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Brisbane's Best Riverfront Dining

Updated: Feb 09, 2025

Brisbane's mild subtropical climate is perfect for year round al fresco dining and there's no better place to dine than on the Brisbane River. Here are 14 restaurants, bars and cafes where you can enjoy the best of local cuisine with a beautiful water view and river breezes by day, balmy air by night:

Stanley

Stanley is a magnificent riverfront 2-level Cantonese restaurant in the heritage-listed former headquarters of Brisbane's water police

Joey's Brisbane

This cool tropical restaurant and bar is perched on top of the Kangaroo Point cliffs with jaw-dropping views

OTTO Ristorante

Brisbane's go-to for exquisite Italian dining in a designer boat-house style pavilion on the riverfront

Blackbird Bar & Restaurant

Blackbird Bar & Restaurant is the glamazon of the Riverside Centre, occupying curvaceous upper floor premises

Yoko Dining

Yoko Dining is Howard Smith Wharves' stunning waterfront Japanese restaurant and bar

Mary Mae's

Mary Mae's is a sprawling New Orleans-inspired riverside bar restaurant on the ground floor of the Brisbane Powerhouse

Greca

Greca brings the best of Greek cuisine to Howard Smith Wharves, occupying an historic shed with jaw-dropping city views

Il Molo Italian Kitchen & Bar

Il Molo Italian Kitchen & Bar is a spectacular waterfront restaurant nestled on the end of Oxford Street, Bulimba

Barko & Co

Barko & Co is a dog-friendly, riverside cafe housed in a heritage-listed building in Teneriffe with sparkling water views

Medley KP

Medley KP commands a prime riverfront position at Kangaroo Point, nestled in the exclusive history-laden Yungaba enclave

Mr Percival's

Mr Percival’s is Brisbane’s stunning octagonal overwater bar jutting out over the river in prime position at the Howard Smith Wharves

Officers Mess

Officers Mess is an all-day riverfront diner located in a former naval base dating back to 1943

Located on an overwater deck at the New Farm end of the iconic Howard Smith Wharves precinct is this chic Italian bar eatery

And what better way to rock up to lunch or dinner than via the river on one of Brisbane's famous CityCats, with three double-decker CityCats now in service!

Picnics in Riverside Parks

With so many beautiful riverside parks in Brisbane, you can also spread a picnic rug and dine al fresco while enjoying the water views.

One of Brisbane's oldest and grandest parks, New Farm Park, is a top spot for a riverside picnic, as is Mowbray Park in East Brisbane, Captain Burke Park in Kangaroo Point and Newstead Park (with views over both Brisbane River and Breakfast Creek. You can also try fig-shaded Orleigh Park, West End or unique Rocks Riverside Park at Seventeen Mile Rocks.

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