Riverside favourite relaunches in style with new fitout and menu

Elliot Solomon absentmindedly pulls at a hanging vine. It’s been rubbing the back of a diner at a neighbouring table.

Solomon tucks it behind him for a minute or so, long enough for it to do his bidding on its own.

The diner doesn’t notice. I don’t think even Solomon really notices. He’s too busy talking about the relaunch of Riverbar. Regardless, the Solotel chief executive is a sucker for detail.

Take his thoughts on cork.

“I’ve always loved cork,” he says. “It looks great. It’s amazing for sound and it’s sustainable. And it’s a tile, so if something is wrong with it, you can pull it up and put another one down. It ticks all these boxes.”

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So, yes, the new Riverbar, which Solotel unveiled this week, has neat cork tile flooring. It also has patterned upholstery, slick timber-lined banquettes and brass detailing. The old nautical theme has been dialled down to a few accents here and there, the lighting reworked. Everything feels a little more sophisticated.

But it’s arguably more about the layout, Riverbar’s interior now better communing with its sprawling outdoor section, where previously it could sometimes feel like two separate venues.

“I wanted it to be more of a bar lounge experience,” Solomon says. “It had that boat house theme and was lighter, whereas this is much moodier.

“The fundamentals are the same. It’s a beautiful location with these amazing views. Nothing was broken. It’s just about evolving. When we signed the lease in 2022 it’s for another 20 years, so that gives us the confidence to reinvest in the business.”

It’s not just the venue that’s received an update. A classy new food menu features Reuben sliders, grilled peppers with sherry vinaigrette, a prawn and bug burger and crab fettuccine. There’s also a short menu of pizza and a pair of desserts.

For drinks, the venue’s intimidating array of beer taps remains, backed by a refreshed cocktail menu and an approachable wine list.

Music is part of the rethink, with DJs performing every Friday and Saturday to help set the tone for the evenings.

It amounts to a serious update that underlines how serious the Sydney-based Solotel is about Brisbane.

“We’ve sold heaps of businesses. Last year I went from 30 to 13 venues. And those 13 venues are the ones we really wanted to hold on to. The focus is on quality over quantity – making sure what we have is really, really excellent.”