Brisbane.com.au

Small bands are a regular fixture in the cafes and restaurants in the Brunswick Street Mall in Fortitude Valley on Sunday afternoons. All photos: Brisbane.com.au

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Fortitude valley

WHEN visiting Brisbane, you will undoubtedly find your way to one of its treasures, Fortitude Valley, or, as it is known by the locals, "The Valley".
The valley, which borders on the Brisbane CBD, is the city’s entertainment and social hub, and there is plenty to see and do.
Whether you are in the mood for a unique shopping experience, interesting music, a bite to eat from an appealing cafe or restaurant, or to simply see how this inner-city suburb bordering on the Brisbane CBD is so different, Fortitude Valley certainly has plenty to offer.
Brunswick Street Mall is at The Valley. Although it was once renowned for its seediness, it has recently undergone renovation in order to make it more appealing and it is now a hub for cafes and restaurants and music. Free music entertainment is on offer in the outdoor eateries on Sunday afternoons.
In The Valley you will find street-side shops and cafes that will sate both your appetite for food and eclectic fashion.
When the sun goes down and you are looking for a night out, Fortitude Valley delivers. It is ground zero for Australia’s rock n’ roll community.
One of the premier places to check out the music scene is at The Foundry. A former hostel, it has touring acts as well as local musicians.
Fortitude Valley is also headquarters to the Pacific region's grunge movement. In its back alleys and other streets you will find bars and venues dedicated to grunge.
The valley's cafes and restaurants diish up a multicultural smorgasbord, with Asian cuisine at Ann Gyoza Bar, a taste of Italy at Angelo’s Pasta, Middle Eastern flavor at Alhambra Lounge, and even a bit of America’s Deep South at Papa Jack’s.
In between all the shopping, music, and fine dining, Fortitude Valley has a number of other events.   
On the weekends there is the Eat Street Market; on Fridays and Saturdays 4pm to 10pm and Sundays 10am to 3pm, runiing from September to May. The market features cuisines from around the world.
For more local fare, there is the Jimbooba Country Market, which runs from November to December, and is on the third Saturday of every month, 7am to noon.
There are also numerous foods and crafts brought to you by local Australian growers.
Fortitude Valley may have a bit of a colourful past, but nowadays there is something there for everyone - young and old, singles and families. It is definitely worth seeing when visiting Brisbane.


Above and below: Brunswick Street Mall with its many cafes and restaurants.




Restaurants brimming with character are scattered throughout The Valley.

Above: An glitsy looking nightclub sits alongside an older, traditonal-style building in Fortitude Valley. Below: A fantasy world awaits inside the nightclub.




Below: One of the historic commercial buildings in The Valley, belonging to the McWhirters shopping emporium.