2014 has seen so many new Perth bars, restaurants and eateries pop up. It has been a fine balancing act trying out the new kids on the block and while supporting my old favourites!
Here’s a bit of a round up of the newbies I’ve tried in the last 6 months that I haven’t already written about!
NEW PERTH BARS & BREWERIES
I love that all the new Perth bars and breweries have gone out of their way to be different. Over the last 6 months this is where we’ve checked out…
LOT TWENTY in the Perth Cultural Centre. My two burgers had lunch here one Sunday, we loved the cool decor and vibe of the outdoor space. I’d go here more for the drinks and ambience rather tha nthe food as the sandwiches we ordered were a bit on the small side for the price. I perhaps also had higher expectations as I love the food from Five Bar who are partly owned by these guys.
Featured in the middle is burger boy’s Twenty with The Lot burger which had a Wagyu Beef Patty, Farm house Gold Cheese, Pickles, Fried Egg and House made Ketchup in a Glazed Bun $18. It usually comes with onion rings inside the burger but burger boy went without.
MANDOON ESTATE / HOMESTEAD BREWERY in the Swan Valley. We went here one Sunday and chilled out on our picnic blankets. It’s so cool to have a family friendly brewery to enjoy great tunes, drinks and food. Although I will always choose the casual atmosphere over fine dining, it is awesome to have the option to glam it up if we wish and order from the a la carte menu.
NORTHBRIDGE BREWING COMPANY (NBC) on James Street in Northbridge. It has the same feel as Little Creatures in Freo, plenty of space for groups…. So awesome that we’ve now got one in the city! It gets pretty crowded on the weekend which would make it tough to manoeuvre a pram but it was perfect on the Thursday we visited. I loved the little hog hoagies ($8 each) which were filled with pulled pork and slaw. Again like Lot Twenty, with all the amazing food options in Northbridge, I wouldn’t head to NBC solely for food. It’s more about the atmosphere and convenience of eating there whilst enjoying drinks.
SNEAKY TONY’s in the dark alley way of China Town in Northbridge backing Pleased to Meet You. LOVE LOVE this new speakeasy themed rum bar. In here you’ll find a laid back crowd in dim lighting enjoying jazz tunes and rum cocktails. The bar staff are dressed up as you would see in movies dated back to the 1920s which adds to the novelty.
You’d miss the big metal door with a peep hole if you didn’t know it was there and I’m sure the guys at The Standard would earn a few dollars if they were paid a dollar for every person who asked if they were Sneaky Tony’s
THE FLOUR FACTORY located on Murray Street where the Old Venn used to be. I actually really loved Venn so a bit sad to see these guys close but great to see The Flour Factory all lit up in its place. The Flour Factory has an extended bar area downstairs, a sherry rooftop bar, an extended butchery and an alfresco coffee area to cater to busy business folk of the CBD in the mornings. I was invited to the launch and manage to get in a cocktail, a couple of mini hot dogs and plenty of dessert! Oh how times has change, this building’s humble beginnings was actually as a flour mill in the early 1900s.
THE STANDARD on Roe Street. Owned by the same guys as Madame Brussels in Melbourne. This new bar is pretty bright in the front half and hosts a much more dressier crowd than Sneaky Tony’s. The beer garden was lit up with fairy lights and pretty packed the night we went so burger boy just had the one drink at the front half of the bar. We’ll be back to check out the beer garden which is also accessible from the same alley way as Sneaky Tony’s.
ZAPFHALL POP UP on High Street in Freo. burger boy and I were invited to check out this German beer pop up when it first opened. We were quite excited as there’s not many German beer gardens in Perth. We like the concept but not sure if we would pay the $20 cover charge to get in. Even though the $20 includes a German beer, pretzel and live entertainment, I would prefer to just purchase my own food rather than a ticket in advance. The German food was ok but like most of the new bars, I’d just head here for the German beers and snack. I do have to say it was pretty tough carrying our pram up the stairs though so I’d leave the pram behind!
NEW PERTH EATS
ASTOR GELATO on Walcott Street opposite our Crust in Mount Lawley. I am absolutely obsessed with these guys, ever since I featured their crunchy donut ice cream in my Top 5 Perth Eats, I just keep having cravings. I almost buy a scoop (or take home pack when the cravings are uncontrollable) every time I’m working at Crust. Lucky it wasn’t last year when I was working in the business more as I’d be the size of a house!
ANGOVE STREET COLLECTIVE in North Perth. A girlfriend and I had a late lunch at the cafe before heading into the store which is home to local art, wares, jewellery and even baby clothes. Coffee is great and the food is made each morning by an independent caterer so the lunch options were a bit limited by the time we got there but what we had was tasty. The store was amazing, my friend bought new furniture and I did a bit of Christmas shopping.
BING in Karrinyup Shopping Centre’s food hall. Think subway but with crepes. I tried the peking duck bing and the nutella. They are nice but it didn’t create a craving. I’d grab one on the go whilst shopping.
ENGINE ROOM ESPRESSO on Fitzgerald Street in North Perth. Run by three firemen who love a good coffee, if you need a good caffeine fix this is the new place to be. The service is friendly, coffee is quality and the chalk board walls will keep you entertained. Oh and there’s free wifi too.
FRANCOFORTE SPAGHETTI BAR a small spaghetti bar in Northbridge. Although these guys opened in 2013, they were new to me in 2014
We went to Francoforte for my friend Mahara’s birthday in October – the main draw card being that you can BYO as I had a bottle of Grant Burge Wine’s 19th vintage (2009) Meshach Shiraz ($180) sent to us to enjoy. The fruit for this vintage wine is handpicked from the Filsell vineyard, where the vines are nearing 100 years old. The age of these vines means Meshach is made from fruit with tremendous concentration and intensity resulting in a concentrated but balanced wine.
KOKO BLACK in the city. I’ve always loved Koko Black and would visit the Claremont store more often if it was closer to home. I was pretty excited when Koko Black opened in the Perth CBD. It was the first ever event invitation I received for foodie cravings so it brings back fond memories, check out my Koko Black post here.
I was invited to try out their new Oasis Summer Menu at their new city store the other week with my mum. I couldn’t fit in both the salted caramel ice chocolate and mango and vanilla spectacular, nor could I decide on both. So I was pretty excited to be able to order the baby versions of both.
I am actually quite impressed at how affordable it is! My salted caramel iced chocolate was $5.50 (featured to the left) and mango and vanilla spectacular (in the middle) was $5. A scoop of ice cream alone elsewhere is the same price and I’d over $10 for a similar dessert at any restaurant!
KRISPY KREME – omg how long did it take for these guys to get to Perth? I was obsessed with these donuts years ago and yep I was one of those people who would sacrifice leg room on the place for donuts. I must say I still love Krispy Kreme’s original donuts but I won’t wait hours for it like others. I had my first Perth Krispy Kreme last month at Seven Eleven in the city.
NO MAFIA in Jus Burgers old space in Northbridge. Owned by the same guys behind The Precinct in Vic Park which I raved about here, the food was quality and service was great. Portions however were on the smaller side so after spending just over $70 with just a glass of wine each, my friend mahara and I went for dessert. Twice.
I had a malva pudding at Baby Mammoth before heading to see Alex Dubus at Fringeworld’s Noodle Palace and we shared a cheese fondue from Hot Mamma inside Fringeworld’s Pleasure Garden afterwards.
LA CREPE DE PARIS in Whitfords Shopping Centre in front of Big W. I’d travel to Whitfords just for the cronuts. I’ve had the nutella and the strawberries & cream cronuts which are both amazing! I’ll be trying the savoury crepes next time.
PAPPA RICH Northbridge & Carousel Shopping Centre. I wrote about Pappa Rich’s Northbridge restaurant which my mum absolutely loves here and I headed to the launch of Pappa Rich in Carousel late last year. Every dish I’ve had at Pappa Rich I’ve enjoyed so far.
Perth’s restaurant scene is seriously happening – these are just some of the newbies which I’m planning on getting to soon!
- A FISH CALLED INGLEWOOD – after reading Beaufort and Beyond’s post I’ve been meaning to try A Fish Called Inglewood since they opened. I’ve been eating out a lot more during the day as it’s easier with a baby so I will be putting these guys on my takeaway list for a night in (they open from 5pm) so I can get there sooner as I love my fish and chips!
- THE DOMINION LEAGUE in Northbridge by the guys behind The Mechanics’s Institute, burger boy has been and reckon it’s pretty cool. Check out the marching band which created a bit of a spectacle on the day of their launch!