A Sydney restaurant is heading north, with NOMAD set to open its first Queensland venue on James Street in Fortitude Valley in 2026.
Read: End of the Road for Gerard’s Bistro on James Street
The restaurant will take over the former Gerard’s Bistro site, bringing NOMAD’s produce-led, fire-based cooking to the James Street address.
For NOMAD, the Brisbane opening marks its first Queensland venue. The restaurant began in Sydney in 2013 before expanding to Melbourne, where it has continued its focus on locally sourced produce and cooking with flame and smoke.
The James Street location also gives the restaurant a direct connection to a well-known chapter of Brisbane’s food scene. Gerard’s operated from the site for 14 years before closing on July 4, 2026.
NOMAD said it plans to retain elements of the site’s history while creating a restaurant with its own identity. “We can’t wait to create a NOMAD that reflects Brisbane’s incredible dining culture and Queensland’s world-class produce,” the restaurant says on its Brisbane website.
The new venue will draw on the approach already established at NOMAD’s Sydney and Melbourne restaurants, where menus are influenced by Spain, Morocco and the Middle East and built around produce and fire.
The Brisbane restaurant will adapt that approach to its Queensland setting. Local produce will be central to the menu, with the city’s climate also influencing the style of the food. Lighter and fresher dishes are expected, although the exact Brisbane menu has not yet been released.
Behind the kitchen will be Edition Group Culinary Director Michael Greenlaw, working alongside NOMAD Melbourne Head Chef Jeremy Swann.
Several members of the existing NOMAD and edition Group teams will also make the move north. Long-time NOMAD Melbourne team member Robbie Pyke-Marcou will relocate to Brisbane as venue manager, while Group Bar Manager Felix Woods will oversee the drinks program alongside sommelier Steve Senturk.
The design will retain elements of the site’s history. Jarod Webb, founder of J.AR Office, will lead the design after previously working on Gerard’s refurbishment. The new venue will retain the site’s distinctive rammed-earth walls while other aspects of the space are transformed for NOMAD.
Edition Group launched NOMAD in Sydney before expanding its hospitality portfolio across Sydney and Melbourne. Its venues include NOMAD Melbourne, Reine & La Rue and Privé, while the group also took stewardship of Melbourne restaurant Florentino.
For James Street, the arrival marks a new chapter for the site after Gerard’s 14-year tenure. The Brisbane venue will retain NOMAD’s established approach to food while incorporating Queensland produce and influences.
Read: Southside Team Opens New Hong Kong-Inspired Restaurant ‘Central’ in Brisbane CBD
Further details about the menu, drinks program and design are due to be announced in the coming months. NOMAD Brisbane is expected to open before Christmas 2026, with the exact opening date yet to be announced.
Published 4-September-2026
