Babylon Brisbane
Brisbane City
Babylon Brisbane is a riverside dining and drinking oasis inspired by the once-thriving ancient metropolis of Babylon, located in the heart of Brisbane City.
The massive 120 seater restaurant is the first of a multi-level cascading group of bars, terraces and dining spaces, with the rest due to be completed in early 2023.
The restaurant is separated into four stunning dining areas, with lush red marble tabletops, a 10-metre sleek green marble bar, rich mahogany chairs and dusty pink banquettes evoking the opulence of the bygone ancient era.
The menu, which is designed for sharing, is inspired by rich Levantine cuisine, featuring seafood influences of the Eastern Mediterranean combined with the bold rustic flavours of the Middle East. Split into flora, fauna and ocean, most dishes are cooked over wood and charcoal on a custom-built three-metre-long Mangal (Turkish grill) and two rotisseries.
From the flora section, choose from the likes of wood-fired pumpkin kebab with coriander, lime, Aleppo chilli and muhammara; spiced fried cauliflower with Ras el Hanout, lemon, black tahini, almond and parsley; wood-roasted broccolini with harrisa tarator, walnuts and pomegranate molasses; and house-made bread with za’atar spiced butter, which is baked fresh throughout the day in the restaurant.
From ocean and fauna, there are twelve dishes to choose from, including locally-sourced King prawns with harissa, raki, lemon and soft herbs; wood-grilled Fraser Coast squid with muhammara, yoghurt dill and lime; wood-fired Angus beef hunkar begendi-style with chilli butter and radish; and Shish Tawook (wood-fired chicken skewers) with kisir, tomato and yoghurt.
To finish, there’s a handful of sweets such as chocolate tahini with caramel sponge, sesame and Turkish coffee ice cream; and assorted house-made baklava with walnut pistachio and chocolate.
For groups of four or more there is a Tasting Menu, where for $75 per person, you’ll share nine dishes. And if you're feeling indulgent, go for the Premium Taste menu for $95 per person, where you’ll tuck into 12 of best dishes from the menu.
Meanwhile the drinks menu offers a handful of spritzes and signature cocktails, including Rosey Lokum (vanilla vodka, Gordon’s Sicilian lemon gin, rose and lemon) and Marduk’s Dragon (Roku gin, Pama liqueur, pomegranate, date, rose and lime) as well as wines by the glass (with most of them also available as a half-litre), six magnums and a wine list of predominantly Australian producers.
Good to know - Babylon Brisbane is a sibling for the renowned Babylon in Sydney CBD.
Images and info supplied by Babylon.
Image credit: Steve Woodburn
