Marlowe, Brisbane. A First Look Inside A Most Anticipated Opening

You know that feeling when you hear about a new restaurant, and every single detail sounds just right? The team, the location, the vision. You just know it's going to be special.

That's the feeling we have about Marlowe Brisbane.

This is the latest project from the Fanda Group, the powerhouse team behind some of Queensland's best venues (think Rick Shores, Southside, Central). They’ve taken a beautiful, heritage-listed 1938 apartment block in Fish Lane—once known as the Merivale Flats - and are respectfully transforming it into what is set to be the city's most charming and ambitious new bistro.

They haven't knocked down walls; they've embraced them. The restaurant will unfold across the former apartments, creating a series of intimate dining rooms and private corners that will feel less like a restaurant and more like the city's most exclusive, hidden, dining experience.

Head Chef and co-owner Ollie Hansford

The 'intact' Marlowe interior

The kitchen will be in the brilliant hands of Head Chef and co-owner Ollie Hansford. A UK-born chef with a stellar resume (he was awarded the Good Food Guide's Young Chef of the Year while at Gauge and earned two hats for Stokehouse Q), Hansford has created a menu that promises to be a clever, nostalgic nod to Australian classics, elevated with incredible local produce and flawless technique.

This will be comfort food, reimagined. Expect a prawn cocktail tartlet in shatteringly crisp pastry, a rich braised duck pie with jus poured at the table, and even a coral trout Wellington with a luxurious caviar butter sauce. Hansford’s close relationships with local farmers are the real story here, with exclusive supplies of things like jumbo yabbies from a farm near Gympie. It’s a menu that feels both familiar and thrillingly new.

A rich braised duck pie will have jus poured at the table

A prawn cocktail tartlet in shatteringly crisp pastry

A coral trout Wellington with a luxurious caviar butter sauce

The Insider Tip: When Marlowe opens, try to get a seat with a view of the dedicated raw bar. Watching the chefs shuck oysters and carve seafood to order is set to be a fantastic piece of theatre and a great way to start the evening.

Our Final Say: Marlowe has all the makings of an instant classic. It’s the result of an all-star team at the absolute top of their game. It has a real sense of place, a deep respect for its history, and a menu that is both comforting and creative.

This is, without a doubt, the most anticipated Brisbane opening of the year, AND the wait is over! Marlowe opens Tuesday 23rd September.

For updates, head to the Marlowe website.

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