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New And Upcoming Restaurants In Fortitude Valley

The latter half of 2022 is an exciting time for Fortitude Valley, with new restaurant openings, well-known chefs, and revamped hospitality venues. Here’s some of the latest foodie news dropping in the Valley.

Read: Jubilee Place to Welcome New Rooftop Dining Venue

Supernormal to Land on Queen Street

Supernormal Fortitude Valley — Photo credit: Supernormal/Facebook

Melbourne-based chef and restaurateur Andrew McConnell will bring his Asian-inspired cuisine to Brisbane next year, delighting fans of his signature lobster roll, chicken dumplings, and slow-cooked lamb.

The restaurant, which will be able to accommodate up to 120 guests, will feature an alfresco and private dining, designed by Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of Sydney’s ACME.

Supernormal will open at Cbu Property’s residential tower at 443 Queen St in Fortitude Valley in the summer of 2023. It will operate seven days a week for all-day dining, lunch and dinner.

Alfred & Constance New Mexican Bar And Eatery

Alfred & Constance Fortitude Valley — Photo credit: alfredandconstance.com.au

Alfred & Constance is now under new management and undergoing minor renovations. Diners can look forward to the addition of Lime Mexican, a casual dining spot for all classic Mexican snacks, such as tacos, quesadillas, and nachos.

Aside from ordering a snack, you can pop in for a drink or settle in with their menu, designed for sharing among friends. They have delicious Mexican cervezas, aside from spicy margaritas, red, white, and sparkling wines, and a selection of tequilas.

Komeyui — A Taste of Japan in Fortitude Valley

Komeyui Fortitude Valley — Photo credit: Komeyui Restaurant/Facebook

Melbourne’s Japanese restaurant Komeyui, best known for its sushi, is coming to Spring Hill before Christmas.

Owned by Chef Motomu Kumano, the restaurant will use rice imported from Japan and fish sourced from Victoria and Tasmania for their high-grade sushi.

Other menu items to look forward to include white-fish-stuffed zucchini flower with tapioca pearl and ankake and for dessert, red bean sticky rice with matcha jelly and azuki cream.

Works are already underway at the site, located on the ground floor of the former Federal Police building on Wharf St, with interiors to be designed by Sue Coles of Melbourne design firm Baenziger Coles.

The GPO Hotel Returns to Fortitude Valley

After closing in 2020 because of the pandemic, popular nightlife spot GPO Hotel is getting a new lease on life, with a $7-million renovation currently underway.

Works for GPO Hotel, located at 740 Ann St, include high-end bars, kitchens, toilets, and dining areas.

Gold Coast hospitality group Artesian Hospitality, the team behind the Cali Beach Club in Surfers Paradise, signed a 25-year lease on the historic building and the two adjoining buildings on site.

Read: Queens Wharf Development to Include Velo Cafe, a Hub for Cyclists

Artesian Hospitality announced plans to put multiple venues within the building to establish it as a precinct. The group, however, has remained tight-lipped when asked if it would reopen as a late-night club.

The hospitality group is aiming for a late 2022 or early 2023 reopening.

Published 30-Sept-2024

Concerns Raised Over Possible Tree Removals to Make Way for New Turbot St Office Tower

Residents and heritage supporters have raised concerns over plans for a new office tower development on Turbot St which may impact as many as 25 trees along two of Brisbane’s oldest parks.

The tower is a $670-million project that secured approval for DA A005799854 in March 2022, allowing the developer, Mirvac, to build a world-class workplace precinct that will transform the former site of the University of Queensland dental school.

The heritage-listed site was recently used as a famous TV set for the crime drama “Harrow.”

The Spring Hill Community Group said that the developer lodged another application, DA A006046802, for a minor change of use on the Turbot St development in June 2022, citing a possible filling and excavation that could impact 25 trees on Wickham Park and King Edward Park which are within the development parameters.

Turbot St Office Tower — Photo Credit: DA A005799854

Concerns have also been raised that the planned work might also affect a heritage stone wall if a path through the parks is permitted.

Council has asked the developer to submit a Vegetation Management Plan in early September to clarify its intention for the path, which will be for car park access.

Turbot St Mirvac Tower — *Photo Credit: DA A005799854*

The Turbot St office tower will integrate the old dental school building into 66,000 square metres of office space. The site includes a 6.000-square metre open space, 169 car parks, and 745 bicycle parking bays.

“We expect a building of this quality, in this unique CBD location, together with the opportunity for large floor plates, to attract a high calibre of tenants,” Brett Draffen, Mirvac’s Chief Investment Officer, said.

“The building will also benefit from significant government investment in local infrastructure including Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro and Brisbane Live.”

Jubilee Place to Welcome New Rooftop Dining Venue

Photo Credit: Jubilee Place / jubileeplace.com.au

Ready for a new dining experience against a backdrop of city views? This rooftop venue is ready to set foot at the new Jubilee Place in Fortitude Valley later in the year.

The team behind Evita Restaurant & Bar and Mina Italian is showing no signs of stopping. Fresh from the opening of Lina Rooftop, they are yet again opening another dining venue. This time, atop Fortitude Valley’s luxurious Jubilee Place on St Paul’s Terrace.

Soko will be set on a lush, greenery-filled rooftop venue and will serve a mouth-watering combination of Peruvian and Japanese-inspired dishes guaranteed to satisfy the palate of 500 diners.

Jubilee Place rooftop — Photo Credit: Jubilee Place / jubileeplace.com.au

Whilst the full menu is yet to be revealed, expect ceviche, traditional lomito al jugo, yakitori and sashimi, plus grade nine wagyu with yuzu kosho to be part of what’s on offer. These delectable dishes will be prepared by Soko Rooftop’s specialist chefs.

Drinks that will be on offer include specially curated wine and sake with 40 flavours of pisco sours filling up the cocktail menu.

And as if the amazing views from the top are not enough, the venue will also be treating its patrons with some Latin music, dancers and bongo players to complement the food and drinks.

Soko Rooftop will be taking residence on the 14th floor of Jubilee Place at 470 St Paul’s Terrace, Fortitude Valley beginning early November 2022. Hours of operation will be from 11 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday (Lunch); 5 pm to late, Wednesday to Friday (Dinner) and from noon to late on weekends.

Jubilee Place at 470 St Paul’s Terrace, Fortitude Valley

QUT Scientist to Lead New Research Against Viruses Like COVID-19 and Monkeypox

Photo Credit: Queensland University of Technology (QUT) / qut.edu.au

A QUT scientist will lead a team of researchers that will investigate a new method to prevent the spread of emerging viruses such as COVID-19 and Monkeypox.

QUT’s Dr Nathan Boase, a polymer chemist who researches nanomedicines, is the chief investigator of the two-year project whose specific aim is to develop a “stop-gap” therapeutic that will buy scientists some time to develop a vaccine.

The team will attempt to target the membrane that envelopes the virus and disrupt it so that the virus won’t be able to merge with the human cells.

“This project is the first step towards the development of broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutics that can be stockpiled, at low cost, and rapidly deployed to fill the gap between the emergence of a new viral disease and the development of an effective vaccine,” Dr Boase said.

“These new therapies are needed to protect civilian populations and to maintain operational preparedness of military forces.”

Discovery Award Grant

The project will initially focus on providing proof of concept. It will be funded by a $US200,000 Discovery Award grant from the U.S. Department of Defense under its Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.

Dr Boase will be working with QUT’s Centre for Materials Science and School of Chemistry and Physics, Professor Kathryn Fairfull-Smith, Professor Leonie Barner, and Dr Kirsty Short from the University of Queensland.

Dr Boase said he learned about the U.S. Department of Defense funding program – which is granted each year to research projects such as those in areas of combating emerging viral diseases – during the 2020 lockdown. It was then that he thought of pivoting his efforts and helping in the fight against these diseases.

"The current emergence of Monkeypox highlights the need for these rapid therapeutics.” — “The current emergence of Monkeypox highlights the need for these rapid therapeutics.” | Photo Credit: Fusion Medical Animation / Unsplash

“When a new virus emerges like COVID did, we are woefully underprepared to protect ourselves from it. Even with rapid development it still took 11 months to develop a vaccine for COVID,” furthers Dr Boase..

“With thousands of mammalian viruses not yet discovered and a continued push to globalisation, the unfortunate reality is that future viral pandemics are inevitable. The current emergence of Monkeypox, as we are only just recovering from the COVID pandemic, highlights the need for these rapid therapeutics.

“We need to have broad-spectrum therapeutics on hand that can reduce disease severity, irrelevant of viral strain, in the interim until a vaccine can be produced.

He explained that whilst the vaccine targets the virus, its aim is to target the casing that surrounds all these types of viruses. They hope to achieve this by synthesising new polymers to bind to virus casings and then investigating which of these polymers are the “most effective at weakening those casings.”

With the two-year research, the team hopes to produce preliminary findings that will attract more funding from medical grants.

“We want this initial project to produce the fundamental new scientific knowledge that will allow for the eventual development of a clinical therapeutic that can aid in the defence against emerging viral diseases,” Professor Leonie Barner explained.

Leading Brisbane Organisations Fund New Research On E-scooter Injuries

Two leading organisations in Brisbane have teamed up to fund new trauma research that aims to curb e-scooter related injuries, benefiting riders in the Safe Nights Precincts that include Fortitude Valley and South Brisbane, where there have been several incidents of e-scooter mishaps.

Read: Police Launches Crackdown On E-scooter Riders In CBD, Fortitude Valley

The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Foundation and RACQ will donate a combined $200,000 to support the two-year study, led by researchers from Jamieson Trauma Institute (JTI) in collaboration with major Hospital Emergency Departments, including RBWH.

RBWH Foundation CEO Simone Garske said this valuable and timely research offers significant potential to improve the safety of e-mobility both in Queensland and around the world, as the number of e-mobility injuries increases.

Jamieson Trauma Institute is one of the top institutes in injury surveillance research and they have already been advising government-level strategies on electronic personal mobility devices or e-PMD injuries.

JTI found in their latest analysis that males accounted for 63 percent of all e-scooter injuries with those aged 25-34 years the most common age group followed by 18–24-year-olds at 28 percent.

Dr Gary Mitchell, Emergency Department Staff Specialist at RBWH, added that the majority of ED presentations occur on weekends, with Friday the most common weekday.

David Carter, CEO at RACQ said the findings would be used to shape policy and regulatory responses and better educate Queenslanders on how to be safe on e-mobility devices.

e-scooters user — Photo credit: Norma Mortenson/Pexels

“This research will give us a thorough understanding on how many people are ending up in hospital emergency departments with e-mobility related injuries and will allow us to better understand injury patterns, severity, circumstances, and treatment outcomes,” Mr Carter said.

Earlier this year, police launched a blitz on e-scooter riders in the CBD and Fortitude Valley, targeting those who ride in a dangerous manner, such as those who are overspeeding, using a mobile phone, carrying passengers or not wearing a helmet.

The State Government has also rolled out an education campaign which focuses on the safety of riders, such as the proper use of helmets, how to overtake pedestrians, and how to park e-scooters.

Whodunnit? Play Detective and Solve a Murder at this Fortitude Valley Church

Almost everybody loves a good murder-mystery game. Put your detective hat on and try Fever’s murder-mystery experience at the heritage-listed High Church in Fortitude Valley.

Read: QUT Scientist to Lead Research Against Viruses Like COVID-19 and Monkeypox

Murder Mystery: Wedding Murder is an interactive murder mystery game, where players solve clues and use their detective skills to get to the bottom of the case and unmask the true murderer.

For this Fever original, the story revolves around Jasmine Portia, the sole heir of the Lancasters, Brisbane’s most influential family. After postponements, her wedding is about to take place. Aside from the most intimate family members and friends, Brisbane’s elite and the Lancaster’s business partners are in attendance.

Whilst the guests are waiting for Jasmine Portia to walk down the aisle, a corpse has been found. This is when your job as the detective starts–inspect the venue, interrogate suspects, and find clues to crack the murder mystery.

It can be experienced individually, but also with friends and family, with group admission good for a minimum of 10 people.

If you wouldn’t want to miss this event, get your tickets before the event ends on 27 October 2022. It takes place every Thursday and Friday at 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., with each session lasting an hour and a half.

Please note that guests must be 10 years old or older and anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Go to Feverup’s website to get your ticket or to learn more about Murder Mystery: Wedding Murder in Brisbane.

Queens Wharf Development to Include Velo Cafe, a Hub for Cyclists

Did you know that the Queens Wharf development will include Velo Cafe, a hub for cyclists to change or grab some food and drinks before they head to their next destinations?

The two-storey venue found close to the Bicentennial Bikeway will also be a pitstop area for runners, as well as pedestrians and tourists visiting Queens Wharf who may want to grab a quick bite.

However, Velo Cafe will be specifically designed with cyclists in mind as it will include changing rooms and showers that will entice more people to get around Brisbane’s inner cities on bicycles. The area by the foreshore will be featured with “transformational landscaping works” that will activate an often underused riverside area.

“The establishment of the new Velo Café on one of Queensland’s busiest bike ways is warmly welcomed by bike riders,” Bicycle Queensland CEO Rebecca Randazzo said.

“We can’t overlook the obvious synergy of the café facilities. For many Brisbane bike riders, coffee and riding go together like Disney and happily ever after.”

Velo Cafe, as well as the transformational public space, is expected to be completed in 2023.

Meanwhile, work on the Riverside Expressway that connects to the Bicentennial Bikeway has been ongoing since May 2022. As such, a temporary bikeway diversion has been opened on the Bicentennial Bikeway for pedestrians and active transport users. Cyclists and electric scooters are expected to observe reduced speed limits.

Temporary bridge structures in three sections along the route were also installed along with lighting, directional signage, mirrors and hoarding along the bikeway.

Velo Cafe — Photo Credit: Queens Wharf Brisbane

The 12-month project is expected to deliver The Landing, a beautiful and safe public space, where future recreational events like outdoor food, art and lighting festivals will soon take place.

Got Big Ideas For Fortitude Valley for Brisbane 2032? Here’s How You Can Share Them!

Here’s an idea. An elevated open space and active transport link within Fortitude Valley, which will provide a broader connection loop from Victoria Park through to New Farm, to be built in time for the Brisbane 2032 Games? Find out how you can support this idea or share your own.

Read: Mass Closure at Eagle St Pier As Waterfront Brisbane Redevelopment Looms

Luke Micali, a senior landscape architect at Vee Design in collaboration with Mike Jones put forward this concept at the ‘Inner Spark,’ a Council initiative where locals are invited to share their big ideas and help shape the future of the inner city in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Dubbed as “LeBron Link,” the elevated open space will provide a broader connection loop from Victoria Park through to New Farm, ultimately connecting major destinations and green space and providing much-needed equitable green space.

A lot the good projects in the city, such as Howard Smith Wharves, the Green Bridge program, and Queen’s Wharf once came from big ideas from locals.

Other Futuristic Ideas

Tessa Leggo of Fred St suggested ‘The Block Park,’ where all streets bounded by Stanley, Wellington, Ipswich and Balaclava, will feature parkland style streetscape and car travel is local only.

brisbane 2032 — Photo credit: Brisbane City Council

Architects at FORM suggested ‘Frog’s Hollow Civic Space,’ a new civic space on the corner of Albert and Mary streets that provides a green focus opposite the new Cross River Rail Station and further reinforces the green spine between the City Botanic Gardens and Roma Street Parklands.

inner spark — Photo credit: Brisbane City Council

Business South Bank put forward a ‘City-wide Bougainvillea Path,’ a wayfinding device that helps links all of the significant places in Brisbane.

“Extend the South Bank Bougainvillea arbour to not only create a welcoming, safe, subtropical trail that promotes and encourages walking throughout the inner city but provides a beautiful and iconic backdrop for the city,” Business South Bank wrote.

Share Your Ideas!

What would you like Brisbane to look like, and beyond? Get your creativity flowing and share your big ideas with the community or vote from among the ones submitted by other residents.

You can share your big ideas for Brisbane under seven themes:

Welcoming – Create more to see and do, promote access and inclusion
Connected – Improve the cycle network, enhance river connections, upgrade public transport, improve connections to inner city green space
Animated – Stage iconic events, deliver creative lighting, grow the visitor economy
Beautiful – Green our city, create walkable streets, activate small spaces
Future focused – Facilitate growth, plan our Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy, elevate our global city
Green – Clean, green, sustainable, carbon positive
Resilient – Ability to respond, adapt and rebuild to challenging conditions

To learn more about the Inner Spark project or to submit your own idealis, visit Brisbane City Council’s website or phone Council on 07 3403 8888.

Mass Closure at Eagle St Pier As Waterfront Brisbane Redevelopment Looms

July has seen Brisbane bid farewell to some of the most popular restaurants and bars in its dining scene, as a handful of restaurants and bars at the Eagle St Pier serve their last customers and contemplate what’s next.

Coppa, City Winery, Sake, Fatcow Steak & Lobster, and Naga Thai served their final orders Saturday, 16 July, whilst The Coffee Club, Mr and Mrs G, Rico Bar & Dining, and The Bavarian’s last call for orders was on Sunday, 17 July.

Guzman y Gomez, The Kookaburra Queen, George’s Paragon, and Grill’d have already shut their doors a few weeks ahead.

Jade Buddha and Shadow Lounge, which have been on the pier for 18 years, will continue to operate for now, with their closure dates still being finalised. Jade Buddha’s Phil Hogan said they have yet to receive a proper closure order from Dexus.

Though devastated about the mass closure of such a piece of prime real estate, many of the owners and operators on Eagle St Pier are moving on to other plans, whilst also anticipating the revitalisation of the precinct.

Tom Sanceau of Coppa is weighing on either opening a new restaurant at a nearby location or finding opportunities in London.

Naga Thai’s Andrew Baturo is also checking out new spaces to open by 2023 but he is hopeful to come back to Eagle St Pier, which will be part of a new $2.1-billion redevelopment. Baturo believes that the upcoming world-class entertainment precinct is just what Brisbane needs.

Mr and Mrs G’s Chris Higgins, Liam McMahon and chef Adrian Richardson are moving onto BOS, their new restaurant in the CBD. BOS is tentatively set to open in October.

From Eagle St Pier to Waterfront Brisbane

For over 30 years, restaurants have come and gone at Eagle St Pier, which boasts of a fantastic view of the river from the Story Bridge. In 2015, Dexus the precinct with a plan to redevelop the site into Waterfront Brisbane with more spaces for dining spots.

The project will also include two office towers and generous public space, as well as a new Riverwalk for pedestrians and cyclists, which will open in 2024. One of the office towers is projected for completion in 2026.

Nonetheless, these restaurateurs are grateful to have been given the opportunity to establish their businesses or build their hospitality careers on the pier.

Sushi Room Opens At The Calile Hotel On James St

Did you know that Sushi Room, a Japanese fine-dining restaurant, is now part of the thriving dining scene at James Street in Fortitude Valley?

Read: Rodd & Gunn Opens New Flagship Restaurant in Fortitude Valley

Located on the ground floor of The Calile Hotel, Sushi Room focuses on traditional ways of preparing Japanese dishes, using simple ingredients yet sophisticated ideas.

Simon Gloftis and co-owners Theo Kampolis and Kelvin Andrews, who’s also behind Hellenika and SK Steak & Oyster, enlisted Head Chef Shimpei Raikuni to execute their idea of presenting dishes using ‘fresh and high-quality ingredients.’

Sushi Room, which positioned itself as ‘nuanced, harmonious, considered’ serves sushi and sashimi sets, tempura, sushi roll, and wanmono/sainomono (soup-based dishes).

Fans of nigiri can find a lot of options here, with selections like caviar (France), sake king salmon (New Zealand), and Japan’s very own uni sea urchin and Kagoshima wagyu sirloin.

Photo credit: Ricardo Russon/Google Maps

The 60-seater minimalist dining room, featuring retro-inspired decor was designed by Richards & Spence, who is known for their works at The Calile on Ada Lane and Fish Lane.

Guests who come for the booze can find some Japanese-inspired cocktails, carefully curated selection of Sake, wines, and whiskies to go with their sashimi and sushi.

Learn more about Sushi Room’s offering by visit them at The Calilie Hotel along James St. Guests are encouraged to book through their website.