_Fleur

A suburban standout serving landmark Malaysian 

WA has such a variety of cultures, so when it comes to eating and drinking, the range really impresses. Walk up William Street night and a range of scents and sounds fill the air as you pass Chinatown, then some of the Perth’s leading wine bars, ramen houses and Vietnamese eateries. A little further from the city, in North Perth, you’ll find KCH. Led by a former fine-dining chef with Malaysian roots, the food treads a line between traditional dishes – think laksa, chicken curry or noodles – and modern ideas. It’s fast, it’s no frills, but there’s a youthful energy to this place that should put it right at the top of your list for casual dining in the West.

KCH
_{Unit 41, 10 Angove Street, North Perth
thekch.com.au}

A Margaret River fine-diner that's a true destination 

There are countless days to be spent around Margaret River traipsing through wineries, stopping at beaches and exploring the coastline, but no itinerary is complete without a meal at Vasse Felix. Our Restaurant of the Year is right at the top of its game, with a locally sourced, refined menu of dishes showing off the best of the region. From Abrolhos Island scallop with kohlrabi and lardo to Rose Mallee beef with taramasalata and grilled radicchio, each course is a masterclass in skill, flavour and execution. Don’t miss it.

Vasse Felix
_{Cnr Caves Road & Tom Cullity Drive, Cowaramup
vassefelix.com.au}

The local wine bar making waves

With the line between bars and restaurants becoming increasingly blurred, it’s no surprise that the state now has a wealth of venues that could be called both – think Liberté in Albany, Casa or Vincent Wine in Perth and Lady Lola in Dunsborough just for starters. But it’s a small neighbourhood spot, La Madonna Nera in Mount Hawthorn, that’s making the biggest splash. Dishes here are simple yet sophisticated (pasta, crostini, scallop crudo), while the Italian-led wine list makes a big impact. Who said the suburbs were boring?

La Madonna Nera
_{1/155 Scarborough Road, Mount Hawthorn
lamadonnanera.com.au}

A pasta bar that's among the nation's best

A pimped-up Subiaco trattoria with a keen eye for pasta, Lulu La Delizia should be right on the top of your list for all kinds of occasions. It’s a place to dine solo and soak up the atmosphere as much as it’s perfect for a group looking to go all in on a set menu. Dishes might seem simple, but there’s way more going on behind the scenes: tiramisu comes kissed with grappa, clams come tossed through saffron spaghettini, and the wine list is something to be envied.

Lulu La Delizia
_{5/97 Rokeby Road (Forrest Walk), Subiaco
lululadelizia.com.au}

A Karridale farm-to-table restaurant

If you have time for one more stop on a trip to the South West, make it Glenarty Road in Karridale. More laid-back and rustic than your typical winery restaurant, it’s the sort of place to graze on a platter of garden vegetables and house-made charcuterie, dip into the estate wines, then feast on the restaurant’s own lamb, cooked over wood fire and served with salt-baked carrots. Finish, of course, with a stroll around the paddocks.

Glenarty Road
_{70 Glenarty Road, Karridale
glenartyroad.com.au}

The seaside seafood specialist

Is there a better place to eat fish in Australia than right here in Fremantle? Walk up to Madalena’s from South Beach as the late afternoon sun dips over the water and everything feels in place. The seafood, much of it sourced from nearby, is pristine, and prepared just right: think barbecued Albany sardines with salsa verde or scallops with almond and mandarin. The wine list is forward thinking and perfectly pitched to go with the food, while the small plates, from chicken-liver parfait to fried school prawns, makes snacks and drinks just as enticing as a full meal.

Madalena’s
_{406 South Terrace, South Fremantle
madalenasbar.com.au}

The stylish bistro that loves to bend the rules

Le Rebelle doesn’t do things by halves. The cheese on the menu? Chef-owner Liam Atkinson made it. His partner Sarah Atkinson on the floor plays host, waiter, sommelier and DJ as well as the best of them. The wine list leans new-wave with a heavy dose of classics. Then there’s the food, which doesn’t shy from big flavours – think duck frites served with Béarnaise, quail with caviar and corn or a clever riff on honey king prawns. A bistro for right now.

Le Rebelle
_{676 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley
lerebelle.com.au}

The seasonal specialist in a heritage building

The beautifully restored heritage State Buildings, right in Perth’s CBD, is worth a visit just to gawk at the architecture, but it also houses some of the city’s sharpest dining. Head upstairs to Wildflower for the most refined offering, where chef Matthew Sartori draws on the six seasons of the Nyoongar calendar to present dishes that go deep with their flavour and delight with their intricacy. Want a marker for what contemporary WA dining looks like? Start here.

Wildflower
_{COMO The Treasury, 1 Cathedral Avenue, Perth
wildflowerperth.com.au}

The state's best new restaurant

Up the other end of town from the State Buildings, the redevelopment of The Royal Hotel has been just as impressive. There’s a pub, wine bar and karaoke rooms here, but the tiny-but-mighty Fleur – our New Restaurant of the Year – is surely the most impressive. With a kitchen that delivers a Japanese-led tasting menu, design that’s opulent yet playful, and refreshingly youthful service, it should be top of the list for something close to the city that’s that little bit special.

Fleur
_{Ground floor, 531 Wellington Street, Perth
theroyalhotelperth.com.au/fleur}

The bar-restaurant that's the future of WA dining

Si Paradiso made a name as a bar first and foremost, but in the last year or so it’s made itself an essential dining destination thanks to the smarts of a killer kitchen team and a menu that plays hits across all sections. Start with kingfish crudo with fermented pineapple, follow with grilled prawns with local stracciatella, then share a puffy pizza topped with mussels and spicy ’nduja. Add fun, fresh drinks and a rocking atmosphere and this is the spot to catch a glimpse of the future, right here, right now.

Si Paradiso
_{1/446 Beaufort Street, Highgate
si-paradiso.com}

Published December 2021.