ARC Dining and Wine Bar has opened in Howard Smith Wharves, Brisbane. Located at the New Farm end of the precinct, and set on the edge of the Brisbane River, this modern glasshouse structure allows diners to feel as if they are floating on the Brisbane River as they take in views of the city and the cliffs behind the restaurant.
Head chef Alanna Sapwell, formerly of the award-winning and wholly fish-focused Saint Peter in Sydney, has centred the menu at ARC Dining and Wine Bar around a broad culinary spectrum. “At ARC our aim is to provide food that people feel great about,” she says.
“We feel really strongly about our use of ethically raised and sourced produce. We want the diners at ARC to have an elevated dining experience while still making it fun, approachable, fresh and satisfying.
“ARC Wine Bar is working hand in hand to deliver the same experience as the restaurant. We take pride in showcasing our values in snack form at the bar while being able to enjoy our extensive wine list that captures a minimal intervention approach all while taking in the stunning views of Brisbane.”
Highlights on the ARC Dining menu include dishes such as spanner crab, gala apple and cranberry hibiscus; Spanish mackerel, zucchini, chilli and native ginger; and granny smith and sunflower tart with lemon and honey. The smaller plates available at ARC Wine Bar, which sits next door to ARC Dining, include pork and spent mandarin salumi with coffee crack; lamb, ricotta, cucumber and green almond; and lavender and lamb fat caramels.
To complement Sapwell’s menu, group sommelier Ian Trinkle, awarded the Judy Hirst Award for Best Sommelier during his time at Aria, has curated a list of over 400 wines. The selection includes a range of eclectic and rare wines from Australia and abroad, focusing on producers who make handcrafted wine with respect to place.
The interiors of the 100-seat Arc Dining and 140-seat Arc Wine Bar have been designed by Anna Spiro.
Inspired by art and culture, the wall at the rear of Arc Dining features modern, eclectic artwork and objects hand-picked by Spiro, giving the restaurant a contemporary feel. A large fig tree takes centre stage inside Arc Dining, with the tip almost reaching the upholstered fresh green Anna Spiro Textiles fabric panels on the raked ceiling.
“Arc is the embodiment of modern Brisbane: colourful, punchy, eclectic and chic,” Spiro says.
For Arc Dining, Spiro selected custom panelled cabinetry with pink marble tops, a fabulous vintage black marble centre table and Le Corbusier wall lights. Also featured are yellow arc back Daniel-Emma chairs, Jardan upholstered dining chairs and a Parker & Jules patterned sofa, along with Clarence House Embroidered Geometric Crewel fabric on the back of the banquette. Grazia & Co. Dita barstools and Izzy & Lou Lou vases round out the interiors.
“ARC Dining and Wine Bar is a really special addition to Howard Smith Wharves,” Howard Smith Wharves director, Adam Flaskas says. “The unique food and wine offerings from Alanna and Ian add something new and different to the Brisbane dining scene, and, as always, Anna Spiro has done an amazing job with the interiors.”