Welcome to Sidecar No Sugar, a weekly Boothby newsletter about Brisbane bars and the people, work and creativity that grounds it. (You can sign up to get it in your inbox each week, right here.) This week, I look at the bars that have opened in 2025, and what it says about Brisbane drinking right now.
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As the year plays its closing song, it’s only appropriate to look back on Brisbane’s bar and drink scene. I think this has been one of the shortest perceived years, universally – wasn’t Christmas three months ago? Did we have a winter? Since when did they re-pave Charlotte Street?
When time feels like a mere construct, we forget about the venues that did, in fact, only open this year. This is in some ways a good thing – bars that settle into the hospitality and cultural landscape with ease are usually here to stay. Simultaneously, a hospitality business’s first year (or five) is the toughest – so show support where you can and don’t complain about the prices.
This year, we saw the opening of bars with stronger identities. Operators doubled down on defining their concepts with thoughtful drink programs, contextual service and stylish glassware. We were even treated to first-of-its-kind (in Brisbane) concepts like a champagne bar, and very soon, an internationally-renowned American cocktail bar. We also had moments of revival like the return of music-centred bars (a mere bandaid on the closure of The Zoo last year), more committed, thematic cocktail menus in restaurant bars, and a glance into more agave thanks to a 30 percent increase in Mexican restaurants.
In restaurants – which had an arguably less newsworthy year – the people running the show are finally paying more attention to the cocktail and spirit list and making sure they are contextually and aesthetically on theme. At Marlowe, the cocktails all involve Australian produce – wattle, saltbush, lemon myrtle – to match fine dining dishes loosely inspired by nostalgic Australian suppers. The Fifty Six, Dap & Co’s Cantonese restaurant, has a similarly-committed cocktail offering with Chinese ingredients relevant to their cause: a black goji berry gin sour, roast duck-fat washed Manhattan, a green tea vodka fizz with aloe vera soda. The cocktail menu at Clarence in Fish Lane is listed around the food menu with illustrations of their Martini (neutral evil), Pickleback (chaotic evil), Peach & Bourbon Iced Tea (lawful good) and a highball called Mr Clean (lawful neutral?). These cocktails are physically listed so close to the food – a coincidence? No such thing – this subtle change in restaurant culture means you can, and in some cases are encouraged, to drink cocktails with your meal. And at Anyday group’s Golden Avenue, the cocktails are linear and fruit-forward (see: Peach Slushy) for pairing with simple dishes like dips and bread and grilled meats.
Brisbane is a city yet to have many firsts but we definitely ticked some off this year. We had our first proper Japanese small bar, +81 with Tony Huang at the helm, neo cocktails and freakish attention to detail in tow. Then, Brisbane’s first champagne bar Winnifred’s – where 15,000 bottles, 360 cuvées and 63 growers live – two-storeys, alfresco seating, full food menu. Very soon, we’ll also have our first-ever American export, the cult-favourite Death and Co, opening under the Regatta Hotel where Walrus Club once was.
One complaint I often hear (and share) about Brisbane hospitality is the lack of suburban venues. There are virtually no bars outside of a 5km radius from the CBD and in order to mature as a city (in time to be Olympics-worthy), independent restaurants and bars with considered food, drinks and service must be deployed in the suburbs. Fortunately, it’s trickling down: Tarragindi’s first wine shop (or wine anything), LPO, is pouring rare and interesting natural wines; and newly opened Ruby’s Wine Shop in Albion and Wild Legs in Newstead are both small neighbourhood spots that champion Queensland producers. Now, we just need a few bars to pour the wines and bistros to make food to pair.
And music-centred bars are having a minute comeback — and thank god, I will be sick if I have to listen to any more Jungle. Pete Hollands’s newest rum and tequila bar Shaman is “named after the 2002 album by Santana and, although another Santana album adorns the walls, Hollands is clear Shaman is ‘not a Santana-themed bar,’” writes Brisbane food and drink writer Kit Kriewaldt. Though music is not the primary driving force, it informs the feel, ethos and drinks – relaxed and uncomplicated. Whereas at The Alligator Club, a New Orleans-style live music bar, it’s about the sound and who’s playing what. Drinks come secondary but you can still order an indie classic cocktail or a solid glass of wine.
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