Tinderbox Kitchen
Fortitude Valley
A Beech Oven stands sentry like a giant industrial sculpture in the heart of James St laneway eatery and wine bar Tinderbox Kitchen.
Owned and presided over by renowned Brisbane chef PJ McMillan, Tinderbox Kitchen is the local go-to for a drink and a casual bite from the top notch foodie’s menu, much of which gets its flavour from the oven: wood-fired pizzas, slow roasted lamb, local fish, suckling pig and a host of divine wood-roasted vegetable plates (must try are the wood-roasted leeks).
Tucked away in the lane behind PJ’s more upmarket venture Harvey’s, Tinderbox offers a choice of indoor/outdoor seating, each with its own charm. Indoors has an industrial design vibe with bare light bulbs, steel girders and metal-encased oven complemented by mosaics and pale wood furniture while outdoors is more European terrace, with giant pots of herbs and succulents, crafted wooden benches and vine-growing possibilities.
The emphasis here is fresh, communal, local and seasonal, with everything on the food menu sourced locally, including the oven, which hails from a Greenslopes oven-maker, the coffee, which comes from Merlo Roastery around the corner and even the iron bark which helps fuel the oven comes from Kingaroy.
Similarly the drinks list features craft beers from Burleigh Brewing and Sunshine Coast Brewery, vodka from Tasmania, Beenleigh Rum and Stones Corner Ginger Beer and on the wine list look out for specials such as Le Petit Mort Chardonnay from the Granite Belt and Robinson Family Cabernet from Ballandean amongst the predominantly Australian offerings.
The local emphasis extends to the cocktail list with signature cocktails being the El Burro de Stones Corner and The Sunshine State Sour.
If possible leave room for dessert because the sweet stuff here is as sensational as the savoury. (The lemon curd tart is heaven on a plate).
Need to know: There are plans afoot to connect Harvey’s and Tinderbox Kitchen via a shared pavilion roof and garden bar while a rooftop garden is planned for atop the outside wall.
