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Layla restaurant in Brisbane.

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Brisbane’s most exciting restaurant, cafe and bar openings of the year so far

From a crack CBD Cantonese eatery and low-key James Street gem to the local debut of a heavyweight Melbourne chef, these are the new venues to tick off as we head into the second half of 2025.

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Summit Restaurant has reopened, now under the stewardship of Mantle Group.
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The Summit restaurant has reopened. Is it any good?

  • Matt Shea
Dark Blue opened last month in a laneway Valley spot.

Dark Red, one of the Valley’s best bars, welcomes heritage-listed sister venue, Dark Blue

  • Matt Shea
Donnie’s is bringing NYC-inspired pizza to Teneriffe.

Donnie’s brings legit NYC-style pizza to Teneriffe

  • Matt Shea
Penelope (at night, at least) hides in plain sight on James Street.

Flash supper club and bistro Penelope hides in plain sight on James Street

  • Matt Shea
Classic rooftop club Birdees is now a salubrious beer garden, bar and eateyr.

Storied club Birdees reborn as beer garden and eatery The Beaumont

  • Matt Shea
Matt Okine and Dan Wilson at their newly opened LPO wine store in Tarragindi.

Comedian Matt Okine opens wine bar LPO in a former post office in Tarragindi

  • Matt Shea
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Shane Delia’s newly opened Layla in West End.

Shane Delia’s Layla wows with a new take on Middle Eastern food

  • Matt Shea
Goros’ interiors pop with colour and decorations.

The Valley welcomes Sydney import Goros, a 500-person izakaya and karaoke bar

  • Matt Shea
DAP & Co’s regular collaborator has given the restaurant a sumptuous modern design.

The Fifty Six in the CBD is an early chance for 2025’s best restaurant opening

  • Matt Shea
Stilts opened last week on Kangaroo Point Bridge.

Kangaroo Point Bridge’s crown jewel, Stilts, is a restaurant fit for Brisbane

  • Matt Shea
Mulga Bill’s is open daily from 6am until late.

... and is joined by all-day eatery Mulga Bill’s

  • Matt Shea
Rise Bakery has opened in Newstead.

Rise Bakery moves into former Mica space in Breakfast Creek

  • Matt Shea
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Walkway to Ceylon serves Sri Lankan street food and crab curry in Brisbane’s south

  • Matt Shea
The Commercial Hotel still looks much the same from the street, but there have been plenty of changes under the hood.

One of Brisbane’s best restaurant groups takes on an iconic pub in Boonah

  • Matt Shea