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Best Things To Do In Salisbury

Updated: Jun 08, 2025

Salisbury, the old Brisbane industrial suburb of wartime factories and tiny timber workers cottages adjoining Toohey Forest, is becoming Brisbane’s newest secret hub of cool, especially in the Ammunition Factory precinct.

In this historic industrial zone, where the weapons and artillery of Australia’s World War II effort were manufactured under cover, the quaint back streets with names like Chrome and Machinery Drive, are quietly coming to life again. Here, old wartime factories and sheds have been converted into funky cafes, microbreweries and vintage shopping haunts.

Add to this some very affordable post-war worker's cottages and ex-military housing estates, a stunning forest reserve with walking tracks and city views, plus the proximity to the CBD and Griffith University, it's easy to see why Salisbury is being discovered.

Here are 14 of the best things to do in this unique southside suburb:

Salisbury Hotel has reopened following a $1.6 million renovation that includes a fantastic beer garden and more
BeeJay's Home Kitchen brings authentic homemade Indian comfort food to the heart of Salisbury
Ballistic Beer Co is a cool suburban brewery, set in an old World War II-era shed in the historic, industrial suburb of Salisbury
Reload Espresso adds another notch to Salisbury's cool cafe scene, serving excellent espresso and good grub in a gorgeous, historic setting.
This American-style smokehouse on Brisbane's southside dishes up traditional, low and slow barbecued meats
Supernumerary Coffee is a sleek, modern industrial cafe found in Salisbury serving specialty coffee and light eats
A cavernous, industrial-style brewhouse and tap room found tucked away in the back streets of Salisbury
This French-inspired suburban bakery in Salisbury offers a scrumptious selection of fresh pastries and artisan breads
Hedge Espresso is a local's fave in Salisbury serving top-notch coffee and delicious breakfast fare
Salisbury Community Bookshop is a treasure trove of bargain books, housed in a former grenade factory in the heart of Salisbury
A chic and modern Mediterranean-inspired cafe in the backstreets of Salisbury, dishing up a delicious all-day menu of
Cups and Wells is a spiffy specialty coffee café found in Salisbury serving locally roasted coffee by Wolff Coffee Roasters
Buried in a tiny 1960s shopping strip in Salisbury is this rustic country style gem of a foodie's cafe

Tucked away in a tiny shopping strip is this little Eastern European deli and grocery store stocking a wide range of products from the countries of Eastern Europe

Salisbury is the gateway to the Mayne Estate part of Toohey Forest Reserve where, in a corner of the Ammunition Factory area at Pentex Rd a bush track leads to an lookout with stunning vistas

Image credits:
Apples on Ainsworth - courtesy of Apples on Ainsworth Instagram.
The Taste Deli & Grocery  - courtesy of The Taste Deli & Grocery Facebook page
 

Looking to discover more hidden gems of Brisbane, check out our Guide to Brisbane Suburbs HERE! Happy exploring!

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