Discover the innovative dining experience at Exhibition, Brisbane’s hidden gem blending art and cuisine in the heart of the city.
The Brisbane Travel Guide acknowledges the Jagera people and the Turrbal people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Exhibition is situated. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continued spiritual and cultural connections to Country. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.
Exhibition Restaurant in Brisbane redefines dining with its unique fusion of culinary creativity and artistic flair. Nestled in the city’s vibrant centre, this intimate venue offers a memorable experience where each dish is a masterpiece, showcasing local ingredients and innovative techniques.
We were paying guests at Exhibition, so you can rest assured our review is completely unbiased.
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The Team
Exhibition is led by head chef and owner Tim Scott (who also founded Joy in Fortitude Valley). Scott designed the layout and decor of his restaurant, which is managed by Jemma Phillips.
Co-owner Micheal Ngyuen has spearheaded the restaurant’s close collaboration with Australian and local growers, ensuring only the best homegrown produce is used in the restaurant, whatever the season.
The Vibe
Exhibition is an intimate 24 seat restaurant in the basement of a 130-year old building on Edward Street, one of Brisbane’s premier shopping and art streets. It is built in what was once the stables for the Metro Arts Theatre.
The interior is dimly lit and exudes a moody, focused vibe. I love how the restaurant includes nods to its industrial past with timber beams on the ceiling and exposed brick walls. This is combined with a modern decor of blues and greys teamed with leather seating and luxurious light fittings. There is also a striking mural by Jordache.
The attention to detail is impressive. You will use handmade Japanese-style cutlery and ceramics specially designed to complement each dish, so you get a tactile experience as well as a culinary one. You can feel the passion behind this restaurant in the decor and the food.
As you can see into the kitchen, you also get to watch the talented chefs and their team, including their skilled use of the restaurant’s custom-made hibachi charcoal grill.
In addition, there is a 10-seat wine bar for non-diners with an extensive list of wine, spirits, and sake and carefully curated non-alcoholic drinks. Guests at the wine bar can indulge in a bar menu featuring freshly shucked oysters, cured meats, and caviar.
The Menu
The Japanese Omakase style of dining inspires the menu. This means the chef will choose the dishes to be served on the tasting menu each evening, so you won’t know in advance exactly what you will be eating.
The menu changes daily according to the availability of produce and seasonal ingredients, but each night, you can expect both seafood and meat dishes.
All the produce for the evening menu arrives on the same day, so you will eat the freshest food possible. The food’s ethos is simplicity and sustainability.
You can expect a six-course menu featuring at least 16 different dishes. Each time a dish is served, the waiter will explain exactly what’s on the plate and be only too happy to answer any questions you may have.
Snacks
The night begins with what they call “snacks.” For us, this included blue marling chutoro oshinko, daikon and wasabi, autumn herbs and vegetable tart, and duck dashi master stock.
Mains
Example menus showcase a variety of delicious and intriguing main courses. Previous menus included fallow deer served with pistachio and egg yolk, slipper lobster with kohlrabi and macadamia, autumn herbs, and vegetable tart.
We were served ,murray cod, roasted hazelnut and curry leaf, with wagyu beef, baby corn and kombu.
Desserts
Previous desserts served at Exhibition include brown butter with macadamia, vincotto, and a smoked milk chocolate truffle. You can usually expect something smoked on the menu as it’s considered a specialty of Tim Scott.
To finish the night, we were presented with a beautiful wooden box containing various miniature desserts, including rosella, yukari and Davidson plum, smoked wagyu caramel, and roasted chestnut truffle.
Drinks
As you can imagine, Exhibition puts so much effort into its food that it boasts an impressive drinks list, including wine, spirits, sake, cocktails, and mocktails.
They particularly favour drinks with infusions and ferments and have refreshingly varied non-alcoholic options. It’s a great chance to try something new.
If you’re not in the mood for the six course degustation, feel free to drop in for a drink or a bite to eat. The Exhibition wine bar seats 10 people and is open from 5 pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Bookings
Reservations can be made up to three months in advance. Bookings for the next available month will be released on the first Tuesday of the month at 11 am. Available slots go quickly, so make a note on your calendar so you don’t miss out.
You will also need to pay a refundable $150 pre-authorisation per person to secure your table. Tables are allocated for a two hour sitting so I recommend arriving on time to make the most of your experience.
It is essential that you let the restaurant know about any allergies or special dietary requests during the booking process. Due to the Omakase nature of the tasting menu, it is too late to make dietary requests when you arrive.
It is important to note that the restaurant has a 72-hour cancellation period; you will be charged the full amount within this period if you need to cancel.
The full Exhibition experience costs $247 per person, although they do offer a shorter experience Tuesday through to Thursday evenings for $187 per person.
ENJOY EXHIBITION RESTAURANT!
Hopefully, this review has covered everything you want about dining at Exhibition Brisbane.
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