SLAY:Brisbane

When I landed in Brisbane, Australia I had an objective in mind: Don’t get killed by a spider. Once I felt like I had that down, I decided to start exploring the food scene. I love food, like seriously love it, and I had some high expectations. Friends who have previously been to Australia told me the food was great so I was really excited about eating the local delicacies. My apartment was located in South Brisbane so a lot of what I tried was in that area, but when scrounged up the courage to buy a bus pass, I began to explore more.

The city is big but you can navigate it quite easily, combine that with the free Wi-fi that you can find throughout the busier parts of the city and you can find some truly great things. When I wasn’t eating my weight in food, I was trying to feed the kangaroos at Lonepine Koala sanctuary, which is also a must when you come here.

Melt Brothers: Brisbane CBD

These Grilled Cheese specialists of Brisbane will have your heart pumping with their gooey melted goodness. With a toastie menu of classic favorites and experimental oddities, you’re sure to find something to your liking. Make sure you stock up on napkins and come ready to consume calories.

M.C. Cheesy

• Mac & Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• Maple Bacon
• Chipotle Mayo

  

  

  

  

The decadence of the M.C. Cheesy made me rethink my choice to walk to the restaurant, because I had trouble moving after eating it. Double dairy with double carbs and sweet bacon will leave a path of destructive sleepiness reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinners past. Once again, I have to urge that you get extra napkins, because the greasy cheesey goodness will decimate them quickly and efficiently. If you’re not feeling too saucy, their classic “mouse trap” sandwich is a good option.

1/88 Creek St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia

The Milk Factory: South Brisbane

I was put off by name “Milk Factory” because it’s name invoked an image of cows wearing flags with Vladimir Lenin on them (don’t ask me why, my mind goes to weird places sometimes). When I got over my ridiculousness, I was immediately impressed by it’s decor. There’s a beautiful wood interior with minor nautical themes set up for live music. If I were to walk past it, I wouldn’t think you could find a good sandwich there, once again my perception was wrong.

Fish Sandwich

• Beer battered white fish
• tarter sauce
• sundried tomato and caper pesto
• coleslaw
• mustard seeds

  

  

  

  

I really thought there would be a lot more briney/salty flavors with the sundried tomatoes and capers, but the flavors here were surprisingly subdued. The bread was nicely toasted and a great vehicle to hold the sauces, while the slaw was very subtle and a great addition to bring out the flakey fried fish. Overall, it was a very competent sandwich with some great french fries. Milk Factory is a little pricier, but a great place to bring friends.

48 Montague Rd, West End QLD 4101, Australia

Grill’d: West End

Grill’d is a hamburger chain in Australia that is a little more upscale than your standard burger joint. Their menu has some interesting options, but it is ultimately a solid burger restaurant. I really enjoyed the food here, more specifically their zucchini sticks which had a really nice crust with garlic mayo (Thank you Atlanta for letting me eat yours). It’s got a mix of classic burger restaurant fare with some interesting options as well; it’s definitely worth a try when in Brisbane.

Pork N’ Pine

• Slow Cooked Marinated Pork Belly
• Charred Pineapple
• Avocado
• Salad
• Chipotle mayo

Wagyu Wonder

• Wagyu beef pattie
• Aged white cheddar
• Dijon Mustard
• Pickle
• Spanish Onion
• Egg Mayo & Ketchup
• Smoked Sea salt

  

  

  

  

As a native Californian and In-N-Out burger snob (I’m really not), I approach burgers with a certain level of skepticism. I’ve found that the best burgers have a nice combination of competent cooks and decent meat. The Wagyu Wunder was a simple and straightforward burger with a great tasting pattie. The dijon and sharp cheese had the spice that I needed to bring up the meat’s flavor. With that being said, the mayo didn’t really need to be there. The Pork N’ Pine’s marinated pork belly was good but had a little to much char on it. Their addition of avocado was a nice respite from all the smoke and hard textures and the pineapple was essential to bring the sandwich together.

88 Boundary St, West End QLD 4101, Australia

Lady Marmalade Cafe: Stones Corner

The best breakfast that I had whilst in Australia came from the neighborhood of Stones Corner at Lady Marmalade cafe. Located on the very busy and fun Logan street, this elegantly decorated cafe has some very upscale food options served in a comfortable setting. It’s a bit pricier than some of the other options on here, but in my opinion, it’s the best place to start your morning.

Wild Mushrooms on toasted sourdough

• Mushrooms
• Poached eggs
• Basil Hollandaise
• Spinach
• Blistered Tomato

  

  

  

  

The most striking flavor here is the medley of mushrooms, it’s meaty and earthy qualities really show through the buttery hollandaise sauce. The texture from the enoki mushrooms brought some great variation on my palate, while the oozing egg yolks mixed with sauce created a rich and decadent finish. The spinach doesn’t show very much nor does the sourdough, but the bread is essential to hold everything together. Finally, the bite of tomato bursts with acidity that compliments the rich flavors. This is what breakfast is supposed to be.

269 Logan Rd, Greenslopes QLD 4120, Australia

Dannyboy’s Rockstar sandwiches: Kelvin Grove

Dannyboy’s is located in the northern suburb of Kelvin Grove. It felt more quiet than most of the areas that I went to in Brisbane, but with its student population I’m sure you can find plenty of interesting things to do with more time. Dannyboy’s menu serves up a lot of classic sandwich shop items like an “Italian” sandwich or the BLT so it’s a safe bet for the less adventurous slayer.

The Half Brick

• Chicken Breast
• Smoked bacon
• “Guaca-Salsa”
• Lettuce & Tomato
• House made ranch dressing

The principle flavor in the half brick sandwich was tang. The chicken seems to serve more as a texture than it does as a flavor because it’s overtaken by the tangy “Guaca-Salsa” and ranch sauce. I expected something more mild based on the ingredients but I was pleasantly surprised. The bread has crispy edges with a soft middle and the bacon is really good (even though it’s cold). This was one of the cheapest I had whilst in Brisbane and the portions were very generous.

88 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove – Brisbane QLD 4059, Australia

When I left Brisbane my only regret was that I didn’t have more time to explore. It has a big city charm that didn’t make me feel lost or out of place. For lovers of food, there is an endless amount of choices and plenty of inspiration so come and enjoy! Don’t forget pick up a GO Card!

Special thanks to sipping.brisbane for your suggestions! Hopefully I’ll be back to your wonderful city again to try some more…

-Vy