Eat in CBD, Brisbane

Donna Chang ★ 4.7

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

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

John Mills Himself ★ 4.8

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 ★ 4.6

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 ★ 4.3

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

Strauss FD ★ 4.8

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 ★ 4.5

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 ★ 4.0

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.

Death & Taxes ★ 4.7

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

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

Annamese Vietnamese ★ 4.1

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

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.

Local Sauce Brisbane by Night ★ 4.4

Local Sauce runs a private three-hour evening crawl across CBD, South Bank, West End or Fortitude Valley with one drink and an entree included.

Secret Food Tours Brisbane ★ 4.4

Secret Food Tours runs a three-hour Brisbane walking tour through hidden CBD stops with local food and wine pairings, capped at twelve guests for an intimate group dinner pace.

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

John Mills Himself ★ 4.4

John Mills Himself hides in a laneway off Charlotte Street in Brisbane CBD. Heritage 1873 printer building, espresso bar by day, gin bar by night.

Why locals love it: Hidden in a CBD laneway off Charlotte Street with no street sign, easily walked past unless you know the address

Death & Taxes ★ 4.3

Death & Taxes hides on Burnett Lane in the Brisbane CBD as the laneway speakeasy off Adelaide Street. Cocktails, deep wine list, intimate basement format.

Why locals love it: Speakeasy hidden in Burnett Lane off Adelaide Street, deliberately unmarked entry behind a regular door

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.

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.

Tip: No cover most nights; lineup posted on website weekly.