Western Australia's capital city, Perth, has restaurants, bars and cafes to suit every mood -- if you know where to look. Here are some of the best.
The Australian city of Perth is a fascinating mix of creativity, money (thanks to the mining boom) and a determined independence that comes from the fact that most of the nation’s other major cities are a five-hour flight away.
Here the sun shines bright and the living is mostly easy. It’s all about how much you can enjoy life, in whatever individual, idiosyncratic, even anachronistic, way you want to.
Life is lived outdoors as much as possible: alfresco is a creed here. Although from October to April, everyone gets going early to beat the heat, then withdraws to wait for the 'Fremantle doctor', the cool wind that blows in from the ocean in the evening.
Visitors to Perth are in for a treat, with every kind of food and drink experience on offer, from five-star restaurants to seductive wine bars and cafés that make the most of the city’s climate.
As in all good cities, the best experiences are off the main mall. The fabulous heritage buildings that were overlooked by developers in the last boom are now slowly being brought to life with interesting boutiques and eateries.
Here are some of the best in the most interesting neighbourhoods:
The foodie set have homed in on Highgate, so now you can feed your mind with a good movie at Mt Lawley and then feed your body in fine style just a bit further down the road. For a bar you’ll never want to leave in this area, put Must Winebar on your list. It doesn’t put a foot wrong. There’s quality wine, well executed tapas, a relaxed yet cosmopolitan atmosphere and a very convivial crowd. What’s not to love?
At the north end of William Street in evolving Northbridge, something is stirring. Jumbled in amongst the Asian cheap eats and grocery stores there is a smattering of hip strip contenders. Fashion meets five-spice: a great combination at any time of day or night. If you’re in the area and looking for a café where sustainability matters, make a beeline for Source Foods. The clean, contemporary lines of the décor are a perfect fit with the simple goodness on offer on the menu.
To see a master chef at work , go to Shige Sushi Bar in South Perth. The décor is basic, if authentic, but the food is sublime. Acclaimed Sydney restaurateur Tetsuya Wakuda is rumoured to rate it very highly and other sushi enthusiasts will happily concur. NeoNeighbourhood.com Chief Experience Officer, Verity Byth’s insider’s tip, is "sit up at the bar, offer Shige-san a glass of your wine, watch and learn. There's nowhere else like it."
For a great find even the locals don’t know about take your friends to Annalakshmi on the Swan at the Barrack Street Jetty. Few restaurants run completely on love, but this one does. They supply fabulous home-style Indian vegetarian food, you "eat as you want, give as you feel", making a voluntary donation for the meal. The prime river views are a bonus.
To see the future of Perth’s café culture make the trip to Fremantle. These days the main drag is heavily focused on the sprawling Notre Dame university presence as well as the perennial clots of tourists. Venture further afield to discover the treasures in the once tatty edges on the north and south. These include Tonic, a beacon of contemporary design and food, providing all-day breakfasts and great fair-trade coffee. The lovely hand-painted screens are by the owner, Vicky.
It's worth giving a brief warning about service: in all the places above, you'll be treated just as you'd hope to be. That isn't always the case in the rest of the city. Almost everyone in any service industry who is free to travel has left the city to earn significantly more working in the mining industry elsewhere in the state. Those who’ve stayed on are split starkly into the dedicated and the desperate. Reward quality when you find it.
To home in on the great experiences in Perth and other Australian and international cities, and skip the dross, visit the NeoNeighbourhood website. There’s the best in food, shopping (fashion, home, pantry, books and music), hotels, galleries and concert venues and much more.
Here the sun shines bright and the living is mostly easy. It’s all about how much you can enjoy life, in whatever individual, idiosyncratic, even anachronistic, way you want to.
Life is lived outdoors as much as possible: alfresco is a creed here. Although from October to April, everyone gets going early to beat the heat, then withdraws to wait for the 'Fremantle doctor', the cool wind that blows in from the ocean in the evening.
Visitors to Perth are in for a treat, with every kind of food and drink experience on offer, from five-star restaurants to seductive wine bars and cafés that make the most of the city’s climate.
As in all good cities, the best experiences are off the main mall. The fabulous heritage buildings that were overlooked by developers in the last boom are now slowly being brought to life with interesting boutiques and eateries.
Here are some of the best in the most interesting neighbourhoods:
The foodie set have homed in on Highgate, so now you can feed your mind with a good movie at Mt Lawley and then feed your body in fine style just a bit further down the road. For a bar you’ll never want to leave in this area, put Must Winebar on your list. It doesn’t put a foot wrong. There’s quality wine, well executed tapas, a relaxed yet cosmopolitan atmosphere and a very convivial crowd. What’s not to love?
At the north end of William Street in evolving Northbridge, something is stirring. Jumbled in amongst the Asian cheap eats and grocery stores there is a smattering of hip strip contenders. Fashion meets five-spice: a great combination at any time of day or night. If you’re in the area and looking for a café where sustainability matters, make a beeline for Source Foods. The clean, contemporary lines of the décor are a perfect fit with the simple goodness on offer on the menu.
To see a master chef at work , go to Shige Sushi Bar in South Perth. The décor is basic, if authentic, but the food is sublime. Acclaimed Sydney restaurateur Tetsuya Wakuda is rumoured to rate it very highly and other sushi enthusiasts will happily concur. NeoNeighbourhood.com Chief Experience Officer, Verity Byth’s insider’s tip, is "sit up at the bar, offer Shige-san a glass of your wine, watch and learn. There's nowhere else like it."
For a great find even the locals don’t know about take your friends to Annalakshmi on the Swan at the Barrack Street Jetty. Few restaurants run completely on love, but this one does. They supply fabulous home-style Indian vegetarian food, you "eat as you want, give as you feel", making a voluntary donation for the meal. The prime river views are a bonus.
To see the future of Perth’s café culture make the trip to Fremantle. These days the main drag is heavily focused on the sprawling Notre Dame university presence as well as the perennial clots of tourists. Venture further afield to discover the treasures in the once tatty edges on the north and south. These include Tonic, a beacon of contemporary design and food, providing all-day breakfasts and great fair-trade coffee. The lovely hand-painted screens are by the owner, Vicky.
It's worth giving a brief warning about service: in all the places above, you'll be treated just as you'd hope to be. That isn't always the case in the rest of the city. Almost everyone in any service industry who is free to travel has left the city to earn significantly more working in the mining industry elsewhere in the state. Those who’ve stayed on are split starkly into the dedicated and the desperate. Reward quality when you find it.
To home in on the great experiences in Perth and other Australian and international cities, and skip the dross, visit the NeoNeighbourhood website. There’s the best in food, shopping (fashion, home, pantry, books and music), hotels, galleries and concert venues and much more.
 | By Hazel Flynn Published: 5/7/2008 |