Brisbane’s dining scene reaches new heights with the opening of Stilts, a striking overwater restaurant serving a bold, produce-driven menu inspired by Queensland’s land and sea.
The Brisbane Travel Guide acknowledges the Turrbal and Jagera people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Stilt’s Restaurant 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.
Brisbane’s dining scene has a striking new addition — and it’s quite literally above the rest. Perched on the city’s brand-new Kangaroo Point Green Bridge, Stilts is Queensland’s first restaurant on a bridge.
This modern Australian venue offers panoramic views of the Brisbane River, Story Bridge, and city skyline, providing a unique dining experience that celebrates the essence of Queensland.
In this review, we visit Stilts to see if the buzz lives up to the view, from the vibe and service to what’s on the plate and in the glass.
Whether planning a special occasion or just trying something new, here’s everything you need to know before booking a table at Brisbane’s most elevated dining experience.
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The Vibe
Stilts Restaurant channels classic Queenslander charm with a contemporary twist — elevated in both design and setting.
Perched directly atop the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge, the venue rises above the Brisbane River, welcoming in the breeze and offering sweeping views from every angle. Whether you visit in the soft daylight or under the glow of the city skyline, the setting is a standout in itself.
Inside, the design is polished yet relaxed. A refined mix of cool greys, sandy neutrals, and soft metallics creates a modern, understated elegance. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap the entire restaurant, so no matter where you’re seated, the view is part of the experience.
There are several distinct areas to suit your mood. The indoor dining room is calm and sophisticated, ideal for a long lunch or dinner. The alfresco balcony, when the weather’s right, is all about fresh air and river views—perfect for sunset dining. For something more laid-back, the bar area offers a casual space to enjoy drinks and small plates.
We had a 4:45 pm booking, timed perfectly to watch the city lights come alive. While I’d hoped to sit on the balcony, rain had other plans and we were seated indoors. To our surprise, the views from inside were just as stunning — with sweeping glimpses of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and the river, we certainly weren’t disappointed.
The Chef
Head Chef Dan Hernandez leads the kitchen at Stilts, whose impressive career spans some of Brisbane’s most respected restaurants, including Fosh Portside, Restaurant Dan Arnold, and Agnes.
With a background rooted in fine dining and a flair for combining precision with creativity, Chef Hernandez brings a thoughtful and refined energy to this unique overwater venue.
His approach to the menu is modern Australian with a Mediterranean edge — a style that allows Queensland’s exceptional seafood, meats, and seasonal produce to take centre stage. Whether a perfectly seared cut of local lamb or a delicately balanced seafood dish, every plate reflects his deep respect for ingredients and technique.
Chef Hernandez’s passion lies in celebrating Queensland’s land and sea — not just through flavour, but also through presentation and pairing. The result is a fresh, regional, and elevated menu that remains approachable to various diners.
With his leadership in the kitchen, Stilts is positioned not just as a destination for the view but as a serious player in Brisbane’s culinary scene.
The Menu
The menu at Stilts showcases Queensland’s best—a thoughtful combination of premium local produce, refined technique, and bold flavour combinations. Focusing on land and sea, the dishes reflect the region’s rich culinary identity while also nodding to Mediterranean influences through ingredients and presentation.
The full menu can be seen here.
Entrees
To begin, Stilts offers a thoughtful mix of elegant small plates and signature bites designed to impress.
Live oysters from Boomer Bay in Tasmania are fresh from the tank and served naturally or baked with rich bourbon butter. For something indulgent, the caviar tasting is a luxe experience, presented three ways. The beef tartare — wrapped in a crisp cannelloni shell with horseradish cream — is a clever spin on a classic, offering the perfect balance of texture and heat.
Other highlights include pan-seared Canadian scallops, roasted marrow served with beef crudo and fresh horseradish, and twice-cooked pork belly accompanied by celeriac purée and apple compote.
We opted for the marinated tuna tartlet, served atop avocado mousse in a delicate, crisp shell. Light, fresh, and beautifully balanced, it was the perfect way to start the meal.
Mains
For mains, the offering leans toward comfort and indulgence.
Seafood lovers will appreciate the live seafood, including Moreton Bay bugs from the Gold Coast or the grilled Australian lobster. These come either smoked over charcoal with saltbush, béarnaise or with Miso-yuzu glaze, pickled daikon, and sesame crumble.
Meat eaters are also well catered to with high-quality Australian Angus and Wagyu cuts, including tenderloin, rib fillet, rump cap, and share-style cuts like the Angus tomahawk and bistecca alla Fiorentina.
Other mains on offer include a 350g twice cooked pork chop, duck ragu pappardelle and for the vegetarians, a roasted celeriac steak with smoked paprika, maple, white bean purée, hazelnut and parsley gremolata.
To complete your mains, there are several sides and salads on offer too, including burnt broccolini with Almond tahini cream, pickled shallot, crispy garlic, potatoes cooked in wagyu fat, Garlic & parsley gremolata, as well as burnt baby carrots glazed with smoked cream and buckwheat.
For our mains, we chose the Moreton Bay Bug with the miso-yuzu glaze. The delicate sweetness of the bug paired perfectly with the umami-rich glaze. We also enjoyed the 180g Bachelor Black Angus tenderloin, 120 days grain-fed and cooked to perfection, served with a rich peppercorn sauce that complemented the steak without overpowering it.
To share, we added the Wagyu fat potatoes, which were golden, crispy, and tasty— and the burnt baby carrots, which brought a subtle smokiness and sweetness to round out the meal.
Desserts
Stilts’ dessert menu features a selection of thoughtfully crafted sweets that highlight classic and contemporary flavours.
You’ll find rich, indulgent options like a dark chocolate mousse complemented by rumtopf, brown butter solids, and tonka bean snow or the cheesecake, which combines cookies and cream with salted caramel and is topped with charcoal-burned meringue.
For those who prefer something savoury, there’s also a rotating selection of artisan cheeses to round off the meal.
We requested a recommendation and were served the Yuzu Curd, which we opted to share. Light, zesty, and beautifully balanced, it came topped with milk crumb and charcoal cream, with subtle hints of lemon throughout. It was absolutely divine — the perfect way to end our evening at Stilts.
The Drinks
The drinks menu at Stilts has been curated to complement the richness and variety of the food, offering something for every type of diner.
The wine list spans a range of regions and styles, with options to match everything from seafood and lighter entrées to premium cuts from the grill. Whether you’re after a crisp white, a bold red or something sparkling, the selection covers all bases.
The cocktail menu is equally considered, featuring the classics as well as a mix of clever house creations (such as the Perfect Pear, Maple Glider or the Therapy Session) and reimagined classics (including Sapphire Margarita, Metropolitan and the Bloody Beetroot).
Beer lovers are also well looked after, with a mix of local and popular brews available on tap and by the bottle.
For those after something low- or no-alcohol, there’s a solid range of non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails, as well as a few premium sodas and mixers.
The Service
From the moment we arrived, we were warmly greeted by John, the maître d’, who set the tone for the evening with his friendly and relaxed manner. John remained thoroughly attentive throughout our visit, happily answering all our questions about the menu and offering helpful suggestions.
It was also refreshing to see plenty of staff on hand — we never once had to flag anyone down. In fact, the team seemed to anticipate our needs before we even realised them ourselves.
Food and drinks were delivered with perfect timing, and the entire experience felt seamless and effortless. We genuinely felt looked after from start to finish.
Bookings
Stilts is open for lunch and dinner from 11:00 am to 9.30 pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Reservations are recommended to secure a table at this unique dining destination.
To make a booking, visit the Stilts Dining website or call 07 2111 6880.
Getting to Stilts
We drove to Stilts, parking nearby on the street. You’ll pay a minimal amount to park on the street until 7 pm, when street parking is free.
The closest CityCat terminal to Stilts is the Riverside Ferry Terminal, just 700m away. You can easily reach Stilts by ferry from nearby places, including The Star, South Bank and Howard Smith Wharves.
Brisbane’s Central Station is the nearest major railway hub if you’re travelling by train. From Central Station, it’s approximately a 15-minute walk to Stilts.
Find out more about getting around Brisbane via public transport here.
Enjoy Stilts Restaurant
Hopefully, you found this review of Stilts Restaurant helpful.
Why not check out some of our other reviews of great restaurants in Brisbane, such as the Agnes, Vertigo or Exhibition.
I’d also recommend you join our free Queensland and Brisbane Travel Guide Facebook community, where you can ask all your questions and find even more great tips on things to do in and around Brisbane.