Get ready for something special. This modern fine-dining spot serves up artistically plated dishes that taste just as good as they look – which is saying something. Blending fresh local produce from small farms and producers with techniques inspired by chef Dan Arnold’s training in Michelin-starred restaurants in France, this is the place to go for elegant fare in a relaxed setting. All you need to do is decide whether you want to go for three, five or eight courses – then sit back and enjoy the journey. restaurantdanarnold.com

Just as the walls outside are lined with modern masterpieces, so too are the plates at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art restaurant. From sake washed Hokkaido scallop with smoked onion and mussel beurre blanc and macadamia nam prik to bluefin tuna with yuzu kosho, soured cream and pickled turnip, every dish from chef Matt Blackwell boasts the composition, skill and sophistication of a true artist. But these plates aren’t style over substance, at their core are big, bold flavours, leaning heavily into Asian ingredients to amplify seasoning and umami richness. Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Pl, South Brisbane; qagoma.qld.gov.au.

Middle Eastern culinary hangout Gerard’s, just off Fortitude Valley’s fashionable James St, might be more than a decade old but it is refusing to rest on its laurels. The kitchen is all-guns blazing with the flavours of the souk running riot, from the Shark Bay scallop with brown butter and Aleppo pepper to the drum-beating noise of tender Longreach lamb collar matched with Turkish pepper paste and garlic yoghurt, or a wood-fired duck leg with charoset and fennel. Desserts are strong too, with a goat’s milk sorbet with mandarin curd and chickpea praline. A by-the-glass offering of 28 wanders the globe like the rest of the quality wine list. Gerard’s Lane, 14/15 James St, Fortitude Valley; gerardsbistro.com.au.

Down a set of stairs into the barely lit basement of the old Metro Arts building in Brisbane’s CBD lies this ultra-trendy, 24-seat, degustation-only experience. Bookings for two sit kitchen-side, watching the team of smartly dressed chefs work their magic, while groups of four sink into banquette seating and sturdy wooden chairs, ready for the multi-course menu to begin. A series of snacks kicks things off, perhaps the abalone liver parfait. It’s then on to larger dishes, such as a brilliant slab of 9+ Wagyu Yakiniku with white asparagus and beurre noisette, before three sweet courses,including smoked milk chocolate truffle. 109 Edward Street, Brisbane; exhibitionrestaurant.com.au

With its soaring ceilings, yellow and blue colour palette, and uninterrupted water views from the banks of the Brisbane River, OTTO channels all the glamour of the Italian Riviera. Start with a signature cocktail or glass of wine from the European-centric list before moving to the menu offering tight, authentic Italian fare with a sophisticated twist. Start with the raw fish of the day with capers, caperberries and charred eggplant, before the signature champagne lobster spaghettini. The generous twirl of pasta and crustacean in a plate-scraping butter sauce epitomises the entire venue – understated luxury. Desserts continue the theme of simple elegance with Mango, mascarpone, passionfruit and macadamia a highlight. Shop 1, River Quay, Sidon St, South Brisbane; ottoristorante.com.au.

With its huge mirrors, chandeliers, marble-topped table and curved banquettes and touches Rothwell’s takes a step back in time. Set in the 1885-built Rothwell’s building this is a classic grill. Start perhaps with steak tartare or a pleasing prawn cocktail. Pastas such as tagliarini with sea urchin, caviar, butter and chives beckon, as does a seafood platter, Moreton Bay bug in thermidor sauce and duck cassoulet. Five steaks may include a very tender rib fillet and all are served with a tower of crunchy onion rings, celeriac remoulade and a selection of mustards, horseradish and béarnaise sauce. Fresh baked madeleines with whisky caramel dipping sauce are a fine conclusion. 235 Edward St, Brisbane; rothwellsbrisbane.com.au.

Cherry-red banquettes and curved-back chairs wait to hug diners through long lunches and stretching suppers at this elegant yet approachable Italian favourite. Chef/owner Tony Percuoco’s menu showcases the food of his home town of Naples, meaning terrific red and white-based pizzas fly out of the wood-fired oven with the dough taken to bubbly, charred brilliance under classic toppings of top-notch ingredients. The rest of the menu covers classic appetisers, entrees, mains and desserts, all built around the freshest ingredients of the season treated humbly and with care. 1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley; tartufo.com.au.

Michelin-trained Isasia Dal Fiume runs this show and his main courses include tagliatelle with raw ama ebi, capsicum and scampi caviar, Patagonian toothfish with celeriac textures or a 180g Wagyu eye scotch fillet with carrots, white balsamic and a peppercorn jus. Fruit focused desserts end the meal on a lighter note. The wine list deserves serious consideration, with more than 40 wines by the glass and 600 bottles. Seven-course degustations include a vegan option, both available with matching wines. Podium Level, Rydges South Bank, 9 Glenelg St, South Brisbane; bacchussouthbank.com.au.

This 60-seater off the lobby of The Calile Hotel has a Mad Men-goes-to-Tokyo vibe. There is a long, changing line-up of sashimi and nigiri, the fingers of glistening rice topped mainly with slivers of vibrantly fresh seafood, as well as sushi rolls and rice, sashimi, tempura and several grilled yakimono dishes including toothfish, duck and smoky wagyu tenderloin. Vegetable tempura wears its batter lightly, while seafood futomaki rolls are a more filling option. Set menus and omakase are also on offer and there’s a small private dining room. G7-9 The Calile Hotel, 48 James St, Fortitude Valley; sushiroom.com.au.

Since 1995, this eatery’s heavily accoladed chef-owner Philip Johnson has set the standard for refined fare in Queensland’s capital. Begin with duck liver parfait toast followed by crowd-pleasing gnocchi with wild mushrooms and Parmesan crisp. Larger plates feature a robust a Wagyu 7+ with smoked tomato, yuzu kosho and pickled shitake. Side orders include tandoori and charred broccolini served with edamame and smoked paprika. There are also elegant yet simple desserts, say, passionfruit creme caramel with finger lime and yoghurt sorbet. Shop 8/63 Skyring Terrace, Newstead; eccobistro.com.au.