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DESTINASIAN.COM – AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019
in a snapshot: tropical colors (azure, canary yellow,
emerald), textural wallpapers, Brisbane River scenes
by homegrown photographer Tim Salisbury, and a
jaw-dropping octagonal bar constructed from pink
granite, brass, and mirrors. While the menu is influ-
enced by Italy, there are distinct Queensland touches
in dishes such as buttery Moreton Bay bug (flathead
lobster) rolls, and zucchini flowers stuffed with mud
crab and ricotta. Felons beers are on tap, but there’s
also a fantastic spritz list. Go for the Vida, a muddle
of tequila, bergamot liqueur, pineapple-mint kombu-
cha, bitters, and prosecco.
Spiro also oversaw the design of ARC Dining &
Wine Bar (arcdining.com.au), the most formal of
the eateries here. Soaring glass walls frame the river
and Story Bridge, and pops of color come from pink
marble counters and yellow armchairs—there’s also a
fig tree in the room. The menu is courtesy of Alanna
Sapwell, who left the much-lauded Sydney seafood
restaurant Saint Peter to return to her home state of
Queensland; standout dishes include raw cobia with
daikon and finger lime, and painted crayfish topped
with cultured butter and lobster roe. The strong wine
list, meanwhile, was conceived by Ian Trinkle, one of
Brisbane’s most acclaimed sommeliers.
Born on the Gold Coast, some 80 kilometers
southeast of Brisbane, talented chef Jonathan Bar-
thelmess is another Sydney export—his restaurants
there, Apollo and Cho Cho San, rarely have a spare
seat. He ventured back to Queensland to open Greca
(greca.com.au) at the wharves, offering a modern spin
on the Greek dishes of his heritage: saganaki, tarama-
salata, grilled octopus, baked lamb shoulder. White-
washed walls nod to the tavernas of Santorini and
Mykonos, but there are also beautifully warm interior
elements, like polished timbers and straw-seat chairs.
The latest dining spot to join the Howard Smith
lineup is Betty’s Burgers (bettysburgers.com.au), an
Australian chain that began in the resort town of
Noosa, 150 kilometers up the coast. It has the same
relaxed vibe as many of its wharf-side counterparts—
easy-to-sink-into chairs, tropical colors—and serves
up bulging burgers that offer a twist on the usual
beef-and-cheese combo: mushroom with gouda and
gruyere, perhaps, or crispy pork belly with spicy pick-
led vegetables and sriracha mayo.
Since March, there’s been an additional reason to
linger. The eighth hotel in the Art Series chain (whose
properties celebrate Australian contemporary artists)
is The Fantauzzo (artserieshotels.com.au; doubles from
US$172), an eye-popping shrine to the Melbourne-
based photorealist painter Vincent Fantauzzo. More
than 500 of his works are on display throughout,
including nine originals, many of them depicting the
artist’s wife, actor Asher Keddie. The hotel’s fractal
facade and sultry interiors take their color palette from
the cliffs the building backs onto and the river it over-
looks: soft grays, inky blues, mossy greens. At ground
level you’ll find casual Italian restaurant
Polpetta, while on the rooftop there’s the
Fumy bar and a guest-only infinity pool
that looks down onto the action at Felons.
The overnight success of the wharves
has prompted the council to expand its
river transport network, with the catama-
rans that ply the water able to stop here at
a new terminal in coming months. There’s
still more planned on the food front as
well, with a Japanese bar and Cantonese
restaurant slated to open toward the end of
the year. Watch this space.COURTESY^ OF^ THE^ FANTAUZZO;^ COURTESY^OF^FELONSBREWING^CO.Left: A room at The
Fantauzzo hotel,
where more than 500
works by Australian
photorealist painter
Vincent Fantauzzo
are on display. Below:
Felons occupied a
mammoth corrugated-
iron shed where
brewing operations
share space with
diners and imported
Italian pizza ovens.GOOD TO GO ABOUT TOWN