The Best Places to Eat in Brisbane City: A Chef’s Guide

In 2022, while working at Brisbane’s GOMA Restaurant, Yorkshire-born Matt Blackwell met Dan Arnold, an established figure in the city’s dining scene, and the two chefs bonded over a shared love of robust flavours and music. When Arnold found an interesting New York loft-style space in George Street in 2023, Blackwell came on board as chef and together they opened Pneuma, which has a contemporary menu of English, European and Asian influences. These are Blackwell’s favourite spots to eat and drink in Brisbane’s CBD.

Coffee Iconic for a long black

“These guys are located just downstairs from Pneuma and are great to have as neighbours – we all get our morning coffee there. They serve blends from roaster Coffee Supreme and excellent Asian-influenced brunch dishes, including sambal chicken fried rice. The courtyard is like a little secret garden.”

Death & Taxes for a whisky cocktail

“We regularly visit this dimly lit city bar for knock-off drinks. It’s open into the early hours and has a great whisky collection, including bottles from Japan. I like anything by Suntory, maybe a Yamazaki or Hibiki. I normally order a cocktail – a Sazerac or Whiskey Sour – or a dram on the rocks.”

Southside for truffle prawn toast

“This Asian-influenced three-level restaurant, just over the Victoria Bridge on the other side of the river, is built into the space under the rail line. It’s cool on a summer Sunday afternoon for cocktails and shared dishes. I always get truffle prawn toast and the lobster and prawn har gow dumplings are good, too.”

Taro’s Ramen for spicy tonkotsu

“I end up at this chain’s little Queen Street outpost every couple of weeks when I get a craving – it serves the best ramen in town. My go-to order is the fire tonkotsu with extra chashu pork belly, kimchi and egg, finished with red chilli oil. Everything’s made in-house in small batches to keep the quality high.”

Exhibition for fine dining

“This modern Australian fine-diner offers an omakase-style experience to only 24 guests at a time. Chef and owner Tim Scott is committed to serving benchmark seafood and meat, including Wagyu, in a constantly changing range of dishes. They have some awesome pre-dinner cocktails and great drinks matches, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.”