10 ways to spend Melbourne Cup 2016 in Brisbane

Whip out your frock, fascinator and form guide. Melbourne Cup is upon us, which means it's time to pretend we know the first thing about racing and spend the first Tuesday of November suppressing enough joie de vivre to make it to 3pm with both shoes on.

Pretty much anywhere that's ever served a plate of chips and a schooner is offering Cup Day specials. Here's our pick of the best.

FOR GLAMOROUS COAL-GRILLED FUN TIMES

Gerard's Bistro

The Middle Eastern-inspired James Street eatery helmed by Brisbane Times Good Food Guide Citi Chef of the Year, Ben Williamson, is the hottest Cup ticket in town. Gerard's Bistro, bar and car park will host a laneway party with more Sass & Bide frocks and Wayfarers since, well, the last Melbourne Cup shindig at Gerard's. $220 (plus booking fee) secures you a selection of fresh seafood, cured meats and Gerard's classics, plus free flowing Mumm, beer and cocktails. There's DJ's and a fashion comp too.

11am-4pm

15 James Street Fortitude Valley, 07 3852 3822, gerardsbistro.com.au/melbourne-cup

FOR A DELICIOUS PRODUCE-DRIVEN PUNT

Esq. and Esquire

The celebrations at Ryan Squires' pair of Eagle Street restaurants kick off with champagne on arrival, followed by a five-course menu with matched wines and a boatload of prizes throughout the afternoon. Gifts up for grabs include a weekend away at Byron Resort, a car loan courtesy of Brisbane Audi centre and an Esq. hand-crafted barbecue. Squires hasn't set the menu in case of any last-minute produce finds, but punters can likely expect gnocchi with hand-minced ocean king prawns and coal-roasted beef with horseradish. Ticket price is $150 and we reckon that's a bargain.

From midday

145 Eagle Street Brisbane, 07 3220 2123, esquire.net.au

FOR A VEGETARIAN OFFERING A CUT ABOVE

The Euro - SOLD OUT

Chef Alejandro Cancino and the Euro/Urbane champions are rocking a three-course menu for $75. Cancino (a vegan himself) cooks the best vegetarian food in town, but caters for omnivores too, so entree choices include smoked barramundi with kale, black garlic and creme fraiche or white asparagus ceviche with avocado and chilli . There's also a very attractive yuzu meringue with cardamom snow and liquorice foam for dessert. A bottle of NV Mumm Cordon Rouge will set you back $80 and Starlight Foundation are on board with a charity sweep and prizes.

From 11:30am

181 Mary Street Brisbane, 07 3229 3686, theeuro.com.au

FOR A WHIZ-BANG BANQUET

E'cco​

Midday-3pm

100 Boundary Street Brisbane, 07 3831 8344, eccobistro.com.au

FOR A PROPER PUB PUNT

Breakfast Creek Hotel

Ignore the overpriced steaks, rum bar and bog-standard beer garden. Instead, head straight to the old boy's public bar where you can sink XXXX off the wood and hang out with operators more familiar with the Sportsman racing guide than a fish is to water. Breakfast Creek's monument to drinking has 15 plasmas showing the race plus two extra large screens just for the occasion. There's food specials if you're inclined for a schnitzel between TAB trips.

10am-2am

2 Kingsford Smith Drive Breakfast Creek, 07 3262 5988, breakfastcreekhotel.com

FOR A TRACKSIDE PUNT

Eagle Farm Racecourse

Brisbane Racing Club claims it has the largest screen in the southern hemisphere televising Flemington on November 1 and, for all we know, it probably does. If the big screen action isn't enough there's live racing, Fashion in the Field competitions, food trucks and pop-up bars. Heck, there's even free "makeup pamper stations". Perfect for that sweet spot between the third glass of Mumm and when the Wittners come off. General admission is $20 with variety of food, drink and entertainment packages starting at $65 per person.

Gates open 10:30am; functions open 11:30am

230 Lancaster Road Ascot, 07 3268 2171, brc.com.au

FOR RICE WINE AND RACING

Sake

The best sashimi joint in Brisbane is putting on a Japanese banquet including its signature kingfish with jalapeno, salmon and tuna tartare, wagyu teriyaki and steamed vanilla chawanmushi. $99 sorts you out for next-level food and a glass of Veuve on arrival.

From midday

Level 1, 45 Eagle Street Brisbane 07 3015 0557, sakerestaurant.com.au/eagle-street-pier

FOR SWEEPS AND SWEEPING VIEWS

Otto Ristorante​

The Brisbane Times Good Food Guide Best New Restaurant is serving four choice courses of southern Italian deliciousness for $180 with champagne on arrival and biscotti to finish. A luxury Simon Johnson hamper capped with Charles Heidsieck is on offer for the best dressed punter and any losing bet sorrows can be drowned with a sunset negroni on the balcony.

From midday

Level 4, 480 Queen Street Brisbane, 07 3392 3300, ottoristorante.com.au/brisbane

FOR A PUNT ON THE RIVER

Aria

Chefs Matt Moran and Ben Russell have put together a ripper cup menu listing goat's curd with poached pear, broad beans, radish and candied walnuts, and roast lamb backstrap with slow-cooked shoulder and spring vegetables. The $170 price-tag also includes Tattinger on arrival, canapes (beetroot tart; duck rillette), petit fours and coffee. Media personalities Damien Anthony Rossi and Kellie Alderman will be hosting the event and awarding best dressed prizes from Coach Handbags.

11:30am-4:30pm

1 Eagle Street Brisbane, 07 3233 2555, ariarestaurant.com/brisbane

FOR A GOOD TIME CALL...

Blackbird Bar and Grill

Choose your own Cup adventure at this riverside hotspot. The ground floor dining room is hosting a three-course luncheon menu created by executive chef Jake Nicolson with a four-and-a-half hour (!) drinks package of champagne, cocktails and spirits, plus live music, fashion prizes and charity sweepstakes to the benefit of YoungCare. It's a similar boozy story at the garden party upstairs but with canapes, fresh seafood and food stations instead of a sit-down lunch. The Level One knees-up will cost you $199 while the luncheon is $219. Four-and-a-half hours worth of drinks, though. Strap in.

11am-4pm

123 Eagle Street Brisbane, 07 3229 1200, blackbirdbrisbane.com.au