Verve Restaurant & Cider House

I visit Brisbane on a monthly basis at the moment, and Verve is always a good option for a quick simple and tasty meal with a nice glass of cider.
It has been here like forever, I remember visiting 12 years ago! It can be a bit tricky to find, just head inside and down the stairs.
Staff are friendly, servings of a range of pasta’s generous, fresh and quick. Try the daily specials!

After a full belly and a variety of drinks, it’s time to reflect on my time at this interesting venue.
The restaurant is based in the CBD, in the basement of a comparatively bright lobby. After the short descent, the atmosphere and vibe of this venue instantly ensnare you. The area was evidently designed around the 5pm knock-​off, trendy, business smart-​casual crowd, however plenty of room is reserved for a relaxed dining area.
After perusing the drinks menu, the first thing you’ll notice is the sheer number of options. I’d recommend taking the time to ponder the eclectic cider selection. If you are stuck, the knowledgeable wait staff are more than happy to make their own recommendations based on your preferences.
Which takes me on to the next part you’ll notice; the staff are a friendly bunch who seem eager to put you at ease. Even on a busy Saturday evening at the height of the Christmas party rush, staff were approachable and earnest.
My last visit to this restaurant left me more than a little disappointed, with bland food in stark juxtaposition with the intimate, chic décor. And this time, after our starters landed on our table, not much seemed to have changed. The herb bread was a little muted considering the potentially interesting combination of caramelised onion and parmesan, and the beer battered chips left a lot to be desired. Whose idea was it to put balsamic vinegar to combine with garlic aioli?
Much of that disappointment dissipated with the mains, however. The tortellini was comfortably heavy, yet was pleasantly cut through with a rich tomato sauce. The pine nuts lifted the dish and prevented the pasta-​and-​sauce fatigue that can often ruin vegetarian Italian dishes.
Up next was the blue cheese risotto. Each mouthful was consistently creamy, with the sharp taste of the tomato sauce bed providing an interesting, yet uncomplicated, flavour. The balance of flavours was impeccable, and combined with a dry apple cider made for a real comfort food hit.
In terms of value for money, Verve really hits a sweet spot. Cheap enough to keep you coming back, with portions large enough to require a small doggy bag, makes for an enticing decision next time your friend has a sudden onset of restaurant ambivalence. This restaurant should be sure not to disappoint.
Overall, this was a nice surprise. Much like returning home for Sunday lunch to find that your Mom has taken night cooking classes; the Verve won’t excite or exceed expectations, but will entice you to look around eagerly for seconds and, on the ride home, make you consider going back next week.

Great atmosphere & service. Even better food, was delicious & so fast. Although when we arrived early to have a drink before our meal, all seats around the bar were taken & we were told to go elsewhere until our 7pm booking. Very disappointed the host didn’t try to keep us there. But overall very nice experience & would return to eat in the future!

I was looking for a place to have dinner and celebrate my wife’s birthday. After reviewing many options in Unilocal,I booked a reservation in this restaurant. The place is nice, but a bit noisy. The food is tasty and prices are so good. I’d come back with out problem for casual dinner.

The blue cheese risotto, gnocchi and lasagne are my go to meals here. This is the perfect place between ‘burger joint’ and restaurant; great for dinner with friends, family, your mum and dad or a first date…
Heaps and heaps of ciders available (I think they boast it’s the biggest in Brisbane) and the staff are always happy to guide you in selecting a beverage based on your taste. I’m more of a dry gal but there are sweet versions that will make your heart palpitate. Love Verve!

Was decent Italian in a basement cave kinda place. Enthusiastic servers and vibrant feel. Food was average but good. I had the little pizza crust triangles with dips and the house olives that would be fantastic in a dirty martini. Also had the linguini and meatballs which was OK. Overall average place but no complaints.

Verve is one of those places that I tend to forget about when considering city dining options and then every time I go there I ask myself why it took me so long to return!
The food is truly amazing. I managed to stray from my usual order of Cajun Prawn Fettuccine and opted to try the Scallop Linguine on my last visit and was not disappointed — it too was truly delicious.
I urge you to check out this gem of the Brisbane dining scene and make sure you go hungry — their serving sizes are generous and your meal will be so tasty that you’re going to want to be able to finish it!
The staff also deserve a shout out — they are always friendly and welcoming and top off a fabulous experience.
The only problem you may have is deciding what cider to try!

Would never of walked into this basement restaurant off of the street — so thanks Unilocalers!
Amazing meal the bruschetta to start was simple one of the best I’ve had — no lie!
Crab and snapper risotto was amazing but a little rich for my taste buds but can’t fault it.
Cider list is next level so go get your scrumpy on!
¹⁰⁄₁₀ in my opinion

My partner and I recently discovered Verve a few months ago, and have since gone there for lunch every few weeks or so.
I am a big, big fan of potato gnocchi, and I find a good gnocchi at a decent price hard to come by. I always find it to be chewy and slimy, with an out-​of-​the-​packet taste, and as much as the name excites me on any menu, most times I decide not to order it to avoid disappointment.
However, I decided to try the Spicy Chorizo Gnocchi on Verve’s menu. To my surprise, I was quite pleased. The meal was decently priced, and the gnocchi (although not five-​star, melt-​in-​your-​mouth soft pillows) was rather enjoyable. I have since ordered it every single time.

Just had lunch at Verve, and after not being here for a few years, my opinion has not changed at all, they still are amazing.
Waitstaff were friendly and attentive. Food was cooked to perfection, my Calamari salad was not only brimming with calamari, it also was full of flavour! Think juicy sun-​dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, fresh rocket and baby spinach, with a lovely aioli dressing.
My partner in food crime today had ‘the best pizza’ she’s ever had, with the chicken pizza with marinated fetta, roast capsicum, caramelised onion, thyme and parmesan.
We both indulged in Hillbilly Ciders which are crisp flavoured and not too dry not too sweet.
And did we have to wait long? Nope not at all.
This place gets 5 stars from me for consistancy, service, flavour and for supporting local artists as a bonus (seriously go check out the art, which is all for sale).
I will be back, hopefully it wont take me so long to get there again.

Oh, Verve. I’ve been here so many times, if I ever think: «fancy dinner in the city?» I go Verve. Underground, dim lighting, rich tasty dishes, well stocked bar, check check check. I feel like my review of the food won’t be very helpful because I am not an adventurous person, so despite having been to Verve many times, I only have ever eaten the blue cheese risotto. It’s that one meal, where you think, hmm, maybe this time I should branch out, try something different? But you know that you’ll only be thinking the entire time of the blue cheese risotto you COULD be eating instead.
I’ve been before for romantic one-​on-​ones, 30+ group parties, small family dinners, rowdy drinks at the bar, today I went for a quiet lunch with an out-​of-​town pal, and this place can cater to all of them. A+

Very cool space in basement. Very rustic feel with exposed brick walls, low ceilings, and small bar. Wide variety of ciders available if that’s your thing. The pasta and risotto are best, avoid the pizza which was very mediocre, the crust was its downfall as it was flavorless and a bit chewy. I prefer crispy crust. The ambiance (can get a bit loud with the low ceilings) cider, and gnocchi will keep me coming back.
Ps. Also avoid the calamari entre (bleh)

Down the staircase below the Metro Arts Building is a hidden Brisbane secret, that is apparently not so secret to everyone but me!
It’s dark and grungy, the constantly rotating art is hip and cool. The service is fast making it the perfect option for a Friday lunch away from the office when you don’t want to eat something from a food court.
The goats cheese gnocchi with pumpkin is a personal favourite of mine. The dishes are always fresh and piping hot. Spot on.
If you’re looking for something to convince you that there are still cool places in Brisbane, Verve is the place for you!

Wandering down the staircase from street level to Verve transforms the bustling modem city scape into what feels like a hidden underground club. The low light levels, exposed pipes and brickwork gives an element of industrial grunge yet still feeling comfortable and cosy.
Immediately I was approached and seated by the friendly, humorous and slightly overexcited staff. Seating is an arrangement of tables with orange plastic chairs which further add to the vibe. Closer to the bar are some high tables with stools.
The menu is a range of the usual pan-​Italian inspired breads, pizzas, pastas, risottos and salads with a few creative twists. Standouts include the goats cheese and chicken gnocchi, brandy tortellini and chilli vodka and artichoke risotto. On this visit I ordered the pork belly linguini with a herb bread to start.
And then there was the drinks menu. The cider house part of Verve’s name is no lie with an impressive list of over 50 ciders, sorted from very sweet to very dry. I asked the staff for some advice in choosing and ended up with a bottle of Barlow Cloudy from NSW, matched with the pork belly pasta.
Although slightly busy, the food came out quickly. The herb bread was a great start with a generous amount of melted cheese on top. I had not had pork belly in a pasta dish before and was interested to see the lack of the crispy skin allowing the taster to fully enjoy the texture and flavours of the pork. Combined with roasted garlic, mushrooms, spinach, mint and just the right about of chilli, this was a very flavoursome dish, and at a reasonable price.
Ambience, food and drinks tick all the right boxes for Verve Restaurant and Cider House and is a must try for an inner city hide out or when in need of some quick but quality Italian.

I have to give credit to a place that is unabashedly unique, and Verve is one of those places. The «décor» is a little off. The fit and finish, even if you’re going for cellar/​exposed brick/​chic is definitely not an emphasis. The server started sassing us the minute we sat down, and thought the one IPA they had on tap tasted like %^$.
Perfect.
When a non-​IPA drinker hates a beer that much, I’m guessing I’d love it — and I did. And then there was the food. We had the whole gamut. Fire pizza that we asked for Texas-​level hot, and got it. Spicy chorizo gnocchi. Blue Cheese risotto. Brisket braised in beer. Pescatore linguini. And it was all fantastic. I was lucky enough to split the gnocchi and risotto, and they played perfect off of each other — I’d recommend plating a red/​white half and half dish, but I don’t think Verve takes recommendations. I think they make great food and would continue to do so regardless of what I or anyone else thought. The gratis apéritif of cider at the end was a wonderful finish to our meal.
Service, while done with attitude (which we appreciated), was fast and efficient. Food was served quickly and hot. Cellar atmosphere was cool, just don’t expect linen and silver and you’re golden. You’re in the wrong place for that, but the right place for a fun, filling, and delicious meal.
Bravo, Verve.

We love cider so naturally Verve has been a local favourite for us for quite some time. Somewhat hidden down in the basement of the Metro Arts building this place has that darkened «underground» almost Berlin-​esque (it’s probably the red walls) feel to it that once you enter makes you kind of forget that you’re in the middle of the CBD.
Cloistered away from the hustle of street level Verve is a great place for coffee catch-​ups, dinner dates, after work drinks or general cider-​swigging merriment.
They have a very drinkable and tasty Westons cider on tap along with a selection of 60+ ciders to satisfy the most avid cider fan.
The place is run by awesome guys who are always friendly and most than willing to chat cider with anyone who is so inclined — tried one of the BEST EVER cider’s I have ever tasted at their behest — Black Dragon from Wales, you must try it people seriously.
Verve is a awesomely laid back venue that offers a wide selection of drink (there is also wine and beer — I just love the cider) and a modern Italian menu that comes out in large portions for very reasonable prices. Chilled atmosphere, good food, populated by mostly inoffensive locals and staff who always love to have a laugh — it’s easy to find that you’ve been there for hours without noticing.

Funky Italian restaurant in Brisbane CBD, you would almost think you were in Melbourne with the atmosphere downstairs! We went to Verve a few years ago, and on a last minute whim tonight we decided to go back again as we have always been fans. We certainly weren’t disappointed.
We ordered the chorizo gnocchi and the pork belly linguine, both were delish. The gnocchi was the better out of two options we chose. Prices weren’t bad at $ 22 per dish, however my only suggestion to verve would be to jump on a specials bandwagon night like a lot of other popular and funky tapas/​restaurant places around Brisbane do now. It seems to be the only way to drag Brisbane people out on a week/​school night! I must say though their happy hour deals looked excellent value at $ 5 basics, $ 4 house wine per glass or only $ 14 a bottle between 4p-​6p.
Just like all the other reviews mention, it is very noisy downstairs but I must say it does create that great atmosphere. Not the sort of place for a quiet meal. The service was excellent, and we didn’t have to wait long for our meal even though it was a little busy.

I hadn’t been here for many years, but after seeing all the amazing reviews here on Unilocal,decided to come here again for dinner. Did not disappoint, the pasta is still fantastic, service decent, and their cider and beer list is huge! I wasn’t a fan of the very very dim lighting though, although I’m sure it’s done that way to create the atmosphere. It’s also quite noisy, but I suppose that’s to be expected for a small underground restaurant. I’m sure not everyone minds the lighting and noise though, so if you can overlook this, it’s a fantastic place to dine. And, as many Unilocalers have mentioned, the pork belly linguini is amazing!
Protip: even if you’re going here on a regular weekday, make sure you book as they are busy.

Winner! I can’t believe that I haven’t tried out this restaurant and so glad I did. Thanks to all my Unilocaler friends who already wrote fabulous reviews.
They just started having cider on tap so we tasted the Westons Stowford Press! It’s imported from Herefordshire in England and is an apple cider that is crisp and perfect for this hot Brisbane summer.
We started off with the trio dip platter. The definite favorite was the pesto dip and we weren’t too sure about the other two. For my main, I ordered the pork belly linguini! YUMMY! The serving portions are gigantic but I couldn’t let it go to waste. I loved the flavor of the pork belly. So delicious! I don’t often order pasta when out but this would be my exception. The food came out hot which I LOVE. My friend had the eggplant and olive risotto and enjoyed it as well.
Service was great and you just pay at the front counter on your way out. I would definitely come back here. I really loved the atmosphere, food, and cider! As a HUGE cider lover, I have found my place! Can’t wait to go back and bring my friends to taste more ciders.

I just love this place. The atmosphere is always cheery and being underground makes it that bit different. The service has always been excellent when I’ve been there, friendly, fast, and they seem to genuinely care about your experience.
And the food… Their pizzas are absolutely delicious. The roast pumpkin is my favourite. Mix all this in with some amazing ciders, many Australian, and you’ve got one fabulously good meal!