Café Brio is another favourite restaurant in the city, with a daily menu based on what’s available from local organic farms that day. The food is contemporary and adventurous, the wine list extensive, and the atmosphere is candlelit and warm but manages to be child-friendly at the same time. I’ve been there twice with friends and their children and we were treated very well, with special attention paid to the kids. One time, the children were given some paper and crayons and the staff bought them juice in a cocktail glass. For a restaurant of this caliber, this is a rare combination.
Though the menu changes daily, I’ve had a wonderful duck confit and jumbo scallops. The pastas are always good, with interesting sauces. The flavour and freshness of the produce shines through in the way the dishes are prepared. I thought the prices were very reasonable, even the wines were not marked up too high.
This is located in a villa north of the Inner Harbour, and a close walk from nearby Antique Row on Upper Fort Street.