Brisbane’s dining scene is one of progressive evolution, especially in the past decade. Newer venues and culinary trends are reshaping the city’s hospitality landscape – small plates, natural wine, communal tables, in-house fermentation, the list goes on. Naturally, Brisbane diners are changing with the tide. For long-standing establishments, this poses both challenges and opportunities: how does a venue honour its history and keep with the trends at the same time?

After nearly two decades of service, beloved riverside restaurant Byblos chose to pause and reflect, closing its doors for a transformative four-month period of reinvention. This change was inspired by a trip taken by the Ghanem Group’s executive chef Jake Nicholson, CEO Vianna Joseph and group directors Nehme and Adonis Ghanem back in 2023. While in the city of Byblos, the team chose artworks and furnishings and commissioned the hand-crafted tiles that now adorn tabletops throughout the venue. They’ve also swapped out velvet and jewel tones for textured finishes and a natural palette.

“Byblos itself has been around for 6000 years – we’re not here to teach anyone something new. We’re just here to hopefully create something that reminds people of the places they may have been, or just make some memories they haven’t experienced before,” Nicholson tells Broadsheet.

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This design narrative complements a menu that balances tradition with innovation, offering cold meze like labneh bi zeit – a handmade cheese rolled in pistachio – served with za’atar and chilli; salmon kibbeh nayeh; and spiced rice wrapped in marinated grape leaves. For hot meze, there’s fried filo filled with cheese and a spiced prawn dip.

“We also have an Ora King salmon tarator – the late, great Greg Malouf left that one in his legacy,” Nicholson says. “The best way to go here is to fill the table with a lot of colourful dishes, some cold, some hot, some fresh, some fried.”

This time around, the Byblos team is elevating the dessert section by putting its spin on all things sweet. On the menu is a kataifi ashta – a ring of golden shredded filo filled with sweet cream, topped with cherries and rosewater syrup – and a Turkish delight pavlova with passionfruit curd.

Nicholson joined Ghanem Group 11 years ago and, over that period, he’s noticed the Brisbane dining scene has “become more competitive. You can’t just open a restaurant now and expect not to have two or three of the same [venues] hitting the same target market. Our producers and access to resources have improved. We have so much more talent now. You don’t have to leave the country now to get experience [the way] someone like me had to twenty years ago,” he says.

And with Brisbane institutions like Byblos, you don’t even have to leave the city for good Lebanese food either.

Byblos Brisbane
39 Hercules Street, Hamilton
(07) 3268 1998

Hours:
Mon closed
Tues to Thu 11.30am–10.30pm
Fri & Sat 11.30am–11pm
Sun 11.30am–10.30pm

brisbane.byblosbar.com.au
@byblosbrisbane