Eat in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

Hellenika ★ 4.8

Hellenika sits poolside on the first floor of the Calile on James Street. Owner Simon Gloftis runs Brisbane's celebrated Greek room since 2018.

Signature: Whole grilled snapper, Lamb on the spit, Saganaki

Gerard's Bistro ★ 4.6

Gerard's Bistro is the long-running modern Middle Eastern room tucked into the James Street arcade. Sharing plates, wood-fired flatbreads, deep wine list.

Signature: Lamb shoulder, Fatteh, Wood-fired flatbreads

Biànca ★ 4.6

Biànca pulls modern Italian into Ada Lane off James Street. Same Same crew (Tyron Simon, Bianca Marchi, Frank Li); hand-cut pasta and wood-fired pies.

Signature: Hand-cut pasta, Wood-fired pizza, Seasonal antipasti

Tartufo ★ 4.2

Tartufo on Ann Street, Fortitude Valley runs Naples-trained Tony Percuoco's traditional Italian carte since 2010. Truffle pasta in season, wood-fired pies.

Signature: Tagliatelle al tartufo, Wood-fired pizza, Veal scaloppine

Hôntô ★ 4.7

Hôntô hides through a black door on Alden Street in Fortitude Valley. Moody basement izakaya, Same Same crew project, sake list to match small plates.

Signature: Otsumami small plates, Yakitori, Sashimi selection

Same Same ★ 4.5

Same Same opened on Ada Lane off James Street in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane in 2022. Tyron Simon and Bianca Marchi's modern Southeast Asian charcoal kitchen.

Signature: Charcoal-grilled small plates, Modern Thai-Vietnamese share plates, Sticky rice desserts

Sushi Room ★ 4.5

Yōkoso Sushi Room sits inside The Calile Hotel at 48 James Street. Head chef Shimpei Raikuni runs an a la carte sushi list plus dedicated omakase.

Signature: Omakase tasting, Sashimi platter, Nigiri selection

Sunshine ★ 4.1

Sunshine on James Street is the Hellenika and SK Steak crew all-vegetarian Mediterranean room. Customise-your-plate format and daily seasonal salads.

Signature: Mediterranean mezze, Build-your-own salad bowl, Wood-fired flatbreads

Rosmarino ★ 4.3

Rosmarino tucks into McLachlan Street in Fortitude Valley. Italian wine bar, house-made pasta, refined antipasti, deep regional list, neighbourhood corner.

Signature: House-made pasta, Refined antipasti, Italian regional wines

SK Steak & Oyster ★ 4.4

SK Steak & Oyster sits beneath the Calile on James Street, the steakhouse to Hellenika upstairs in Gloftis's St Albans group. Coffin Bay oysters, dry-aged.

Signature: Dry-aged steak, Coffin Bay oysters, Wagyu rump cap

Same Same ★ 4.7

Same Same opened on Ada Lane in Fortitude Valley in 2022. Tyron Simon and Bianca Marchi's modern Southeast Asian charcoal grill, sister of Honto and Agnes.

Signature: Charcoal small plates, Sticky rice, Thai-influenced share plates

Biànca ★ 4.7

Biànca brings modern Italian to Ada Lane off James Street, Fortitude Valley. Same Same crew project; hand-cut pasta, wood-fired pies, Italian regional wines.

Signature: Hand-cut pasta, Wood-fired pizza, Seasonal antipasti

Bisou Bisou ★ 4.5

Bisou Bisou is the all-day French brasserie inside Hotel X on Brunswick Street. Oyster and caviar bar, mussels, rotisserie chicken, steak frites.

Signature: Mussels frites, Rotisserie chicken, Steak frites

Hôntô ★ 4.8

Hôntô is the moody basement izakaya through a black door on Alden Street. Otsumami small plates, yakitori, deep sake list, open Mon-Sun late.

Signature: Otsumami small plates, Yakitori skewers, Sashimi selection

Tartufo ★ 4.2

Tartufo on Ann Street, Fortitude Valley runs Tony Percuoco's Naples-leaning Italian carte since 2010. Truffle pasta in season, wood-fired pies.

Signature: Tagliatelle al tartufo, Pizza Margherita, Veal scaloppine

Sunshine ★ 4.1

Sunshine on James Street is the Hellenika and SK Steak crew all-vegetarian Mediterranean room. Customise-your-plate format and daily seasonal salads.

Signature: Mediterranean mezze, Build-your-own salad plate, Wood-fired flatbreads

Rosmarino ★ 4.5

Rosmarino tucks into McLachlan Street in Fortitude Valley. Italian wine bar, house-made pasta, refined antipasti and deep regional Italian list.

Signature: House-made pasta, Refined antipasti, Italian by the glass

Bellissimo Coffee Roasters ★ 4.2

Bellissimo Coffee on Wandoo Street, Fortitude Valley has roasted since 2009. Italian-leaning espresso blends, training academy and equipment supply.

Rosmarino ★ 4.4

Rosmarino tucks into McLachlan Street in Fortitude Valley as an Italian wine bar. Deep regional list and house-made pasta in a neighbourhood format.

Wine focus: Italian regional wines and seasonal natural pours

Same Same ★ 4.6

Same Same on Ada Lane off James Street pairs a shortlisted wine and sake list with modern Southeast Asian charcoal grilling. Tyron Simon's project.

Wine focus: Curated Asian-friendly wine list and sake pairing

Hellenika ★ 4.5

Hellenika at The Calile Hotel on James Street, Fortitude Valley keeps a top Australian Greek cellar. Pair Assyrtiko with whole snapper or saganaki poolside.

Wine focus: Greek and Mediterranean wines, deep Assyrtiko list

Savile Row ★ 4.5

Savile Row on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley is the dark-panelled speakeasy from the Death & Taxes team. Hidden entry and vintage spirit selection.

Signature drink: Boulevardier

Cloudland ★ 4.2

Cloudland on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley is the dramatic indoor-rainforest multi-room bar. Tropical cocktails and retractable rainforest roof.

Signature drink: Tropical garden cocktail

James St Cooking School ★ 4.0

James Street precinct's purpose-built kitchen above the markets. 3 hour hands-on or 2 hour demonstration classes in teams of four, run since 2014.

Ben's Burgers ★ 4.4

Ben's Burgers off Winn Lane in Fortitude Valley runs a A$20 burger, fries and Burleigh schooner meal-deal. Three lunch options, house-made patties.

Order: BB Classic with fries and a Burleigh schooner

Hôntô ★ 4.5

Hôntô hides through an unmarked black door on Alden Street in Fortitude Valley. Moody basement Japanese izakaya, Same Same crew project and deep sake list.

Why locals love it: Hidden basement izakaya through an unmarked black door on Alden Street, no signage from the road

Savile Row ★ 4.0

Savile Row hides on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley as the dark-panelled speakeasy from the Death & Taxes team. Hidden entry and vintage spirit selection.

Why locals love it: Ann Street speakeasy with a hidden entry, no street signage and quiet upper-floor location

Hôntô ★ 4.6

Hôntô on Alden Street in Fortitude Valley runs the moody basement izakaya through to midnight. Otsumami plates, yakitori and deep sake list to last orders.

Savile Row ★ 4.5

Savile Row on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley runs to 1am as the dark-panelled speakeasy by the Death & Taxes team. Hidden entry, vintage spirits.

Cloudland ★ 4.2

Cloudland on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley runs to 3am as the indoor-rainforest multi-room bar. Tropical cocktails, late pizza, retractable roof.

Eleven Rooftop Bar ★ 4.4

Eleven Rooftop on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley is the highest rooftop bar in Brisbane at the top of the Emporium Hotel. Pool, cocktails and CBD views.

Tip: Book a poolside daybed for weekend afternoons. Dress code enforced after 8pm.

Savile Row ★ 4.5

Savile Row on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley is the dark-panelled speakeasy by the Death & Taxes team. Hidden entry and vintage spirits, intimate booth.

Tip: Find the unmarked entry around the side; ring the bell. Phone bookings strongly recommended.