When you think of James Street in Fortitude Valley, you think of luscious trees lining the road, boujee boutiques as a special treat for the average human in a cozzie livs, and gorgeous cafes. But you know what else is worth checking out? The bustling restaurant scene.
Yep, good ol’ JS is home to a plethora of places serving up a feed worthy of notice—so it’s about time we noticed it. Here are the best James Street restaurants to add to your hit list.
Gerards’s Bistro
14/15 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Gerard’s Bistro is well established in the James Street eatery world, however (if you’ve been living under a rock since 2020) they’ve had a serious glow-up recently and have welcomed a new star head chef into the kitchen, Jimmy Richardson. Here you’ll dine on simple and traditional Lebanese-leaning dishes given a creative modern twist, surrounded by fresh, minimalist interiors that feel like an ancient Lebanese temple thanks to rammed earth walls. We highly recommend the bread and dip section of the menu—in particular the barbari bread with whey and oregano.
Fatcow
10 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Moving from Eagle Street Pier to the heart of this iconic street just a few months ago, Fatcow is the place to go for steak. Tuck into tender cuts of high-end beef (there are upwards of 16 different cuts to choose from–one of which is wrapped in edible gold leaf) and sip on the array of international wines and decadent cocktails from the solid marble bar. Menu highlights include live lobster with garlic butter, tagliatelle and white wine sauce, as well as a wagyu tasting experience to eat your way through. If you still can’t decide, Fatcow offers the best of both worlds with a steak and lobster combo.
The Green
27 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: The Green | Instagram
Lush Middle Eastern spot The Green serves breakfast, lunch and weekend dinners in a space adorned with plants and a rich pink interior. Their celebration of Lebanese cuisine comes alive on the plates coming out of the kitchen, with daytime dishes featuring shakshuka with Persian feta, lamb kofta with smoked aioli and chargrilled rib fillet with harissa bearnaise sauce. At their Friday and Saturday night dinner services you can dive into the likes of lamb shoulder, charcoal roasted fish and porchetta and their famous house made bread and dips. Be sure not to skip on their boutique wine selection and crafted cocktails and mocktails.
SK Steak & Oyster
48 James Street, Fortitude Valley
It’s not hard to work out what they serve at SK Steak and Oyster, but if you’re struggling we’ll give you a hint—it’s steak and oysters. Their steak options range from black angus to wagyu to kiwami, and all come with your choice of sauce—mushroom, pepper, bearnaise, red wine jus, gravy, and chimichurri. Who knew a slab of meat could be so versatile? Their seafood menu isn’t too bad either. With oysters (obviously), ora king salmon, whole lobsters, patagonian toothfish, and more up for grabs, it’s like a chef’s rendition of “Under the Sea”.
Hellenika
Level 1/48 James Street, Fortitude Valley
A total dining bucket list is this incredible James Street restaurant overlooking the open-air pool of classy boutique hotel, The Calile. Hellenika oozes a Euro-holiday atmosphere, more specifically that of the greek islands. The menu reads like an authentic Greek taverna (only with way more pizazz) with plates featuring King George whiting, orzo pasta with spanner crab, chargrilled lamb souvlakia and eggplant ragu moussaka. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, this spot is the jewel in the Fortitude Valley dining scene and most certainly requires a visit.
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ēmmē
3/22 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: ēmmē | Website
Opening just last year, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired ēmmē is undoubtedly looking like a new James Street fave. Set around a show-stopping open fire pit and drenched in natural light, the indoor tables allow you to watch the head chef work his magic dishing up plates of wood fired pita and Mooloolaba king prawn. Aside from lunch and dinner, early risers can tuck into morning dishes like French toast with whipped honey butter, and potato and eggs with cumin, fried garlic and chilli oil on sourdough.
Sushi Room
48 James Street, Fortitude Valley
One of STK Group’s four restaurants on James Street, Sushi Room stands at the base of the Calile–and stands proud. If the impressive array of sushi, sashimi, fried and grilled dishes lining the a la carte and set menus aren’t enough to draw you in, maybe the cocktails featuring ingredients like wasabi, yuzu and shiso will. The star of the show here is the omakase experience–curated by the chef from the freshest seasonal ingredients, you can indulge in 21 courses prepared directly in front of you.
Gemelli
15 James Street, Fortitude Valley
If you’re looking for Gemelli, just head to the ivy-clad building adorned in fairy lights. An Italian restaurant started by a pair of twins inspired by their nonna, this dark wooden wonderland serves up pizza and pasta like no other. The Roma pizza with fior di latte, 24-month prosciutto di parma, burrata cheese, and cracked pepper is a standout on the menu, as well as the handmade rigatoni ragu with 8 hour slow-cooked oxtail, pork shin ragu, and crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Add a glass of wine to the mix and you’ve got yourself an Italian feast.
sAme sAme
46 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: sAme sAme | Facebook
Cancel the trip to Thailand—just go to sAme sAme instead. Cooked in searing hot woks with burning coals, their dishes provide flavours you’d normally have to hop on a flight to taste. We’re talking wagyu beef cheek red curry with coconut and crispy potato, chargrilled short rib with pickled sweet potato vine and lime, and tofu pad see ew with gai lan, pickled chilli and, if you’re feeling like a splurge, crispy pork belly. Finish the meal with some warm tamarind pudding and condensed milk ice cream—not too shabby.
The Lodge
49 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Ever wanted to combine fashion and food? Well, fear not, The Lodge is here to make you finely dressed and finally full. New Zealand label Rodd & Gunn set up a James Street Queenslander to be every foodie fashionista's dream. Peruse the retail aisles, looking for that next LBD, and then chuck it on to head into the restaurant itself for some good vibes and good food. Awataru wild red deer with grilled beetroot and berries, anyone?
ESSA
181 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley
After a dark and moody (and slightly sexy) date night? Hit up ESSA. Deep emerald marble covers the bar and tabletops, and dark wood planks line the ceiling. But enough about the decor—it’s about the food here. You can’t tell us that you don’t hear the words “stracciatella cheese, braised fennel, orange and nasturtium leaves” and instantly become intrigued. And that’s not even the most interesting thing on the menu. The menu is ever-changing, but trust that you’ll find local produce heroed in incredibly creative ways.
Biànca
46 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Anyday | Website
When a restaurant uses the word “effervescence” to describe their vibe, you know you’re in for a classy night. Biànca brings the spirit of Italian dining to the Valley, making all of their pastas and bread in-house for an extra level of authenticity. Chow down on a Kingfish crudo with chill and lemon, some mafalde beef ragu with aged pecorino, and top the whole night off with a creme caramel with Amaro Averna prunes.
Carmen Tequileria
70 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Tequila—but make it classy. Say hello to Carmen Tequileria, where creative tequila-based cocktails replace your basic lime and salt tequila shots. To add to the appeal, the Mexican joint is committed to creating the most eco-friendly cocktails they possibly can, minimising waste, utilising garnishes, and using sustainable liquors. Their environmentalism is obvious in the menu too, with a multitude of mouthwatering vegan and vego options up for grabs, all served up in a Tulum-inspired space.
Harvey’s
4/31 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Designed to showcase Brisbane’s beautiful local produce, Harvey’s aims to provide customers with an unpretentious experience in their airy bistro surrounded by greenery. Their unique yet simple menu includes dishes like haloumi-crumbed chicken schnitzel with sweet potato, broccolini, pomegranate, za’atar and salted lemon, goat chevre and fig salad, and cold-smoked wagyu beef with green olives and balsamic onions. Support local produce, it’s what all the cool kids are doing.
Sunshine
39 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Sunshine | Facebook
Never mind the season, we all need a little bit of Sunshine in our lives—and this Mediterranean eatery sure brightens up our day. In a fun little twist, you pay by weight here. They rank their dishes by how heavy they are, so pile up your plate with whatever you want, weigh up your options—literally—and then gobble up your feast. The dishes are seasonal but include the likes of moussaka, stuffed tomatoes, and pastitsio. We don’t know about you, but our plates would weigh quite a few kilos.
If you need more options, zoom out from the James Street scene and check out:
Image credit: Gerard's Bistro | Facebook
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