Opening a restaurant or cafe
Check the requirements for using your property as a restaurant or cafe. Learn about the development application process.
What is a restaurant or cafe?
A restaurant or cafe prepares and sells food and drink for customers to consume on or off site. It’s defined by Brisbane City Plan 2014 (City Plan) as a food and drink outlet.
What you need to know
Before you set up a restaurant or cafe on your property, you need to:
- find key facts about your property
- understand the relevant codes
- know the preferred locations.
Find your key property facts
Use the mapping tool in City Plan online to find key facts about your property. This includes:
- zoning
- neighbourhood plans
- overlays.
Know the preferred locations
City Plan enables restaurants and cafes to operate in a Mixed use zone or Centre zone, including a:
For information on opening a restaurant or cafe in other zones, contact Council.
What you need to do
Follow this process to get the relevant approvals before setting up a restaurant or cafe.
You may need one or more of the following approvals for your restaurant or cafe:
- planning approval
- building approval.
Planning approval
Your restaurant or cafe may need planning approval.
To find out if you need to lodge a development application for planning approval, phone Council on 07 3403 8888.
Building approval
You may need to seek advice if you’re planning to undertake building works, or if you’re planning to occupy an existing building that was not designed, built or adapted to be used as a restaurant or cafe.
Get advice from a licensed private building certifier or building consultant for:
- building work for an existing building or a new building
- any building approval that is required.
Your restaurant or cafe could be accepted development under certain circumstances.
Projects that are accepted development don’t need planning approval, as long as they meet certain requirements.
Use the online self-assessable checklist to see if your proposal meets the accepted development criteria.
Once you’ve determined the property details and relevant approvals, you can prepare your development application (if required).
You can submit your development application:
- online
- in person
- by mail.
In some cases, you may be able to fast track your application.
Council offers a range of services to help with your application. You can:
- call Council on 07 3403 8888 and ask to speak to a Planning Information Office
- request information and advice.
We will review and assess your development application.
We may ask you to supply more information during the assessment process.
During this time, you can check your application status.
Other things to consider
Commercial character building
If your proposed project is located on a property identified on the Commercial character building overlay, it may be accepted development, subject to requirements if:
- work is limited only to internal alteration and fit out of an existing Commercial character building
- it doesn’t include a new use in the:
- Low density residential zone
- Character residential zone - character zone precinct
- the development meets all the acceptable outcomes (Section A) of the Commercial character building (activities) overlay code.
Service station
Planning approval is needed when building a new food and drink outlet or expanding one in an existing service station. This is because the proposal involves a material change of use.
Business changes
If the nature of your business changes over time, you may need to reconfirm whether you require planning approval.
Other approvals
You may need to apply for additional approvals for your restaurant or cafe, including:
- food business licences
- advertising signs for small business
- liquor licensing via the Queensland Government.
More advice
You may need to get advice from Council for your restaurant or cafe if:
- it requires planning approval
- the premises are located within a neighbourhood plan or overlay area.
For information and advice, phone our Business Hotline on 133 BNE (133 263).
