Residing in the newly opened Town Square in South Brisbane’s burgeoning Fish Lane, Bar Brutus is the brainchild of Julius Pizzeria co-owner Aleks Dzajkovski and Julius barman Stefan Angelovski. Similar in feel to traditional Italian espresso bars of old, the tiny space is designed for drop-ins; in this case pre-dinner Spritzs or aperitivi with snacks.

Taking over the famous digs of The Bowery Bar on Ann Street, Suzie Wong’s Good Time Bar is exactly that: a good time. Described as a Hawaiian dive bar, Suzie Wong’s aesthetic is gritty, lived-in, with a scattering of neon signs, photos, old posters, and paintings adding to her character.

Brisbane’s northern suburbs is the last place you’d expect to find an Amalfi Coast-style rooftop bar, but stranger things have happened. The crown in the newly opened Everton Plaza Park Lane precinct, Tetto has been welcomed with open arms by locals looking for a Spritz fix. White-wash walls, curved arches, paper lanterns, and striped umbrellas serve a decidedly Mediterranean aesthetic, while the drinks—including four spritz iterations and a dozen cocktails—make the perfect sundowners.

Showcasing a few dozen Australian and European drops (plus a handful of beers to satisfy the masses), La Valle is a classy little wine bar-come-bottle shop with a big attitude. Offering wines by the glass and the bottle, you might savour a bold Montepulciano from Abruzzo, an aromatic Riesling from WA, or perhaps dabble in a couple of skin-contact oranges.

An award-winning whisky bar down a CBD laneway, Death and Taxes is reminiscent of the classic speakeasies of old – an incredibly rare thing in Brisbane. The vision of Brisbane bar industry hall of famers responsible for Savile Row and Cobbler, this is a very grownup space – such is their instantly recognisable aesthetic. Lured in by dimly lit chandeliers and well-worn leather chesterfields, this is the place to nestle in dark corners, nursing a whisky neat and solve the world’s problems.

A small 50-seater Basque-style tapas bar in one of Brisbane’s famous city laneways, Alba Bar & Deli pairs the tantalising tapas of northern Spain’s San Sebastian with fortified wines and cocktails. Oh, and iconic hip-hop beats overhead. Go figure. But it works.

Floating on the river’s edge between the QUT Gardens Point ferry terminal and Goodwill Bridge, Will & Flow has busted onto the Brisbane bar scene as a glittering riverside cocktail bar. With surprisingly few bars taking full advantage of the water’s edge, Will & Flow has a monopoly on views overlooking South Bank’s art precinct.

Spilling out onto Fortitude Valley’s Ada Lane, the aptly named Lobby Bar is the Calile Hotel’s achingly chic bar in the ground floor lobby area. Decked out in lashings of rose-hued marble, soft sphere lighting, and gold furnishings the space all but glows from within.

A subterranean Japanese izakaya-come-cocktail lounge, Boom Boom Room has reimagined the basement of the iconic heritage-listed bank on the corner of Elizabeth and George Street. A space that feels equal parts opulent bar and dining destination, executive chef Jake Nicolson and beverage director Aaron Clark nails the Japanese izakaya-style dining brief.

The thing about Maker is it just continues to challenge the new kids on the block, consistently serving up the best cocktails and small-batch wines in the game. The tiny 18-seater may have more competitors now than ever before but this laneway lovely still features in the best bars lists country-wide, quietly winning multiple awards as it goes.