While June is often the month for hunkering down as the chill sets in, there’s nothing quite like discovering a new favourite cafe, restaurants or wine bar to add to your monthly rotation – even weekly. We’ve put together a list of five new cafes and restaurants in and around Perth to make your dining decision a little easier this month – that’s if you’re not feeling old faithfuls as listed in our best restaurants in Perth guide.
1. Mas, Cottesloe
Perhaps a familiar name, but indeed Mas is Cottesloe’s new neighbourhood restaurant and bar with the limelight on distinctive culinary creations. Executive Chef Ashleigh Pattison has taken over the joint and is brining refined dining to the seaside locale. Creativity combined with a slick fit-out makes for a memorable experience for the senses.
Local suppliers have teamed up with Mas to ensure the highest quality ingredients are utilised, with fare sounding something like: butter-poached crab with whipped sweetcorn and hazelnut; aged jersey beef sirloin; and feijoa sorbet with olive oil cake and sorrel leaf. Aged nibbles will be pulled right from the dry aged units which feature in the dining room.
Where: 29 Napoleon St, Cottesloe
2. Folly, Perth
Dinner with a view is what you’ll be treated to at Folly in Perth city, as you dine on the 18th storey of the Quest Hotel. The 75-seater boasts glass walls which offer panoramic sights ideal for a sunset catching. The chic dining room is minimalistic with a healthy dose of fiddle-leaf fig greenery.
As for the menu, local seafood doesn’t go astray, with the likes of: Shark Bay scallops with yellow chilli, Asian pear, coconut, and lime; crumbed snapper sandwich with dill tartare; and Fremantle octopus with cannellini beans and nduja dressing. But vegan options aren’t overlooked either with vegetable and tofu dumplings with spicy Sichuan dressing a highlight. Pair the fare with a signature cocktail from Folly’s impressive bar.
Where: Level 18/176 Adelaide Terrace, Perth
3. Vin Populi, Fremantle
Vin Populi is Fremantle’s new day-to-late joint down the quiet end of High Street. Everything about the restaurant and wine bar screams Italian – from the cuisine to the interior’s colour palette and textures. Complete with chalkboard menus and streetside seating, Vin Populi is the place to be for refined fare, with laidback energy welcome.
Seasonal produce is at the forefront of the pasta-heavy menu, along with daily catches from the fishermen of Fremantle. Feast on dishes with the likes of, squid ink linguine, tagliatelle ossobuco, and lobster tagliolini. Share plates of octopus, capocollo, grilled zucchini, and of course, olives are up for grabs, as well as non-pasta mains such as porchetta, roast lamb, and chicken milanese – elite when coupled with a natural and organic wine from a region of Italy or Western Australia.
Where: 11 High St, Fremantle
4. Casa, Mount Hawthorn
Paying homage to the neighbourhood eateries of Europe, Casa is somewhere between a cafe, a restaurant, a wine bar, and bottle shop. A warming, rustic ambience is all the rage at Casa with relaxing community notes, enticing you to stay comfy in the Mediterranean-esque space.
Organic food and minimal intervention wine adorns Casa’s menu. Classic delicatessen foods are the go for breakfast and during the day, while bigger, inventive plates is what you’ll get for dinner. The evening menu sounds a little like: rabbit tortelli with lovage and mountain pepper; blue swimmer crab sticks; grilled flank steak au poivre; and to-die-for tiramisu.
Where: 399 Oxford St, Mount Hawthorn
5. Stampa!, Perth
Brookfield Place’s multi-level dining and drinking space, Print Hall is now home to Stampa!. Lead by two powerhouse Italian chefs, both hailing from Italy; the pair are combining their talents and a lifetime of international culinary experiences.
Utilising high quality ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, the fare touches on many an Italian region. With sophistication at the forefront, the menu enlists classic seafood dishes inspired by the coastal Amalfi to hearty hand-made, fresh pasta dishes that’ll transport your mind, body, and soul to the Northern Hemisphere locale. Read more about Stampa! here.
Where: 125 St Georges Terrace, Brookfield Place