El Camino Cantina is bringing a two-storey, mega-grand version of its legendary Tex-Mex cocina and cantina and margarita mecca to Brisbane’s South Bank, ready for the summer holiday and festive season.
Opening in late November, El Camino Cantina South Bank will replace the tourist-centric Munich Brauhaus, which closed following COVID-19 restrictions and the tourism drought, and brings a unique, live entertainment version of the cult-classic Tex-Mex dining and entertainment experience to the popular South Bank precinct.
In close proximity to the iconic Streets Beach, the 510-seat diner has three distinct zones: a colourful, umbrella-ed outdoor dining area for 140 guests, a ground floor diner that caters to 120 guests, and a bar-centric 250-seat upper floor.
While the edgy club vibe and DJ line-up is unique to the South Bank location, the venue takes its tried and tested Tex-Mex cues, in terms of menu, legendary margaritas, decor and trademark cool tunes, from its nine El Camino Cantina siblings in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Melbourne. Colourful sombreros are free for all diners and obligatory fun attire for group selfies.
El Camino Cantina will open with Brisbane’s inaugural Ritapalooza festival – a celebration of its legendary margaritas, which have a cult following across three states and a growing footprint across Queensland. These rockstar-style ritas will be available in 15 frozen flavours during the six-week-long Ritapalooza festival, which will launch the Tex-Mex wild child into South Bank with a bang – ready for Christmas parties and summer soirees.
Price-friendly classic Tex-Mex dishes span tacos with eight flavour combinations, sizzling chargrilled fajitas with a choice of four fillings, spicy buffalo wings with three spicy sauces, and nachos loaded with all the Tex-Mex trimmings. A share-style Tex-Mex fiesta menu and drinks package is perfect for group events and celebrations. Tortillas are house-made daily, and bottomless baskets of complimentary chips and salsas are available all day. Unmissable weekly deals include $2 and $4 taco Tuesdays and 10-cent buffalo wings every Wednesday.
El Camino’s famous margaritas are served frozen, on the rocks, and Cadillac-style with a smooth, rich float of Grand Marnier. Margarita tasting paddles of four, 220ml flavours are also available. Beer lovers can explore an imported range of bottled brews, including Dos Equis XX, Corona, Pacifico and Negra Modelo, which join cans of Cerveza Tecate and local draught brews. Sangria, cocktails, wine, and dozens of tequilas and mezcals are also on offer.
Rockpool Dining Group Chief Executive Officer Thomas Pash said El Camino Cantina is a growth brand for the business and has come out of the COVID-19 pandemic even stronger, which underscored the decision to bring it to South Bank.
“The El Camino customer demographic is a younger, more carefree age group and the price point is pleasantly affordable, which are important contributors to a restaurant’s success in the current dining landscape and at this time of economic uncertainty and falling discretionary spend,” Mr Pash said.
“We opened El Camino Cantina at Robina in July – a time when many restaurants had not reopened after the initial COVID-19 shutdown – and the venue has proved to be big hit, which underscores our confidence in El Camino Cantina as a brand to further invest in and expand.”
Mr Pash said El Camino Cantina South Bank will employ around 50 full-time and casual staff and bring a number of stood-down team members back to work: “providing job security for those in an industry decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic”. Positions to be filled include assistant restaurant managers, chefs, cooks and casual front of house roles.
El Camino Cantina South Bank boasts a bright umbrella-ed, festively lit, al fresco area around the building’s façade. On the ground floor, seating is a mix of colourful, group-sized, high-topped tables with glittered retro stools, as well as lower communal dining tables and smaller seating arrangements – perfect for pairs of diners, small groups and larger parties. Window-side drinking ledges overlook the al fresco dining space.
Upstairs, the spacious live entertainment and extended dining area comprises of two interlinked rooms, which feature booth-style leather seating and tables around the edges, leaving dance-floor space at their centres. The larger of the two rooms features a dedicated bar and DJ booth. A DJ line-up will be announced closer to the launch.
El Camino Cantina
153 Stanley Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
elcaminocantina.com.au