Discovered this place a few months ago and went again yesterday…read more They have an excellent homemade fig loaf served with maple butter!! Very decadent and can even be shared if you aren't feeling too greedy. The coffee is yummy and service is excellent. The moment you signal that you're ready to order (sailing a little flag on the boat which decorates the table) the waiters swoop in. It's nice because you aren't heckled or bothered like in the USA. When you are ready to order, the mast goes up and the service comes running. The restaurant is pretty loud because of the concrete floors, so I try to avoid it on the weekends or grab a table outside if at all possible. The gyros are delicious, I recommend the chicken and the vegetarian. Cheap, generous and tasty- Mediterranean done well.

Ambrosia & Co is a bit of an oasis on busy Oxford Street. This Mediterranean cafe-come bar-come…read moregrill has a minimalist aesthetic of whites and powder blues with distinctly nautical leanings that calms the soul. We visited early one weekday morning for a lazy breakfast at the new kid on the block. I selected from a large menu which unfortunately didn't identify which dishes were gluten free. The staff were very happy to help however, and advised all of the breads could be substituted with gluten free versions so I could satisfy my toasted sandwich cravings. I opted for the Truffled Cheese Toastie with gruyere cheese and truffled salsa. It was presented on a wooden board with fresh greens and red onion to help liven it up. My beverage was aptly named "Sunshine" and contained a mixture of pineapple, orange, apple and strawberry. All up I paid $22.50 for my breakfast and was happy with the serving size and quality of everything. It was fairly quiet at that point with most of Bulimba at work, but I can imagine it getting busier on weekends or Friday afternoons for after-work drinks and food. My toastie was golden and crunchy and the truffle filling was gorgeously decadent when paired with the copious amounts of gruyere. Surprisingly I ate all of the greens and found they helped avoid getting overwhelmed with the big flavours on my plate. The juice was fresh with just the right balance between the fruits and was definitely filling for what I paid. Service was friendly and accommodating and the food arrived quickly. As we were paying our bill I noticed an array of baked goods in the front cabinet with some interesting looking gluten-free options. I think I can see at least one other visit to Ambrosia & Co in my future..

Nicey but pricey! This is a lovely venue, the service was…read morevery attentive and we thought that the food was delicious - beautifully presented and cooked well. I just felt that $35 was steep for 1.5 octopus tentacles!

If you are within an hour of this restaurant and you haven't been, you have yet to experience true…read morejoy. Every menu item is made with love and has an authentic, rustic feel that is reminiscent of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern culture. The staff are inviting, attentive and have a warm familiarity that sets their guests at ease. The worst thing about coming here is that I can only eat so much and I always want to try a new menu item whilst longing to revisit old favourites. Each meal is quite sizable, so a single main is often plenty. Olive Thyme consistently offers MORE. More flavour. More food. More joy. Always a good week when I've eaten at Olive Thyme.

If you're looking for a place to test your patience, practice mindfulness, or age gracefully while…read morewaiting for your food, Mecca Bah is the spot! We arrived full of hope and left full of... well, nothing, because after two hours our food was still making its spiritual pilgrimage from the kitchen. Drinks took 30 minutes to arrive, which gave us plenty of time to reflect on life's big questions, like will I ever see my water glass filled? (Spoiler: No.) At one point, I started to believe the waitstaff were part of an elaborate social experiment to see how long humans can survive on sheer willpower. But hey, at least we left with one thing--dehydration and a newfound appreciation for fast food. Would I recommend it? Only if you bring a tent and some emergency rations. 1/5 stars, and that's being generous.

The "dietary menu" has some great vegan and gluten-free options. Great cocktails as well. The new…read morelocation by Gasworks is nice! Their pizzas are unique and delicious.

Vibrant funky restaurant with great staff and service. We…read morehad sharing dishes with vibe leaves, barramundi and fried spinach and burgher balls. Great flavours. Very enjoyable

Been here several times during my stay in Brisbane and have decided my original 4 should be…read moreupgraded to 5. It is true that the food has not always excited us, but is great as river side venue where it's good people watching and enjoying the sunset. The tunes are pretty decent also. However, Byblos truly stands out as cocktail bar with many unique creations on offer. The bar tenders are fun and produce consistently excellent drinks. To ensure maximum enjoyment of said cocktails, it's best to go for Sunday afternoon happy hour from 3-7. Cocktails $10; beer/wine $5.

The Turkish bread was fantastic, paired perfectly with the beetroot dip and baba ganoush. I'll…read moredefinitely be back on my next visit to Brisbane.

Having just watched a movie we were keen to grab something to eat across the road. This restaurant…read morehad only recently opened so we though to give it a try. The wait staff saw us but continued to do other things and ignore us making us approach them to ask for a seat. We sat down at at a side table after being told we couldn't sit where we wanted because there was a large group coming later. After we all had sat down and we're discussing what we wanted they had the audacity to ask us to move to another cramped table at the front. We left and won't go back. Sure we didn't have the food but even 5 mins of terrible service was enough for us.

Stopped in for lunch with a coworker. The smell of lamb roasting when passing by every day was too…read moremuch to take so we had to stop in. One whiff, and you'll be hooked. This restaurant is full service so walk in and pick a spot. There is seating outside as well. It is a little pricey for lunch, but if you get a souvlaki, that's likely all you will need. There are paper menus as well as menus posted on the wall in case you are getting take away. A souvlaki is a wrap made of pita bread, with your choice of meat (lamb/chicken), mustard mayo, parsley, and chips! It's a hearty meal in your hand! The tang of that mustard is just perfect with the rich, savory meat. You can also purchase a full roasted lamb shoulder to take home which is great for 2 people. Just call ahead first so they can make sure they have enough as there is a limited number per day. Every Tuesday night (currently), they have a special for a $10 souvlaki with a $5 beer. Can't beat that!

Really good modern spin on traditional Greek dishes like pita gyros with chips. And with amazing…read moremustard mayo like the one you traditionally only find in Thessaloniki's gyros shops. Excellent!

Walking through the front door of Vageli's café and bar is just like stepping into the…read moreMediterranean. Wrought iron sculptures decorate the walls and grape vines hang from the ceiling. The restaurant is open and bright with soft colours, the atmosphere is pleasant. Full table service is provided by the friendly staff and you are able to dine indoors or alfresco. My favourite dish is the Cheese Saganaki, a delicate slice of grilled haloumi cheese which is served with fresh tzatziki dip, warm pita bread and a fresh garden salad. I love the squeak of the haloumi cheese and the added tang from a drizzle of lemon juice. The prices are very reasonable and you can pay cash or card. If you are heading to Vageli's for breakfast on the weekend it is best to book ahead - they are famous for the breakfast menu and have won the 'Best Breakfast Restaurant in Brisbane Award' four years running!

Ok I'm going to be honest here; I'm a bit of a breakfast snob. I like my eggs poached and I like to…read morebe surprised with a unique ingredient (even if it's something simple like marinated mushrooms, slow-cooked tomatoes, home-made baked beans; whatever). Finding a saucer of tomato sauce on my plate is a not-so-nice surprise and instantly rings alarm bells; if it needs sauce then the ingredients mustn't carry enough flavour within themselves. Also, I'm not so much of a fan of a full breakfast which looks and tastes like something anyone can make at home. Sadly, this is what I found at Vagelis. We ordered two "Mini Breakfasts" ($7.95 each) which came with a slice of thick buttered white toast, one grilled tomato, two rashers of bacon, a fried egg, chipolata sausage pierced onto the egg with a toothpick and a single piece of lettuce as garnish. Oh and the tomato sauce, of course. Not having a choice of how I wanted my egg done irked me somewhat, but it was still nice and runny, so I was content. Don't get me wrong - it was a tasty meal, and a cheap one at that, it just didn't 'wow' me.

I love olives. So it makes sense that my mind-tank…read moreautomatically processed the Purple Olive with fun delicious times. Located very handily on James St, this place is slightly remnicist of the alfresco establishments of Europe (although slightly more clean!) I've heard mixed reviews on the food, but I found the Fettuce al Salmon rich and super tasty (and thats something from a usual non-pasta eater!) The semi-dried tomatos + fetta combo never fails to placate my rumbling stomach and the pasta was soft and perfectly cooked. Although a bit too pricey for the everyday I'll definitely come back to sample the intriguing "Beef Cheeks in Red wine" main. This place is buzzing on the weekends, so be sure to book ahead.

At the "old" end of James St (cue - not near all the new trendy stuff) sits The Purple Olive...it's…read morea small and more traditional type space but what it lacks in cool factor it makes up for in authenticity, value and taste! The burnt butter gnocchi is a winner, as are almost all the pizzas, the veal scallopini, the duck gnocchi, the rocket, pear & parmesan salad and the salt & pepper squid. They have a really reasonably priced wine list, cocktail specials up on the blackboard and also do an amazing tiramisu for dessert...if you've got room! There's a cool little spot in the restaurant where you can have a table of about 8-12 people next to an exposed brick wall and it's slightly separated from the rest of the restaurant if you want to celebrate a special occasion. Also bookable on Dimmi which is a tick from me. Downside is that parking can be tough, especially since the CityCycle station was set up in front of them. Also, the bathrooms are outside the restaurant around the corner (shared with an apartment block & 2 other restaurants). All in all though, this place is a fave - one of the best, most consistent and enjoyable Mediterranean food experiences that works as a couple or as a large group - we keep coming back...! 9/10.

A safe Italian option in the swanky Emporium development, with more wallet friendly prices than…read moretheir distinguished neighbour Tartufo. Capri might not have as much allure as its island namesake but it is worth checking out. Their menu has a good seafood presence, with tasty grilled scallops among the entree options and a choice of NT barramundi or their well-sized prawn & sand crab lasagne for mains. I recommend the latter of the two, which features lovely fresh seafood in a zesty white wine and crustacean sauce.

Excellent lunch every time we go there, which is fairly often…read more Really good food at reasonable prices and the service is always spot on.