Whether you crave fine dining, riverside Italian or rock-n-roll Mexican, Brisbane’s restaurants deliver. Get ready to chow down on everything from French classics to the latest burger joints.

Across the city, diners feast in a mash-up of heritage buildings. From suave refurbished wharfs fringing the river to heritage-listed laneways packed with bars and cafes. Here are some of the restaurants in Brisbane city you must try this year.

Hellenika

Four years in the making, when The Calile opened on James Street it added more than a striking-looking hotel to Brisbane’s dining scene. It also launched the first Brisbane outpost of acclaimed Gold Coast Greek restaurant Hellenika.

The sophisticated poolside space recreates Euro-holiday vibes and the menu is rooted in authentic Greek cooking, with an emphasis on fresh Aussie produce. The likes of eggplant moussaka, grilled kefalograviera and chargrilled lamb souvlakia are crowd-pleasers but the seafood is a major focus. Think kritharaki with saffron, metaxa and king prawns, and chargrilled octopus.

Breakfast is served as well, with a long list that includes risogalo (rice porridge), bougatsa (custard wrapped in filo) and the restaurant’s signature baked eggs on tsoureki.

Greca

Greca was born out of the desire to give each traveller peace of mind. They have taken on the big wholesalers and tour operators, compressing their costs to the last penny, making everything crystal clear and ensuring 24-hour service 365 days a year.

Taking up residence beneath the Story Bridge in the heritage listed Howard Smith Wharves, Greca is a contemporary Greek taverna serving food that tastes just as it should and the generous spirit of Mediterranean hospitality. Enjoy a shareable menu of flashy saganaki, ouzo-soaked calamari, airy taramasalata and grilled lamb souvla. Temptations abound for those with a sweet tooth, with a great selection of desserts on offer.

Black Hide by Gambaro

Black Hide at Treasury Brisbane fuses world-class Queensland Wagyu and Angus steak cuts with extravagant seafood dishes. Guests experience a dramatic paddock-to-plate dining experience with premium wines and luxurious furnishings. From the retail inspired meat cabinet to the bespoke display of steak knives owned by regulars, it is clear that this is serious steakhouse business.

The restaurant fitout in this heritage building honours the hero bovine menu with a bespoke knife handle door to the Black Label room, and the design narrative continues throughout the space through open knife displays and cleaver mirror details. The meat-heavy menu features beef from Stanbroke - a family-owned company with eight cattle stations spread across the pristine Queensland hinterland.

Alchemy

Located near Prospect Park on the north end of 5th Ave in cozy Park Slope, Alchemy is a low-key neighborhood eatery that serves a limited but inspired menu. The restaurant offers excellent wine and beer selections. You can also find good cocktails and desserts, making it an all around eatery in Brisbane community.

Featuring a glass framed vista of the Story Bridge and Brisbane River, Alchemy Restaurant exudes casual elegance with soft lighting and Contemporary decor. Its opulent Murano glass chandelier is especially stunning. Its cuisine is equally captivating, with surprises like the Sicilian pork salami with dark chocolate and cornichons. You can even savor medium steaks and delicious souffles.

Tillerman

In a river city like Brisbane, dining by the water -- or at least in sight of it -- is something of a hospitality holy grail. It's certainly a draw at this upscale waterfront haunt on Eagle Street, from the restaurateur duo behind Same Same and Naga Thai.

Encapsulating the essence of coastal European-inspired cuisine, Tillerman is a relaxed yet sophisticated love letter to Queensland's spectacular produce, climate and river views. Located in Riparian Plaza, the restaurant serves up a coastal seafood smorgasbord from Moreton Bay bug rolls to salt-baked Murray cod.

Non-seafood eaters will appreciate a solid selection of meaty dishes, including a 700-gram Wagyu flank with suet vinegar and roasted Albury goose. Desserts are globally influenced, from rum and raisin deep-fried ice cream to lemon meringue pie. The 150-bottle wine list isn't dogmatic about regions but prioritizes coastal vineyards that match the food.

SOKO

Soko, which opened in November on St Pauls Terrace, has capacity for 500 patrons spread across a moodily lit internal dining room of deep green tiles and wooden furniture, and a more vibrantly detailed outside balcony with lounge and bar seating. The menu features a mix of Peruvian and Japanese flavours, from ceviches and traditional lomito al jugo to sushi and yakitori, plus mains designed for sharing.

From a sustainability perspective, the venue has teamed up with One Tree Planted, where $1 from every Akuma Jungle cocktail sold will go toward rainforest conservation. It’s also a big supporter of ethically sourced horn and bone products.

BOS

Taking its name from the Latin word for beef, BOS is a stylish new fine-dining temple to the glory of premium cuts. The brainchild of hospo veteran Chris Higgins (ex-Cha Cha Char) and Melbourne chef, restaurateur and TV personality Adrian Richardson (Richo’s Bar Snacks), it aims to combine quality meats with elegant and sophisticated European-inspired style.

This destination diner in a swanky spot above the river was conceived by local interior design firm Alkot Studio, with rounded surfaces and subdued lighting contrasting the rich green hues and polished marble of the space. The menu is unashamedly high-end, spanning caviar and champagne to housemade charcuterie, grilled Fremantle octopus and buckwheat blinis, Queensland seafood and sand crab lasagne.

Ciao Papi

Whether you want to transport yourself to the streets of Greece or kick back with a stein at a German-style beer hall, Brisbane’s riverfront has it all. Here’s the best place to get a bite to eat or a brew.

Taking over the deck of ARC Dining at the New Farm end of the Howard Smith Wharves precinct, Ciao Papi serves up laid-back, homely Italian fare. The short menu features a mix of traditional dishes and comforting carby heavy-hitters.

You’ll also find a selection of day starters including provolone and thyme arancini and spanner crab, fennel and chilli bruschetta. Finish off the meal with an Aperol spritz or two.

Rico

The team behind pristine riverside restaurants like George's Paragon and Massimo is set to take over the vacant space formerly home to Aria Brisbane, with the opening of Rico Bar Dining. Expect a fusion of Australian, Spanish and Latin flavours at this contemporary bar and eatery.

The 260-seater has been designed by Clui Design (the team behind the apt fit out of Aria) and features a tropical retro-garden style terrace and light-filled dining room with curved glass windows that make the most of its prime riverfront location. There's also a live marron tank and a menu focusing on Latin American and Spanish cuisine such as pintxos, ceviche and paella.