Sunnybank: Asian Food, Shops and Getting There

Sunnybank is a southside Brisbane suburb known for its Asian restaurants, grocers and shopping, about 13 km by road from the CBD. Most visitors go for a meal, a wander through Sunnybank Plaza and Market Square, and a look at the shops and providores around Mains Road and McCullough Street.

It is a food outing more than a sightseeing one, so plan around lunch or dinner, and come on a Thursday if you want the shops open late.

Sunnybank Plaza and Sunny Park

Sunnybank Plaza sits on the corner of Mains Road and McCullough Street. It is open Monday to Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 5.30 pm, Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 4.30 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. It has a Hoyts cinema, and the centre describes Sunnybank as a food precinct with strong Asian influences.

Sunny Park shopping centre shares the same corner area and lists the same Thursday late night to 9 pm, with Saturday trading from 9 am to 4 pm. Between them you can do the supermarket shop, a movie and dinner in one trip.

The Plaza also lists ongoing Food Discovery Tours and a yearly Sunnybank Food Trail on its What’s Happening page. Prices and booking details are on the centre’s website, so check there first.

Market Square and the best Sunnybank restaurants

Market Square is across the road from Sunnybank Plaza. It is a community-style centre made up of Asian shops and restaurants, and it is where many people head for a cheap, quick meal. The cuisines on offer include Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Taiwanese, Singaporean and Malaysian.

Restaurants come and go and many keep their own hours, so check each place before you go. The Australian Good Food Guide lists Little Hong Kong BBQ Restaurant at Market Square, open Wednesday to Monday.

If you want a wider choice of Sunnybank restaurants, browse more restaurants across South East Queensland.

Lunar New Year at Sunnybank

Sunnybank Plaza holds a Lunar New Year rooftop party each year, usually on a Saturday evening in February, as part of the BrisAsia Festival. Recent parties have had live entertainment, lion and dragon dances, kids’ activities and a fireworks display, and Brisbane City Council’s listing described the latest one as free with no bookings. Dates change every year, so check the Plaza’s What’s Happening page before you plan a visit.

Skate park and other things to do

Sunnybank Bowl is a council skate park at Les Atkinson Park, 430 Beenleigh Road, Sunnybank. The same park has a playground, a public toilet and a barbecue area, so it works as a quick stop with kids.

For a bigger day out on the southside, Mount Gravatt Lookout has city views, a cafe and walking tracks, and Karawatha Forest is a larger bushland reserve.

Where the name comes from

The suburb takes its name from the Sunny Brae Estate, which was owned by the Gillespie family. “Brae” is Scottish for bank, and the railway station was named after the estate when the line was extended in 1885. Before that, the Jagera people were the first to live in the area.

Today Sunnybank is a multicultural suburb with strong Asian influences in its food, shops and architecture, and that mix is the reason most people visit.

Planning your visit

• How long: 2 to 3 hours for a meal and a wander.
• Best time: lunch or dinner, and Thursday if you want the shops open until 9 pm.
• Cost: entry to the centres is free. Meals vary by restaurant.
• What to bring: a bag for groceries from the Asian supermarkets, and a go card if you are taking the train or bus.
• Accessibility: no accessibility details are published for the centres, so ring Sunnybank Plaza on 07 3345 7500 if you need to check.

Getting there and parking

By car, Sunnybank Plaza is about 13 km by road from the Brisbane CBD, about 20 minutes without traffic. Mains Road is busy at peak hour, so allow extra time then.

By train, Sunnybank station is on the Beenleigh line. Plan the trip with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30. Sunnybank Plaza has a bus stop that serves most local bus routes.

Parking details are on the centre websites: Sunnybank Plaza and Sunny Park. Details can change, so check before you go.

Nearby

• Indooroopilly – another big Brisbane shopping suburb, on the western side.
• Woolloongabba – closer to the CBD on the southside.
• Carindale – an eastside shopping and dining hub.
• Mount Gravatt Lookout – city views and a cafe.
• Markets in Brisbane – if you want a market stop rather than a shopping centre.

Browse more Brisbane places.

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• Moorooka (Brisbane)
• West End (Brisbane)
• Story Bridge Hotel (Kangaroo Point)

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