Distillery Restaurant

Queensland's oldest rum distillery*, which is today known as Beenleigh Artisan Distillers, has expanded its offerings with Distillery Restaurant, a rustic pavilion-style dining room. 

Located alongside the visitors centre and Artisan Rum Bar, the 80-seat restaurant has a gastro-pub vibe and delectable menu. 

Diners can take a seat in the light-filled glass and brick-walled interior or in  the laneway along the side and enjoy a drink and bite to eat.

From the menu, start with small plates to share, like sticky pork belly bites (in BBQ and rum sauce); spicy fried chicken wings or spicy corn ribs with chipotle dipping sauce and fresh lime.

A range of burgers include brisket, veggie parrt or Southern fried chicken burger whilst for something lighter there's citrus mango or chicken Caesar Salad. 

For mains there's a choice of Porterhouse steak with creamy potato puree; dukkah-crusted chicken breast; char-grilled chili garlic squid; vegetarian ragu with rigatoni; and the signature beef ribs (sticky grilled ribs smothered in BBQ and rum sauce).

For dessert, it's hard to go past their rum liqueur coffee creations (coffee almond sauce, Beenleigh Rum Liqueur short bread crumble, seasonal fruit, sorbet); otherwise there's a meringue stack or sticky toffee pudding.

On the drinks menu are rum-based cocktails such as Rum Alexander; Spiced and Stormy and Distillers Iced tea, a huge list of boutique spirits, headed by a range of Beenleigh rums. lcraft beers on tap and Queen Adelaide and Beresford wines.  

Good to know - There's also a kids menu and plenty of onsite parking.

Need to know - Whilst there be sure to view the Visitor Centre and learn the history of this Queensland icon. You can also take a tour of the distillery and do some rum-tasting.

*Founded in 1884, when a floating sugar mill lodged itself on the banks of the Albert River, Beenleigh is the oldest registered and continuously working rum distillery down under.

Food images courtesy of Beenleigh Artisan Distillers.