Layla has added a chef-led Middle Eastern restaurant to West End, placing Shane Delia’s cooking inside the Queensland Ballet’s Thomas Dixon Centre.
Layla Opening
Layla began trading in March 2025, at the Thomas Dixon Centre in West End. The restaurant operates as a full-service venue within the heritage-listed cultural site, which houses rehearsal studios and performance spaces for the Queensland Ballet.
Layla forms part of the centre’s hospitality offering and adds another dining option to a suburb known for independent food businesses and arts activity. The location supports both local foot traffic and visitors attending events within the precinct.
Chef And Food Direction
The kitchen is led by Melbourne-based chef Shane Delia. His food draws on Middle Eastern flavours within a modern Australian style. The menu focuses on shared dining. It features small plates, grilled items and larger dishes for the table.
Hummus plays a central role. It appears in several versions and stands as a core menu item. Other small plates include Turkish-style beef dumplings with yoghurt and spiced butter. Vegetable-filled briwat pastries also appear. Flatbreads arrive for dipping and sharing.
The menu extends to charcoal-grilled and slow-cooked mains. The restaurant lists slow-roasted lamb shoulder, coal-grilled swordfish and a house butter chicken. The overall offering centres on familiar Middle Eastern flavours in a sit-down setting.
Recognition and Events
In 2025, Layla received the Best New Restaurant Opening award from Sitchu. The recognition followed strong early demand and positive public response. The restaurant also hosts ticketed dining events.
This includes a New Year’s Eve premium feast priced at $145 per person, promoted as a seated, set-menu experience with limited availability. These events sit alongside regular service and reinforce Layla’s positioning as a destination for planned dining occasions.
Community Impact And Local Reception
Layla sits in a part of West End where food venues mix with creative and cultural spaces. Early public reviews point to a shared plates menu and steady service.
The restaurant draws locals and visitors attending events at the Thomas Dixon Centre. Layla operates as a neighbourhood restaurant focused on communal dining and Middle Eastern flavours.
Published 20-December-2025
