Best Things to do in West End

The historic inner city suburb of West End is one of Brisbane's most multicultural and bohemian neighbourhoods and makes a great place to explore.

Main dining and shopping precincts, Boundary and Vulture Streets, which are home to vintage and bookshops, boutiques, cafes, bars and breweries, are a hive of activity from morning to late at night. And if you head off the beaten track you'll find a bounty of treasures too. Here are some that are worth checking out:

Brisbane Distillery Bar

Brisbane Distillery West End

This distillery bar holds masterclasses for the gin connoisseur, with a choice of over 140 botanicals to create your one-of-a-kind mix

Pilloni

Pilloni West End

A stunning Sardinian restaurant and bar perched on a hill and serving exquisite regional food

Ballistic Alehouse & Kitchen

Ballistic Alehouse & Kitchen West End

Located on a leafy back street in West End, the convivial local pub serves award-winning craft beers and top-notch food

Billykart

Billykart West End

Billykart is a foodie oasis of cool tucked away uphill off the Melbourne St drag of West End.

Brisbane Brewing Co

Brisbane Brewing Co

Brisbane's secret inner city craft brewery and bar is Brisbane Brewing Co. tucked away down a West End laneway

West Side Pizza

West Side Pizza West End

Peddling some of Brisbane's best pizzas from its 18-seater bolthole shop front on a prominent West End corner

Frydays Bar & Kitchen

Frydays Bar & Kitchen West End

Frydays is a casual late night Korean diner and bar in the middle of the action on Boundary St

Neo-Generalist

Neo-Generalist, West End, vintage store

Neo-Generalist is a gorgeous vintage store where the Wild West meets old Hollywood glamour

Serendipity Op Shop

Serendipity Op Shop

Found in a laneway off Russell Street, this groovy op shop is filled with pre-loved fashion, shoes, books, homewares and more

Mama Taco

Mama Taco West End

Mama Taco is a cool, contemporary Mexican Taqueria & Mezcaleria nestled in the historic Rialto Theatre

Milk and Honey

Milk and Honey West End

A gorgeous new children's boutique and cafe located in a beautifully refurbished old corner shop

The Boundary Hotel

The Boundary Hotel West End

The Boundary Hotel, West End’s iconic landmark pub circa 1864, is a fascinating multi-layered labyrinth of ambient nooks and crannies, including rooftop and laneway bars

Yamas Greek + Drink

Yamas Greek + Drink West Village

The stunning Greek restaurant and bar is located in the charming West Village precinct

Kürtősh

Kurtosh Bakery, West End

The highly anticipated, Euro-inspired bakery Kürtősh has opened at West Village offering its famous chimney cakes

Kafenio

Kafenio West End

Kafenio offers traditional Greek and Cypriot cuisine from its blue and white West End workers cottage

Morning After

Morning After West End

Morning After is an oasis of contemporary cool on Vulture St – an uber chic breakfast and brunch café that, as its name suggests, is the ideal place to revive after a night out

Avid Reader Bookshop

People sitting around cafe area inside Avid Reader Bookshop reading books.

A bookshop that hits all the right pages with locals and visitors alike, Avid is a gem of a place.

Jungle Bar

Gilligan’s island meets Blue Hawaii at Jungle tiki bar, the West End oasis where the lost world of the Pacific south seas can be found alive and kicking.

Anita Gelato

Anita Gelato, Brisbane

A world-famous gelateria has arrived in Brisbane, scooping a delectable range of creamy gelato and refreshing sorbet

Lilong

Lilong West End

A lively Shanghai-style street food dining hall located in the refurbished heritage-listed Soda Factory

Beirut Bazaar

Beirut Bazaar West End

Beirut Bazaar is a funky Lebanese restaurant and bar nestled in the base of a heritage-listed ice-cream factory

Gunshop Cafe

Gunshop Cafe's shop front on street

The Gun Shop is a West End institution, renowned its fabulous breakfast fare.

West End Coffee House

People sitting inside West End Coffee House with Aboriginal paintings on white brick walls

The cafe equivalent of the trusty old pair of comfy slippers, West End Coffee House is a favourite chilled hang-out for locals

Orleigh Park

Orleigh park seen from opposite bank of the Brisbane River

A peaceful fringe of Moreton Bay fig shaded parkland on the river at West End that was wiped out by a monster wall of water in the 1893 floods and submerged again in 1974 and 2011.

Mega Continental Deli

Mega Continental Deli

A fantastic treasure trove of Greek and Mediterranean groceries found tucked away in the back streets of West End by the river

West End Markets

People sitting under a tree in the Davies Park Market with stalls in the background.

A chilled laidback vibe permeates this boho market by the river

The Bearded Lady

The Bearded Lady is your quintessential West End bar - an anything-goes kind of joint that is cosy recycled wood cabin with honky tonk piano up front and graffiti splattered rumpus room with performance space out back.

Cinnamon & Co Vegan Cafe

Cinnamon & Co Vegan Cafe, West End

The charming, two-level vegan cafe in West End dishes up delicious plant-based fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner

You Came Again Vegan Tapas Bar

You Came Again Vegan Tapas Bar

You Came Again is Brisbane’s first vegan tapas bar, perched in a line-up of historic West End shops

Swop Clothing Exchange

SWOP, West End

SWOP is a secret source of vintage and pre-loved clothes that keen hunters will find in the main street of West End

Italian Street Kitchen

Italian Street Kitchen

Italian Street Kitchen brings traditional Italian street food with a contemporary twist to West Village, West End

Swiss Gourmet Deli

People sitting on Boundary Road under umbrellas outside Swiss Gourmet Deli

The Swiss Gourmet is also a nifty little cafe specializing in good value brunches and light meals

Sea Fuel Fish & Chips

Sea Fuel West End

Sea Fuel is a sleek contemporary fish and chip restaurant and takeaway nestled in the base of The Glass Factory

Harris Farm Markets

Harris Farm Markets

A massive 1800sqm food mecca in the heritage-listed Peters Ice-Cream Factory in West End Village

Cordeaux Social Club

Cordeaux Social Club, West End

Cordeaux Social Club is a cafe by day, wine bar & bistro by night, nestled in a peaceful pocket of West End near the river

Mick's Nuts

People standing outside Mick’s Nuts in West End.

Not much has changed inside since this shop opened in 1975, but the produce is fresh and bountiful and staff are helpful and informed.

Pie Town

For tasty pies in a fun atmosphere, have a look at Pie Town

Marcia's On Montague

Marcia's on Montague West End

Walk through the door at this secret West End emporium and be overwhelmed - in the nicest possible way.

Ichiban Sushi

Ichiban Sushi, West Village

One of a kind, Ichiban Sushi is a cool Japanese eatery with a huge variety of meals and drinks, that is also BYO friendly

Mu'ooz

Mu'ooz West End

Mu’ooz, the long-time fave Eritrean restaurant of Moorooka, has upped roots and moved into a quaint Queenslander in West End.

Latin Manna

Latin Manna West End

This quirky colourful Colombian restaurant is located in an old West End cottage

Lychee Lounge

Lychee Lounge bar interior including chandelier and seating

Lychee Lounge is a stunningly opulent east meets west cocktail bar on West End's main drag

Catchment Brewing Co

Catchment Brewing Co West End

Catchment Brewing Co inhabits a stunning character-filled art deco building, with its own beers brewed onsite

The Book Merchant Jenkins

The Book Merchant Jenkins West End

The Book Merchant Jenkins is Brisbane's most beautiful second-hand bookstore, inside an historic West End church

Lefkas Taverna

Lefkas Taverna West End

The quintessential Greek taverna, perched high on a hill in the original heartland of Brisbane's Greek community

Veneziano Coffee

Veneziano Coffee, West End

West End's popular coffee haunt has reopened with a fresh new look and a tantalising new brunch menu

El Torito

El Torito, West End

This lively West End restaurant dishes up some of the best Mexican food in Brisbane

Lumber Punks Axe-throwing

Lumber Punks

Lumber Punks at West End is Brisbane’s first axe-throwing venue – the perfect way to let off steam and try the fine old lumberjack sport

Bosc

Inside BOSC Bar in West End

BOSC is a rustic little beer and gin bar that oozes warmth and hominess from its corner outpost on West End's Vulture St

Blackstar Coffee Roastery

Woman sitting at table drinking coffee next to stencil artwork on wall inside Black Star Coffee Roastery in Brisbane's West End

Ethics and excellent coffee converge at this scruffy little sidestreet cafe.

Don't Tell Boutique

Inside Don’t Tell Fannie shop in Brisbane's West End

A hole in the wall boutique with a blotch on the glass as signage, DTF packs a lot into its small understated space.

Biryani Place

Biryani Place West End

The hidden gem of an Indian eatery occupies one half of an old cottage and serves the best biryani in Brisbane

Ash & Monties Espresso Bar

Ash & Monties Espresso Bar West End

West End's cool new coffee nook is Ash & Monties Espresso Bar and Kitchen serving top notch breakfast, lunch and coffee.

Lokal + Co

Lokal + Co West End

Lokal + Co is an inviting oasis of Nordic cool tucked away in a West End side street, and the only place in Brisbane to offer Norwegian-inspired cuisine.

Little Greek Taverna

Little Greek Taverna West End

Little Greek Taverna serves some of the best budget food in West End

Caravanserai

Caravanserai West End

This hilltop cottage lit by colourful Turkish lights and candles is an enduring Brisbane favourite

Grown

Grown, West End

Grown is a dedicated vegan café in the heart of West End, serving plant-based dishes that even the most committed carnivore would cross town for

Covent Garden

Covent Garden, West End

Covent Garden is a splendid botanical-themed bar and eatery with tropical rear garden in a colonial West End store.

The Taste of Transylvania

Taste of Transylvania, West End

The Taste of Transylvania is a tiny cottage in West End dishing up traditional Hungarian langos & authentic Romanian fare

West End River Walk

This beautiful and varied walk and bike path takes you from fig tree lined Orleigh Park via a landscaped riverfront to GOMA

Green Grocer

The Green Grocer's shop front in West End.

This colourful little purveyor of all things organic has been in West End for as long as the local youth can remember.

Chop Chop Chang's

Stencil portrait of Chop Chop Chang on wall of Chop Chop Chang's restaurant in Brisbane's West End

Chop Chop Chang’s is a bustling market place style bar eatery serving up delectable Pan Asian food, luscious cocktails, tea and traditional Vietnamese coffee from within the vintage brick walls of a 1950’s West End bank.

Bent Books

Bent Books, West End

Housed within a primary coloured colonial cottage at the busy intersection of Boundary and Vulture Streets is a second hand book collector’s dream

Archive Beer Boutique

Leather chairs and books on shelves inside Archive Beer Boutique bar in Brisbane's West End

Not only is this a splendid leather bound book and newspaper lined lounge within which to hang, it is also the place to sample a bounty of craft beers

Shay's Shoes

Shoes on shelves inside Shays Shoes 126 Boundary St West End

This shop is where the boots are made for walkin’ as opposed to teetering and stumbling.

Cobbler Bar

Cobbler is the type of bar that you frequently look for but never find – a cool New York loft style whisky and cocktail lounge

Little Red Dumpling

Little Red Dumpling West End

Little Red Dumpling bar is a mod funky little Chinese eatery serving delicious dumplings and spicy street food

Wrapture

People sitting on sofa in shade outside cottage

This colourful speck of a cafe inhabits one third of a workers cottage

The Burrow

Common table and blackbaord with graffiti on it inside the Burrow West End

The Burrow is the kind of place you always look for but can never find – a homey, rustic hang-out where you can drop in alone with a book or a rowdy bunch of friends.

Bird's Nest Yakitori & Bar

Large table and Japanese wood hand carved panels inside Bird’s Nest Yakitori and Bar Japanese restaurant in Brisbane's West End

Bird’s Nest Yakitori and Bar, a rare bird in Brisbane, is derived from hundreds of traditional yakitori restaurants that can be found lining the streets of Japan.

Cake And Bake

Cake and Bake West End

Founder of Jocelyn's Provisions and foodie icon, Jocelyn Hancock has opened her latest venture, Cake and Bake in West End.

Picnic Cafe

Picnic Cafe, West End c

Picnic Cafe is West End's new go-to for delicious foodie fare for breakfast, brunch and lunch, located at West Village

Yoke Kitchen

Yoke Kitchen, West End

Yoke Kitchen is a plant-based cafe and deli in West End dishing up wholesome and nourishing fare

Parched Brewery

Parched Brewery, West End rewe

Quench your thirst at Brisbane's brand-new, two-storey, craft brewery found tucked away on a laneway in West End

Jugar Eat Play Drink

Jugar West End

Jugar in West End is a stunning space the whole family can enjoy with top-notch fare & a purpose-built play space for kids

Lonelys Bar

Lonelys Bar West End

Lonelys Bar is an uber cool coffee house found in a West End warehouse serving well-brewed coffee & artisan pastries

The Twin

The Twin, West End

The Twin is a funky West End cafe with garden courtyard, slinging delish deli-style sandwiches on house-baked bread

Superthing

Superthing West End

Superthing is a gorgeous, pastel-hued bakery cafe found on Montague Road in West End

Thalassina Seafood

Thalassina West End

An old school Greek fish'n'chip shop has made its home in an historic West End shop

Worthy Pie Co

Worthy Pie Co West End

Worthy Pie Co is a gourmet bakery offering perfectly flaky pasties, pies and sausage rolls, made from scratch

Hong Lan Asian Food & Seafood

Hong Lan Asian West End

This grocery store with its faded sign and peeling paint stands as somewhat of a reminder of old West End

Jet Black Cat Music

Jet Black Cat Music shop window in West End

Commercial radio refugees and those who despair at the quality of downloads might want to hoof it to this fabulous little record and CD shop.

Westoria

A bewitching night market with live music and fire dancers, stilt walkers, fortune tellers and aromatic street food stalls

Thomas Dixon Centre

The heritage-listed home (circa 1908) of Queensland Ballet has had a fabulous makeover, incorporating a new arts theatre with world class performances

Image credits: Thomas Dixon Centre courtesy of Thomas Dixon Centre website; Westoria image provided.

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