After close to a decade of planning and construction, Queen’s Wharf and its star resident, The Star Brisbane, is finally open. Whether you enter via the soaring Neville Bonner Bridge spanning the river in front of it, or through the stunning concourse from the CBD side, there's no doubt this is one of Brisbane's most impressive precincts—and we're only in the first stage of a multi-phase opening, with plenty more to come.
While not everything inside is open yet, plenty of public spaces and venues are, which means we can all finally get a peek inside the mammoth development. Currently, areas you are able to visit include the viewing platform on Sky Deck, Miller Park, and the Neville Bonner Bridge linking Queen’s Wharf to South Bank, while venues that are open include The Star Casino's Sports Bar, Livewire, Food Quarter, the reimagined Fat Noodle by celebrity chef Luke Nguyen, Japanese stand-out Sokyo, cocktail bar Cherry and sky high rooftop bar Cicada Blu.
The Star Grand Hotel is already welcoming guests, and other venues such as those along The Terrace and on the Sky Deck will open progressively throughout the following months. That's just the beginning though—once it's finally complete, Queen's Wharf Brisbane will be home to dozens of new cafes, bars and restaurants, three world-class hotels, luxury retailers, public spaces and of course, the new casino, The Star Brisbane. If you haven't been able to keep up on all the announcements, here's everything coming to Queen's Wharf Brisbane.
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Now Open
Sokyo
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
A sophisticated Japanese restaurant now call's The Star Brisbane home. Sokyo, which you may know as a standout dining experience at The Star in Sydney, has come our way, bringing its signature innovative Japanese fare with it. Even better, it's being headed up by Executive Chef Alex Yu, who spent eight years at Sokyo Sydney followed by two at Yugen Melbourne. Famed for his floral sashimi platters, Yu is dishing up a cutting-edge dining experience at Sokyo Brisbane, so book yourself in now.
Fat Noodle
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
Brisbane staple Fat Noodle has made the move over to the new development, bringing celeb chef Luke Nguyen's iconic South East Asian flavours to a brand new setting. Of course that famed pho is on the menu, but we hear there are plenty of reasons to get reaquainted with the familiar spot, which is welcoming walk-ins only.
Cherry
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
The Star's signature cocktail bar Cherry, companion to the Sydney and Gold Coast venues of the same name, has come our way, pouring creative cocktails in a stunning, sophisticated setting, perfect for post-dinner drinks and more.
LiveWire
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
Taking its name from Treasury Brisbane's iconic LiveWire 24/7 Sports Bar, the new LiveWire is dedicated to live entertainment, showcasing a lineup of local music and comedy acts (there's also a slick Sports Bar alongside it, if you're wondering where you'll catch all the games). Bonus, the sleek space also boasts panoramic river views, an expansive dancefloor and comfy lounges when you're ready to rehydrate with a cocktail or two.
Cicada Blu
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
Taking out the title of highest rooftop bar in Brisbane, is located 100 metres up on the Sky Deck—and the views are unmatched. Centred around an eye-catching lighting installation inspired by cloud formations that lights up the venue as the sun sets, the open-air bar also features a retractable roof to add to the night time ambiance. On the menu you'll find a list of botanical-imbued cocktails and bar snacks, perfect to get you through to dinner, or just help you destress from your work week.
Black Hide Steak & Seafood
Image credit: Black Hide | Supplied
The first restaurant to open on The Star Brisbane’s much anticipated The Terrace, Black Hide Steak & Seafood By Gambaro has used the opportunity of moving over from their former home inside Treasury Brisbane to reinvent their entire experience, with a stunning new look and menu. Boasting a fresh new Mediterranean feel, you can now dine on incredible seafood as well well as their signature steaks, with the likes of king fish crudo and cheesy lobster mornay joining iconic dishes like their signature meatbals and steak tartare.
Babblers
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
Joining Cicadu Blu on Sky Deck is Babblers, Brisbane’s new go-to for all-day dining, with a menu that kicks off from 7am for breakfast in the sky and continues right through until the evening with dinner until late. While you can head along for local produced-inspired dishes like K’gari spanner crab omelettes and heirloom tomato salad with pickled cucumber, sourdough croutons, salsa verde and basil, the best part is the entire menu dedicated to flat breads and pizza sandos, all of which is served up with a stellar view.
Aloria
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
The last venue to open on the Sky Deck, completing the trio, will be Aloria, and we have an official opening date. Now taking booking from 30 October, this rooftop spot will be all about Queesland dry-aged beef and seafood, plus plenty of locally sourced, seasonal produce, all cooked up on the grill or over a wood fire. Executive Chef Shayne Mansfield, who oversees all three Sky Deck venues, has already dropped some menu dishes to get excited for, including Fraser Island spanner crab crumpets with finger lime and brown butter, and a dry-aged beef Bistecca, which you can pair with sips from the 12-page wine list or dedicated martini menu. Keen? Book yourself in .
Azteca
Image credit: Azteca | Supplied
Also now taking booking for their impending opening on 18 October is Azteca, a Latin America-inspired venue coming to us from the team behind Line Rooftop, Soko Rooftop, Carmen Tequileria and Claw BBQ. Located on The Terrace, Azteca will boast water features built into its walls, endless greenery, mosaic tiles and Aztec artwork throughout, with a secret private dining room to discover and other hidden features to explore. Head chef Zac Sykes, ex-Merivale and Rockpool, has designed a menu that fuses Latin American and Asian flavours, which will be complemented by an extensive cocktail list. Stay tuned for more when we get a peek inside..
Dark Shepherd
Image credit: Dark Shepherd | Supplied
The Queen’s Wharf restaurant line up is starting to look like a who’s who of Brisbane’s hospitality scene, with Tassis Group the latest crew to announce they’ll be opening a venue in the mammoth precinct. will be a lamb-focused Mediterranean restaurant on The Terrace, and the eighth restaurant in the Tassis portfolio, which also includes Longwang, Fat Cow, Massimo, Opa, Yamas, Fosh and Rich & Rare. With dark and moody interiors featuring plenty of marble, black furnishings and spacious circular booths, Dark Shepherd will be dishing up classic Greek and broader Mediterranean feeds cooked over a wood-fired grill, emphasising exceptional produce, clever cooking techniques and punchy flavours. It’s opening later in 2024, stay tuned for more details soon.
Pompette
Image credit: Pompette | Supplied
Not content with opening just one new venue inside Queen’s Wharf, the Tassis Group is opening two, with French-inspired Pompette set to join Dark Shepherd on The Terrace as of September this year. The champagne bar and restaurant will dish up modern interpretations of traditional French dishes in a stunning, Parisian-inspired space complete with a leafy alfresco area and three private dining rooms. Perched at the end of the Neville Bonner bridge, Pompette will also boast spectacular river views, making it the perfect spot for an afternoon drink before moving your attention to eats like steak au poivre, escargot, steak tartare, souffle and more. Stay tuned for a look inside when they open, or follow along for updates .
Lúc Lắc
Image credit: Lúc Lắc | Supplied
Ghanem Group, the Brisbane-based family-owned hospitality group behind iconic venues like Donna Chang, Boom Boom Room and Iris, have just announced that they will be joining the Queen’s Wharf line up with Lúc Lắc, a tropical-chic Indochine-inspired restaurant and bar. Set to open in September this year, Lúc Lắc will be dishing up flavours inspired by Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore in a lush, indoor-outdoor setting with a maximalist aesthetic that throws together floral fabrics, animal prints, dining booths and a stunning jade onyx stone bar at the centre of it all. Executive Chef Jake Nicolson is curating a menu of feeds that includes kampot peppered beef with betel leaf and lemongrass and Vietnamese-style baby goat yellow curry, while cocktails will be Asian-inspired and come with a side of theatrics.
Cucina Regina
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
Cucina Regina will be an authentic Italian dining experience fit for royalty. Located on the Terrace, a riverfront strip directly in front of the Neville Bonner Pedestrian Bridge, Cucina Regina will take its cues from the popular Cucina Vivo on the Gold Coast and Cucina Porto in Sydney. Dishing up elevated Italian fare, the 160-seater space will feature a mix of indoor and outdoor dining spaces, where you can enjoy a negroni over a woodfired pizza or homemade pasta, and flag down a dessert trolley for a sweet finish to your meal.
Spaces And More
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
The open-air green spaces behind the massive precinct will provide areas for moonlight cinemas, pop-up markets and other outdoor events, with luxe shopping options onsite for when you win big at the casino. The entire precinct will also encompass seven heritage listed buildings across several blocks, all the way down to The Treasury Building, with plans for everything from a microbrewery and speakeasy bar to a cooking school and aboriginal art gallery in the works for the spaces once they are restored.
Luxury Hotels
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied
While 's own luxe five-star hotel, The Star Grand, has already started welcoming guests, it will be even more enticing for a staycation come summer, when its infinity pools and spa join the line up of amenities. But that's not all—three more hotels are planned for the precinct, with The Ritz-Carlton, the Dorsett and the Rosewood all set to bring serious luxury to the city.
We’ll keep you posted when we know more about what’s coming to the precinct, but you can also stay up to date and get all the latest construction news on .
Meanwhile, have you seen what else is heading for Brisbane soon?
Image credit: The Star Brisbane | Supplied