Located in the heart of Brisbane CBD, The Grand Central Hotel is a long-time favourite for locals and visitors. The hotel has been around in one form or another since 1901 and even after undergoing a recent rejuvenation, continues to complement its historical features which are inherently intertwined in Brisbane’s history.

The recently renovated Platform Bar pays tribute to its name – featuring a window that runs along the back wall looking directly out onto the trains pulling in to Platform One in Central Station. The bar also features quirky artwork of passengers on a train and stacks of vintage suitcases here and there to keep with the fitting theme. The bar offers a delicious range of cocktails with a special selection for winter: The Ice Pick. A combination of ice, Malibu, Alize, lemonade and a scoop of ice cream, this delicious cocktail is no match for a chilly winter’s night at The Grand Central Hotel. Of course, you will need something to warm you up after a frosty cocktail – look no further than the food menu.

From burgers and salads to steaks and schnitzels, The Grand Central Hotel serves up generous portions of Australian classics. To warm us up on a particularly chilly night, our choices for dinner were Nonna’s Italian Meat Balls and The Grand Central Schnitzel. The meat balls were full of flavour, drenched in a delicious Napolitano sauce and accompanied by thick al dente pasta. The Grand Central Schnitzel was a standout – a large piece of juicy chicken breast topped with creamy bacon sauce, Parmesan and shallots with a side of crunchy chips and salad – a classic dish done right.

With delicious cocktails, great food and an even better location, The Grand Central Hotel knows how to entertain. Whether going out for drinks after work, grabbing dinner for two or celebrating with a group, this Brisbane landmark is the place to go. Just try and get a spot near the back wall so you can watch the trains go by – best seat in the house.

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