With a name that means 'home', Ruma is a rooftop terrace shaped by island heritage and warm-hearted hospitality.
There is a word that does a lot of work at this Brisbane rooftop. Ruma. In the Motuan language of Papua New Guinea, it means 'home'.
"Ruma is a word from my mum's language," co-owner Katrina Mead explains. "She's from a coastal village in Papua New Guinea, so we're trying to weave in elements inspired by that."
It's a generous claim for a restaurant to make, but from everything we've seen, it's one that Ruma truly earns.
Perched above Little Lane on the corner of Merthyr Road and Brunswick Street in Brisbane's buzzing New Farm, the space is divided into distinct zones: semi-circle booths along the Brunswick Street edge, long tables ringed by rattan chairs, and inside, a cave-like chef's table framed by terracotta-toned rammed-earth walls. The intention was deliberate: distinct pockets within the one venue, each with its own feel.
Outside, patio umbrellas hold the terrace together with their soft scallop valances in Clay picking up the earthy tones running through the space. The woodgrain powdercoat frames soften up the stone and concrete surfaces, and overall the umbrellas provide much needed shade without competing for attention - the goal of good design!
- Daniel Tuivaiti, co-owner of Ruma Rooftop
Ruma Rooftop is open now at Little Lane in New Farm and is definitely the kind of place you find yourself back at before you've even had a chance to miss it! We'll be back for the Kokoda Ceviche and a golden-hour cocktail. New favourite? The Isla Verde.
Photography by Andrea van Heerden Creative
