Damn if West End/Kurilpa isn’t a foxy suburb. Every free nook seems to be crammed with some such delight and it feels like there’s something new on every corner. With such a glut of choice it can be heckin' difficult to sort out the really stellar joints so we decided to cast a discerning eye on the general mélange of feasteries that comprise the West End sprawl.
The results are in and here is OB真人视讯's definitive guide to the best restaurants in West End. Whether you feel like Japanese, Greek, Italian, Mexican or even vegetarian, this buzzing 'burb has you covered—find whatever it is you're craving below.
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Bird’s Nest
2 Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane
Everyone seems to have their own way of doing chicken but when it comes to coal-grilled skewers Bird’s Nest’s is the only name in the game. As Brisbane’s premier yakitori spot, they’ve set a benchmark for the tastiest chicken going, and flaunt some of the most creative uses of the bird we’ve ever seen. We highly recommend swinging by for a bincho grilled don rice bowl for lunch.
Gum Bistro
237 Boundary Street, West End
“Spring afternoons, dappled sunlight, and a beaut dining room”—has there ever been a more beguiling self-description? This West End dining room does lunch, snacks and dinner with a flair of fun often lost in ‘serious’ restaurants’. If you want to talk menu, ’s starts with a pride-inducing credit list of all of their local providers. Naturally, the menu changes with the seasons but you can expect hyper local products, global references, and ridiculously beautiful, considered plating. The wine list comes in both extended and short form with bottles sourced from all corners of the world from Gippsland to Sicily. You’ll also find a selection of non-alcoholic drink options too.
August
19 Dornoch Terrace, West End
West End’s August is a stately synthesis of vaulted, high ceilings, polished wooden floors, and stained glass windows. If you’re thinking that sounds like a church, you’d be right. August, the newest venture of owners Brad Cooper and Matilda Riek (both ex-Florence and Bar Francine) has dropped roots firmly in the space of an 136-year-old heritage listed church on Dornoch Terrace.
Here, Cooper and Riek have painstakingly brought their vision to life with a venue and space that pays homage to European flavour principles. The mud crab omelette Arnold Bennett—prepared in the signature Savoy Hotel way—is a crowd favourite for good reason. As is the foie gras stuffed chicken crown and the picture perfect Wagyu carpaccio. Swing by on a Sunday for their iconic Sunday lunch with a unique menu each week.
Mama Taco
4/59 Hardgrave Road, West End
Image credit: Mama Taco | Larissa Drazic
Knock back tacos and tequila flights at Mama Taco, an authentic homage to Mexican cuisine. Everything from the tortilla to the mole madre is made from scratch on-site, so you’re guaranteed maximum flavour payoff. Wash it all down with a marg (or just a flight of mezcal) and you’ve had the perfect night out.
Pilloni
166 Hardgrave Road, West End
You’ve had plenty of Italian—but have you had Sardinian fare? That’s just what new West End restaurant Pilloni (from the team behind La Lupa) is all about, served up in warm and homely interiors. You can start your meal in the cosy bar, sipping a cocktail made with Sardinian spirits, then head to your table for a wood-fired feast, with seafood and meat aplenty to choose from. The potato culurgiones are a must-order, as is the grilled octopus.
Rich & Rare
97 Boundary Street, West End
If it’s a juicy steak you’re looking for in West End, Rich & Rare is where to find one. Situated on the edge of West Village, this upscale spot is just what the ‘burb was missing, and boasts a sleek cocktail bar inside as well as a leafy outdoor dining area hidden from the street by a jungle of greenery. The entire menu here revolves around the grill, from the woodfired beets with goat’s curd, hummus, and black garlic purèe to the lengthy list of Wagyu steak options.
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Cordeaux Social Club
462 Montague Road, West End
Image credit: Cordeaux Social Club | Instagram
Part cafe, part wine bar, part restaurant, gives off 'that cool friend' vibes—it's relaxed and homely, sitting in a breezy old corner building, but also has that edgy, vintage West End feel, that makes you want to sip on a pet nat while wearing a faded (but authentic) band t-shirt. Their evening menu is an ecclectic mix of snacks and larger plates, with everything from whipped botarga with hand cut fries to charcoal butter chicken on the line up. The wine list obviously leans heavily toward small batch producers and there's a few cocktails to sample as well.
Lefkas Taverna
170 Hardgrave Road, West End
West End is where you'll find more than a few of Brisbane's best Greek restaurants, and lording it over them all is , a friendly, neighbourhood spot that's packed to the rafters every weekend. You can't go wrong with anything from the traditional menu here, so settle in for an evening of char-grilled mussels, boards of dips to share, and entirely too many felafels. If such a thing exists.
Ippin
Level 2/97 Boundary Street, West End
Ippin is the answer to all of your fancy Japanese cravings. Starchy tablecloths and top-tier service await you here, as does the surprisingly refreshing view of the teeming garden below. Park up in one of the sleek booths and work your way through the impressive menu—think expertly made nigiri, sashimi, sushi and be sure not to miss out on the charcoal grill menu. Signature cocktails like the Umami Apple with Haku Vodka, fresh apple juice and umami concentrate absolutely steal the show in the best way.
Yamas Greek
45 Mollison Street, West End
Image credit: Yamas Greek | Facebook
This glam spot is decked out in terrazzo tables, rust-coloured seating and rose marble benches, with circular booths for larger groups. Fitting in with those giant booths, the Yamas Greek menu is of course all about sharing. Start things off with warm pita bread with dips and mezze like halloumi chips, flash fried calamari and of course, gooey saganaki. Larger plates include rich moussaka, braised beef pasta and the extravagant dry aged t-bone, or there’s lamb and chicken from the souvla menu.
El Torito
146 Boundary Street, West End
For authentic homemade Mexican cuisine, you’ll want to dip your chip in delicious menu. This fave West End restaurant has been around for as long as we can remember, so you know it's good. The decor is simple, the fajitas are sizzling and the combos are seriously good value.
LiLong
2/79 Boundary Street, West End
Somehow managing to make a quiet, shopping village tenancy look for all the world like a Shanghai laneway, featuring neon signs and tiled tables, is all about Shanghainese street food. With multiple venues in Sydney, they’ve perfected the art of dumplings, noodles, soup and other classic Chinese dishes, which you order using a paper order form to ensure nothing is lost in translation. Take a crew so you can load up the table with endless choices.
La Lupa
3/321 Montague Road, West End
Image credit: La Lupa | Instagram
Inspired by central Italian cuisine, La Lupa is a Roman-style pizzeria-cum-modern Italian restaurant offering an epic natural wine selection to accompany. Begin with their seasonal starters like roasted Roman artichokes with ricotta and bottarga or burrata with asparagus, yolk, pistachio, vincotto before moving on to their classic pizzas and pastas (with a few unexpected twists).
Little Red Dumpling
5/61 Hardgrave Road, West End
If you're a dumpling fan, no doubt you know all about —they've got venues all across Brisbane. At the funky West End venue, you can devour a plate of your favourite steamed dumplings drenched in Mr Zhong’s secret sauce before finishing up with an adorable piggy bun that’s almost too cute to eat. Almost.
Little Greek Taverna
1 Browning Street, West End
Remeber we said West End is good at Greek food? Well Little Greek Taverna is another spot to hit if you're looking for a hearty feed in a relaxed setting that's perfect for people watching. This beloved spot offers your favourite, fresh, Greek fare like tender lamb souvlaki, succulent chicken tiros and perfectly cooked seafood, like tender octopus, prawns and garlic scallops served with crisp salads.
Bar Francine
29A Vulture Street, West End
Image credit: Bar Francine | Ranyhyn Laine
With its cottage setting, salvaged furniture and mismatched plates, Bar Francine feels like your cool friend’s place—if they happened to have a well-stocked bar and a creative menu of pescetarian eats. The kind of spot where you’ll stop in with the intention of having one drink and walking out three hours later after two bottles of wine and a dozen snacks, it’s a welcome addition to the West End restaurant scene from the team behind South Brisbane’s El Planta.
Vela
2/97 Boundary Street, West End
This modern Thai spot is an absolute stunner, and the giant moon hanging over the bar is just the icing on the cake. When you've finished gaping at Vela's interiors, you can kick things off with a show stopping cocktail from the drinks list before diving into eats like frangrant chicken curry, raw beef tartare with a Thai twist, crab fried rice and pad see ew crispy pork with rolled noodles.
Caravanserai
1 Dornoch Terrace, West End
For a relaxed family feel, check out and dive straight into their spiced Turkish meatballs or prawn and mussel pilaf. If you’re feeling extra hungry, the deluxe sultan’s banquet is quite literally fit for a king. Feast your way through four courses of Ottoman meze, a selection of mains to share, Turkish lemonade, baklava, fig mousse and Turkish delight. Sign. Us. Up.
Looking for more restaurants around West End? Head here:
- The Best Restaurants In South Bank
- The Best Restaurants In Brisbane's CBD
- The Best Restaurants In Woolloongabba
Image credit: Bird's Nest | Studio Blackardt for Lowry Group
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