When life gets tough, there is one thing you can always count on to bring you some joy: a delicious, hearty meal. So no matter what your soul is yearning for — from doughy treats to spicy thrills — we’ve got just what the doctor ordered to cure whatever ails you.
1. Travel to the American South with Creole Soul Kitchen
Never has a name been more accurate than “soul food”. Used as an umbrella term to refer to African American cuisine originating in the southern part of the United States, it includes mouth-watering dishes like fried chicken, mac and cheese, and even gumbo, a filling stew made with meat or seafood. Coming straight from Louisiana and serving up all your soon-to-be favourite American staples, Creole Soul Kitchen also have a weekly specials menu and craft beer, so you can truly warm up from the inside out!
📍448 Boundary Street, Spring Hill
2. Say pasta la vista to the blues at Ripiena
Creamy, cheesy or meaty: whatever sauce floats your boat, Ripiena have a filled handmade pasta prepared with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients to enjoy it with. If you’re a stickler for tradition, their bolognaise recipe comes straight from the Italian Academy of Cuisine playbook or, you want to play to their strengths — ripiena translates as “filled” — their agnolotti filled with slow-cooked beef cheek will leave a contented smile on your face.
Their dishes are ideal for takeaway, so you can enjoy from the comfort of your couch, but they also have a small, chic space to dine in, if you’d rather be fully enveloped in the delicious smell of herbs and garlic while you dig into your comfort food.
📍1/826 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
3. Warm up with some Beppin Ramen
Savoury broth, rich meat and a perfectly jammy egg: a good ramen is a symphony of ingredients coming together to make something even better than the sum of its parts. Beppin Ramen & Cake‘s menu is a full-on concert of flavour, with over 13 different types of ramen. Traditional — like their incredible tonkotsu — unconventional, or even as fancy as a tender Wagyu ramen, they’ve got it all covered. Plus, their scrumptious desserts will play out the evening on a high note.
📍62 Charlotte Street, Brisbane CBD
4. Spoil yourself at Remy’s with a burger and beer combo
Name a more iconic duo than a juicy burger and an ice cold beer. Over at Remy’s, they have mastered the tricky simplicity of this classic, with their delicious smash, chicken and veggie burgers. And even if your cravings come earlier in the day and they’re on the sweeter side, they’ve got you covered with decadent pancakes and French toast.
📍106 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, Brisbane
SEE MORE: 7 Of The Tastiest Burgers In Brisbane To Wrap Your Hands Around
5. Visite Le Coin Bistro for onion soup for the soul
Comfort and fanciness aren’t mutually exclusive! If you’re looking for something a bit more refined that’ll still leave you in a cosy food coma, a French restaurant might be just what you’re looking for. And luckily Brisbane and its surroundings have plenty to choose from. You can go crispy with a tarte flambée or velvety with a crème brulée at Le Coin Bistro, but if you’re truly after comfort food, you can’t go wrong with a thick, cheesy onion soup.
📍Shop 5/1 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill
6. Dip into dumplings at Chu the Phat
So many cultures around the world have some variation of dumplings that it can’t be a coincidence. Our ancestors must have realized that the key to happiness lies in eating various dough-wrapped fillings. Add friends to share with, and you get a perfect evening. Thanks to their extensive and generous menu, Chu the Phat will have you sharing with pals and fuller than one of their melt-in-the-mouth Wagyu dumplings or their trendy bacon and kimchi dumplings.
📍111 Melbourne St, South Brisbane
7. Sink your teeth into an Anytime Coffee sandwich
The humble sandwich is the dark horse of this list. But its strength lies in its simplicity: as long as you have good bread and a tasty filling, it’ll be a winning combination. Anytime Coffee doesn’t just live up to their name with delicious fresh brews everyday, they also serve mouth-watering sangas that run the gamut from veggie sandwiches to three-cheese toasties.
📍160 Mary St, Brisbane CBD
8. Rise and get a little something for the pain (au chocolat)
Live out your Parisian dreams and indulge in everything fine patisserie has to offer. Can’t choose between eclairs, croissants, pain au chocolat, choux buns, and every other buttery pastry in existence? Who can blame you? Certainly not the pastry chefs at Rise Bakery, who bake delicious treats fresh every single day. You can accompany your flaky goody with a hot coffee or, if you’re in need of even fancier comfort, champagne!
📍39 Hercules St, Hamilton
SEE MORE: 14 Of Brisbane’s Best New Cafes And Bakeries To Grab A Bite At
9. Dive into some doughnuts at Nodo
With the philosophy “eat donuts for breakfast”, Nodo embodies everything that you’re looking for when you’re on the hunt for comfort food in Brisbane, but not by sacrificing your health. Their incredibly fluffy doughnuts are gluten-free and range from classics like apple and cinnamon to more exotic flavours like beetroot and dark chocolate.
📍Various locations
10. Feel lucky with Bunker Coffee’s hot choccy
Would any comfort food list be complete if it didn’t include chocolate? Fortunately, Brisbane has no shortage of cafes that serve this sweeter warm bevvy alongside coffee. Bunker Coffee takes it one step further still, with a rich and creamy peanut butter hot chocolate, and fun seasonal flavours, like rose for Valentine’s Day.
📍21 Railway Terrace, Brisbane CBD