Your complete guide to Brisbane's James Street precinct

Food-lovers should make a beeline for Fortitude Valley's James Street, brimming with top-notch bars, cafes and restaurants.

You'd need a lot of brunches, date nights and aperitivo hours to visit all the eating and drinking venues in Brisbane's stylish, leafy James Street, but here's a pick of some of the prime spots to eat and drink.

This is the little black dress of James Street - an ever sophisticated and relevant veteran that goes about the business of caring for its loyal wine-loving diners without fuss or fanfare. An integral part of Brisbane's culinary and vinous history, Cru Bar was the first wine bar and cellar of this calibre in the city and has collected a swag of accolades over the years, including, recently, an award for the country's best wine list. With a cellar flying the flags of practically all the world's wine-making countries and enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff, Cru's the place to come to try before you buy (or at least invest in the whole bottle) or have a long wine-fuelled lunch while people-watching. crubar.com

Big loud fun. Come early and order something sultry from Same Same's Thai-accented cocktail list in the intimate, moodily lit bar, before joining the throng downstairs. The menu is a contemporary iteration of regional Thai favourites - from street-food snacks like sticky chilli pork and pineapple wrapped in a betel leaf to a coconut dip with swimmer crab, while mains include substantial curries, noodles and stir-fries, always hitting the essential sweet-salty-spicy hotspot. samesamerestaurant.com.au

Like a cross between a food hall and an open-air market you might find in one of Paris's upmarket arrondissements, The Standard Market Co is the place locals come to forage for their out-to-impress dinner party or posh picnic. There's everything from bakery goods to meat, cheese sourced from all over the world, charcuterie, deli goods and more. A badly kept local secret is that it's also one of the best places in Brisbane for sushi, made to order at the market's fishmongers. tsmc.com.au

The business-account lunch is alive and well, with many a deal done here over a 9+ Wagyu steak and bottle of Hill of Grace. For us lower-flyers, S&K is probably more of a special occasion place, where you can sink into the velvet booths while the charming staff take utmost care of you. Sure, you'll leave with a far lighter wallet, but what a time you'll have spending it - from slurping up Sydney rock oysters with champagne mignonette to picking out the sweet flesh from a lobster thermidor. sk-so.com

The bonhomie is high, the buzz loud and there are water views (of the glamorous Calile Hotel's pool) but Hellenika is unlikely to spark holiday memories of lunch at that rustic Greek island taverna. There's the chic fit-out that's more Miami than Mykonos for one thing, along with a sophisticated, contemporary menu that only borrows from the traditional Greek standards. Snack on some kolokithia - zucchini chips, while you peruse the appealing menu and take the advice of wait staff when it comes to a wine list that builds from a solid ensemble of cheerful Hellenic drops to a super-Tuscan credit-card maxing crescendo. hellenika.com.au

The decor at Gerard's Bistro draws influence from the 1970s (in a good way) and the Levant. The result is stylish, vaguely familiar and comfortable, making it tempting to linger over another glass and extend lunch into the evening. The lengthy shared-dish menu roves the Maghreb, taking inspiration from countries such as Syria and Lebanon and adding contemporary flair; travel in a pack to taste your way through it. A well-worn cliche, but a truism in this case - you really must save room for dessert. gerardsbistro.com.au

You'll spot the line snaking out the door and often down the street at this quaint corner cottage at the quieter end of James Street. So, what's the draw? Smoked potato sourdough baked in the wood oven for starters - doubly delicious with a pat of their smoked butter. Then there are crisp batons of baguette and filled rolls, pizza by the slice, and sweet treats like mandarin, almond and fennel kouign amann, Basque cheesecake and more. Wait, however long it takes. agnesbakery.com.au

It just wouldn't be James Street without the convivial Harvey's, a meeting place for locals. It's open all day, so you can play "spot the regular" by their order - spiced mince in a tortilla for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch - both dishes have never been off the menu. Absolute reliability aside, the lure of Harvey's is that it really does cater to all appetites and occasions: from long lunches to post-shopping charcuterie and champagne. harveysrestaurantgroup.com.au