Your ultimate guide to Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane

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Get swept up in a dizzying smorgasbord of entertainment and international fare at Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane.

Transforming one of Brisbane’s last remaining shipping wharves into one of the city’s bucket list to-dos, Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane is a night market like no other. Also known as Eat Street Brisbane, the food-centric entertainment precinct is home to more than 60 permanent vendors dishing up authentic international fare, crafty cocktails and drinks, kids’ toys, arts and crafts and more. Pumping with live music and performances once the sun sets, it’s an intoxicating scene we’ve grown to adore since it opened 11 years ago. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.

Getting to Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane

Keen to stay and make the most of Eat Street Northshore’s five on-site bars? Leave your wheels at home and jump on a CityCat ferry. The Northshore Hamilton ferry terminal is just a few steps from one of the venue’s two entrances at Dock C within Northshore Brisbane, and the quick stroll along the Brisbane River to Eat Street Northshore itself is flat and scenic.

al fresco dining at the Eat Street Northshore

The food-centric entertainment precinct is home to excellent food and pumping performances. (Image: Tourism Australia)

If you’re taking the car, there’s a huge 1,400-vehicle carpark at Dock C on MacArthur Avenue and best of all, it’s free. Again, you’re only a few steps from both the ‘Hello’ and ‘Eat’ sign entrances, and they’re both clearly labelled. Northshore Brisbane, home to Eat Street Northshore and a stack of surrounding attractions (more on those further down), is in Hamilton which is about a 20-minute drive from Brisbane’s CBD.

There’s also the bus, with the nearest stop located on Bincote Street, right near the gigantic steel tank. Once you hop off, it’s a short walk through Maritime Green.

a family entering the Eat Street Northshore

Head to Eat Street Northshore for a fun family day out. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Getting around Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane

If it’s your first time, you can always download a visitor map from the Eat Street Northshore website, but we highly recommend getting lost in the fairy/neon/festoon/halogen-lit madness of it all.

If you’re after on-site assistance, there’s an information desk right next to the First Aid room, just a few steps inside when entering through the ‘Eat’ entrance.

a couple exploring the Eat Street Northshore

Get lost in the fairy-lit madness of it all. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Visitors should note that entry into Eat Street Northshore costs $6 per person however children under the age of 13 and carers can enter for free. You can also purchase pre-paid tickets through the website.

a kid smiling while holding a dessert at Eat Street Northshore

Children under the age of 13 can enter for free. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Accessibility-wise, there are plenty of dedicated disability parking spots, wheelchair-accessible toilets and a wheelchair-accessible ATM to be found. However, people with accessibility issues should note that the grounds have been built on original wharfage, meaning some of the more remote seating on the water’s edge is tougher to reach, and less finished than other spots.

friends enjoying drinks at Eat Street Northshore

Enjoy a night full of great food and drinks. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Dogs are welcome if they’re kept on a short leash and can handle staying more than three metres away from the food vendors. Tough ask for some, we realise.

dogs posing for a photo at Eat Street Northshore

You can also bring your dogs on a short leash.

What to see at Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane

Shopping and food options

You won’t know where to start, even if you’ve visited Eat Street Northshore before.

the dining options at Eat Street Northshore

Explore the dining options at Eat Street Northshore. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Often categorised by cuisine or whatever products they’re selling, (there’s a mad scientist corner, for example, housing a Churro Lab and Professor Fairy Floss) the hot spots are broken down here.

churros at Eat Street Northshore

Grab some tasty snacks from Churro Lab.

Tables are scattered everywhere you look but the most popular place to plonk yourself down is the Main Deck where a giant undercover stage is found. Inside, you’ll struggle to resist the mouth-watering flavours of South America, the Middle East and Europe as vendors like Las Catrinas (try the birria tacos for instant transportation to Mexico City’s vibrant streets) and Chaar nail their dishes with spirited flair.

a couple eating ice cream at Eat Street Northshore

Head to Eat Street Northshore for decadent desserts. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Kombi Alley is another non-negotiable, home to a giant shimmering disco ball, strings of fairy lights and some of the most extraordinary sweets you’ll ever encounter.

the Kombi Alley at Eat Street Northshore

Indulge in sweets at the Kombi Alley. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Head to The Doughnut Bar for one of the alley’s original stalwarts and don’t miss The Chocolate Komberry’s cronut cubes topped with ice cream, syrup and more unnecessarily wicked trimmings.

The Doughnut Bar at Eat Street Northshore

Don’t miss the famed Doughnut Fries from The Doughnut Bar. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Seafood fans should make a beeline for the Trawler Deck where fish and chips are perfected, and Shuck All Oysters bring the decadence.

fresh oysters at Eat Street Northshore

Indulge in fresh oysters. (Image: Tourism Australia)

It’s a beautiful spot to watch the sun set as an old vintage Moreton Bay trawler, on display right in the thick of it all, sets a beautiful scene.

a box of pizza at Eat Street Northshore

Savour a slice of your favourite pizza. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Diner Bar is Eat Street Northshore’s central hub of comfort food, boasting American-style pizza slices, loaded burgers and two internationally inspired culinary havens: Little Lady Peruvian and Don’t Worry Eat Curry, spicing up your options with traditional paellas and Indian classics.

a dog wearing a cap at Eat Street Northshore

Treat your pup to a makeover with accessories from Traders Square’s Dapper Dogs.

Break up the culinary charms with a few kid-friendly games at Arcade Avenue, or a spot of boho-inspired homewares and henna tattooing perusing along the Laneway, or Traders Square’s Dapper Dogs for pup-friendly accessories, or Asia Street’s Sugarville for take-home lollies.

candies on display at Asia Street’s Sugarville, Eat Street Northshore

Grab some take-home lollies from Asia Street’s Sugarville.

Other popular pit stops include Lulu Candied Fruit, where skewered, fresh-dipped delights provide endless Instagram fodder, Corn Dogs, for loaded creations to utterly blow your mind, and Arancini Bros, serving up a suite of pudgy, flavour-packed risotto spheres.

caramelized strawberries in skewers at Lulu Candied Fruit, Eat Street Northshore

Grab one of Lulu Candied Fruit’s caramelised strawberry skewers.

Events and activities at Eat Street Northshore in Brisbane

While the countless food offerings keep crowds plenty busy, there’s also live music and performances staged nightly. Thanks to Eat Street Northshore’s 10pm licence on Friday and Saturday nights, local bands, singers, dancers, DJs and roving performers turn the foodie destination into a sprawling carnival that kicks on long into the evening.

violinists performing at Eat Street Northshore

Live music and performances are staged nightly. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three stages, staggered right throughout Eat Street Northshore, bring unique flavours to their designated corner of the action. You’ll spy everything from fire eaters and acrobats to magicians and big touring names on any given night.

people dining and watching a live performance at Eat Street Northshore

Catch local bands and roving performers on Friday and Saturday nights. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Don’t miss the various photo-perfected backdrops that demand selfie-snapping attention. From neon-illuminated rainbows to Melbourne laneway-esque street art, there are mind-boggling sights wherever you look.

a performer in a fairy costume at Eat Street Northshore

Eat Street Northshore has turned into a sprawling carnival.  (Image: Tourism Australia)

Tips for visiting Eat Street Northshore’s nearby attractions

Heading out to Northshore Brisbane can sort out the family for an entire day. The precinct will be the city’s—if not the country’s—hottest ticket come November 2024 when Bluey’s World, an immersive experience for fans of the global phenomenon Bluey, opens its doors. If you’re heading to Eat Street Northshore for an evening, Bluey’s World will serve as the perfect pre-game accompaniment.

a family hanging out at Kombi Alley, Eat Street Northshore

Eat Street Northshore is a fun-filled spot the whole family can enjoy. (Image: Tourism Australia)

There’s also the Pink Flamingo, the world’s first Spiegeltent, located right next door to Eat Street Northshore, offering an alternative party atmosphere for after-dark revellers. It’s open until December 24, 2024.

Fancy a feed on the water? Riva Kitchen & Events is within walking distance to Eat Street Northshore, right near the ferry terminal, and dishes up beautiful river-fronting breakfast and lunch to capitalise on fresh seasonal ingredients.

 

Opening hours: Friday: 4:00pm – 10:00pm; Saturday: 4:00pm – 10:00pm; Sunday: 4:00pm – 9:00pm

Address: 221D MacArthur Avenue, Hamilton

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Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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A new 170-km hike and nature retreat are coming to Brisbane

    By Kassia Byrnes
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    Mt Coot-tha is set for a glow up with the announcement of a new hiking trail and nature retreat.

    Long a popular retreat for Brisbane locals, Mt Coot-tha Reserve is the city’s largest natural area. Just a 15-minute drive from Brisbane’s CBD, it’s already the place for unbeatable skyline views of the city. But now, it will be more than just a short break. Brisbane City Council appointed Brisbane Sustainability Agency to transform the area into a nature-based tourism and recreation hub, including a world-class Mt Coot-tha nature retreat.

    person making a heart from their hands at mt coot-tha lookout

    The view from Mt Coot-tha is already much loved. (Image: Visit Brisbane)

    The plan is to transform the location ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be hosted in Brisbane, with the intention of developing a long-term strategy make it an an eco-tourism destination and protect the precinct’s native bushland while also enhancing the offerings and accessibility for the over one million visitors Mt Coot-tha already receives per year.

    In a press release, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner stated the revitalisation of Mount Coot-tha includes “a 170-kilometre wilderness walking trail with overnight huts, glamping, a botanic gardens night-time lights show and a reimagined tropical dome”.

    That tropical dome will transform the one that currently stands on-site to be reminiscent of green tourism destinations like Singapore’s iconic Gardens by the Bay and Butchart Gardens in Canada, complete with botanic gardens and an immersive night-time light experience, a treetop walk and upgrades to the current summit lookout. The current Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is also slated for an upgrade. Visitors will be able to make the most of it by staying in the new nature retreat, with glamping spots.

    exterior render of Mt Coot-tha tropical dome after renovation

    A brand new dome, hiking trail and Mt Coot-tha nature retreat are coming.

    For those keen on a little more adventure than the retreat can provide, a key feature of the proposed improvements is the Brisbane Wilderness Walking Trail. This 170-kilometre track would connect Mt Coot-tha to Mt Archer. Drawing inspiration from longer hiking trails like Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain and New Zealand’s West Coast Wilderness Trail, the trail will enjoy features to make hikers more comfortable along their journey, like bush huts, way-finding signage, composting toilets, camping sites and refurbished picnic areas.

    “Brisbane is riding a wave of international popularity as a tourism destination and with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games coming, now is the time to start planning more to see and do in our city,” continued Schrinner.

    “We have South Bank, the city, Howard Smith Wharves and Fortitude Valley for locals to enjoy and visitors to explore. I believe Mount Coot-tha presents an incredible opportunity for nature-based destinations and attractions, which is exactly what international visitors are looking for”.

    a render of the inside Mt Coot-tha tropical dome after renovation

    The current tropical dome will be transformed to match the likes of Singapore.

    What can you do in Brisbane while you wait for the Mt Coot-tha glow up? Try these experiences and these delicious restaurants.