Australia has a pretty limited marketplace with regards to food shopping, but this locally owned…read moregrocer seems to be bringing something to the table. It has a bit of a warehouse feel, and some clearance sales lying around, but also a fairly respectable selection, including things that aren't all that easy to find; some nice vegetarian specialty items and a decent international section. They have ample fresh fruits and vegetables and a lot of dried beans and grains, so we're not talking unhealthy food either. The location is reasonably convenient, near the hospital with ample bus access and a train station on the other side of the hospital. Some of the sale items will understandably be a tad sketch, buy you can certainly find some deals here.

As you'll see in my review of the Gabba Fruit Market, I'm a little bit attached to it. However, I…read morewas driving past Mother of All Fruits the other day and decided to check it out. I've gotta say, I was pretty impressed with the range and presentation of fruit and veg. Tucked just inside a Spar-owned shopping centre, Mother of All Fruits occupies a huge floor space. Most of this is taken up by rows of fresh produce, but there's also a section for packaged and frozen goods. The range of fruit and veg is great and their herbs come in huge bunches for around $2.95 each. There are also lots of "bucket" specials to be had where you get a reduced price for buying a large amount. For $30, I filled a green bag and walked out with a tray of 20 bowen mangoes. Pretty good value, especially the $10 tray of mangoes. Whilst extremely well organised and well presented, the only thing I don't like about this produce store is that it feels a little too much like a supermarket. I remain faithful to the Gabba Fruit Market, which has a more local feel to it and has a less hectic carpark.

Brisbane has come a long way over the years but it can still be frustrating trying to get a decent…read moremeal late at night. Hospitality workers, shift labourers and the inveterately disorganised know this fact only too well - if you end up trying to sort out dinner after the 9pm mark on a weekday you won't be able to get anything from the major supermarkets and your takeaway options will be seriously limited. That's why I appreciate the role of chains like IGA. To me, they represent the happiest compromise possible between a 24-hour convenience store and a full-blown supermarket. IGA Milton has an especially good range and boasts impressive opening hours: 6am - midnight 365 days a year (foreign readers from countries where 24-hour supermarkets are easy to find will have to excuse my excitement)! The deli here is quite gourmet, with a good selection of salamis and prosciutto as well as an array of olives. There are also some wholesome ready to eat salads and other heat-and-eat options like tortilla stacks. The nearby cheese selection showcases a well sourced selection of brie, camembert, blue and many others. I've even bought a very tasty pre-made sand crab lasagne from the refrigerated section. I suppose we have the area's high socio-economic status to thank for these epicurean touches.

Yep, I'm jumping on the bandwagon to rave about Baroona Road IGA. Such a sellout, aren't I? Hardly…read more Have you ever tried getting a park in Baroona Road Centro? It's a nightmare! My roommate laughs at me every time I say I'm popping down there for groceries and sarcastically wishes me luck getting a park, and he's not wrong. It's every man for himself when it comes to parking at this place. Horrible parking experiences aside though, this IGA is a godsend. The amount of times I've panicked when I've had nothing to take to work for lunch the next day or I've run out of milk and this place has saved me, I simply cannot count. One particular occasion I forgot it was a coworker's birthday the next day so I frantically rushed into Milton IGA at around 11pm and quickly swiped up a chocolate mud cake. It's a constant topic of conversation in my house how amazing the Baroona Road IGA's opening hours are. 6am to 12am every night; how does it get any better than that? Plus it's a TINY place, and yet I always seem to be able to find everything my heart desires. How do they manage to pack all that stuff into this tiny little space? Beats me, but they do. I prefer it to even larger supermarkets where they'd have about five hundred different brands of washing powder or mango juice because Baroona Road IGA always has what I need. For a small place, it has a ridiculously amazing selection of gourmet cheeses and healthy cooking options, plus a better range of caesar salads than I see in larger IGAs or Woolworths stores. Rather than go to Toowong's large and probably cheaper Coles, I prefer to go here. It's more convenient, and the selection is excellent. It's far better than any other chain grocery store I've experienced thus far. Everything is super easy to find whether you're in a rush or planning a larger shop. Because of Baroona Road IGA, I never go hungry. If you're a Milton/Auchenflower local, you'll find that you cherish and appreciate this IGA as much as me; if you survive the rat race of the car park out front, that is.

This place was amazing first time there will definitely go back . Wish they had jugs available for…read moreordering drinks the food was great my kids loved

If it's chinese roast meat you're after, this place has a pretty good variety…read more Chinese roast pork with the yummy five spiced seasoning and crispy skin. Chinese roast duck with the aniseed flavoured sauce. Chinese roast chicken boiled and roasted to perfection. Gizzards. Livers. Spare ribs. Rump steak. Raw cuts of roast pork ready for you to roast yourself. This butcher has all the barbeque meats and other animal parts chinese like to munch on in the front window and the raw meats inside the display counter when you walk in. It's a tiny shop, you wouldn't fit more than 5-6 people in there so yes, I mean small. But the meat is pretty fresh, it's cheap per kilo, and they do a mean roast pork. Ask for 200g of the chinese roast pork hanging in the window, he might even give you a sampler piece while he cuts it up, it's quite yummy!

Went here today for a late lunch while on a walkabout around town. I saw their sign offering a…read moreFriday special of Barramundi, chips and salad for $12 with beverage purchase. They had a good amount of people dining there with cool music playing so I decided to give it a try. You go up to the bar to order your food & drink and receive a number to take to your table. I was hoping for an IPA but one wasn't available. Settled on another ale the bartender recommended and it was decent enough. Received my order of fish & chips in a fairly quick amount of time. Fish & chips were hot and crisp but fries had too much salt. Needed to ask for ketchup and still was trying to rub some of the salt of each fry before eating. Instead of salad received coleslaw that was quite heavily dressed. I only ate one bite. I would give them another try if I was in the immediate area but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there again.

Excellent ambiance and menu. Highly recommended. Plenty of specials and offers. Very close to so…read moremany other great places.

Fresh Cuts Butcher has to have some of the best value BBQ chickens around. On special you can get…read moretwo for just over $10 and they are a really decent size, enough to feed half a dozen people. They have a nice range of what you would expect from your local butcher, beef, steak, chicken, cuts of pork. The service is fast and friendly. You can easily walk in, get what you need and be out again in under 10 minutes. Some of the cuts of meat are really nicely seasoned.

Fresh Cuts had a managment change some months ago, and the new owners are much more friendly than…read moreprevious. Still great meat at very reasonable prices. Their Fijian Heat chilli sausages are the best!!!

Vegetarians look away now. Okay, let's kick this review off…read more Meat @ Billy's has a reputation of being one of Brisbane's best butchers and they're not exaggerating. If I want quality cuts of meat, Billy's is where I make a beeline for. Last week was no exception when I wanted to buy a few of the Italian Sausages that I'd discovered were what Merriweather Cafe use in their breakfast baguette. Unfortunately, they were sold out when I arrived but that didn't stop me leaving with bacon, Canadian Maple pork sausages and a leg of pork to slow roast. There's plenty of condiments to consider as well and you'll rarely leave empty handed. The lads behind the counter are friendly, helpful and, using a fan dangled pulley-system contraption, will even open the door for you as you leave. And yes, it is slightly more pricey than what you might buy in the supermarket but I feel it is worth it for the higher quality of produce. It isn't often I crave meats of any kind but if I do, I want it to be good.

Meat @ Billy's is acknowledged as one of Brisbane's best butchers. They have a great range of…read moremeat, but what sets them apart is their staff. They know where the meat came from (which is important to environmentalists and animal lovers like me) and they can take you through the different cuts and best cooking methods for each. Like all awesome butchers they also have dog bones for sale, and are not above slipping a little extra in the package for a particularly personable puppy. You will pay a little more than at the supermarket, but the taste difference is astronomical and well worth the expense.

The name says it all. It sells, superior fruit and inside is Wendy's kitchen…read more Be warned, this greengrocer store does sell superior fruit, but it also comes with a superior price tag! A dollar or two extra here and there, but hey, these days it all adds up. Where you can buy a massive mango for $2.99 (not on special) at regular fruit shops, they sell the same looking massive mangoes at $3.99 and it's on special. Do you get what I mean? But shopping here does have its perks. First of all, it is a store stocked full of high quality deli produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables as well as many items imported from Europe, mainly Italy. They have my favourite crisped baked pita bread crackers with parma cheese infused into it. It's delish with fresh dips! Or if you feel like shortbread, there are some hand-made short bread made in Wendy's kitchen available for a handsome sum of $7.99 a bag. It is a small bag with about 5 shortbreads, pretty exy me thinks! But the taste is amazing. These gorgeous shortbreads literally melt in your mouth. Other great food they have include; a variety of expensive cheeses, deli meats, sealed fresh quiches, pizza's and tuna mornay, a selection of imported biscuits, freshly made yogurts, premium olive oils and plenty more. If you are after a real foodies shopping experience, this place ticks all the boxes. It may not be the place I go to stock up for my weekly groceries, but it is a fabulous little shop to go and splurge and invest into a premium quality food, once in a while.

When you've got a busy working day, knowing you've got a good lunch spot to go to is pretty…read moreessential. You give your head a break, you stretch your legs, and usually you think about something other than your work. After my first day at a new co-working space in a suburb I'm not familiar with, I was happy to get out. My new co-working buddies and I ordered simple but delicious food. My tuna sandwich hit the spot like a boss and kept me going until way past afternoon tea time. I will definitely be back

Every neighbourhood should be so lucky to have a one-stop gourmet shop like the Rosalie Gourmet…read moreMarket. Spending almost four years living only a few hundred metres from their front door (often adorned with bouquets of fresh flowers to take home), I'll not hazard a guess as to how much of my pay cheque has been spent on fresh loaves of sourdough, bunches of flowers, delicious cheeses or fresh produce from here. But what I will say is: all worth it. From ready-made take-home meals or ingredients for a jolly great cheese and chacuterie board -- they've got you covered. And now with the upstairs area converted into a cafe, there's even more reason to stop and enjoy the space. Pro Tip; Enjoy the Autumn days with a picnic basket of goodies from here and then stroll down to Gregory Park for a lazy afternoon with a good book.