This 80-seat subterranean Hong Kong-inspired restaurant in central Brisbane transports guests to an underground dining destination not to miss. 

The vision of chef Benny Lam and restauranteur David Flynn, it took the founders years to find this restaurant space, but when they did, they knew it was just right. Found in the heart of Brisbane, Central is named after the frenetic Central district in Hong Kong, referencing the immersive and eclectic dining scene found in the city.

Designed by J.AR OFFICE – led by Jared Webb – the subterranean restaurant is a vibrant yet intriguing world away from the outside above. In Hong Kong, many of the most authentic and original restaurants and bars are found below street level due to space constraints, and Central accordingly brings that unique experience to Brisbane. Split-level seating ensures every dining experience at Central is unique, all situated around an open-kitchen at the heart of it all where guests can watch chef Lam and his team in action. 

Originally operating as an underground jazz and poetry venue between 1957 and 1974, with rare Brisbane stone walls and structural pillars, the underground location retains a a worn-in feel because of its history. The 150 years old Brisbane river stone (which cannot be quarried anymore) adds texture to J.AR’s sleek stainless steel interiors adding a modern and slightly futuristic feel. 

Webb and studio lead Esther Pearce at J.AR also designed all of the custom furniture at the restaurant, bar the brushed aluminium seating by Tom Fereday for Eco Outdoor. 

Working with a local fashion designer on the curtains in the private dining room, Flynn has brought together a bill of Brisbane’s yet-unknown talents for some of the details. Flynn commissioned graphic artist Isabel Hood on the restaurants identity, including logos, typeface and way finding which she did together with J.AR OFFICE. An expert aquarium manager called Brendan is also part of the extended team running the fish tank on site. Bringing their long-term partner in Thailand on board for the entire tableware at the restaurant, Flynn discovered the family-run pottery workshop whilst in a local Thai market and has been working with the artisans for 10 years since. Every detail at Central has been considered, including the crisp white staff uniforms which are a homage to the suburban cafe uniforms in Hong Kong. 

Local DJ and musician Alex Farquhar was commissioned for the music playlist at the venue, where he selected a tracklist connected to the 70s, 80s and 90s in Hong Kong and its burgeoning disco scene at the time. Referencing iconic Hong Kong clubs such as Disco Disco – Asia’s equivalent to Studio54 – there is a mix of Cantonese Pop and Jackie Chan power ballads playing in the restaurant. There is even a disco ball tucked away above the open-kitchen, ready to descend when the restaurant hosts pop-up events with DJ’s transforming counter seating to a space for DJ decks. 

Head Chef Benny Lam is at the forefront of it all in the open-plan kitchen, leading the team in an orchestrated effort. Lam previously worked in Hong Kong for years on high-end restaurant projects for clients in Dubai and Macau as a designer, bringing his talents to Brisbane’s emerging dining scene, first with Southside restaurant also developed with Flynn. With general manager Maui Manu back with his original team, service is swift and efficient even on opening week. 

Working with a Queensland-based farm specialising in using Asian fruit and vegetables, Lam’s dishes are a delight. Snacks to start with include Pickled Lotus Root with Rose Wine, Chinese Yam and Mint. Crunchy, and visually delightful (primarily a white dish, bright red goji berries bring this dish to life!). Oysters are always a delight on a menu such as this, and at Central they source Sydney Rock’s and serve with Ginger Vinaigrette and Chive Oil. These smaller oysters should be carved from their shell once shucked for their $9 price tag, as we found our oyster forks were left to do the hard work (whilst most of the oyster remained attached to its shell).

Here, the Dim Sum are the highlight. Sure, the Classic Roast Duck (with Lychee Wood Smoke, Lilly Pilly Plum Sauce) and the ‘Shandong’ Crispy Skin Chicken (with Sand Ginger, Aged Vinegar and Crispy Kai Lan) are original and great to share, the dumplings at Central are unlike anywhere else in Brisbane.

With their own in-house team of ‘dumpling masters’ – found by Central’s head chef Benny Lam when they first opened their sister restaurant Southside – the handcrafted dumplings are pressed to perfection. Classic Prawn Har Gow with Bamboo and Caviar is a must order, as is the Scallop + Prawn Dumpling with Garlic Chives and Smoked Salmon Roe.

One of the already-iconic snacks is Central’s reinterpretation of the Hong Kong ‘Pineapple Bun’ with smoked butter and crispy prosciutto. An easy order, this is a memorable three-bite snack to break up the rich dishes amongst the share plates menu such as the Char Sui Borrowdale Pork with Manuka Honey and Pickles.

The Central wine list – designed as a corporate folder by Hood to reference the financial district – is comprehensive list curated by group wine director Peter Marchant featuring Australia’s finest wines at very reasonable pricing (such as the Alkina Estate biodynamic and organic Grenache) There is a global list of international wines, but the Chinese wines are the most curious. The team worked hard to find winemakers from China that they were passionate about (and distributed to Australia), and for those that made the cut, there is a special ‘wine flight’ of Chinese wines from China’s Ningxia region for guests to try out. 

The open-plan kitchen with three-tiered seating arrangements present intimate dining areas amongst an extremely original movie-set like interior. A new sure-fire Brisbane favourite for many with its energetic appeal. 

Central 
340 Queen St,
Brisbane, Queensland, 4006

Images: As credited
Text: Editorial Director Monique Kawecki