same footprints are still on display today at Lark Quarry Conservation Park , a 90-minute drive from Winton. Also check out Australia’s largest collection of Australian Dinosaur fossils Australian Age of Dinosaurs, just 30 minutes from Winton. Here, join a tour through a working laboratory, dinosaur canyon and more.

A twice-daily transfer into downtown Winton is offered to guests, where they can explore the Royal Outdoor Theatre, opal shops, Waltzing Matilda Centre and more.

tour being led through Rangeland rifts — Have an exclusive adventure through the Rangeland Rifts. (Image: TEQ)

Sleeping in luxury

After a day of exploring, return to your tranquil tent for a blissful open shower and uninterrupted views from your private deck.

Designed to integrate guests into the surrounding nature, each tent feels like its own private haven. While being off-grid in the outback (in fact, each tent is powered by its own solar panels, with the added support of a backup generator), guests can also luxuriate in comfortable amenities like air conditioning, a supremely comfortable king-size bed and stylish designer touches.

Guests can stroll to the open-air Sunset Deck for breathtaking panoramic views, or to the main lounge and dining tent, where books, on-demand coffee and drinks make it the perfect place to relax after a day in the outback.

inside Rangelands Outback Camp bedroom — Enjoy plenty of space inside, and stunning views outside.

Rangelands Outback Camp dining

As the sun starts to dip below the horizon, gather for drinks and canapés on the expansive Sunset Deck, watching the sun drench the landscape in pinks and oranges as it sinks below the horizon.

Later, head to The Mahal lounge area and dining tent where mealtime magic happens. Savour a gourmet meal made fresh by Rangeland’s onsite chef. The meals use local produce to elevate classic outback dishes, and don’t worry, dietary requirements are happily accommodated.

Enjoy an open bar filled with an expansive hand-selected list of wines and premium beers, with wine pairings offered by Rangelands hosts come dinner time.

Discover more and book your luxurious stay at rangelandscamp.com.

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