Your guide to exploring Fish Lane 

19 JANUARY 2023

Stretching from South Brisbane to West End, Fish Lane is a vibrant destination housing some of Brisbane's best restaurants, bars and cafes. Perfectly situated in the middle of Brisbane’s cultural hub near Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Fish Lane Arts Precinct also offers an array of amazing publicly accessible art.

With new venues regularly opening, Fish Lane continues to grow and attract food lovers from across Brisbane and beyond. Take a stroll and plan your next visit here with our guide to Fish Lane’s tantalising tenants. 

Bar Brutus

Embracing the intimate laneway bar trend, Bar Brutus is a sibling venue to the ever-popular Julius Pizzeria. There’s room at the bar for about a dozen cocktail sippers with bar seating and tables just outside. Looking for a new tipple? Check out its dedicated spritz menu. 

Big Roddy's

With smoky racks of ribs, sweet potato fries and poutine topped with crispy bacon, Big Roddy’s Rippin’ Rib Shack will transport you deep into the American South, making it the perfect place to indulge in an American feast.

Butler Wine Bar

Butler has the charm and cosiness of a neighbourhood wine bar with a broad appeal that draws wine connoisseurs from across Brisbane. Butler is rooted in European bar tradition with a modern Australian outlook, stocking independent and unusual wines from across the globe. What the talented kitchen team can whip up in Butler’s tiny, open kitchen is a wonder to behold. 

El Planta 

This plant-based Mexican eatery will take your taste buds on an adventure, serving up vegan twists on Mexican classics including tacos and tostadas. Wash everything down with an icy beer, glass of wine or something from the tempting margarita menu.  

Gelato Messina  

This national favourite has an amazing range of gelato waiting to be sampled – 40 flavours plus a handful of themed specials each month. Gelato Messina focuses on ‘real ingredient’ integration from white chocolate with real hazelnuts to milk chocolate gelato with pieces of chewy fudge. It also churns out plenty of vegan and dairy-free options.

Grassfed

This hole-in-the-wall hot spot staked its claim as Brisbane’s first dedicated plant-based burger joint and its popularity just keeps growing among vegans and carnivores alike. Grassfed serves stacked burgers packed with vEEF and chick’n patties or pulled jackfruit, as well as curly fries, cauliflower nuggets, vegan ice cream and shakes. 

Hello Please

With a heavy focus on retro tunes, good vibes and shared dining, the menu at Hello Please is full of fun and flavour. This modern Vietnamese restaurant is perfect for a quick meal before a show or a feast of flavours shared between friends and family.

A fried dish on the table with a cocktail in the background at Hello Please.

Hello Please, Fish Lane

Julius

Serving up wood-fired pizzas, authentic Italian pasta and fresh seasonal specials, you can recognise Julius from the queue of people snaking down Fish Lane, waiting for a spot at its tables! This Italian icon’s location at the Grey Street end of Fish Lane makes it a great pick for dining before or after a visit to QAGOMA or QPAC.

Kiki

Kiki bar and café offers a sophisticated and peaceful escape from the busy surrounding streets. Sharing courtyard space with Southside’s neighbour and sibling venue, Kiki serves coffee, cool drinks and banh mi by day; cocktails, wine and bar snacks by night. 

La Lune Wine Co

Sample a slice of Parisian luxury! La Lune Wine Co is a European-inspired wine bar, dedicated to stylish inventive dining that champions Australian ingredients. With a strong focus on amazing wines and a seasonal menu, La Lune is the perfect destination to indulge your inner wine connoisseur.

Maeve Wine Bar

Overlooking Melbourne St in a beautiful Heritage-listed building, Maeve is a haven for food and wine lovers. Radiating elegance with its focus on European and Australian wines as well as a continental-inspired menu, Maeve invites you to be transported into a world of fine wine and amazing food. 

Maker

Tucked away at the Grey St end of Fish Lane, step into this tiny bar with a big reputation for unique, seasonal cocktails, handmade with flair. Pair Maker’s bespoke cocktails with goodies from the charcuterie cabinet for an unforgettable experience. 

Southside

Dine on delectable East-Asian cuisine at this urban oasis of greenery and exposed red brick. Southside offers indoor seating over two light-filled dining areas, spilling out into the lush courtyard. Its menu is created to highlight fresh, local ingredients including seasonal produce and locally sourced seafood. 

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Next Episode

Hidden behind a barbershop facade, pick up the phone and punch in the secret code to enter a world of creative cocktails and rotating craft beer taps. The tunes are retro hip-hop, the drinks are delicious and the NYC-inspired interior is not-to-be-missed!

Saccharomyces Beer Café

This bunker-style beer haven offers 10 rotating taps of craft brews and a selection of bar food to complement its lagers, ales, stouts and more. Don’t miss its jam-packed trivia nights and beer-matching dinners.

A bar area in Saccharomyces and fridges full of beers and blackboard menu and some wines on the shelf.
Saccharomyces, Fish Lane

Keep wandering to West End

Keep wandering down Fish Lane and you’ll eventually hit West End. Here celebrity chef Ben O’Donohue’s Billykart pulls a crowd morning and night (do try his Aussie Asian eggs).

Head to Bird’s Nest for Japanese beers and yakitori skewers, Little Greek Taverna for a cheap and cheerful BYO meal and Gunshop Café for some of Brisbane’s favourite breakfast dishes.

West Village is also a gastronomic paradise with contemporary Greek restaurant Yamas alongside Italian Street Kitchen and Picnic Café and Betty’s Burgers lining up next to Ichiban Sushi, Kurtosh, Anita Gelato, Cheeky Poke Bar and Beirut Bazaar

Keep wandering down Boundary St to find more cheap eats, microbreweries, cocktail bars, pubs and live music venues. Read our guide to eating and drinking in West End here.

James Street Fortitude Valley Restaurant Dining