Isles Lane

A lack of green space in the centre of Brisbane’s CBD makes Post Office Square a popular respite for office workers and city dwellers. And Isles Lane makes the most of it. It’s an all-day eatery and “micro-pub”.

It’s a change in direction for Trent Meade and Matthew Blyth, who co-own popular Fortitude Valley nightclubs The Met and GPO. The transition to pubs is a part of a rebrand for the pair’s hospitality group, Celissa.

The venue’s design captures the open, green nature of the square and brings it inside. The result is a stunning, light-filled space with plenty of greenery, black-and-white-tiled floors and Parisian-style chairs.

The lunch and dinner menu features bar snacks such as roasted bone marrow, halloumi chips and house-made jerky. Larger dishes include spicy beer-can chicken with smoky barbeque sauce, slow-roasted lemon and oregano lamb shoulder, and lobster rolls with tangy mayo and iceberg lettuce. Daily specials have a nose-to-tail approach.

Drinks include 12 taps (nine beers, a cider, ginger beer and Pimm’s), an extensive range of canned and bottled beers, wine and cocktails.

Breakfast is served daily with some elaborate options, including an eggs Benedict served with crispy polenta cake, barbequed pork belly, smashed peas and apple-cider hollandaise. Coffee comes from the Sunshine Coast’s Kai Coffee.