Donna Chang ★ 4.5
Donna Chang sits inside the heritage 1914 Government Savings Bank on George Street. Cantonese-Sichuan banquet, marble columns, gilded ceiling.
Signature: Cantonese-Sichuan banquet, Yum cha, Peking duck
Restaurants in CBD
Blackbird Bar & Grill ★ 4.4
Blackbird occupies the riverfront level of the Riverside Centre at 123 Eagle Street. Dry-aged steaks, Queensland seafood, sweeping Story Bridge views.
Signature: Dry-aged steak, Moreton Bay bug, Wagyu signature cuts
Cafés in CBD
John Mills Himself ★ 4.5
John Mills Himself runs a laneway off Charlotte Street in Brisbane CBD. Specialty espresso bar by day, gin bar by night, heritage 1873 printer building.
Signature drink: Single-origin espresso
Strauss ★ 4.4
Strauss sits in a laneway off Elizabeth Street in Brisbane CBD. Coffee Supreme house blend with rotating single-origin filters, bentwood bistro chairs.
Signature drink: Filter coffee from rotating roasters
Coffee Anthology ★ 4.4
Coffee Anthology on Margaret Street in the Brisbane CBD is a multi-roaster cafe known for hosting visiting beans, filter brewing methods and tight curation.
Signature drink: Filter coffee from rotating Australian roasters
Coffee Roasters in CBD
Strauss FD ★ 4.4
Strauss FD on Elizabeth Street in Brisbane CBD pours its own Coffee Supreme house blend alongside rotating single-origin filters. At 189 Elizabeth Street.
John Mills Himself Roastery ★ 4.4
John Mills Himself runs a laneway off Charlotte Street in Brisbane CBD as a roastery-and-bar. Light micro-lots, rotating espresso and filter daily.
Pablo & Rusty's Brisbane ★ 4.3
Pablo & Rusty's on Mary Street in Brisbane CBD is the local cafe of the Sydney-founded roaster. Direct-trade focus, carbon-neutral, in-house bake program.
Wine Bars in CBD
Death & Taxes ★ 4.5
Death & Taxes hides on Burnett Lane in Brisbane CBD. Speakeasy-format wine and cocktail bar in the laneway off Adelaide Street, deep international wine list.
Wine focus: Classic cocktails and seasonal wine pours
Bars in CBD
Death & Taxes ★ 4.6
Death & Taxes hides on Burnett Lane in Brisbane CBD. Speakeasy-format bar in a laneway off Adelaide Street, classic cocktails and deep wine list.
Signature drink: Seasonal bartender's choice
The Gresham ★ 4.5
The Gresham on Adelaide and Creek Streets in Brisbane CBD is a heritage 1929 bank turned classic bar. Polished gin, whisky and Negronis service.
Signature drink: Negroni
Brooklyn Standard ★ 4.3
Brooklyn Standard on Eagle Lane in Brisbane CBD is the New York-inspired dive bar tucked in a CBD basement. Live music every night, American snack bar food.
Signature drink: Brooklyn Lager and bourbon
Boom Boom Room ★ 4.2
Boom Boom Room hides under the Lobby Bar of the Brisbane Marriott on Queen Street. Late-night speakeasy with shared cocktail pitchers and live music nights.
Signature drink: Boom Boom Punch
Street Food in CBD
Annamese Vietnamese ★ 4.2
Northern-Vietnamese takeaway in Brisbane Quarter. From the Ming Ming's Kitchen family. Pho noodle dry, banh mi, vermicelli plates, daily lunch deals.
Try: Northern Vietnamese street food, pho
Food Tours in CBD
Delectable Tours Brisbane ★ 4.3
Delectable Tours runs four-stop CBD walking tours into Brisbane's laneway food scene. Small group of eight, three hours, ends with cocktail and dessert canapes.
Local Sauce Brisbane by Night ★ 4.4
Local Sauce runs a private three-hour evening crawl across the CBD, South Bank, West End or Fortitude Valley. One drink and an entree are bundled in; the rest of the route is custom built around what the table wants.
Budget Eats in CBD
Taro's Ramen ★ 4.3
Taro Akimoto's CBD ramen room on Level 2 of 480 Queen Street pours tonkotsu, shoyu, shio and miso bowls A$20-22 with Bangalow pork bone broth.
Order: Tonkotsu ramen with Bangalow pork broth
Late-Night Eats in CBD
Death & Taxes ★ 4.5
Death & Taxes on Burnett Lane in Brisbane CBD runs until 1am as the laneway speakeasy off Adelaide Street. Cocktails and deep wine list, snack plates.
Brooklyn Standard ★ 4.3
Brooklyn Standard on Eagle Lane in Brisbane CBD runs to 2am as the New York-style dive bar. Live music every night, American snack-bar food and bar burgers.
Nightlife in CBD
Death & Taxes ★ 4.5
Death & Taxes on Burnett Lane in Brisbane CBD is the laneway speakeasy off Adelaide Street. Cocktails and deep wine list in intimate basement format.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 7pm Friday and Saturday to skip queues.
Brooklyn Standard ★ 4.3
Brooklyn Standard on Eagle Lane in Brisbane CBD is the New York-style basement dive bar. Live music every night, American snack-bar food and bar burgers until 2am.
Tip: No cover most nights; lineup posted on website weekly.