While many CBDs have fallen silent over the past year, with fewer workers, tourists and visitors gravitating toward city centres, Brisbane’s is experiencing an unexpected renaissance. In particular, its dining and drinking scene is growing at a lively pace, with locals leading its patronage and supporting their hometown’s hospitality folk. Although the beginning of 2020 saw a handful of sorely missed beloved restaurants become prey to the pandemic, causing unexpected closures, it seems things are looking up once more.

Now, two new sophisticated sibling venues are contributing to the city’s reincarnation: Leonards Bar & Bistro and adjoined laneway bar Dawn are bringing a touch of European charm to town. Dapperly dressed Leonards Bar & Bistro has taken residence in the red brick building formerly occupied by Urbane and Euro, while Dawn sees passers-by enter an elegant space via Spencer Lane. 

At Leonards Bar & Bistro, diners can expect to indulge in the likes of hand-rolled tagliatelle, skirt steak with hand-cut fries, a country-style pork terrine, smoky eggplants, smoked ocean trout with shaved fennel and horse radish crème, and, to finish, an olive oil cake with lemon curd and meringues or perhaps a buttermilk panna cotta. The restaurant’s signature Leonard’s burger comprises a house-minced brisket patty, melting Emmental, white onion jam and a side serve of skin-on fries.

By day, the venue’s deli menu will see baguettes, paninis and pastries fuel city workers and flaneurs meandering from the nearby botanic gardens.  

Enda Gaffey, Irish ex-pat chef, is overseeing the bistro and bar snack menus across both venues – having cut his teeth at favourite Brisbane eateries, including Jelly Fish, Libertine, London Fields and Marchetti. 

‘We will be delivering clean, modern flavours working with local producers and business to showcase premium Australian produce. We’ll also be using some top notch imported products where we see fit,’ Gaffey says. 

Inside Dawn, flavoursome snacking dishes – think jamon Iberico with honey-fermented garlic, or fried calamari with saltbush and mountain pepper – will accompany cocktails from award-winning mixologist Marco Nunes, alongside lighter cocktails, aperitifs and more. 

As visitors enter Leonards Bar & Bistro, they’ll experience an old-world bistro air – not unlike those belonging to Paris and New York – with burgundy and gold accents adorning the locale, while Dawn’s lighter colour palette presents a breezy Riviera ambiance. Those enjoying a drink at Dawn can pull up a seat in the back laneway, a private retreat away from the city’s hum.

Later in the year, an underground private dining room is set to open at Leonards, which will be available for events. 

Leonards is now open from 7am until late on Monday–Friday, and 11am until late on weekends. Dawn is open Wednesday–Sunday from 11am until late.