La Bodega

La Bodega is a charming terracotta-hued Mexican taqueria nestled within an historic 1930's ex-service station and battery shop in Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, from the canny folk behind La Bodega Taqueria in East Brisbane. 

Tucked away behind the building's heritage-listed Spanish Mission facade, the inner-city Mexican oasis has the same casual 'come-as-you-are vibe' as its East Brisbane sibling, with terracotta-hued walls and cacti lined rear courtyard. 

La Bodega features a combination of alfresco dining areas out front and back and relaxed indoor seating, with the layout designed for flexible experiences, from quick tacos to late-night shared plates.

On the food menu are Starters including spiced bean dip with fried tortilla chips; loaded fries (thick cut seasoned fries topped with tres queso, Bodega house crema, pico de gallo, guacamole and salsa roja); quesadillas (filled with tres queso & Bodega house crema); empananda (with daily selection of filling); and padron peppers (grilled and salted, served with lime).

Tacos are a must-try and come with fillings such as Pork Pibil (slow cooked pork in citrus marinade, grilled pineapple salsa and slaw); Steak Asada (grilled rump steak with Mexican chimichurri, corn salsa, queso & fresh radish); Baja fish (Tempura battered snapper, Mexican tartare, pico de gallo, slaw & radish); and Beef Birria (slow smoked beef marinated in ancho & quadjillo) served with queso, onion & coriander & consomme to dip.

Otherwise there's a choice of Burrito/Bowls (Mexican red rice, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole); Nachos (topped with tres queso, black beans, Bodega house crema, pico de gallo, guacamole & salsa roja); and Enchiladas (baked layered tortillas with beans, Bodega house crema & queso, topped with pico de gallo), with the option of adding pork, chicken, shiitake or jackfruit to each.

There's also a choice of corn and cucumber or house salad whilst for dessert there's churros (cinnamon dusted with dolce); chilli choc brownie served warm with vanilla ice cream; or horchata ice cream (toasted rice, cinnamon & almonds in a rich vanilla ice cream).

Can't decide what to order? La Bodega has a special 'feed me' menu (to be ordered by whole table) featuring the most popular dishes, including spiced bean dip; house fried tortilla chips with guacamole; empanada, char grilled sweet corn and chicken wings as well as a chef's selection of tacos and fresh seasonal fruit with tajin churros.

From the drinks menu, there's a selection of bespoke tequila-based cocktails, including luscious margaritas (jalapeno & pineapple, dragonfruit & lychee and Tommy's); frozen margaritas (coconut, watermelon or mango); Bodega Paloma (Blanco tequila, grapefruit & salt); and Hard Jarrito Escarchado (Blanco tequila, lime & Jarritos with chamoy & lime) with a choice of flavours including guava, pineapple, mandarin or Mexican cola). 

For beers, there's a mix of mostly Mexican with a couple of local craft beers, and the small list of boutique wines are mostly south Australian.  A seletion of tequilas and mezcal are available on request and non-alcoholic drinks include house made hibiscus iced tea, watermelon Agua Fresca (served frozen), Jarritos (guava, pineapple, mango, mandarin or Mexican cola) and soft drinks.

Need to know - There is onstreet parking along Wickham St during non-peak hours. The Homemakers Centre is 50m away. towards Newstead.

La Bodega's official opening is on Friday, January 30.

A guide to the best Mexican restaurants in Brisbane

Where to find the best restaurants in Fortitude Valley

Still hungry for more suggestions on where to eat out in Brisbane, head to our comprehensive Eat & Drink section HERE! Happy grazing!