Happy Boy, Fortitude Valley: Primely positioned where Fortitude Valley turns into James Street, Happy Boy provides the perfect amalgamation of these two worlds. With a refined-minimalist design, Happy Boy is known for its mouth-watering menu inspired by the cuisines of Southern China, Hong Kong and Guangdong. The chef’s banquet (which goes for $50 per person) features a star-studded line-up of the eatery’s most-loved dishes – from its Taiwanese fried-chicken milk bun to the fungi-truffle fried rice and the crispy pork belly. Designed with a bespoke approach, the chef’s banquet can be customised to suit any dietary needs as well.
Rich & Rare, West End: Inspired by the steakhouses of Manhattan, Rich & Rare is best known for its wow-worthy wagyu menu and luxury wine list – both of which are showcased by the custom dry-ageing room and temperature-controlled wine cellar you’ll find anchoring the restaurant. The restaurant’s $50 Power Banquet boasts nine courses, decked out with the likes of oysters with mignonette, barramundi in miso butter and sirloin steak. With the chef’s dessert of the day included, the Power Banquet lets you feast on the finer things – frugally.
Luckies Kitchen, Bulimba: Nestled on Oxford Street, Luckies Kitchen has brought a refreshed take on pan-Asian cuisine to Bulimba. The Luckies Banquet (a steal at $49 per person) lets you feast on the likes of kingfish sashimi, crunchy rice-net spring rolls and Sichuan calamari under the glow of eclectic hanging lanterns and Shanghai-style posters. For the main courses, savour the Luckies sweet-and-sour pork and smoked-duck yellow curry. For our vegan friends, Luckies is also home to a vegan banquet menu, complete with the likes of pop-corn cauliflower, kung pao eggplant, yellow curry and more.
El Planta, South Brisbane: The plant-based eatery serves up a seasonal menu of Mexican small plates and tacos with everything made in house – even the tortillas. Located in South Brisbane, the taqueria has become a cult-favourite for its delicious and authentic dishes – loved by carnivores, herbivores and all the omnivores in between. El Planta’s $40 ‘banquete’ includes an array of snacks and tacos, curated by the kitchen and served family style for the table. From palmito ceviche to the homemade and plant-based beer-battered fish taco, the banquet lets you experience the best of El Planta’s meat-free creations.
Flying Colours, West End: The brainchild of Brisbane bar veteran Simon Martin, Flying Colours’ delectable drinks are joined by a tight food menu of tantalising small plates and shared dishes. The bar’s feast banquet (a very reasonable $49 per person) is stacked with seven courses designed to pair perfectly with a few rounds of bevvies. Whet your appetite with moreish snacks like house-made flatbread and charcuterie, then be suitably satiated with the likes of braised beef cheek, mushroom arancini and slow-roasted tomatoes.
Honourable mentions: There are a few extra spots worth a shout out on this list, including Naïm in Paddington, which serves a three-course lunch banquet for $40 per person, the $50 eight-course Ume banquet at Ippin Japanese Dining in West End and Ruby, My Dear in Newstead, which has just launched its own $49 lunch banquet. Over in Bulimba, Mexicali has a tasty banquet for $39 per person, while Mrs Brown’s Bar & Kitchen in Newstead serves a snack-centric feast for $35 a head. Ming Ming’s in Wilston has a goodie-laden banquet that goes for $50 per, Phat Boy in The City offers $35 and $45 banquet options, Fosh in Hamilton’s seafood-stacked Hooked banquet is also a steal at $50, while Massimo Restaurant & Bar in The City offers its Pronto banquet for $50, too.
