Ben’s Alibi

Well, as I was wandering past the Queensland courts I noticed that there were a heap of people congregating outside this small café so being curious I decided to go an check it out. Well, I’m not surprised that there were all of these people outside because this is one really, really cool café. In fact it is a Moroccan café that serves Moroccan food, and as you can probably expect, Moroccan coffee. Okay, I generally don’t drink coffee these days, but I must admit I was really impressed what this place had to offer. Also their teapots were seriously call, and they served their dishes in these really cool Moroccan plates. Mind you, most of the tables had little reserve signs on them (but I arrive late enough that most of the occupants had already left for work), so I can tell that this is a really popular place. I ended up having a Big Moroccan, which was pretty cool. This is certainly one place I would recommend checking out if you are wandering around Brisbane early one morning.

It was a last minute decision to go to Ben’s Alibi for lunch and you won’t leave disappointed. I had the lamb burger with a side of chips and salad and it was delicious. Dad had the fish and it looked splendid too! The prices are in-​between depending on your personal budget. The restaurant is situated outside of the magistrates court so obviously there’s a lot of traffic through the restaurant by lawyers, barristers, judges and court staff — probably encouraging prices to be a bit higher than usual but nothing out of the usual city prices. I wasn’t surprised or shocked and the prices are definitely worth it when it comes to the food and service.
The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and the owner actually floats around making sure everything is running smoothly and that you’re happy. He is such a character and very friendly. The burger was delicious and the seasoning was spot on! I love all of the Moroccan spices and seasoning — they were completely mild as well so if you’re not good with spices you have no issues :) The side of salad was also delightful, I loved the dressing and everything.
The food also comes on these cool traditional Moroccan clay plates which is very nice and there’s traditional music in the background so it’s like a little oasis. I definitely would go here again as the overall experience was great.
My chips were slightly a bit too cold and half of the lamb pattie was slightly undercooked but nothing that isn’t yummy. I think I’d prefer it undercooked as opposed to over as then it’s still tender :)
Check this place out if you’re in the city! And if you catch the train from Roma St or frequent the courts often, then it’s definitely worth having your lunch break here :) You can get takeaway coffee as well so if you’re in a rush or need to leave straight away after eating, they can cater for you.

Right in the heart of Brisbane CBD is Ben’s Alibi, a well-​established Moroccan restaurant that offers a wide range of Moroccan and Moroccan-​inspired foods, including burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and salads.
Located on George Street, this restaurant sits across from the 400 George St. food court, and can’t be missed! I’ve been around the area so many times, and regret that I was hesitant on trying this place. My go to meal at this place is the Roast Lamb Sandwich (8.9), with slices of lamb, rocket, yogurt & mint, and chermoula. The Moroccan Lamb Burger (16.9) was also delicious — with thick lamb patty, caramelized onions, and the works. It’s either served with hot chips or a salad, with three of their house sauces on the side. I love their presentation on this one (and all their serving plates), and the flavor isn’t lacking either. The service can be a bit slow at times, but Ben always has a friendly banter going on with his customers. Definitely a gem in the city.

Nice staff, good service, but more importantly, good food. My first experience at Ben’s Alibi, I had the lasagne and it was delicious. Very cheesy, taste was goooood and the accompanying salad was simple, but pretty amazing with an interesting sweet-​ish dressing and nuts running through it and complimented the lasagne well.
They have indoor and outdoor seating (we say outside which was nice and relaxing) and the price I believe is reasonable. I think this place has won me over, definitely will be back…

Looks can in deed be deceiving. When we happened upon Bens Alibi, I thought to my self, it looks like a take away café, however lesson to self — don’t judge a book by its cover. The food was delicious.
We ordered the platter and so much yummy food came out, I was full and happy. I would recommended you try this place at least once, if you are after good middle eastern food.