Nonna San
Do you love Italian food? How about Japanese cuisine? What if we told you that a soon-to-open restaurant is looking to bring them both together under one roof? Eastern Culinary Collective – the group behind Nonda and Uncle Don – will be doing just that with its newest concept Nonna San, which is slated to open in Woolloongabba next month. Taking over the site previously home to Uncle Don at South City Square, Nonna San will transform the space into a culinary melting pot, with a kitchen team (helmed by a chef boasting experience working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy) pumping out a menu of eats that boast recognisable Italian and Japanese influences. Expect the likes of okonomiyaki pizzas and mentaiko nori pasta alongside Italian wines and a list of Japanese sake. Uncle Don will close at South City Square this week in anticipation of a rapid makeover, with Nonna San debuting in early December with a colourful new aesthetic. Keep your eyes peeled for more on Nonna San next month.
Koko Black will be opening a new shop on Queen Street Mall next month | Credit: image supplied
Koko Black
In great news for cocoa connoisseurs, beloved artisanal chocolatier Koko Black is making a long-awaited return to Queensland next month, with a new boutique opening in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall on Friday December 5. Amply stocked with Koko Black’s full range of handcrafted chocolates (including its blocks, assortment boxes, hampers, shavings and powders, and signature InBetweens range), the chocolatier’s arrival is perfectly timed for Christmas gifting. Before the store officially launches, those with a seriously sharp sweet tooth should seek out the Koko Cruiser – a roving sampling van that will be giving away thousands of handcrafted chocolate treats around Brisbane City from Saturday November 29. Koko Black will also be offering exclusive opening-day giveaways – including a $200 shopping spree for the first 100 customers!
A new Brooki Bakehouse kiosk has opened at Queens Plaza in The City | Credit: image supplied
Brooki Bakehouse
The good news keeps coming for confection cravers, as Brooki Bakehouse has just opened a brand-new pop-up shop in the heart of Brisbane City. The cookie-slinging kiosk can be found on the lower ground floor of Queens Plaza, with inner-city wanderers able to get their fix of Brooki’s cookies seven days a week through the Christmas period and into the new year. Operating from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays and from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, the pop-up will be amply stocked with Brooki’s best-selling cookies and pink-hued merch.
Alfi Eatery & Bar will boast a Mediterranean-inspired design by Space Cubed Studio | Credit: image supplied
Alfi Eatery & Bar
In case you missed the news last week, one of Brisbane’s biggest hospitality groups has announced plans for a brand-new eatery and bar in Brisbane’s north. In mid-2026, Ghanem Group will open 800-sqm venue Alfi at Everton Plaza. Set on the ground floor of the expanding Park Lane precinct with access from both South Pine Road and Stafford Road, the 350-seat restaurant will feature a light-filled interior inspired by the Amalfi Coast (designed by Space Cubed Studio), centred around an open kitchen and U-shaped bar, and extending into a 200-seat greenery-framed courtyard. Designed with natural timbers, Italian stone, curved forms, booths, communal tables and bar seating, the space aims for a seamless indoor-outdoor flow. According to Ghanem Group hospitality director Adonis Ghanem, the long-planned venue will introduce an Italian-inspired, family-friendly cuisine paired with a strong drinks offering. Alfi’s announcement follows a busy period for the group, including reviving Boonah’s Commercial Hotel, launching Lúc Lắc at Queen’s Wharf and reimagining Byblos at Portside, with a major relaunch of Fish Lane’s Fox Hotel still to come.
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Dining and Cooking