West End has long been a Brisbane dining hotspot, but this year, it’s proven to be the mecca for new openings with August, +81 Aizome, Bar Hugo, and Gum Bistro opening up in the suburb. Now Cafe Disco, an all-encompassing venue from Tasfeen Hassan, has joined the ranks.

The 40-seat dining room feels homely with ’70s sconces lining the walls and plenty of light timber. The red houndstooth-upholstered booths, gold table lamps and green-and-white tiled bar are subtle but stylish, while the bright yellow facade is punchy. Behind the bar are shelves housing coffee pots, TWG tea boxes, a giant bottle of Martini extra dry, vinyl and a crystal decanter – together, they clearly communicate Cafe Disco’s day-to-night scope.

Hassan, who previously owned fashion boutique and cafe Contra, grew up in the old city of Dhaka in Bangladesh but has lived in Australia for many years. He’s drawing on his experience of living in a “third culture” to present a menu that draws on both Australian and Bangladeshi influences.

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But don’t call it authentic Bangladeshi food – that’s not what Hassan’s going for. Rather, he’s looking to communicate something more individual: “authenticity is whatever is authentic to me,” he tells Broadsheet.

The food menu will expand in the new year, but for now, it includes snacks like locally made Mick’s Nuts, rye pita and corn bread with chive butter. There are also more substantial dishes like fish rillettes, roast potato chaat with mint chutney yogurt, and a spectacular lamb kofta.

“Lamb koftas are the signature dishes of Old Dhaka,” he says. “My version uses fresh lamb mince sourced from Amin’s Butcher just around the corner. We make it in small batches to ensure our spices are mixed in at the right ratios … We slow-cook [them] at a low temperature for perfect doneness, then sear [them] in our flame oven right before service, dressing it with mint chutney, yogurt sauce and [serving] with our house-made pickles.”

Hasan has also created his own version of a flatbread. “It’s kind of in between a naan and my mum’s roti,” he says. It’s something he’s been working on for a long time. “Growing up, I would be hand-mixing dough and getting my Ma or Dadu [grandmother] to make sure I was doing it correctly.”

The drinks menu plays to both Australian and South Asian preferences. There are beans from Northgate’s Passport Coffee and a selection of premium teas from Singapore’s TWG. In 2025, a bottomless chai offering is also in the works. In the evening, alcoholic options curated by Hassan include new- and old-world wines, as well as idiosyncratic cocktails like an anejo tequila number built with a spice-herb mixture and served with soda.

Cafe Disco
69 Hardgrave Road, West End
No phone

Hours:
Mon & Tues closed
Wed 8am–2pm
Thu to Sun 8am–2pm, 5pm–9.30pm
Sun 8am–2pm

@cafediscobne