For date-night fun
Christmas and romance go hand in hand, and what better way to say “I love you” than with an intimate dinner date? Spice up your date night with some zesty dishes at Naga Thai at Eagle Street Pier. It’s here where you can tuck in to a mouth-watering medley of bright and fresh Thai flavours, such as Moreton Bay bug pad Thai, grilled pork-neck salad, massaman-beef milk buns and seafood-dumpling green curry. Then wash it all down with fresh and fruity cocktails, ice-cold beers or lychee wine. Looking for Parisian-style luxury? Be transported to the city of love at Stanton Bar, where you can cheers with lip-smacking cocktails before devouring Napoli-style pizzas and some tasty tapas. Wine and dine in style at Vintaged Bar + Grill, an elegant oasis of fine wine and dining located on the sixth floor of the luxurious Hilton Brisbane. Devour dishes like Bundaberg molasses-cured Tasmanian salmon, wagyu beef and tomato ragu, and pork cutlets on sauteed savoy cabbage with pancetta lardons, fennel and spiced-apple puree. Nobody knows romance quite like the French, so if you feel like getting fancy, make haste to Aquitaine Brasserie – you and your boo can enjoy delicious provincial fare with a stunning river view to match. Laid-back luxe vibes ahoy!

For a work Christmas shindig
If you’re in charge of the annual Christmas get-together this year, make sure it’s an affair your colleagues will never forget, no matter the vibe. Organising a large gathering? Look no further than the Thai Feast at Phat Boy in Brisbane Quarter – a tastebud-tantalising $39-per-person set menu featuring spring rolls, chicken satay skewers, curry puffs, warm lemongrass-beef salad, chicken pad Thai and slow-cooked beef-rib and sweet-potato massaman curry. More modern-Asian delicacies await at Eagle Street Pier’s Madame Wu, where you can gather the work gang and take a seat on the balcony to enjoy Story Bridge views. Guests have a range of flavourful dumplings to choose from, as well as small plates like pumpkin, sweet potato and water chestnut rice noodle rolls, mains such as Portuguese-style chicken with pear salad and desserts including red date, ginger and golden syrup pudding with spiced pear turnover with ice-cream. More than 150 wines await in the walk-in cellar, while a cocktail station will sate after-work thirst. For bigger (but still socially distanced) groups, The Charming Squire is more than accommodating – this James Squire brewhouse has oodles of beers on tap, delicious gastropub eats to satisfy everyone in your crew, plus plenty of space to spread out.

To cheers with the gals
Searching for somewhere that has fabulous food, killer cocktails and dynamite views for your girl gang? Look no further than Saké at Eagle Street Pier. For the ultimate Japanese feasting experience, try the coriander-infused Hiramasa kingfish with sweet ponzu and lime-and-jalepeno kosho, paired perfectly with a sake (or two). Just around the corner is where you’ll find the sun-dappled riverside wine bar Mr & Mrs G Riverbar. Pick a spot overlooking the water, order a plate of Mediterranean-inspired tapas and enjoy a glass of champagne with a view of Brisbane River and Story Bridge. For a sky-high soiree, perch yourself atop the 16th floor of the Pullman and Mercure Brisbane King George Square at Sixteen Antlers Rooftop Bar. Enjoy rooftop tipples, jam-packed charcuterie boards and uninterrupted views of the city skyline. If you and your ladies love to lunch Italian style, Popolo is a perfect choice – order a bunch of pizzas and antipasto to share while you sip on Aperol spritzes and soak up the riverside breeze.

For a boys-only gathering
Beers from the esky and snags off the barbecue won’t cut it this Christmas – it’s time to amp up the festivities. Lap up Latin-Australian eats with the fellas at Rico Bar & Dining, where you can chow down on the likes of freshly shucked oysters, grilled lamb ribs, flash-fried calamari, garlic prawns and much more. The bar also won’t disappoint, well provisioned with wines from Spain, Argentina, Chile, France, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, as well as tap and bottled beers and spirits. Alternatively, slide into a red-leather booth and let the Walter’s Steakhouse crew make your Christmas feast magical. The grain-fed porterhouse is the hero of the menu, which sits alongside steakhouse favourites like maple-bacon oysters and prawn cocktails, and sides including fries, chopped salad and creamed spinach. Keen to play a bit of Blackjack? A night out at the casino isn’t complete without a feast, and Treasury Brisbane sure knows how to put on a show. Fat Noodle will take your tastebuds on a flavoursome journey with its Asian-style dishes, whilst carnivorous diners can savour drool-worthy steaks and seafood fare at Black Hide by Gambaro and dumpling lovers can pop on over to Mei Wei. Got some vegos in your gang? Tippler’s Tap has you sorted – this South Bank sud-haven serves up meaty and vegan dude food alongside a stellar selection of craft beers that will satisfy even the biggest hops nerd in your friendship circle.

This article was written with our friends at Brisbane Economic Development Agency.