Mietta's Review
Today Bretts Wharf could be described as an intitution. The well designed space on a historic wharf is a must see for visitors and for weekend lunches. Chef Alistair McLeod came from Baguette, which shares owners with Bretts, some time ago and has succeeded in carving out a serious reputaion for himself and the restaurant. Great relaxing outlook and lots of fresh seafood. Average mains $33.
Other Published Opinions
QLD Good Food Guide 2012 May 01, 2012 Score: 14/20 "
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QLD Good Food Guide 2012 May 01, 2012 Score: 14/20 "
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Queensland Good Food Guide 2012 Score: 14/20
Courier Mail Food and Wine Guide 2011 Score: 14.5/20 "It's hard to say who is more content, the pelicans who glide around outside this waterfront restaurant awaiting their lunch, or the diners and their children who enjoy the charming ritual"
Gourmet Traveller 2011 Australian Restaurant Guide "Pelicans who visit Bretts Wharf to gobble down fish at the ritual feeding seldom fail to return; not unlike the diners, really. This local favourite overlooking the Brisbane River continues to reel them in with smart seafood and impressive water views"
Queensland Food and Wine Score: 14.5/20 "The Bretts name these days is as synonymous with upscale catering both on site and off as it is with quality seafood. The river location and garden setting make it a popular wedding spot and it's rare to visit on a weekend and not find a family gathering in progress - either in the small, private room or on the terrace outside the main room"
Gourmet Traveller 2010 Australian Restaurant Guide "You know a restaurant has arrived when it makes the cover of the Brisbane phone book. That would explain why Bretts Wharf chef Alastair McLeod looks so perky on the 2008-2009 edition of the White Pages, lounging casually among immaculately set tables in this seafood palace overlooking the Brisbane River"
Courier Mail Food and Wine Guide 2009 Queensland Score: 14.5/20 "The function centre is set amid lush gardens, which makes it a popular spot for spring weddings. Walls of glass let in views of the Brisbane River, the CityCats and their passengers powering by during the day, while at night the twinkling lights of the city beckon at this gardenrimmed seafood specialist"
Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "Pelicans plonk themselves on the old pylons and preen, engaging outdoor diners by the Brisbane River. But it's the seafood that stars at Bretts Wharf: fresh, predominantly local, and sourced, as the menu points out, with regard to sustainabilityThis is a big and busy riverside spot, but skilled, ever-smiling staff smooth any ripples"
Brisbane Times Score: 13/20
Courier Mail Des Houghton, Score: 16 "THE pelican parade was already under way as we were guided to our table overlooking the Brisbane River on the site of the historic Hamilton wharves. The avian floor show begins before lunch and continues until sundown below the windows of Bretts Wharf restaurant"
Courier Mail food and wine guide Queensland 2008 Score: 14.5/20 "Brisbane experience Daytime diners are treated to the spectacle of a colony of pelicans flocking to wharf-side bollards as waitstaff throw scraps of fish into their yawning bills"
Gourmet Traveller 2008 Australian Restaurant Guide "Right on the banks of the Brisbane River with views across the water to the city, Bretts is perfectly positioned to flaunt its impressive array of seafood"
Brisbane News Dining Out Guide 2007 "Enjoy unparalleled views towards the city across the wide stretch of river at Bretts Wharf, at the eastern end of the CityCat route"
Gourmet Traveller 2007 Australian Restaurant Guide "Bretts is set amid hedges and lawns that roll towards the river, where frequent visits by local pelicans entertain evening diners. Chef Alastair McLeod has an adventurous streak and enjoys mixing it up from a culinary point of view: from pot-roasted sandcrabs in a simple blend of garlic, parsley and chilli, to oak-smoked salmon with organic baby beetroot and horseradish, and tempura soft-shell crabs with spinach gnocchi and sage butter."
Sunday Mail Renae Robinson, 26-11-2006 "Award-winning executive chef Alastair McLeod, who has been at the restaurant for about five years, has worked in Europe at Michelin-listed restaurants, but lives in Brisbane for the produce and lifestyle. And Bretts Wharf is a "lifestyle"restaurant - favoured by the likes of Richard Branson and Virgin Blue chief Brett Godfrey who, I'm told, brings his family nearly every week. On a Monday night it was mostly an older crowd gathered around the white-clothed, candle-lit tables, including families, business types and tourists enjoying the river views."
Courier-Mail Good Life Restaurant Guide 2006 * "The added advantage of having lunch at Brett's Wharf on a weekend is that you get to be a spectator at some serious weddings from the comfort of your chair. The gardens surrounding this riverfront restaurant play host to many a glamorous affair but this never encroaches on the tranquil dining spaces overlooking the water"
Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide "Seafood trawlers dockjust a few steps away from Bretts Wharf, and its bankside view ofthe Brisbane River certainly can't be bettered in this city. The menu here shifts regularly according to catches and seasons and is particularly famed for its wild barramundi and juicy oysters."
Brisbane News Eating Out Guide 2006 "Combine plump seafood, the skills of executive chef Alastair McLeod and relaxing river views, and you've landed at Bretts Wharf"
Courier-Mail Goodlife Restaurant Guide 05 "Take a pinch of the tropics, add a dash of heritage and mix it all together with a good slog of the Irish and you have Bretts Wharf. It's a large, smart, contemporary restaurant built on, and out of, an historic wharf."
Gourmet Traveller Australian Restaurant Guide 2005 "The setting might be that of your standard-issue Aussie riverside restaurant lurking amid lush tropical gardens, but that doesn't stop Alistair McLeod infusing a little of his Irish heritage into the food from time to time."
Brisbane News Dining Out Guide 2004 "This large, colourful waterfront restaurant is home to larrikin Irish chef Alastair McLeod, who has made a name for himself in Brisbane, both for his commitment to promoting the food scene and his clever way with quality produce."
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Australia 2004,'The food can be as plain or as dressed as you like...southern Mediterranean dishes, with a smattering of Asian flavours...you'll be impressed by the freshness of the seafood and the integrity with which it's cooked...The wine list includes many familar labels.'
Brisbane times, restaurants, Alison Walsh, 5/11/02
Qantas magazine, Sep 2002
2002 Eating Out Guide, Brisbane News