Coogee Common, Coogee, Western Australia © Samuel David @marcelvibes
9 of the best restaurants in Perth
With a strong focus on local produce and fresh ingredients, Perth’s dining scene is a treat for the senses. Here are our top picks across the city.
By Amy Fraser
You don’t have to go far to experience premium dining in Perth. The Western Australian capital is bursting with ethical menus based on the seasons' best produce, delivering vibrant food with an ever-changing menu. Among the classic modern Australian fare, you’ll find cultural gems inspired by the likes of Thailand, Italy, India and Paris. The question is, where to start?
Coogee Common
Where: 371 Cockburn Rd, Coogee
Much like its popular sister restaurant Bread in Common, Coogee Common is far from ‘common’. This 120-year-old site has been revived into a charming diner complete with a colourful garden bursting with fresh produce. Scroll through Head Chef Scott Brannigan’s menu and you’ll find a thoughtful selection of delicious dishes reflecting the on-site garden’s picks of the day. Think gorgeous green salads, mead created with honey grown on-site and house-made refreshments to wash it down. It’s ethical food at its best. See it all yourself on a garden tour, complete with cocktails and a two-course meal.
Le Rebelle
Where: 676 Beaufort St, Mount Lawley
If romance is on the agenda, you won’t fall short at Le Rebelle; a quaint neighbourhood haunt known for its intimate interiors and old-world romanticism of Paris and New York bistros. Le Rebelle makes for a great date night, with an excellent array of European and Australian wines to sample in between mouth-watering plates of modern-classic fare. Pick your favourite of the restaurant's three tiers, each serving up a different ambience to suit your mood.
Wildflower
Where: Level 4, 1 Cathedral Ave, Perth
Flavoursome Aboriginal ingredients meets fine dining and fabulous views. If you’re looking for a unique special occasion venue in Perth, look no further. Here at the award-winning Wildflower restaurant, forager-driven menus are taken to a whole new level. This picturesque rooftop restaurant doesn’t just follow the four seasons, it celebrates all six of the Indigenous Noongar calendar, serving up fresh native ingredients in a minimalist, inventive fashion. Dine here and expect to be dazzled by artistic dishes while gazing across a sweeping view of the Swan River and Perth.
Long Chim
Where: State buildings, Barrack St &, St Georges Terrace, Perth
It’s not just Bangkok’s vibrant flavours, but its buzzing energy and grit that Australian chef David Thompson brings to the heart of Perth’s historic streets. Inspired by Thailand’s market food stalls, Long Chim serves up fresh, authentic flavours amid a lively restaurant scene fitted with quirky graffiti and open brick walls. As the name simply states in Thai: “come and taste” – your tastebuds will thank you.
Manuka Woodfire Kitchen
Where: 134 High St, Fremantle
For comfort food galore, Manuka Woodfire Kitchen is your go-to. Run by award-winning Kenny McHardy, the menu changes by season, but one key ingredient of this heart-warming kitchen that will never change is fire. From wood-fired pizza to smoky beetroots and crispy chicken – it’s a smorgasbord of smoky-flavoured goodness and a pleasure for the senses. Drink it down with local favourites, from Margaret River beers and Western Australian wines.
LuLu La Deliza
Where: 5/97 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco
From the North-East Italian town of Casarsa della Delizia to the streets of our beloved Western Australian capital; Lulu La Delizia prides itself in serving up the best homemade pasta in town. A craft culminating years of Italian traditions, techniques and flavours, the result is as silky and vibrant as it is delicious.
Emily Taylor Bar & Kitchen
Where: 19-29 Henderson St, Fremantle
A restaurant that embodies voyage, vibrancy and culture, dining at Emily Taylor is a Fremantle must. The restaurant is named after an eighteen-century ship that sailed from England to Fremantle, picking up tea, spices and immigrants in Asia along the way. The menu combines Western Australian produce with authentic Asian fare inspired by the Asian influence the ship brought to Fremantle, while the artistic architectural building emanates feelings of adventure with its hidden entrance and vibrant courtyard. Bring your mates and tuck into lip-smacking dishes, from flavoursome vegetarian curries to sticky pork belly.
Bib and Tucker
Where: 18 Leighton Beach Blvd, North Fremantle
Bib and Tucker combines seasonal ingredients, crafty cocktails and relaxing Indian Ocean views; it’s a place to hang out with friends, treat your tastebuds and reconnect with Western Australia. With a focus on fresh produce, you’ll find the food here is just as good as the vistas. Arrive with a hungry belly and you’ll soon be filled up on classic-modern fare teeming with flavour from the smoking, pickling and wood firing techniques used to enhance the best Perth produce on offer. And did we mention the epic sunset?
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Lions and Tigers
Where: 8 Bannister St, Fremantle
From the owners of the breakfast success Duck Duck Bruce came the Anglo-Indian inspired Lions and Tigers located in the heart of Fremantle. Brimming with good vibes, exciting flavours and seasonal produce; Lions and Tigers combines the Australian spirit with exquisite Indian fare. It’s a one-of-a-kind in the Western Australian capital, so if you’re looking for a spicy affair, book ahead and get ready to treat your tastebuds.