Comuna Cantina

UPDATED 22/6/20: Comuna Cantina is currently moving to new premises and a new review will be posted soon.

Comuna Cantina is a lively little Latin American bar and street food eatery hidden away in Brisbane CBD’s Albert Lane.

Open every day from lunchtime through to late evening, Comuna Cantina is the perfect spot for a delicious, light and healthy bite to eat when shopping or for evening tapas, share plates and cocktails.

Food served here is a mix of traditional Colombian, Venezuelan, Brazilian and Mexican street eats, made with the freshest local produce, while all sauces, salsas, arepas and tacos are made on site from scratch.

The menu is divided into Market Treats, Arepas* (a century old Venezuelan and Columbian staple), Tacos, Tortas (Mexican burgers on blackened brioche buns), Ensaladas, Pinchos (BBQ Skewers), Salsas and Sides and Desserts.

Market Treats include delectable Grilled Corn with chipotle abd queso freco, Sweet Potato hand-shaved Casava Chips with tequila avo aioli and smoked paprika and hand cut Plantains with guac and pico de gallo.

Arepas, a kind of toasted taco pocket, are highly recommended and come with fillings of Pulled Pork with avo, aioli, pickled onion and coiander; Grilled Chicken with black bean and corn salsa, avo, pico and aioli; or Marinated Prawns with pineapple salsa, avo and tequila aioli and coriander.

Taco choices include Pulled Lamb (with chimichurri, pickled onion and quson freco) or Pork, Grilled Chicken, Fish (chia coconut-crumbed fish with guac, aioli, cabbage and pineapple salsa) or Vegetarian (sweet potato, cabbage, queso fredo and guac).

Those after a burger can choose from Chicken or Beef Tortas and those after a salad can revel in a bowl of healthy deliciousness like the Abundance Bowl (black beans, sweet poptato, quinoa, kale, avocado, totopos, cherry tomatoes and lime dressing).

For something more substantial there’s Chicken, Lamb, Prawn or Vegetarian Pinchos with the added option of quinoa or beans and for those with room for more, Desserts include ice-cream sandwich (Palates) traditional fresh fruit icey pole or, for something completely different, the Cocktail Palates (a Comuna Cocktail-turned icey-pole).

Drinks-wise, Comuna’s Cocktail list, with its tongue-in-cheek Latin theme, is as a must try. Along with the fresh and fruit-infused red and white sangrias, there’s the J Lo (gin, elderflower and pomegranate liqueurs and lime juice), Takes Juan to Know Juan (tequila, lime, cucumber and coriander), Comuna Colada (rum, coconut cream and liqueur, pineapple juice and dragon fruit), or try a Vanilla-Acai Margarita.

On tap at Comuna Cantina are the special house Communa Lager, Stone and Wood’s Pacific Ale and 2 house wines- sauvignon blanc and shiraz.

Bottled beers include Quilmes Cerveza, Alhambra Reserve 1925, Pacifico Negra and Garden Ale, while white, rose and red wines are also a mix of Latin American and Oz. Meantime Sparkling wines include Veuve Clicquot Rose and Spanish Pera Ventura Cuvee Brut.

On the spirits list, Tequila is the star, with Venezualan Rum, Spiced Rum, vodka and all the other faves available, as well as a decent list of Liqueurs.

On the non-alcoholic front, Fonzie Abbott coffee is available all day and evening and the range of soft drinks include cans of Guarana.

Nice to know - Tim, the affable owner of Comuna Cantina is also the man behind another popular Brisbane laneway haunt - Corbett and Claude.