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The Local Edit: Your Guide to Brisbane’s Inner City Culture Hub
From it's up-and-coming foodie reputation to laneway bars and musical institutions, discover Brisbane's creative heart
Created in Partnership with Hotel Indigo
Brisbane is quickly becoming the place to be. With its gritty inner city laneways and up-and-coming foodie reputation, the CBD isn’t a hot spot to shy away from. While many people opt to stroll New Farm Park and James Street’s chic boutiques, the inner city has a buzzy energy that you can’t skip out on when visiting the Queensland capital.
On the edge of the CBD lies Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre. The boutique accommodation straddles South Brisbane and the inner city precinct, making it the perfect base for a weekend of culture and exploration. Each Hotel Indigo accommodation draws inspiration from its local neighbourhood, meaning the atmosphere of the city is woven into the design and experience of your stay.
Whether you’re after a staycation in your own city or are planning a weekend away, here’s how to spend some time in the inner city of Brisbane.
Caffeination Time
Any good explorer needs some caffeine to get going, and Brisbane is awash with options. Brew is Brisbane’s oldest laneway bar and is located just off the buzzing Queen Street Mall. The café and bar serves St ALi beans in an underground-style cavern. Closer to the river, Anytime Coffee is a hole-in-the-wall cafe with strong brews, while the specialty coffee café, Coffee Anthology, has been named number eight in The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops. Basically, any street you walk down in the inner city will serve a solid cup of java. We highly recommend the iced option, as well.
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Soak Up Some Culture
Head over Victoria Bridge and you’ll find South Bank’s art precinct. It’s home to several cultural institutions to serve you a fix of art and entertainment. There’s the Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), the State Library of Queensland and the Queensland Museum all in the one suburb. With an ever-rotating roster of exhibitions, the inner city arts precinct is one to add to your Brisbane to-do list. Plus, the air conditioning provides a welcome respite from the Sunshine State’s warmth.
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Laneway Bars
A short walk from the arts precinct is Fish Lane. The South Brisbane laneway has several bars and eateries for you to enjoy (and people-watch) from. There’s pizza at Como and Julius, Asian fusion at Southside and Chu The Phat, as well as unrivalled cocktails at bars such as Bar Brutus, Midtown and Maeve Wine Bar. Grab a negroni, perch on a stool and soak up the sun.
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Explore the Valley
If you like your bars to be a little more gritty, sack off Fish Lane and head to the Fortitude Valley. Known for its vibrant live music scene and thriving clubs, the Valley is where culture is born. Start with the gamer diner, Netherworld, drink a whiskey at Savile Row or down a few pints at the Stone & Wood brewery. After some live music? Fortitude Music Hall and The Triffid are institutions of the Valley, known for hosting the best in local and international musicians.
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Perfect Base
After a day of exploring, eating and drinking, you’ll be ready to leg it back to your accommodation. Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre is situated in the heart of the action and features nods to the art and vibe of the local neighbourhood. With its quirky furniture and boutique feel, you can get some shut-eye before doing it all again tomorrow.
Want to stay in the thick of it? Find out more about Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre here.
