Ascot, get ready for a tasty new addition to your neighbourhood! Sarni, a versatile eatery offering sandwiches by day and small plates by night, is preparing to open its doors this month at Racecourse Road.
The minds behind this exciting new venture are no strangers to the Brisbane food scene. Sarni comes from the same talented team that brought us Ach in Hamilton last year. Now, they are turning their attention to Ascot, promising to bring their culinary expertise to the area.
Ach in Hamilton (Photo credit: Ach Wine Bar & Bistro/Facebook)
What’s on the Menu?
Sarni is set to cater to various tastes throughout the day. During daytime hours, expect a range of mouthwatering deli-style sandwiches featuring cured meats and other gourmet ingredients. Once their liquor licence is approved, Sarni will open for dinner service, offering small plates and share platters perfect for a night out with friends or a casual date.
Image shown for illustration purposes only (Photo credit: Rajesh TP/Pexels)
While the final menu is still being perfected, some tempting test dishes have included charcoal-chicken sandwiches, bresaola sandwiches with guindilla peppers and pickles; and beef belly bacon sambos.
For those looking forward to evening visits, Sarni plans to offer a carefully curated wine list. Expect around 20 bottles at any given time, with the selection rotating frequently to keep things interesting for regular patrons.
A New Local Hangout
Sarni aims to become a neighbourhood favourite, providing Ascot residents with a versatile space that transitions seamlessly from day to night. Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch, meeting friends for after-work drinks, or enjoying a relaxed dinner, Sarni promises to be your new go-to spot.
Keep an eye out for Sarni’s grand opening this month at 143 Racecourse Road, and get ready to welcome this exciting new addition to the local food scene. With its prime location and promising menu, Sarni is set to become an instant hit with Ascot locals and visitors alike. Follow them on Instagram for updates on the grand opening.
Looking for a place that serves seasonal tapas and clever cocktails with a side of charm? Check out Vlume, a new tapas bar tucked inside a charming Queenslander on Racecourse Road.
With its relaxed vibe and mouthwatering small plates, Vlume is the perfect spot to catch up with friends over good food and drinks.
The menu offers a tempting selection of cold and hot tapas. Marinated olives, tuna tacos, burrata, and chips with smoked paprika whet your appetite before heartier plates like fried zucchini flowers, wagyu, lamb tacos, and Vlume’s signature tarte flambee emerge piping hot from the oven.
This Flemish-style “pizza” baked on a yeast-free flatbread dough is a house specialty not to miss. But regulars agree the brisket is the star of the show. Slow-cooked until meltingly tender, the Angus brisket dish has developed a following all its own.
Inside, the spacious and airy dining room accommodates larger groups whilst the cosy deck is ideal for intimate conversations. Vlume also offers special function menus for small events and parties interested in canapés and grazing tables.
Find this charming Queensland tapas bar at 133 Racecourse Road in Ascot. With its relaxed atmosphere, fantastic food and drinks, Vlume promises a delicious night out with friends.
The establishment will be located at 150 Racecourse Rd, in the former spot of One Fifty Ascot bar and eatery, which has now undergone a complete transformation.
Photo credit: Victory Lane Ascot/Facebook
Scheduled to open in May 2023, the restaurant will offer lunch and dinner services from Wednesday to Sunday, catering to food enthusiasts in the area.
The restaurant emphasises the use of fresh, local produce to produce delicious gourmet fare. Its menu will feature a range of innovative and sophisticated dishes that showcase the best of modern culinary techniques.
The menu will also offer an array of wine options to complement the food, with a focus on local and international labels. Keep tabs on their menu offerings when they become available here.
The new restaurant will feature an outdoor dining area as well as a distinct bar area, complete with a glass roof and a stunning waterfall feature. In addition to its indoor dining and bar spaces, Victory Lane will feature a charming courtyard that will serve as an ideal function area for occasions.
Featured image is for illustration purpose only (Photo credit: Elina Sazonova/Pexels)
It’s the latest offering from Muragh Operations, the company behind popular Brisbane restaurants such as Newstead’s Botany Restaurant and South Bank’s The Jetty.
Despite its fine dining credentials, it aims to create an inviting and approachable atmosphere that exudes relaxed vibes. The restaurant’s design will be sleek and modern, with an emphasis on comfort and functionality.
Did you know that the first taxi service in Queensland was established on Racecourse Road in Ascot? Once a quiet street with a handful of houses in the 1880s, Racecourse Road became a busy hub when the Ascot Taxi Service opened in 1919.
Two mechanics, Edmund William Henry Beckham and Edward Roland Videan, only had one vehicle and a common dream when they started the Ascot Taxi Service.
Within five years, their fleet had grown to four cars: three Willys Knight tourers and an Overland, the first sedan taxi in Brisbane.
The motorised vehicles completely replaced the hansom cab, the popular form of horse-drawn carriers from the previous century.
Motorised taxi services during this time didn’t have any way of checking the mileage for each trip other than for the driver to calculate the fare manually based on a fare scale. Despite the challenges, the birth of the state’s first motorised taxi service was a welcome and exciting change.
Moving to Fortitude Valley, Thriving Through Changes
As the business progressed, the Ascot Taxi Service moved to a new site in Fortitude Valley in the 1930s, where the company flourished despite the arrival of the Yellow Cab Company from Chicago in the United States.
Ascot Taxi Service and its new owners opened a two-storey, art-deco headquarters on Barry Parade, displaying its fleet of black taxi limousines. Its focus was on “taxi-tourist” trade and they were a popular choice for wedding hiring and similar events.
Drivers were required to wear uniforms, enhancing the prestige of the service. It was also the first company to introduce two-way radio in taxis in Queensland in the 1950s.
Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland
Barry Parade had other motor businesses, all built prior to World War II, such as the Phillip Frank and Co, New England Motor Company, and the OK Rubber Company.
The businesses became the centre of the motor trade in the city but over the years, as the city developed and infrastructure grew, people’s needs changed.
In the 1990s, Ascot Taxi Service became Q Cabs before merging with and becoming part of Black & White Cabs, which continues to operate from its head office at the Brisbane Airport.
In 2017, the Ascot Taxi Service building was demolished to make way for apartment development. The building’s last known occupant was Valley Radiator Services.
From Ascot Taxi Service to Ascot Motor Garage: The Evolution of Racecourse Road
Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland
The Ascot Motor Garage was a landmark and such a big part of the evolution of Racecourse Road in the early 20th century. It was set amidst some of the most expensive houses in Brisbane in large blocks of land are found.
By the time the taxi service moved out, however, Racecourse Road’s business landscape had changed, with general stores, fresh food supplies, and establishments for butchers, bakers, confectioners, chemists, and a laundry shop now dotting the neighbourhood.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Eventually, other modern establishments set up shop on the busy boulevard with lovely Poinciana trees that bloom beautiful red flowers at Christmas time. Here, medical and dental clinics, salons, banks, and boutiques, as well as dozens of eateries, have made the area a high-end lifestyle hub.
More than 130 retail shops have graced Racecourse Road. Blocks of land have been redeveloped in the neighbourhood that the Ascot Taxi Service’s vehicles once traversed.
The 3,126-sqm property at 77 Racecourse Road on the corner of Kent Street in Ascot is presently the site of a 1960s building previously occupied by Woolworths before IGA and BWS took over. Silverstone acquired the site through an Expression of Interest in late 2021 for $9.75 million on which a high-end development is now being eyed.
Silverstone‘s $70-million project will contain ground-floor retail, medical and allied health spaces, two-level parking, and three-level office space across the four-storey building.
The Racecourse Road site is in proximity to the master-planned Eagle Farm Racecourse community as well as Hamilton’s Olympic Village. These locations along with other surrounding suburbs provide a ready and growing market for the future tenancies of the project.
PDT Architects has been tapped to breathe life into the envisioned building’s design which will have sustainability at the heart of its overall look incorporating green infrastructure, plenty of greens, low-emitting materials and natural light.
The proposal is set to be lodged this July and commencement of construction is targeted by late 2022.
Silverstone Developments’ ongoing projects include the $90-million Spring Hill Day Hospital which is an 11-level private hospital facility with a rooftop terrace on Boundary Street in Spring Hill and the Herston Commercial Car Park near the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Silverstone also recently completed the $122-million Stratton Commercial Building and the E–Co boutique building in Newstead.
The grocery shopping experience has accelerated at Coles Local Ascot, where customers can easily pick and mix from a self-service freezer filled with Japanese mochi ice cream and French meringue-based macaron cookies, and then pay for their sweet treats at the counter.
A few steps from the bar is a self-service coffee station, where shoppers can buy high-quality brews from DC Specialty Coffee Roasters. A Scoop & Weigh bar has also been laid out for pet parents looking for carefully curated dog treats.
Photo Credit: Nick Samiric/Google Maps
The refurbished supermarket, located at the corner of Racecourse Road and Dobson Street, is one of three Coles Local stores across the country to undergo a major innovation in 2021 to escalate its product selections.
Like Coles Local York Street in Sydney and Coles Local Fitzroy in Melbourne, the Ascot outlet’s choices have been specifically tailored for the locals. Aside from the mochi and macaron bar, Brisbane shoppers will be able to shop for these upscale and in-demand goodies in one location:
According to Coles’ Chief of Sustainability, Property and Export Officer, Thinus Keevé, they have been experimenting with this concept since 2018 at a handful of outlets in Melbourne and it always generated positive feedback.
Photo Credit: Nick Samiric/Google Maps
Coles Local Ascot has about 40 percent of premium products that you won’t find at a regular Coles.
Another popular restaurant in Ascot has announced it will be closing its doors and serving its last pizza slice on 30 June 2021. The owner of Meltz Gourmet Pizza Bar, located on Racecourse Road, said that he’s looking to pursue other opportunities after running his restaurant for three and a half years.
In a post on Instagram, Kellum Tate said that negotiations for the lease renewal of Meltz Gourmet Pizza Bar fell through thus the decision to close the shop. He also said that he’s not considering moving into a new location and continue the brand he built. However, he is hoping that someone would be interested in “snapping up the opportunity” to takeover Meltz Gourmet Pizza Bar.
“This was not a decision made lightly,” Mr Tate said. “However, I have decided after 3.5 years of dedication to Meltz as a local business and building the brand, it is in the best interest of my family to pursue other business opportunities which will provide a friendlier work/life balance.”
In the remaining months, the pizza bar will continue to prepare and serve customers for its final hoorah.
Photo Credit: FacebookPhoto Credit: Facebook
Mr Tate bought the restaurant from its previous owners in September 2017 and rebranded it into a gourmet pizza and bar, serving “a wide range of pizzas, burgers, calzones, and loaded salads to suppress any appetite.” As a fully licensed bar, the eatery had been a regular hangout for the young crowd but families with kids, as well as the oldies who occasionally enjoy pizza with beer, also frequented the pizza place.
Meltz Gourmet Pizza Bar thrived amidst the pandemic, when lockdowns, work-at-home orders, and dining restrictions were in place, affecting many businesses all over Brisbane.
Once a bustling retail destination, Ascot’s Racecourse Road has had an exodus of shops in recent months due to a triad of unfavorable factors: the road closures at Kingsford Smith Drive, the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cost of rent.
Reports cited that retail buildings around the precinct are now filled with “For Lease” signs as 35 stores, or about a third of the retail shops in the area, have shut down.
To entice new tenants, Racecourse Road landlords are offering big rental holidays with free rent for the first six months and half the rental rate for the next six months, amidst continued roadworks and the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Garry Grant, who has been running his news and magazine shop since 2005, said that the situation in Racecourse Road started going downhill when the Kingsford Smith Drive project began. In five years’ time, Grant said that his business dropped to 40 percent.
Fashion house owner Kathy Bucceri said that this high street district used to be where the ladies spent their weekend lunches or coffee breaks in between a day of shopping. Since the roadworks, however, regulars who shopped at the retail stores and dined at the restaurants stopped coming.
Bucceri’s shop has been in the same location for 20 years and benefitted from the clients of the nearby ANZ Bank. But since the bank’s closure, the affluent customers that frequented her store also disappeared.
Photo Credit: Facebook
But other shop owners remain hopeful that things will turn around as Kingsford Smith Drive is nearing its completion and pandemic lockdown restrictions are easing off.
According to one trader, landlords re-leasing their buildings should pick a good mix of shops and eateries to become more competitive with other shopping precincts. Appeals to the Brisbane City Council to upgrade the street with more trees and better landscaping are being initiated.
Ascot has its fair share of Instagram-worthy restaurants and amongst them is One Fifty Ascot, a bar and eatery located in the tightly held dining precinct of Racecourse Road.
One Fifty Ascot breathed new life into the former Baguette location by incorporating timber and glass into the interiors. Black lines dominate the place, but natural light, wooden furniture, and a multitude of hanging plants soften the vibe, creating a relaxed setting for beautifully decorated dishes.
Interiors aside, they currently offer generous servings of flavoursome dishes such as Stradbroke king prawns, truffled spatchcock and Darling Downs Beef mignon. The restaurant embraces a seasonal menu, but they make sure the food is delightfully fresh and simple, regardless of the season. There is also an impressive collection of carefully curated wines or cocktails to wash it all down.
If you have a weakness for sweets, it will be hard to say no to One Fifty Ascot’s delicious array of desserts like the lemon tartlet, chocolate cake with double cream and raspberries, and a selection of ice cream and sorbet. Those who are heading for a meal with their little ones can order from the kids menu, which already includes a meal and a dessert.
When you’re looking for a venue or a private dining room for birthdays, wedding, or even corporate functions, the restaurant also offers a range of function spaces available for your special event, like the courtyard, which has a semi open-air space and a private bar access.
One Fifty Ascot is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 11:30 am until late. For more information and to make a booking, visit One Fifty Ascot’s website.
Whilst real estate prices in Ascot and Hamilton are amongst the highest in Brisbane, most residents don’t know about the diverse and fascinating history of the area. For example the connection of Ascot’s name to the racecourse, the 154-year history of the Hamilton Hotel, the chaos of keeping the Eagle Farm Women’s Prisoners away from the men, the role of Brett’s Wharf in WW2, local resident Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, the evolution of Racecourse Road and many other fascinating evolutions.
The Ascot and Hamilton Heritage Trail is a 3.5-km walk, including 18 points of interest that help illustrate the development of both Ascot and Hamilton. The trail starts off just outside the Hamilton Hotel and ends at the entrance to the Eagle Farm Racecourse.
Visitors who want to learn more about the stories and events that shaped the history of the area can check out Brisbane City Council’s Gallivant Through Ascot and Hamilton Heritage Trail brochure. The document also includes more information on the location of public transport and access for people with limited mobility. Take note that some sections of the heritage trail are steep and may be difficult for some visitors to access.
Brief History of Ascot
The evolution of Ascot officially started after the establishment of the famous racecourse in 1865 by the Queensland Turf Club. The development made the area more attractive and further helped to define its distinctive character. The land was granted to the club by the Colonial Government in 1863. Subsequently, the first race meeting was held two years later.
The name ‘Ascot’ used to be a reference to the famous English racecourse. As more people visited the racecourse, Ascot became more closely associated with this part of Brisbane. The rail line was then extended from Eagle Junction to Racecourse Station in 1882 and the station later adopted the name Ascot in 1897.
Ascot and Hamilton Heritage Trail
The Hamilton Hotel
Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton, ca. 1929. (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Negative number: 1902)
Gustavus Hamilton established the hotel in 1865 and named it The Hamilton. The hotel then became a reference point in the district. Not long after, the area around the hotel adopted the name The Hamilton.
Eagle Farm Women’s Prison
At first, female convicts were held in the Female Factory, on the site which is now occupied by the General Post Office on Queen Street.
The factory was surrounded by high stone walls to limit fraternisation with men, but this proved to be ineffective. Authorities then decided to move the female convicts to Eagle Farm, away from the attention of male convicts as well as soldiers, who were forbidden from crossing Breakfast Creek.
The site of the Eagle Farm Women’s Prison was only accessible through the convict-hewn track which is now known as the Kingsford Smith Drive. The women’s prison may no longer be standing today, but it is an important archaeological site located about two kilometres away from Schneider Road.
Brett’s Wharf and the Apollo Barge Assembly Depot
Brett’s wharves at Hamilton taken about 1953. (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Negative number: 43721)
Did you know that Hamilton, Ascot, and Eagle Farm experienced some of the most intense war-time activity seen in Australia during World War II?
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, US forces were redirected to Australia. Brett’s Wharf played an important role as the receiving dock for the US Air Force’s unassembled aircraft.
Substation No. 12
Built at a time when electric trams travelled to Hamilton, Substation No. 12 is one of only two substations built in Brisbane that combined the substation functions for both the electricity supply and the tramway system.
The Hamilton substation was the first of this type of installation to be built in Brisbane in 1947. Meanwhile, the other Substation No. 42 on Waterworks Road at Ashgrove, was built in 1948. Such a dual facility was an unusual but efficient use of a site, as it incorporated both types of substations within a single building.
By the 1960s, the Council viewed trams as an inefficient, expensive, and inflexible form of public transport. This lead to the decision to discontinue the service across Brisbane in 1969.
Kingsford Smith Drive
Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith.(Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Negative number: 52185)
In 1953, this road was renamed Kingsford Smith Drive in honour of one of Australia’s most important aviators. Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith was born in a house near the corner of Riverview Terrace and Hamilton Road.
This structure was built in 1920 as the Hamilton Town Hall and Hamilton Town Council Chambers.Brisbane architect, MT Stanley designed the hall which became the venue for Council business community meetings and social occasions like dances.
After its use as a community hall ended, residents petitioned for it to become the site of a School of the Arts, a move that did quite succeed. Today, it is the site of a public library.
Tivoli Gardens Theatre
Opened in 1907, the Tivoli Gardens was a popular, open-air Vaudeville theatre in Brisbane and is famous for its Vaudevillian acts. Miss Bella Sutherland, a famous performer on the vaudevillian circuit both in Australia and internationally, established the theatre.
The 1,000-seat, canvas theatre served theatre enthusiasts for eight years. Times changed and with the advent of cinema, the Tivoli Gardens Theatre was converted for use for cinema screenings until it finally closed in 1921.
St Augustine’s Anglican Church
Photo credit: staugseq.com.au
The brick church was completed in 1920 as St Augustine’s Thank-offering and War Memorial Church.
Queensland artist, William Bustard designed the artistic church windows.He was popular for his work with stained glass. Examples of his works in Brisbane can be seen in St John’s Anglican Cathedral, St Stephen’s Catholic Cathedral, and Brisbane City Hall. The set of windows in St Augustine’s are considered to be the only remaining complete set of Bustard’s windows.
Racecourse Road
Racecourse Road was the direct path from the river to the racecourse.
In the late 1800s, only a few houses dotted between the river and the racecourse. These include residences to two sharebrokers, a cabinet maker, and two horse trainers.
In the early 20th Century, the Racecourse Road quickly evolved into a busy street, lined with more houses, shops, and businesses, with electric trams running back and forth.
Lynford is considered as one of the finest examples of Tudor Revival homes in Brisbane. The stately, heritage-listed residence on Windermere Road is made of brick, stonework, stucco, and timber with a distinctive gabled roofline.
It was designed and built in 1928 by notable architect E.P Trewern. It has been subsequently renovated by Brisbane-based architect Richard Groves to accommodate modern inclusions.
Windermere
Windermere house at Ascot, Queensland. (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 27279-0001-0001)
The grand residence was built around 1886 for a politician named J.G. Appel. Prominent architect, Richard Gailey designed the Windermere house.
Chateau Nous
Built in 1938, this exceptional example of Functionalist architecture is reminiscent of the glamorous 1930s Hollywood parties. The American-educated Douglas Roberts designed the house, whose simple, geometric style was a far cry from the traditional “timber and tin” residences in vogue at the time.
In what was considered “ultra-modern” at the time, the house had an all-electric kitchen, which was designed in a utilitarian, minimalist manner. Remarkably, it also had an electric dumb-waiter which enabled meals to be delivered to the breakfast room upstairs.
A sizeable air raid shelter was even built in the yard to protect the family from World War II bombing runs.
The original owners left Chateau Nou in the 1960s but it remains a private residence to this day.
Nyrambla
Nyrambla epitomises the development of Ascot in the late 1800s when grand residences were built on the apex of the suburb’s hills. The 2-storey residence was designed in 1885 by James Cowlishaw, an early Brisbane architect.
Owned by bank manager Henry P Abbott, Nyrambla was originally built on 15 acres of land before portions of it were divided off to make up surrounding streets, two of which have been named Henry and Abbott in commemoration. Today, Nyrambla is a private residence.
Tattersalls Lodge
Built in the 1890s, this house was used as accommodations for horse trainers and their families. Before the house was built, it was originally the site of the Tattersalls Stables, which was leased to trainers of prizewinning horses because of its close proximity to the Eagle Farm Racecourse.
At the turn of the 20th century, the house changed hands and became FitzGrafton Lodge, owned by James McGill a respected horse breeder and grazier, who bequeathed it to his son upon his death. McGill Avenue, a road adjacent to the racecourse, was named after this family.
Like Nyramble, Tattersalls Lodge is privately owned.
Hamilton Fire Station
Firefighters posing in their vehicle in front of Hamilton Fire Station. (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 97520)
Most of the housing stock in Brisbane in the late 19th Century consists of timber. As more houses emerged in the developing area, the locality needed a permanent fire station that services Ascot and Hamilton. The Hamilton Fire Station was then built in 1920.
Ascot Railway Station
Originally called Racecourse Station, the line from Eagle Junction to Ascot Station was opened in 1882. The extension of the line provided race-goers with an efficient way to get to and from the races as the trains exclusively run for race days.
Eagle Farm Racecourse
Avid race-goers, did you know that the first race meeting was held at the Brisbane Racecourse in 1865? The former Brisbane Racecourse is now popularly known as Eagle Farm Racecourse. Today, Eagle Farm Racecourse remains to be Brisbane’s premier racecourse.
Camp Ascot
Photo Credit: The Queenslander/Wikimedia Commons
As mentioned earlier, Ascot has been extremely active during World War II. In fact, Eagle Farm Racecourse became the first US camp established in Australia.
These historic sites and events have undeniably influenced the suburbs of Ascot and Hamilton. Looking for some things to do in Ascot or Hamilton? Why not go on a historic walk and check out the Ascot and Hamilton Heritage Trail.
