Emily McAuliffe

The Rochester Hotel kitchen shifted gears mid 2018, rewriting its standard pub menu to one focused on Southern Indian flavours, with chef Mischa Tropp drawing inspo from his mother’s homeland. Now your pub dinner comes with restaurant-style service where waitstaff know Kerala from Kashmir, and swiftly wipe away evidence of the city’s flakiest parota (layered flatbread) and crisp chilli-laced poppadums. Those chasing a serious curry kick should order the chef’s favourite – a fiery fish curry made with the daily catch from the markets. There’s also a hot-but-not-too-spicy slow-cooked beef neck in ginger and garlic. It’s rich, oily and deceivingly filling and will have you mining the bowl for any remainders. The half-chook Kashmiri curry is a milder alternative, with hunks of chicken swimming in a bowl of smooth chilli sauce, tanged with tamarind and sweetened with caramelised onion. What it lacks in Insta aesthetics it makes up in flavour. If you’ve overestimated your spice tolerance, you can as a side of silky housemade curd (imagine a runny, natural yoghurt) that lets you drizzle a sour slave over the top of all those strong flavours. What’s a pub menu without sliders? Here they’re made with a sweet bread traditional to Goa and filled with chorizo, prawns or chilli potato. Vegetarians don’t miss out, with soft strips of cabbage flavoured with coconut and translucent curry leaves; and green papaya with chilli gravy. Don’t know where to start? There’s a $55 ‘shut up and feed me

Coppa Spuntino is a city favourite for quality Italian fare from chef Vinnie Clist. The small, narrow restaurant packs seating onto the footpath terrace, along the bar and by the arcade-facing windows, while a big woodfired oven flames at the back ready to crisp up Coppa’s housemade pizzas. This is the place to cool off with an Aperol Spritz in hand, or with a glass of wine from the restaurant’s Italian-accented list wines. The restaurant’s location in Brisbane CBD’s financial district makes it high on the corporate hit-list for a sophisticated business lunch or an afternoon send-off.    

This rowdy, no-frills Vietnamese joint has been a Brissie favourite for Asian-style eating for years – since ’83 to be precise. Clearly they’re doing a lot of things right. You’ll often see groups lining up at the door to cram into the double story digs, booze in hand, since this is one of those rare places still welcoming BYO (as an added bonus, the local bottle-o is conveniently located down the street). Grab your mates and order a round fried rice, steam boats, or get yourself a big bowl of noodle soup, which is a signature strength of the Vietnamese.    

Giant swirling fans hover over an open deck to create an inviting Mexican-themed pit stop in sunny South Bank. To the side of the big eating area is a prime people-watching bench-seat bar, and the overall design is predictably colourful with bright murals wrapping around the restaurant’s central columns. Mucho Mexicano’s menu includes the usual suspects like tacos, nachos and tostadas, and the cocktail list includes Sangria and Margaritas. Prefer a twist on the classics? including  You can get your tequila cocktail made with mango and blood orange, or pineapple and jalapeño. For breakfast try Mexico’s spin on French toast, deodos gitanos, which comes laden with caramel and cream. This place does split bills so is a good option for group gatherings, and there’s a function room upstairs for special events.    

Nest opened in early 2015 and forms part of the Shangri-La’s Hotel Jen, conveniently located near the Roma Street bus and railway station. Chef Mark Young focuses on share-style plates with an Asian twist, like tea-smoked duck, five-spiced pork belly and sticky beef wontons, plus deep fried peanut butter ice-cream for dessert. It’s a big space so the restaurant is good for groups – you can order an all-in feast to pass around the table. The bar area at the entrance, decked out with green studded-velvet lounges, is a cool spot to hang for a relaxed drink and serves a range of tap beers and cocktails.  Don’t forget to look up to see the haphazardly spiky nest creation dangling from the ceiling.

Affectionately referred to as the Salt ‘n’ Bat by locals, this fish and chippery has been an institution for University of Queensland students and St Lucia locals for well over a decade. While the casual eatery has changed hands a number of times in its day (swinging between fresh and frozen produce in the process), current owner Charlie Lambis sets the bar high. As a third generation fish and chip shop owner (with a fourth gen coming through the ranks), Lambis gets Australian and New Zealand seafood delivered fresh daily and fillets fish onsite, including Queensland wild snapper and sea perch from the cool waters of NZ. The family’s Cyprus heritage is honoured with Greek-style Turkish delight and sticky housemade baklava.

Gambaro is one of Brisbane’s oldest seafood haunts, having started as a fish and chip shop in 1953. The establishment has considerably upped the ante since then, and now functions as a multi-award winning, high-end dining experience tailored to seafood lovers. Lukas McEwan has been head chef since 2013 and focuses on scoping the best produce. Seafood is sourced locally wherever possible and gets delivered daily to star in linguine marinara and panko-crumbed fish. Service here is smart and professional without being stuffy, and the candlelit space is divided with sheer curtains to create an intimate atmosphere.

Bloodhound nails the grungy hipster vibe and is a rollicking good place for a Sunday sesh or casual mid-week shindig. A motley collection of knick-knacks and booze bottles adorn the exposed brick walls, and a giant graffitied bird takes flight behind the bar. There’s a tapas, taco and burger menu to keep you on an even keel, plus ten beers on tap and a stack more in the fridge. From its position on the corner of Brunswick and Robertson Streets in the Valley, the space looks quaint, but carry on past the bar and there’s a bay window and booth seating at the back, plus the Nightjar Bar and entertainment space upstairs, complete with a wrap-around balcony. Check Bloodhound’s website for performance dates.  

Hatch & Co is one of the Gasworks Plaza’s original food establishments. The open-plan restaurant makes the most of Brisbane’s enviable climate and looks out over the neon-lit gasometer frame and twinkling fairy lights at night. Foliage sprouting from the walls and timber finishes create a fresh, country kitchen look, while the smiling staff zip around between wooden tables taking orders. The menu includes salads, share plates and wood-fired pizzas, and happy hour extends from 3-6pm on weekdays with discounted beer, wine and cocktails.    

If Marie Antoinette was on a budget she might be inclined to check into a suite at the Hotel Borges. The eccentric fit-out and furniture is reminiscent of a palace and will inject your holiday with some old-school glamour. Okay, so the lobby doesn’t pack much punch, but step through to the dining area and you’ll see what we mean. Gold trimmings deck the ceiling, heavy curtains dress the windows, and the overall elegance reflects none of the clinical lacklustre experienced on the way in.  The hotel’s 96 rooms have different moods and vibes. Some are modern, some are traditional, and some flaunt extravagance with fur blankets and velvet armchairs. Despite its glitzy get-up, the accommodation functions as a three-star hotel, so you can feel a bit posh without paying for the bells and whistles. If your room is at the front of the building your view will be of the busy Largo do Chiado. You won’t see far, but that’s a small price to pay for staying in the centre of the centre.  There is no restaurant on the premises, and no need for one either, considering how many dining options you have in the vicinity. Breakfast is served buffet-style and there is a terrace with a bar to enjoy the sunny days.  Location: You won’t find a location much better than this. The hotel takes centre stage in Lisbon’s upmarket Chiado district and most sights are within walking distance. Nearby: Bairro Alto: Party up people, because this is where Lisbon’s social scene flourishes. Revelers spill onto the st

If having Lisbon’s airport and main railway station on your doorstep sounds convenient, the Tivoli makes for a fine choice of accommodation. The hotel is in a modern area of Lisbon developed in line with World Expo ’98, Parque das Nações. The Tagus offers the suburb lovely river-frontage and walking paths stretch along the shoreline. The river can also be admired from the Tivoli’s 16 th floor Sky Bar – a big, airy space complete with 360 degrees across the water and city. The bar’s food specialty is sushi, but if you’d prefer something heavier, make your way to the T-Bone restaurant. As the name suggests, this place is all about the steak. Onsite there is also the Tivoli Caffé Oriente, which is a good spot for coffee or lunch. The rooms here are sleek and modern, having undergone refurbishment in 2016. Some come with funky padded cube bedheads in blue or red, while others rock feature walls created with bold patterned wallpaper. All rooms feel clean and comfortable and if you’re on an upper floor you can nab a smashing view. The hotel is kitted out with a heated indoor swimming pool, spa tub and a spiffy fitness centre to keep your health in check.  Location: The hotel is three kilometres from the airport and sits right alongside the Oriente railway station. Lisbon’s downtown area is reachable in around 20-30 minutes on public transport. Nearby: Oceanário de Lisboa: Lisbon has one of Europe’s most impressive aquariums, where fish, sharks and other sealife lazily drift in 5 mi

Enjoy classic accommodation in modern Lisbon near one of the city’s major transport hubs.  The Olissippo Oriente is located in Parque das Nações, a contemporary area developed for the World Expo ’98. From the hotel, you can walk along the river to get a dose of fresh air, jump on a cable car if you please, then hit the shopping centre or aquarium. Nearby is the architecturally magnificent Oriente railway station, which resembles a row of trees made from steel frames connected by glass panels. Back at the hotel you’ve got 182 rooms split over seven floors to choose from. Standard rooms come with king or twin beds, then suites also offer a living room and sofa plus park views. The soundproofed rooms have a slightly old school feel, with homely wooden furniture and patterned wallpaper meshed with a muted colour scheme of whites, browns and dusty pink. When you get peckish you can head to the As Descobertas restaurant for a traditional Portuguese dinner. A buffet lunch is served on weekdays, and there’s a well-stocked buffet for breakfast. Light meals are also served at The Oriente Bar, which has undergone a refurb and rocks a vintage style. On sunny days and warm nights you can hang out on the deck.  Location: The hotel is four kilometres from the airport and 200 metres from the Oriente railway station. Lisbon’s downtown area is reachable in around 20-30 minutes on public transport.  Nearby: Oceanário de Lisboa: Lisbon has one of Europe’s most impressive aquariums, where fish, s