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Restaurant

Central Restaurant

340 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia

Recommended by 40 people

Updated

Find Central Restaurant

340 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 7 3557 7860
HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: 12:00 – 4:30 PM, 5:00 – 10:30 PM Wednesday: 12:00 – 4:30 PM, 5:00 – 10:30 PM Thursday: 12:00 – 4:30 PM, 5:00 – 10:30 PM Friday: 12:00 – 4:30 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM Saturday: 12:00 – 4:30 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Central Restaurant

Slip down the stairs off Queen Street and through the curtains straight into the hum of underground Hong Kong. Brisbane diners claim these basement tables for birthdays and long banquets—anchored by an open central kitchen, a funky playlist, and a disco ball lowering over the counter. Regulars lean into the lychee wood roast duck, carved with crisp skin beside plum sauce, and pan-fried Wagyu buns splashed with rice vinegar ponzu. The beef chow fun delivers unmistakable wok hei, washed down with makrut lime cocktails while servers keep bowls of warm prawn crackers landing unprompted.

  • Subterranean Energy: A mood-lit basement hideaway framed by an open center-stage kitchen, rotating playlist, and an overhead disco ball.
  • Lychee Wood Smoked Duck: Carved with deeply aromatic crisp skin and paired with sweet and sour plum sauce.
  • Elevated Wok Plates: Inventive Cantonese signatures spanning pan-fried Wagyu Sheng Jian Bao to Black Angus striploin spiked with Kampot pepper.
RestaurantChineseRestaurantBar

What's On at Central Restaurant

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

$55 Essentials Banquet at Central

Special

$55 Essentials Banquet at Central

Our $55 Essentials Banquet is the perfect midweek spread Available Tuesday to Thursday, lunch and dinner Made up of six crowd favourites: Classic Pork Soup Xiao Long Bao, Corn-Fed Chicken Siu Mai with Foie Gras, Pan-Fried Wagyu Beef Bun, Crispy Egg...

Why Diners Choose Central Restaurant

From lychee-wood smoked roast duck to kinetic subterranean Kowloon energy, here is why diners make Central their first call for celebrations—reserve your table below.

  • Hidden Subterranean Arrival

    A discreet Queen Street entrance leads guests down basement stairs and behind curtains into an intimate, energetic dining room tucked away from the CBD.

    Once you head down the stairs into the basement and through the curtains, it feels like you’ve stumbled into something a bit special.

    Donatella Yamamma

  • Front-Row Open Kitchen Energy

    A central open kitchen anchors the floor, letting diners sit along the bar and counters to watch active wok stations and dumpling assembly up close.

    Loved the underground laneway atmosphere with the open kitchen and counter seating overlooking the chefs.

    Kuan-Yu Chen

  • Lychee Wood Smoked Roast Duck

    The signature roast duck is smoked over lychee wood to achieve crispy skin and tender meat, served alongside house sweet and sour plum sauce.

    The skin was perfectly crisp, while the subtle smoke infused the meat with incredible flavour.

    Dan R

  • Wok-Tossed Striploin & Dim Sum Craft

    High-heat wok technique balances Kampot pepper and Manuka honey across premium Black Angus striploin and handmade dim sum selections.

    the Beef Stir Fry was insane and a credit to the chef and the way he balanced the kampot pepper and the Manuka honey

    Dave Pickersgill

  • Attentive, Milestone-Worthy Care

    Attentive floor staff pace banquets seamlessly and offer generous personal touches like birthday toasts and thoughtful takeaways.

    Our waiters were incredibly friendly and attentive, making us feel well taken care of throughout the evening.

    Theshani Pather

  • Evocative Hong Kong Nostalgia

    Authentic culinary execution and evocative dining pacing transport guests with genuine nostalgic connections to classic Hong Kong dining.

    As someone who grew up in Hong Kong, dining at Central brought back so much nostalgia. The dishes felt authentic and comforting, making me feel like I was back home.

    Isa _isabelle

Diner-favourite Cantonese specialties and multi-course feasts.

  • Classic Roast Duck

    The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the Classic Roast Duck, lychee wood smoked and served with sweet and sour plum sauce. The skin was perfectly crisp, while the subtle smoke infused the meat with incredible flavour.

    Dan R

  • Chef's Banquet

    We went with the banquet and it was outstanding. Trying to pick a favourite dish would be like trying to pick a favourite child impossible and probably unfair. Every course was a hit.

    Donatella Yamamma

  • Duck Potstickers

    we had the duck potstickers to start and they were flavour packed

    Dave Pickersgill

  • Sheng Jian Bao

    The bun was light, fluffy with a crisp base, the ponzu added a delicious lift of acidity.

    Dan R

Other favorites

Curated specialty drinks and house desserts that complement the subterranean dining experience.

  • Heart of Class Cocktail

    the Heart of Class cocktail, featuring vodka, makrut lime leaf, oolong, ginger, apricot. It was refreshing floral, with warmth from the ginger that tied everything together.

    Dan R

  • Bergamot Chocolate Dessert

    the Bergamot Chocolate dessert, five spice meringue, cacao nibs and caramel was excellent.

    Dan R

  • Night Fever Cocktail

    The Night Fever cocktail was light and floral, the perfect start to a beautiful evening.

    Feasting with Zen

  • Cantonese Martini

    Great cocktails (try the Cantonese martini!), food and wine.

    Ross Parish

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful personal gestures and attentive pacing elevate Central beyond an underground party—book your spot in the basement now.

  • Head Chef Wine Recommendations

    The head chef steps out from the open kitchen to offer personalized wine recommendations directly to guests celebrating at the tables.

  • Bookended Celebration Toasts

    Milestone occasions are met with unprompted hospitality touches, including a complimentary birthday drink to start and a closing shot to finish the evening.

  • Handwritten Takeaway Notes

    Banquet dishes that diners cannot finish are packed into takeaway containers accompanied by a personalized, handwritten note on the bag.

  • Continuous Prawn Cracker Refills

    Attentive floor staff anticipate table needs by keeping bowls of dangerously moreish prawn crackers replenished continuously without asking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you find the entrance?

Look for 340 Queen St (the Piccadilly building with gold lettering). The entrance is discreet—head down the stairway into the basement and through the curtains, or take the lift on the right down to the basement if you prefer to avoid the stairs.

Where should you sit to watch the chefs cook?

Sit at the counter bar if you want a front-row, theatrical view directly overlooking the open kitchen, wok stations, and dim sum preparation.

What dishes or menu formats are most recommended?

Reviewers frequently highlight the Lychee Wood Roast Duck, Scallop & Prawn Dumplings, Wagyu Beef Tartare, and the banquet menus ($75) for groups and celebratory meals.

Are vegetarian or dietary options available?

Yes. Central offers a dedicated vegetarian menu, and the kitchen is accommodating with dietary requirements.

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