The 8 Best Restaurants in Brisbane (2026)

Updated November 2026 · 8 picks

The best restaurants in Brisbane in 2026 are Agnes and Essa in Fortitude Valley for wood-fired cooking, Exhibition in the CBD for an intimate set menu, Pilloni in West End for Sardinian food, Stanley at Howard Smith Wharves for Cantonese by the river, and Hellenika at The Calile for Greek.

Brisbane's best restaurants cluster in Fortitude Valley and the James Street precinct, the CBD and along the river at Howard Smith Wharves, with West End and South Brisbane across the water. Many top places close on Sundays and Mondays or open for dinner only, so check days before you go and book for Friday and Saturday nights. For a drink first, see the best things to do in Brisbane.

1. Agnes — Fortitude Valley

Brisbane's most celebrated restaurant, cooking everything over fire.

$$$$ Splurge

Agnes cooks without gas or electricity: an open kitchen of charcoal pits and a wood-fired oven, fuelled by woods such as ironbark, apple, cherry and olive. The menu changes with the seasons and leans on Queensland produce.

Order from the à la carte menu or put yourself in the kitchen's hands with a set menu.

Good to know: Book weeks ahead for weekend dinners, or try for a bar seat.

22 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Google Maps Website

2. Essa — Fortitude Valley

A wood-fired, produce-led restaurant near James Street.

$$$$ Splurge

Essa cooks over wood with produce from Queensland farmers, hunters and suppliers, on a menu that changes with what's being harvested. The room is relaxed and intimate, with an extensive wine list.

It opens for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, with lunch on Friday and Sunday.

Good to know: Sunday lunch is the most relaxed time to go.

181 Robertson St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Google Maps Website

3. Exhibition — Brisbane CBD

An intimate CBD dining room for a special-occasion dinner.

$$$$ Splurge

Exhibition is a small, ambitious restaurant on Edward Street that features on the national best-restaurant lists. It opens for dinner Tuesday to Saturday.

Its size makes it personal, and it suits a celebration where the food is the event.

Good to know: Book well ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday.

109 Edward St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

Google Maps Website

4. Pilloni — West End

Sardinian food, handmade pasta and wood-fired cooking in West End.

$$$ Upmarket

Pilloni brings the food of Sardinia to Hardgrave Road, with handmade pasta, fresh seafood and dishes from the wood-fired oven, using local produce.

It's warmer and more casual than the CBD fine diners, and great for a group sharing several pastas.

Good to know: Share a few pastas across the table; that's where Pilloni shines.

166 Hardgrave Rd, West End QLD 4101

Google Maps Website

5. Stanley — Howard Smith Wharves

Cantonese on the river under the Story Bridge.

$$$ Upmarket

Stanley serves Cantonese food made for sharing, using mostly local produce, in a riverside setting at Howard Smith Wharves. It has been one of the city's favourite places for a big group dinner since 2019.

Order a spread of dishes for the table and finish with a walk along the wharves.

Good to know: Ask for a table with a river view when you book.

Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

Google Maps Website

6. Hellenika at The Calile — Fortitude Valley

Greek food by the pool at Brisbane's most stylish hotel.

$$$ Upmarket

Hellenika serves Greek food on the first floor of The Calile Hotel, beside the hotel's palm-fringed pool. Expect grilled seafood and meats, dips and salads to share, in a bright, holiday-feeling room.

It suits long lunches and groups, and it opens from breakfast until late.

Good to know: Book a lunch table by the pool on a sunny weekend.

Level 1, The Calile Hotel, 48 James St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Google Maps Website

7. Donna Chang — Brisbane CBD

Modern Chinese in a grand heritage-listed former bank.

$$$ Upmarket

Donna Chang serves modern Chinese food, blending Cantonese and Sichuan cooking, in a heritage-listed former bank on George Street. The high ceilings and dramatic lighting make it a striking room.

Order dumplings, dim sum and a few larger dishes to share.

Good to know: Good for a group celebration; ask about banquet menus.

171 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

Google Maps Website

8. OTTO Brisbane — Brisbane CBD

Polished Italian with river views from a CBD rooftop.

$$$$ Splurge

OTTO, the Sydney Italian institution's Brisbane outpost, sits high in a Queen Street tower with views over the river and Story Bridge. Pasta, seafood and a long Italian wine list are the draw.

It is a reliable choice for business lunches and celebration dinners.

Good to know: Ask for a window table for the river view at sunset.

Level 4, 480 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

What is the best restaurant in Brisbane?

Agnes in Fortitude Valley is the most widely praised, a restaurant that cooks entirely over wood and charcoal. Essa, Exhibition and Pilloni are also among the city's most acclaimed.

Where is the best area to eat in Brisbane?

Fortitude Valley, especially around James Street, has the highest concentration of good restaurants. Howard Smith Wharves, under the Story Bridge, has riverside dining, and West End has a relaxed, multicultural strip on Hardgrave Road and Boundary Street.

Do I need to book restaurants in Brisbane?

For the places on this list, yes, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Most take online bookings, and some hold a few seats at the bar for walk-ins.

Where can I eat with a river view in Brisbane?

Stanley and the other restaurants at Howard Smith Wharves sit on the river under the Story Bridge, and Otto looks over the river from the top of a CBD tower.

Are Brisbane restaurants open on Mondays?

Many of the best are not. Several close on Sunday night and Monday, so plan your big dinner for later in the week.

1. Agnes — Fortitude Valley

2. Essa — Fortitude Valley

3. Exhibition — Brisbane CBD

4. Pilloni — West End

5. Stanley — Howard Smith Wharves

6. Hellenika at The Calile — Fortitude Valley

7. Donna Chang — Brisbane CBD

8. OTTO Brisbane — Brisbane CBD

Frequently asked questions

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