Brisbane, Queensland

Brisbane: “Less cool than Melbourne and minus Sydney’s glistening harbour.” Once upon a time, says chef Ben Russell, this was how most discussions about the city’s food scene would have concluded. The discussion has changed, insists the former Aria Brisbane head chef. Today, the Queensland capital is a city brimming with dining brio. Between its shiny new precincts and an injection of new cooking talent from interstate and overseas, Brisbane is ready, once and for all, to shake