Top small restaurant takes on one of Brisbane's best dining precincts
It's to join some star laneway neighbours in a larger space from an in-demand Emme and Pilloni designer. What won't change? The exceptional, produce-driven food.
Clarence is getting an upgrade.
Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann's little Woolloongabba restaurant that could has become a favourite among diners in the know since opening in 2022.
But in a 40-seat heritage tenancy in the old Shop Row building, there's an argument it's a touch too little and, given its quality, should be better known. Also, its location, at the Annerley Road end of Stanley Street, can be hard to travel to.
But a move to Fish Lane in 10 weeks is intended to change that.
Clarence will close on Stanley Street in late July and reopen in a new tenancy tucked underneath the Cremorne apartment development.
'I think we were looking for what the next thing would be,' McShane says. 'But it's obviously a huge commitment, something like that. So we were a little apprehensive.
'The last few years haven't gone quite as well as we'd hoped, so it can be hard to double down on [the concept].'
Fish Lane, though, is very different to Stanley Street. Over the past decade it's become one of the city's best dining precincts, second perhaps only to James Street. Southside, Julius, Maeve Wine, Hello Please and Lune all call the area home, among a bunch of others.
It's surrounded by stacks of residential apartments, has ready access to public transport, is just across the road from QAGOMA and the Queensland Museum, and QPAC is scheduled to unveil its new 1500-seat theatre towards the end of the year.
'There's everything here,' McShane says. 'There's residential. It's a little bit more eclectic than, say, James Street. It's a little more relaxed … but you're still very well-connected to everything.
'I don't think we'd fit on James Street. It makes sense here.'
You can understand how the building's landlord, Stockwell, got McShane and Kuhnemann over the line.
Clarence 2.0 will be a precisely designed open-air 60-seat evolution on its predecessor. Alkot Studio, recently celebrated for its work on Pilloni in West End and Emme on James Street, is overseeing a space defined by green and white tiled walls, globe pendants and banquette seating.
'I don't think we'd fit on James Street. It makes sense here.'
Clarence co-owner Ben McShane
The restaurant will carry over Clarence's distinctive green colour and also its open kitchen, this time with counter seating so you can get up close and personal with McShane and Kuhnemann as they go about their cooking.
Clarence's approach to food will remain much the same, with McShane and Kuhnemann continuing to leverage close-knit relationships with producers such as Tommerup's Dairy Farm and Neighbourhood Farm to power a menu that constantly evolves depending on what's in season.
'But then there will be a few more comfortable, accessible dishes that will stay on a little bit longer,' McShane says. 'It might be coral trout with new potatoes and a meuniere sauce, or something like a steak frites.
'It's great to have those vibrant, interesting dishes [typical of Clarence], but there will just be a few more things – objectively good dishes that everyone's going to want to eat every day of the week.'
Drinks will continue to be anchored by a tight all-Australian wine list that favours 'funky, smashable' drops.
'There's that population density here that means we can be that great neighbourhood restaurant,' McShane says. 'We can be part of your evening before the theatre, or after. We don't have that versatility where we are at the moment. So it's about adjusting what we're doing to suit that.'
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Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
One of Brisbane's best small restaurants arrives at Fish Lane
Eating out Food Two of the city's best young chefs now have a home fit for their talents. They're cooking seasonally inspired local produce accompanied by Aussie wines. Clarence is complete. Yes, Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann's new 60-seat take on Clarence in Fish Lane, in a ground floor tenancy of the Cremorne apartment building, is finished, and looks fetching in all its Alkot Studio-designed finery. But Clarence as a concept finally feels complete. The restaurant's original premises in the old Shop Row building on Stanley Street in Woolloongabba were intended to skate through on their heritage charm – all the better to keep the focus on McShane's food – and they did for a while. But as McShane and then Kuhnemann's ideas grew in intention and execution, the old brick lined space seemed less fit for purpose. And it was a pain to get to, meaning the restaurant never attracted the number of diners it deserved. And not for lack of effort, either: the Clarence team at one point added to the kitchen out front, and ran a brilliant but short-lived deli operation during the day Talking to McShane and Kuhnemann about these days, and you sense the frustration. But that's in part because it's packaged with a relief to be in these new premises. 'With the old space you had those restrictions of a 130-year-old building,' McShane says. 'You can't get bigger bits of equipment through the door. To change the hoods is too much.' 'It felt like we were scrapping, just trying to make something happen,' Kuhnemann adds. 'It never felt permanent. It always felt like we were just trying to pull something together, and this feels like everything's been done intentionally for the purpose of being in this restaurant.' The new Clarence exists in a corner tenancy where Fish Lane crosses Merivale Street. Yes, it's brand new but Alkot's design has leant it a charming, lived-in feel with a purposeful use of materials such as ribbed timber, globe pendents, green and white tiled walls, and green upholstered banquettes and seating. Counter seating is a neat addition, allowing you to get up close and personal with the chefs – something that should suit Clarence particularly well – and McShane's brother, Ryan McShane (who from day one has been responsible for the restaurant's cute branding) has contributed a pair of vibrant artworks. Outside, instead of cars jammed along Stanley Street, it's pedestrians wandering the strip from Lune at one end of the lane to Julius at the other, or vice versa. If the old Clarence sometimes felt like a long-term pop-up, the new Clarence feels like it belongs. The food has had minor changes as well. McShane and Kuhnemann still intend to keep it seasonal and hero producers such as Tommerup's Dairy Farm and Neighbourhood Farm, but they talk about there being a little more permanence on the menu. Appetisers and entrees include Nashville-seasoned tropical rock lobster with pickles and white bread, Jerusalem artichokes with a sunflower miso cream and yuzu, and gnocchi served with caviar and a dashi cream. For mains, there's wild caught barramundi with dill-pickle butter and carrots, dry-aged duck with witlof and a cumquat yuzu kosho, and a rack of wild-shot venison with blueberry and beetroot. There's a couple of mains to share – a half coral trout meuniere, and a five-score grass-fed sirloin – and a three-course prix-fixe menu for $85 per person. There's also a cold and raw seafood menu that includes yellowfin tuna with peas, grapefruit and ginger; and Hervey Bay scallop with tiger milk, caper and radish. 'Our draft menu was quite seafood heavy and I think we've even doubled down on that a little bit,' McShane says. 'We're pushing that cold seafood side a little bit more. We have this amazing access to seafood and that was a way to showcase that.' Wines are still all Australian, with front-of-house manager Zoe Mahoney managing a list that now runs close to 100 bottles. 'We have some realms we like to work in with the Australian wines,' Mahoney says. 'We have some smashable stuff but then we have wines that can really converse well with the food.'
The Age
4 days ago
- The Age
One of Brisbane's best small restaurants arrives at Fish Lane
Eating out Food Two of the city's best young chefs now have a home fit for their talents. They're cooking seasonally inspired local produce accompanied by Aussie wines. Clarence is complete. Yes, Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann's new 60-seat take on Clarence in Fish Lane, in a ground floor tenancy of the Cremorne apartment building, is finished, and looks fetching in all its Alkot Studio-designed finery. But Clarence as a concept finally feels complete. The restaurant's original premises in the old Shop Row building on Stanley Street in Woolloongabba were intended to skate through on their heritage charm – all the better to keep the focus on McShane's food – and they did for a while. But as McShane and then Kuhnemann's ideas grew in intention and execution, the old brick lined space seemed less fit for purpose. And it was a pain to get to, meaning the restaurant never attracted the number of diners it deserved. And not for lack of effort, either: the Clarence team at one point added to the kitchen out front, and ran a brilliant but short-lived deli operation during the day Talking to McShane and Kuhnemann about these days, and you sense the frustration. But that's in part because it's packaged with a relief to be in these new premises. 'With the old space you had those restrictions of a 130-year-old building,' McShane says. 'You can't get bigger bits of equipment through the door. To change the hoods is too much.' 'It felt like we were scrapping, just trying to make something happen,' Kuhnemann adds. 'It never felt permanent. It always felt like we were just trying to pull something together, and this feels like everything's been done intentionally for the purpose of being in this restaurant.' The new Clarence exists in a corner tenancy where Fish Lane crosses Merivale Street. Yes, it's brand new but Alkot's design has leant it a charming, lived-in feel with a purposeful use of materials such as ribbed timber, globe pendents, green and white tiled walls, and green upholstered banquettes and seating. Counter seating is a neat addition, allowing you to get up close and personal with the chefs – something that should suit Clarence particularly well – and McShane's brother, Ryan McShane (who from day one has been responsible for the restaurant's cute branding) has contributed a pair of vibrant artworks. Outside, instead of cars jammed along Stanley Street, it's pedestrians wandering the strip from Lune at one end of the lane to Julius at the other, or vice versa. If the old Clarence sometimes felt like a long-term pop-up, the new Clarence feels like it belongs. The food has had minor changes as well. McShane and Kuhnemann still intend to keep it seasonal and hero producers such as Tommerup's Dairy Farm and Neighbourhood Farm, but they talk about there being a little more permanence on the menu. Appetisers and entrees include Nashville-seasoned tropical rock lobster with pickles and white bread, Jerusalem artichokes with a sunflower miso cream and yuzu, and gnocchi served with caviar and a dashi cream. For mains, there's wild caught barramundi with dill-pickle butter and carrots, dry-aged duck with witlof and a cumquat yuzu kosho, and a rack of wild-shot venison with blueberry and beetroot. There's a couple of mains to share – a half coral trout meuniere, and a five-score grass-fed sirloin – and a three-course prix-fixe menu for $85 per person. There's also a cold and raw seafood menu that includes yellowfin tuna with peas, grapefruit and ginger; and Hervey Bay scallop with tiger milk, caper and radish. 'Our draft menu was quite seafood heavy and I think we've even doubled down on that a little bit,' McShane says. 'We're pushing that cold seafood side a little bit more. We have this amazing access to seafood and that was a way to showcase that.' Wines are still all Australian, with front-of-house manager Zoe Mahoney managing a list that now runs close to 100 bottles. 'We have some realms we like to work in with the Australian wines,' Mahoney says. 'We have some smashable stuff but then we have wines that can really converse well with the food.'
ABC News
06-08-2025
- ABC News
Clarence Valley residents seek ban as critical minerals search in catchment ramps up
The sandy banks of the creek at Rebecca Lucock's northern New South Wales property sparkle with elements that are increasingly sought-after by critical minerals prospectors. The Lucock family bought 188 hectares of land at Cangai, north-west of Grafton, in 2022 with big plans to take advantage of pre-existing approvals for an eco-tourism operation. But an increase in exploration activity on the John Bull Gold Project to their south, and another four exploration licences within line-of-sight to their south, north and east has led them to rethink their plans. The John Bull project is one of 44 approved exploration licences in the Clarence catchment with prospectors seeking minerals including gold, copper, antimony and cobalt. "It's overwhelming; it does make you feel a little trapped," Ms Lucock said. The increase in interest in mining opportunities in the region has landholders across the Clarence River catchment concerned. Hundreds gathered recently at a series of forums in Grafton and the small towns of Drake, Dorrigo and Copmanhurst organised by community group Clarence Catchment Alliance. Members of the group visited the NSW parliament in August to argue its case for the entire catchment to be excluded from the NSW Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy. Alliance founder Shae Fleming said mining posed an unacceptable risk to the region. "We do feel that looking at some of the legislation and other policies … that lists us as a major flood zone, we just think it's obvious that mining in drinking water catchments and flood zones is a no-go," she said. In 2001, small amounts of cyanide entered the catchment from retention ponds left behind by the defunct Timbarra gold mining project. Traces of the rare metal antimony were found in the catchment's main drinking water dam in March, prompting the Clarence Valley Council to seek a briefing from the Environment Protection Authority. "Whatever happens upriver ends up downstream," Ms Fleming said. "We can survive floods, but floods contaminated with heavy metals and cyanide — I don't think there's any coming back from that." The push for a ban on exploration and mining in the catchment is supported by seven councils in the north of the state and by Clarence MP Richie Williamson, who has facilitated the delegation. "I think it is of concern to the wider community that exploration is going on in environmentally sensitive areas," Mr Williamson said. Mining company Novo Resources, which has an option to acquire a majority interest in the John Bull tenement, has declined to provide a comment to the ABC. But exploration companies with leases in the catchment say the odds are stacked against them. An annual survey released last week by the Fraser Institute found Australia had dropped out of the top 10 regions for mining investment attractiveness. Corazon Minerals is the majority owner of an exploration licence at Mount Gilmore, north-west of Grafton, with an eye on extracting copper and cobalt. Non-executive CEO Kristie Young said the company spent around $200,000 drilling two holes 12 months ago, but she was unsure whether this would lead to a mine opening. "When you are evaluating a project, you look at all the different elements — where is it located, what are the government regulations, what is it like environmentally, community. That's all extremely important," she said. Legacy Minerals recently took over an exploration licence near Drake that several previous operators were unable to commercialise. The lease requires a review of environmental factors to be submitted, but a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement is not required until the mining stage. Managing director Chris Byrne said his company hoped new mining techniques and a willingness to liaise with the local community and traditional owners for social licence would help get the project to mining stage. 'The probability of any exploration project making it to mineral extraction can be as low as one in 300 projects," he said. NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee said the environmental impact of any potential mine would be assessed through the planning process. "It's a very rigorous, extensive, independent process that assesses the risks," Mr Galilee said. Meanwhile, NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was confident his government was striking the right balance between the need for critical minerals and environmental protection. "We want to make sure we have export-led industries in critical minerals, which by the way are crucial in terms of the renewable energy revolution," he said. "We've got to get the balance right, and an exploration licence does not mean that a mine is about to open up."
