Asian cuisine features some of the best combinations of flavours and ingredients in the world. And it doesn’t just come under one category – you’ve got Chinese food, Thai food, Indian food, Japanese food, Korean food, Indonesian food, Vietnamese food, and so much more. Of course, there are even Asian fusion restaurants which combine the cuisines of one or more of these countries into something new and exciting.
With so many native cuisines to choose from, it might seem overwhelming when it comes to picking a restaurant to go to.
As there are so many types of Asian food, you might not know exactly what you’re craving until you see it – whether it’s sushi or pad Thai. Especially if you’re in a city like Brisbane which is bursting with great restaurants featuring every type of cuisine imaginable.
Well, luckily for you, we’ve got you covered. Here are the 15 best Asian restaurants in Brisbane.
Also Sushi Kotobushi Shop3/53 Lytton Rd, East Brisbane, QLD 4169
Firstly, we’re taking a quick trip to Japan.
Izakaya Kotobuki’s sushi is one of the most popular dishes in the whole of Brisbane. Founded in 2008 as a small restaurant in East Brisbane, Izakaya Kotobuki has since grown into a well-known Asian restaurant, loved by locals and tourists alike.
Owned and run by Japanese chefs with decades of experience in their trade, this restaurant blends traditional Japanese sushi with modern and contemporary cuisine. If you’re going with a group of people, we recommend buying a sushi platter.
Remember – sushi is deceptively filling, so you probably won’t need to order as much as you think.
Second on our list of the best Asian restaurants in Brisbane we have a Thai eatery.
There’s a reason this place is fully booked most of the time. Thai Naramit is one of the most popular restaurants in Hendra for the wonderful service, authentic atmosphere, and (of course) the exquisite food.
This is a family-run restaurant that is committed to bringing authentic Thai flavours to Brisbane. The kitchen here uses high-quality ingredients, blending Australia with Thailand beautifully.
Then there’s the decor of the restaurant, which makes you feel like you’ve been transported to Thailand. It has traditional religious decorations, endless plants, and tile roofing to mimic a Thai street food vendor’s stall.
Location: 1 East Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4000 Ph: 0413 246 890
If you’re not looking to spend hundreds of dollars on a meal, make sure to check out Chinese restaurant Happy Boy. This place is about as cheap and cheerful as you can get, which is part of the reason why it’s so popular.
The other reason is that the food is genuinely good and is suitable for a variety of eaters – from vegetarians to meat-eaters to gluten-free eaters.
Happy Boy keeps it simple with their menu. The team make sure to create traditional Chinese flavours with simple ingredients to cater for every customer. Plus, this restaurant specialises in premium-quality Australian wine.
Give Happy Boy a try. We think it’s amongst the top Asian restaurants in Brisbane.
Café O-Mai is one of those unique restaurants that features traditional Asian cuisine with western influences. This establishment is all about making Vietnamese street food from locally sourced, fresh ingredients and encouraging customers to talk to one another.
It’s a fairly small restaurant, but the tall ceilings, colourful furniture, and beautiful paintings on the wall make the place feel far bigger. However, keep in mind that this restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch.
There’s a reason Mons Ban Sabai Thai has been voted “Brisbane’s Best Thai Restaurant” for the last three years. Known simply as Mons Thai amongst the locals, this restaurant is the place for foodies.
If you’ve ever been to Thailand and you’re missing the traditional food, this is the place to go! Every item on the menu features fabulous flavours, and sometimes ones that you wouldn’t expect. Our favourite? The Island Duck Curry consisting of roasted duck, lychee, and pineapple – it’s a fabulous balance of sweet, savoury and fruity.
Finally, Mons Thai offers monthly cooking classes!
Sassy Spoon was Brisbane’s first Indian lounge bar, and has since become a popular restaurant for the lovers of curry.
This restaurant offers both a la carte and a banquet, making it suitable for all budgets. What’s more, it features some of the most flavoursome and colourful food in the Woolloongabba area.
Each dish is crafted to fill the stomach and feed the soul with comforting (and often very hot) spices and textures suitable for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Plus, the service is regularly described as outstanding.
Editor’s Note – We have been informed that Sassy Spoon is currently closed. We will let you know when we know more.As this is the case, why not try this innovative eatery instead…?
This dynamic venue showcases the addictive flavours of Chifa cuisine. Don’t know what that is? Well, basically, it’s a fusion of Cantonese flare and Peruvian ingredients. And the results are stunning!
Dive in with an Oyster served with Cucumber Lime Granita & Chow Dressing ($6). Move on to Salt & Sichuan Calamari with Peanuts Sauce ($18). Continue with Soy Glazed Mushrooms Bao Bun, Aji Amarillo & Lime ($9). And get stuck into the Chaufa Prawn & Pork Fried Rice ($27). Intrigued? Honestly, there are so many surprises on the menu at Casa Chow and they all taste great.
However, at Casa Chow, it’s not just about the food. This is also a lively bar, complete with DJ booth and a Latin-inspired soundtrack to get you in the mood.
Classy, playful and definitely unique, this is already one of the finest Asian restaurants in Brisbane.
We return to the heat and vibrancy of Vietnam for the next of our best Asian restaurants in Brisbane.
District 1 is all about bringing the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese street food straight to the Queensland capital.
It doesn’t feel like one restaurant with all the different food options. So even while you’re in the middle of Brisbane, the street food-esque style of the restaurant makes you feel like you’re actually in Hanoi.
Each dish is sourced from local, high-quality ingredients and is designed to be eaten with your hands, so be prepared to get messy! Plus, District 1 also offers unique hot and iced Vietnamese coffee.
Location: 702 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 Ph: (07) 3257 2305 Also at Shop 5, 220 Melbourne St, South Brisbane, QLD 4101 Ph: (07) 3844 4306 & 9 Sherwood Rd, Shop G67A, Toowong, QLD 4066 Ph: (07) 3815 6491
If you didn’t know, Yakitori is a traditional Japanese grilled chicken dish. It is typically served on a bamboo skewer or served as a meal alongside other ingredients. Bird’s Nest Yakitori restaurant, as the name suggests, is one of the best places in Brisbane for this tasty meal – along with other dishes.
This restaurant is deliberately dimly lit with contrasting bright colours to mimic Japan’s side streets and laneways. The result? You feel instantly like you’re in the depths of Tokyo surrounded by street food.
Also at 135/400 Newmarket Rd, Newmarket, QLD 4051 Ph: (07) 3856 6986 & 19/663 Beenleigh Rd, Sunnybank Hills, QLD 4109 Ph: (07) 3162 2993 & Shop 28 Carseldine Central, 735 Beams Rd, Carseldine, QLD 4034 Ph: (07) 3150 8700 & Shop 119, Chatswood Central Shopping Centre 2, 16 Magellan Rd, Springwood, QLD 4127 Ph: (07) 3290 0729 & Shp7/ High St, Victoria Point, QLD 4165 Ph: (07) 3820 9720 & Shop 2/51 Sherwood Rd, Toowong, QLD 4066 Ph: (07) 3371 7341 & Kmart Plaza, Shop C8/1909 Creek Rd, Cannon Hill, QLD 4170 Ph: (07) 3399 5253 & Lower Ground Floor, 8 Charlotte St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000 Ph: (07) 3012 8915
If you’re looking to soothe your cravings for dumplings, make sure to check out Little Red Dumpling. This restaurant makes some of the most authentic Chinese dumplings in Brisbane, ranging from pork-filled chive dumplings to steamed soup buns.
They also do succulent bao dishes, pancakes, spring rolls, and pan-fried dumplings, all with a variety of fillings.
Also at 4/27 Samuel St, Camp Hill QLD, 4152 Ph: (07) 3398 4945
Banana Leaf Thai’s goal is to serve soul-filling foods, from premium-quality ingredients and with simple authentic flavours. Each dish begins with traditional Thai flavours and techniques, then the chefs add a flash of contemporary flare.
Moreover, the restaurant itself is quirky. Its walls are tastefully cluttered with posters of Asian (mostly Thai) vintage movies and artwork, making the place feel like a hidden gem.
Planning a trip up to beautiful Hervey Bay or K’gari (Fraser Island)? Here are our Best Restaurants in Hervey Bay recommendations.
Also at Shop 8/455 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 Ph: 0423 921 949
Next on our look at the best Asian restaurants in Brisbane we hop scotch over to India.
Curry n’ Cask prides itself on bringing the real taste of India straight to Brisbane. With a range of dishes including biryanis, Indo-Chinese dishes, dosas, and street-food, you’re bound to fall in love with something new.
Curry n’ Cask has become so popular that it has two locations – Corinda and Fortitude Valley – both of which offer dine-in and takeaway options.
Also at 154 Melbourne St, South Brisbane, QLD 4101 Ph: (07) 3844 4414 & 16 Old Cleveland Rd, Greenslopes, QLD 4120 Ph: (07) 3324 2823 & 1/145 Racecourse Rd, Ascot, QLD 4007 Ph: (07) 3868 2833
Nothing is quite as comforting as a bowl of ramen. Taro’s Ramen was founded 11 years ago and has since become an ever-evolving ramen restaurant, using locally sourced ingredients such as pork and eggs from local farmers.
And best of all, everything at Taro’s Ramen is handmade. From the noodles to the broth, allowing customers to eat nothing but healthy, authentic ramen. The result is a marry of the tastes of Japan with the atmosphere of Brisbane, all in a welcoming restaurant with friendly staff and a relaxed vibe.
If you can’t decide what type of cuisine you want, check out Chu The Phat. This restaurant focuses on a variety of Asian street food, transporting you directly to Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong with every bite.
Here, the street food vibe blends with modern dine-in flare, making for a lively and exciting dining experience. Plus, the venue can cater large groups, so it’s a good place to go for birthday parties or work meetings.
Our penultimate spot on our best Asian restaurants in Brisbane goes to a haven for spicy heat lovers.
Sichuan Province, located in the south west of China, is known to the locals as the “heavenly county”.
Sichuan Bang Bang opened in Brisbane with the aim of bringing traditional Chinese-inspired flavours to Australia. But, with a small, though important twist – almost everything is spicy.
This restaurant is all about celebrating hot spices like the Sichuanese do, so this isn’t the place for the faint of heart. If you’re not prepared for strong spices, make sure to tell the waiting staff who will have the dishes adapted to your liking.
Location: Eagle Street Pier, Level 1, 45 Eagle Street, Brisbane City, QLD 4000 Ph: (07) 3015 0557
The last of our best Asian restaurants in Brisbane is a Japanese fine diner.
Part of the group of classy Japanese eateries that have outposts in Melbourne and Sydney, Sake offers a refined dining experience.
What’s more, Saké is also a chic, contemporary bar in the heart of Brisbane that looks directly over the river. This restaurant is mostly known for its sashimi and sushi, allowing customers to indulge on the fresh fish dishes as they look over the aptly-located river.
While this might be a fairly expensive restaurant, it’s certainly a “tick off your bucket list” experience.
Editor’s Note: We’ve been informed that Sake is currently closed. We will let you know if we hear anymore.
When it comes to great places to eat in Australia, the list really is endless. There are so many different restaurants, cafés, and chains to try that you really are spoiled for choice. From Italian food, to Japanese food, to a good ‘ole rump steak, the food options are endless.
This is why I decided to set up my blog, Eatability, to share the best food and drink spots in Australia with as many people as possible. Hi, my name is Dylan Cole, and I moved to Australia five years ago from England, UK.
Through this blog, I will be sharing and recommending some of my favorite places you need to visit, such as where to find the best pizza in Adelaide, and the best bakery in Brisbane. Whatever food you are fancying, I have got you covered!
