Since its debut in autumn of 2023, Night Feast has remained one of the most anticipated events on the Brisbane culinary calendar. From October 16 to November 10, Brisbane Powerhouse will once again erupt with food stalls run by a curated selection of the country’s leading chefs – alongside an electrifying line-up of live music, interactive roaming performers and more.

This year’s menu is led by an array of foodie institutions and rising culinary stars. Central, the highly anticipated soon-to-open restaurant from the team behind Southside and Rick Shores, joins the feast this year to give diners a first taste of the new project. Executive chef Benny Lam will pay homage to the cuisine of Hong Kong’s central district with handmade dumplings and Cantonese-inspired dishes. Diners can expect delicacies from Central like its double-cooked wagyu short rib stir-fry with red kampot pepper, crispy confit potato and manuka honey, and barbecue pork steam buns with smoked hoi sin.

Sweet tooths rejoice – Gelato Messina is finally coming to Night Feast this year, slinging a dessert designed exclusively for the festival. Best known for its innovative menu of sensational flavours (and a sprawling line out the door), Gelato Messina hand-crafts each of its dessert creations with the help of top-quality ingredients and creamy jersey milk sourced from its own farm. As the undoubted cherry on top of this year’s Night Feast line-up, Gelato Messina is living up to this namesake. Its festival exclusive Cherry On Top features chocolate brownie and peanut crumble served with milk-choc-peanut-fudge gelato, vanilla chantilly, shaved chocolate and a crowning cherry on top.

Also joining the newcomer line-up will be the likes of Newstead favourite Allonda (expect four-cheese croquettes and its famous tiramisu), Byblos (think Lebanese wraps, lamb kebbi and tabouleh bowls), Calida (serving Argentinian empanadas and alfajores), Cartel Del Taco (with its signature carne asada tacos and slow-cooked beef birria) and Savile Row in collaboration with gin distillery Diviners.

The Sapporo Izakaya returns this year with a new culinary team at the helm for Sapporo x Boom Boom Room. Joining forces with Brisbane’s beloved underground bar, this pop-up Japanese izakaya will be taking over the Pleasuredome. Boom Boom Room chef Tokushige (Taka) Takashi and beer sensei Shinichiro Shimo will be bringing a fun and vibrant dining experience to Night Feast, pairing contemporary Japanese dishes with Sapporo beers.

Other returning names to this year’s program include Anchalee’s, Bugster’s, Donna Chang, Gerard’s, Hoy Pinoy, La Mano, Lek’s Thai, LouisB, Mary Mae’s, Ngon, Southside and Wonderbao.