Our Story
Our Story
A place for friends of friends.
There's a little magic in the way friends bring friends. One person becomes two, two become a full table, and friends continue to fill the room. friends of friends was built on that feeling, by Nick Woodward, David Flynn and Frank Li, who started with one simple idea: build the kind of venues they wanted to eat and drink in, and trust that others would want to be there too.

That idea has grown into a collection of restaurants and bars across Southeast Queensland. As the group grew, so did the community around it — people found their way into our venues and into our lives, some through work, some through friendship, and plenty simply because they kept coming back. That's where the name friends of friends comes from.

Over time, our restaurants have built communities of their own, each with its own personality and way of bringing people together, but they all come from the same place: a love of hospitality and a belief that moments are better when shared.While our venues may be different, they share the same approach: good food, good drinks, welcoming spaces and people who genuinely care. The friends of friends circle keeps growing, and that's the best part.
2015
Rick Shores
Rick Shores was the group’s first restaurant, opening in Burleigh Heads: A venue perched above the ocean, it was a huge risk, but it has paid off. Today, Ricks is a Gold Coast dining icon.
2020
Southside
Southside opened in December 2020: In the midst of global pandemic shutdowns, it was another risk. It has since become one of the city’s most-loved restaurants in Brisbane, growing and evolving alongside the vibrant Fish Lane.
2024
Norté & Sueño
Norté and Sueño opened in December 2024: Opening in The Oxley 1823 precinct in Mermaid Beach, the group envisioned a fire-led restaurant downstairs and breezier rooftop bar above.
2024
Central
Central Restaurant opened in October 2024: An ode to Hong Kong eateries of the 90s, it is situated in the historic former Primitif Café in Queen Street. Its basement walls once housed Brisbane’s 1950s alt arts scene, beatniks and jazz musicians.
2025
Marlowe
Marlowe opened in September 2025: The Group’s newest restaurant, an Australian bistro housed in the 1938 Merivale Flats. The design retains the domestic layout of the heritage-listed apartments and Art Deco character.
2026
Goodside
Goodside opens in July 2026: The Group’s first café concept and latest opening , it sits snugly alongside Southside. A one-of-a-kind, this Asian-inspired all-day brunch spot created another foothold on the thriving Fish Lane precinct.
Our Venues
Our Venues
(Brisbane)
(Brisbane)
(Brisbane)
(Gold Coast)
(Gold Coast)
(Brisbane)
(Gold Coast)
Contact Us
General
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Venue & Booking
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What's on at
friends of friends
New openings, good food, seasonal favourites and everything happening across Friends of Friends - all in one place.
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