A weekend in Brisbane for foodies and culture-buffs – yes, really!

Beautifully warm weather, a vibrant city centre and a relaxed culture; what more could you ask for from Queensland’s capital?

I was certainly drawn to Brisbane for all of the above, and after a few months living here, I’d fallen in love with the scenery and the welcoming people. Over those months, I walked many times along the Brisbane River, spent days with family at Southbank, overlooked the city from the Wheel of Brisbane and explored the city centre.

But what I didn’t know was that there were many hidden gems tucked away among Brisbane’s bigger attractions. There really is more to Brisbane than meets the eye.

It wasn’t until I took a bit of a ‘staycation’ in my favourite city that all of this was revealed. And what better place to base myself at than at the Hilton Brisbane, centrally located on Elizabeth Street, with more than 300 rooms, a heated outdoor pool, a gym and tennis courts right in the centre of town.

To make it even better, if you can’t be bothered making the stroll to the Queen Street Mall for a meal, the hotel has the Vintaged Bar and Grill, where the food is amazing! I can personally attest to the deliciousness of the slow-cooked pork belly, spanner crab linguini and chocolate cremuex. But really, nothing on the menu is likely to disappoint as it’s all created from farm-fresh Queensland produce.  

Oh and that bed … it was like sleeping on a cloud. I had the most restful sleep before my mini-adventure, which began on a glorious, perfectly blue-skied Brissie day.

My first stop was Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art, or as the locals call it, GOMA. Luckily for me, everything was being prepared for the ninth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, which starts on November 24 and remains open until April 28, 2019.

The triennial shows a mix of contemporary art from across the Asia Pacific, giving visitors a sense of a little tour of the region, as each artist has their own way of portraying their country and the dynamics of their society.

As my tummy began to rumble, I took off on the next stage of my journey – a guided adventure with Delectable Food Tours, a Brisbane-based company that’s dedicated to educating Brisbanites and visitors about the city’s expectedly sophisticated dining scene. Just from the name, you know you’re in for a treat.

Jumping in a car, we headed off to a coffee shop in Brisbane’s north-eastern suburb of Albion. The trendy little café, Fonzie Abbott Coffee Roasters on Fox Street, felt warm and cosy and above all very welcoming. The smell of freshly roasted coffee beans filled the room and my taste buds began to tingle.

While it was only established in 2012, Fonzie Abbott has already cemented itself as one of the most popular coffee destinations in the city, offering blends from Guatemala, Ethiopia, Colombia and more for caffeine fiends to linger over in its cool, dark interior.

After a coffee kick, we were off to the next place; a cute little in Fortitude Valley. Chances are, if you’re a local, you’ve walked past it before – if you haven’t already ventured inside, please do because it’s absolutely adorable.

The Valley Wine Bar on Alfred Street has a charm that visitors of all ages would enjoy. Bottles of wine fill the shelves surrounding with big wooden tables for groups and smaller ones for more intimate occasions.

It was here I learned that Queensland is home to some of the best wines in the country. This was new to me, having moved to Brisbane from South Australia, which is more widely known as a popular destination for wine drinkers. But the Valley Wine Bar set me straight because, whether you are a red or a white drinker, there are plenty of options from vineyards in the Gold Coast’s Hinterlands as well as from Brisbane’s own Granite Belt Brewery.

Next on the list was lunch. I was incredibly excited to hear we were going to feast on some delicious seafood at Sea Fuel in trendy West End. And boy did they deliver! The table was overflowing with fish tacos, prawn cutlets, crunchy chips and another local favourite, some good ol’ Bundaberg Ginger Beer. (Well, it was a little too early for Bundaberg’s other famous export, Bundaberg Rum!)

From West End, we drove south to Woolloongabba (better known as the home of the Gabba cricket ground) to a little cocktail bar called the Canvas Club on busy Logan Road. The modern bar stocks boutique wines, craft beers, and best of all some very inventive cocktails – Forgetting Prince Harry, made of Appleton rum, chestnut liquor, apple, burnt sugar and pomegranate is just one – to tantalise your tastebuds. It was the perfect end to a fun, relaxed and yet informative tour.

You might think I was done with eating my way around Brisbane, but no. Instead, dressed to nines, I headed to Blackbird Bar and Grill at the CBD’s Riverside Centre on Eagle Street, for a table overlooking the Story Bridge and towards the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, with the lights of the city illuminating the night sky. I opted for mouth-watering steak that was juicy and tender.

After a day full of food (and some culture!) it was an effort to even consider the dessert menu, which offers traditional dishes including apple galette, warm flourless orange pudding and Valrhona chocolate tart, but I managed it!

It was the end of an eye-opening staycation; eye-opening because while Brisbane is well known for its laid-back atmosphere and near-year-round good weather, its fine foods and cultural offerings are less recognised as worthy of spending a weekend or two in the city. If you’re not sure how best to fill your visit to the Sunshine State, you can find inspiration in the Hilton’s free Discover guides.

Brisbane really is the complete weekend getaway package so start exploring. You never know what you’ll discover until you go!